Scale Overview
The Sexual Opinion Survey – SOS was developed by William A. Fisher, Donn Byrne, Leonard A. White, and Kathryn Kelley (1988). It is designed to measure Erotophobia-Erotophilia. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 21 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 7-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 7 = Strongly Agree).
The scale includes 10 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 21 to 147. Interpretation guidelines:
- High Erotophobia (Highly negative disposition toward sexual stimuli): 21 – 63
- Moderate Erotophobia: 64 – 83
- Neutral: 84 – 84
- Moderate Erotophilia: 85 – 104
- High Erotophilia (Highly positive disposition toward sexual stimuli): 105 – 147
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of High internal consistency (typically Cronbach's alpha > .80).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.