Participants were recruited either for a study of sexual attitudes and
behavior or for a study of attitudes and behavior without mention of
sexuality Both groups answered questions about their sexual behavior a
nd completed the Self-Monitoring Scale, the Balanced F Scale, and the
Social Responsibility Scale. No differences were found as a function o
f recruitment technique in the mean reports of subjects' sexual behavi
or, but substantial differences were found in some of the relationship
s between these personality variables and sexual behavior reports as a
function of recruitment technique; the con elation between the balanc
ed F Scale score and masturbation frequency for females was +0.61 for
those recruited for a study of sexual behavior and -0.61 for those rec
ruited for a study of general attitudes and behavior. In both groups,
larger correlations were found between female sexual behavior and pers
onality than between male sexual behavior and personality. In all grou
ps, the Self-Monitoring Scale was significantly correlated with mastur
bation frequency. The results are discussed in terms of self-selection
bias and self-presentation bias, both of which may affect research on
sexuality.