Sexuality and Morality: How Sexual Experiences Affect Self-Humanity Perceptions

Abstract

The present research explored the relationship between sexual experiences and self-humanity perceptions. We investigated and found that the immoral perceptions of a sexual experience negatively predict self-humanity perceptions (Study 1), and that the recalling of a perceived moral sexual experience predicts higher self-humanity perceptions as compared to the recalling of an everyday social interaction (control group; Study 2b) and of a perceived immoral sexual experience (Studies 2a and 2b). Contrary to expectations, no meaningful difference emerged between the perceived immoral sexual experience and the control conditions (Study 2b). Furthermore, mediation analysis revealed that recalling a perceived moral sexual experience positively predicts self-humanity perceptions through the effect of increased social connection. The discussion considered the implications of these findings for morality.