Stereotypes About Male Sexuality Scale – SAMSS
Measures endorsement of traditional stereotypes and cognitive beliefs regarding male sexuality.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Stereotypes About Male Sexuality Scale – SAMSS was developed by William E. Snell, Jr., S. Belk, & R. Hawkins, II (1986). It is designed to measure Stereotypes about male sexuality. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 60 items organized into 10 factors/subscales: Inexpressiveness, Sex Equals Performance, Males Orchestrate Sex, Always Ready for Sex, Touching Leads to Sex, Sex Equals Intercourse, Sex Requires Erection, Sex Requires Orgasm, Spontaneous Sex, Sexually Aware Men.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Inexpressiveness | 1,11,21,31,41,51 | 6 |
| Sex Equals Performance | 2,12,22,32,42,52 | 6 |
| Males Orchestrate Sex | 3,13,23,33,43,53 | 6 |
| Always Ready for Sex | 4,14,24,34,44,54 | 6 |
| Touching Leads to Sex | 5,15,25,35,45,55 | 6 |
| Sex Equals Intercourse | 6,16,26,36,46,56 | 6 |
| Sex Requires Erection | 7,17,27,37,47,57 | 6 |
| Sex Requires Orgasm | 8,18,28,38,48,58 | 6 |
| Spontaneous Sex | 9,19,29,39,49,59 | 6 |
| Sexually Aware Men | 10,20,30,40,50,60 | 6 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 2 = Agree, 1 = Slightly Agree, 0 = Neither agree nor disagree, -1 = Slightly Disagree, -2 = Disagree.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from -12 to 12. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low endorsement of stereotype: -12 – -5
- Moderate / Neutral endorsement: -4 – 4
- High endorsement of stereotype: 5 – 12
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.