Abstract
Based on date from Wave 3 and Wave 4 from National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health (N = 12,287), known as Add Health, the majority of young adults identified their sexual orientation as 100% heterosexual. The
second largest identity group, “mostly heterosexual,” was larger than all other nonheterosexual identities combined. Comparing
distributions across waves, which were approximately 6 years apart, stability of sexual orientation identity was more common
than change. Stability was greatest among men and those identifying as heterosexual. Individuals who identified as 100% homosexual
reported nearly the same level of stability as 100% heterosexuals. The bisexual category was the most unstable, with one quarter
maintaining that status at Wave 4. Bisexual men who changed their identity distributed themselves among all other categories;
among bisexual women, the most common shift was toward mostly heterosexual. Reflecting changes in identity, the proportion
of heterosexuals decreased between the two waves.
second largest identity group, “mostly heterosexual,” was larger than all other nonheterosexual identities combined. Comparing
distributions across waves, which were approximately 6 years apart, stability of sexual orientation identity was more common
than change. Stability was greatest among men and those identifying as heterosexual. Individuals who identified as 100% homosexual
reported nearly the same level of stability as 100% heterosexuals. The bisexual category was the most unstable, with one quarter
maintaining that status at Wave 4. Bisexual men who changed their identity distributed themselves among all other categories;
among bisexual women, the most common shift was toward mostly heterosexual. Reflecting changes in identity, the proportion
of heterosexuals decreased between the two waves.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-8
- DOI 10.1007/s10508-012-9913-y
- Authors
- Ritch C. Savin-Williams, Department of Human Development, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-4401, USA
- Kara Joyner, Department of Sociology, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA
- Gerulf Rieger, Department of Human Development, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-4401, USA
- Journal Archives of Sexual Behavior
- Online ISSN 1573-2800
- Print ISSN 0004-0002