Bisexual women exhibit more male dark personality traits and sexual inclinations

New research has found that bisexual women have personality traits and sexual behavior that are more similar to those of heterosexual men than heterosexual women, including greater openness to casual sex and more pronounced dark personality traits. However, these patterns are less clear or absent among exclusively homosexual individuals, suggesting that different sexual orientation groups have different characteristics and do not fit into a simple continuum. The findings were published in Archives of sexual behavior.

Previous research has shown that men generally score higher than women on the Dark Triad traits – narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism. Narcissism is characterized by a grandiose sense of one’s own importance, a need for excessive admiration, and a lack of empathy for others.

Psychopathy includes antisocial behavior, superficial charm, low empathy, impulsivity, and a lack of remorse. Machiavellianism refers to a manipulative and deceitful interpersonal style in which individuals focus on their own personal gain, often at the expense of others. These Dark Triad traits are associated with a greater tolerance and preference for casual sex.

Women, on the other hand, tend to be more cautious about casual sex, showing higher sexual inhibitions and lower sexual arousal. These patterns raise interesting questions about how sexual orientation might influence these well-documented sex differences.

By examining these traits and behaviors in a more diverse sample, the researchers hoped to improve our understanding of the diversity of sexual orientation and its overlap with typical mating strategies and sexual behavior. The study also aimed to test the “sex shift” hypothesis, which states that non-heterosexual individuals may exhibit personality traits and behaviors that are more typical of the opposite sex.

“Understanding how traits differ between sexual orientation groups gives scientists clues to how to better classify and understand them. Patterns of personality variation also tell us which theories are more likely to explain the development of these attraction patterns,” explained study author Scott W. Semenyna, assistant professor of psychology at MacEwan University.

“This study built on previous research showing that bisexual women and men do not necessarily represent a ‘midpoint’ between exclusively same-sex and heterosexual attraction, but rather are distinct groups. This study extended that research by looking at four sexual orientation groups (heterosexual, predominantly heterosexual, bisexual, and exclusively same-sex attraction) and measuring characteristics such as sociosexuality (interest in casual sexual behavior), sexual arousal (the tendency to become easily sexually aroused), and sexual inhibition (the tendency to suppress or limit sexual arousal).”

The study was conducted with a large sample of 2,047 students from two Canadian universities. Participants, who were recruited online, completed a series of questionnaires designed to assess their personality traits, sexual behavior, and sexual orientation. Researchers used the seven-point Kinsey scale to classify participants’ sexual orientation, which ranged from exclusively heterosexual to exclusively homosexual attraction. The final sample consisted of 1,474 women and 573 men, with an average age of about 21 years.

Participants’ responses were analyzed to identify differences in these characteristics and behaviors between different groups of different sexual orientations. Researchers compared heterosexual, predominantly heterosexual, bisexual, and homosexual individuals within each gender to determine whether non-heterosexual individuals showed “sex switching” in characteristics and behaviors typically associated with the opposite gender.

The results confirmed the gender differences found in personality traits and sexual behavior. As expected, men scored higher than women on all three Dark Triad traits – narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism. Men also showed higher levels of sociosexuality, indicating greater openness and preference for casual sexual encounters, as well as higher levels of sexual arousal, meaning they become sexually aroused more easily. Women reported higher levels of sexual inhibition, both in terms of performance anxiety and fear of negative consequences such as being judged or contracting sexually transmitted diseases.

When examining differences in sexual orientation, researchers found notable patterns, particularly among women. Heterosexual and bisexual women in particular showed increased levels of sociosexuality and sexual arousal compared to their exclusively heterosexual counterparts. They also showed higher scores on psychopathy.

“There are now several replications showing that predominantly heterosexual women are more likely to suffer from psychopathy than other groups of different sexual orientations,” Semenyna noted. “Psychopathy in this context simply means less concern for other people’s feelings and social expectations and less impulse control. Predominantly heterosexual women score similarly well on this trait to heterosexual men, but it is not clear why. It could simply be that these women are less concerned about what others think of them and less constrained by social mores that negatively judge same-sex attraction or behavior.”

Interestingly, exclusively homosexual women did not show the same increase in sociosexuality and sexual arousal, suggesting that predominantly heterosexual and bisexual women form different groups.

For men, the results were somewhat different. Mostly heterosexual men reported higher levels of sexual arousal than exclusively heterosexual men. However, there were no significant differences in sociosexuality or Dark Triad traits between homosexual and heterosexual men.

Indeed, homosexual men showed higher levels of sexual inhibition, which is more consistent with typical patterns of effeminate men. This suggests that predominantly heterosexual and bisexual men may be more sexually aroused, whereas exclusively homosexual men show increased caution and inhibition in sexual contexts.

“The results showed that the characteristics associated with predominantly heterosexual, bisexual, or exclusively same-sex attraction were somewhat different. Sociosexuality and sexual arousal tended to be higher among predominantly heterosexual and bisexual participants, but this was not always true for individuals who reported exclusively same-sex attraction,” Semenyna told PsyPost.

“Sexual orientation is a spectrum, but these kinds of patterns tell us that we shouldn’t assume that spectrum is a smooth continuum. Most of the time, heterosexual and bisexual people form recognizable groups, and scientists probably need specific theories to understand them. I strongly suspect that they are different from theories that explain same-sex attraction exclusively.”

This study provides new insights into how sexual orientation intersects with personality traits and sexual behavior. But as with any study, there are limitations. Because the data is cross-sectional, causality cannot be established—only associations. The sample was predominantly young and educated, which may limit the generalizability of the results to other age groups or populations.

“This is a sample of students from two Canadian universities, so there is no way to know to what extent these patterns apply to the general population,” Semenyna said. “A good scientific argument always awaits further replication in higher quality samples, so it is important not to overinterpret a small piece of evidence.”

Insights into the relationships between sexual orientation, personality, and sexual behavior are important for developing more accurate theories about the developmental origins of sexual orientation. This nuanced understanding may enable researchers and clinicians to better support people across the spectrum of sexual orientations.

“This line of research is about finding the best ways to systematically classify the spectrum of sexual orientation,” Semenyna explained. “Better classification will help us to more precisely formulate the theories we use to explain the spectrum of same-sex attractions. Some of these theories may apply to the entire spectrum, while others may help explain bisexuality but tell us nothing about exclusively same-sex attractions (or vice versa).”

“Some worry that people with predominantly heterosexual or bisexual tendencies are portrayed negatively in this study, as these individuals are more likely to be interested in casual sexual behavior or (in women) have higher levels of psychopathy,” Semenyna added. “It is important to keep in mind that we are measuring normal human variations in these traits. A more positive interpretation of the data is that these individuals boldly embrace their sexual tendencies despite social pressure to conform to heterosexual ideals, and certain personality traits protect them from feeling that pressure so strongly.”

Authors of the study “Gender and sexual orientation differences in dark triad traits, sexual arousal/inhibition, and sociosexuality” are Scott W. Semenyna, Paul L. Vasey, and P. Lynne Honey.