Stereotypes About Male Sexuality Scale – SAMSS
Measures endorsement of common cultural stereotypes and beliefs regarding male sexuality across ten distinct subscales.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Stereotypes About Male Sexuality Scale – SAMSS was developed by William E. Snell, Jr., Sharyn S. Belk, & Raymond 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 = Disagree, -1 = Slightly Disagree, 0 = Neither agree nor disagree, 1 = Slightly Agree, 2 = Agree.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from -12 to 12. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Agreement with Stereotype: -12 – -5
- Neutral / Moderate Agreement: -4 – 4
- High Agreement with Stereotype: 5 – 12
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Varies by subscale.
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.