FURTHERING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF ASEXUALITY: AN INVESTIGATION INTO BIOLOGICAL MARKERS OF ASEXUALITY, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ASEXUALITY IDENTIFICATION SCALE

ii Human asexuality is defined as an absence of sexual attraction to anyone. Approximately 1 % of the population is thought to be asexual. However, there has been a paucity of research into correlates of asexuality as well as into how asexuality is best conceptualized. This is in part due to logistical difficulties in recruiting and identifying representative samples of asexuals. Because of the low prevalence rate of asexuality, and the relatively recent emergence of asexual communities, many individuals who lack sexual attraction may not self-identify as asexual. Previous studies have recruited asexual participants via online web-communities, and relied on self-identification as asexual, which may result in non-representative sampling. The purpose of this study was two-fold. Firstly, in response to continuing debate as to whether asexuality is better understood as a sexual orientation or as a sexual dysfunction, Study 1 aimed to investigate the claim that asexuality would best be conceptualized as a sexual orientation in a large internet sample. Biological markers such as finger length ratios, handedness, and older siblings have may be related t