LEARNING ABOUT SEX OUTSIDE THE GUTTER - ATTITUDES TOWARD A COMPUTER SEX-EXPERT SYSTEM

In an ongoing research program investigating the utility of Sexpert, a n expert computer system designed to counsel couples about their sexua l relationships, we tested whether sexually active couples' attitudes concerning computerized sexual counseling could be affected by interac ting with Sexpert. Eighty-one young heterosexual couples drawn from th e university and general community were assigned to one of three sourc es of feedback about couple sexual functioning (Sexpert, a video, a se lf-help book) or a control condition. Attitudes toward all counseling sources used in the study were assessed through semantic differential and similarity-dissimilarity questionnaires. Subjects in the Sexpert c ondition showed significant improvements in their attitudes toward com puterized sexual counseling and evaluated Sexpert significantly better and more similar to a human therapist as a result of exposure. Subjec ts in the other three conditions showed no significant changes in atti tudes. This study provides strong evidence for the acceptability of a computerized sex-expert system.