Sexual Daydreaming Scale of the Imaginal Processes Inventory

Abstract

The Sexual Daydreaming Scale (SDS) is a specialized 12-item subscale derived from the comprehensive Imaginal Processes Inventory (IPI). The IPI was originally designed by Jerome L. Singer and John S. Antrobus to quantify various dimensions of daydreaming and related cognitive processes, such as attention and curiosity, within a normally functioning population. The specific objective of the SDS, constructed by Leonard M. Giambra and Jerome L. Singer, is to assess the degree or frequency with which an individual experiences daydreams that are explicitly sexual or erotic in content.

The SDS items were initially generated from recordings of recurrent fantasies provided by a large sample of normal adults. Responses are measured using a 5-point Likert-type scale. While the SDS can be scored independently, it is generally utilized within the context of the full IPI, as it consistently loads onto key second-order factors of the larger questionnaire, indicating its strong connection to broader patterns of imaginal processing.

Keywords

Sexual Daydreaming Scale, SDS, Imaginal Processes Inventory, IPI, Daydreaming, Sexual Fantasy, Erotic Imagination, Psychological Assessment, Likert scale, Giambra, Singer, Internal Consistency.

Authors

Leonard M. Giambra, Jerome L. Singer

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Sexual Daydreaming Scale (SDS) is to quantify the frequency and intensity of sexual and erotic fantasies occurring spontaneously in the daily mental life of adults. Developed as part of the broader Imaginal Processes Inventory (IPI), the SDS is intended for use with non-clinical populations to map the normal range of internal experience related to sexuality.

The scale provides a direct measure of a specific dimension of imaginal processing—the preoccupation with sexual themes—which researchers have used to explore relationships between internal fantasy life and overt sexual behavior, life stage transitions (like menopause), and general psychological well-being.

Construct

The SDS measures the psychological construct of Sexual Daydreaming, defined as the recurrent, spontaneous, and vivid mental imagery or thought sequences centered on sexual or romantic activities, desire, and attraction. This construct is situated within the larger framework of the IPI, which posits that daydreaming is a complex cognitive activity encompassing multiple dimensions.

The scale captures both the frequency of these erotic thoughts and their vividness, suggesting a strong involvement of the imaginal processes in sexual cognition. High scores on the SDS indicate a greater propensity for engaging in sexual fantasy, which has been shown to correlate with specific patterns of sexual behavior and personality factors.

Validity

The validity of the SDS has been explored through correlations with demographic and behavioral measures across the adult lifespan. In large samples of men (n=565) and women (n=745) aged 17 to 92, the SDS demonstrated significant negative correlations with age (r = -.56 for men and r = -.52 for women). This suggests that the frequency of sexual daydreaming generally decreases with advancing age, even when controlling for general daydreaming frequency (partial correlations were -.41 for men and -.40 for women).

Furthermore, studies have established strong links between SDS scores and overt sexual activity. For men, higher SDS values were significantly associated with a greater number of coital partners, higher frequency of coitus early in marriage, and a greater number of sexual events per week between the ages of 20 and 40 (Giambra & Martin, 1977). For middle-aged women (40 to 60 years), SDS scores were significantly related to menopausal state, menopausal symptom indices, frequency of masturbation, and interest in sexual relations relative to their partner, although age acted as an interacting variable in these relationships.

Reliability

The internal consistency of the Sexual Daydreaming Scale (SDS) is consistently reported as high across multiple studies, indicating that the 12 items reliably measure the same underlying construct. Internal consistency, measured by Cronbach’s alpha, has been reported as .87 (Singer & Antrobus, 1972), .93 (Giambra, 1977-1978), and .93 (Giambra, 1979-1980).

Test-retest reliability, assessed over a substantial 1- to 3-year interval in a sample of 45 men, yielded a coefficient of .58. While moderate, this longitudinal stability suggests that the propensity for sexual daydreaming, while subject to some fluctuation over long periods, remains relatively consistent over time. Critically, no significant difference was observed between the mean scores of the first and second testing, supporting the scale’s stability.

Factor Analysis

As a subscale of the broader IPI, the SDS is understood through the factor analysis structure of the overall inventory. The IPI consistently yields three second-order factors that define the structure of inner experience. The SDS loads significantly onto at least two of these factors. Research utilizing the IPI and its short form, the SIPI (Short Imaginal Processes Inventory), identified these core factors as:

• Poor Attentional Control: Characterized by distractibility and mind-wandering.
• Positive-Constructive Daydreaming: Associated with positive affect, planning, and acceptance of fantasy.
• Guilty-Dysphoric Daydreaming: Involving negative affect, guilt, and self-criticism related to fantasy.

Specifically, the SDS shows positive loadings on the Positive-Constructive Daydreaming factor, suggesting that frequent sexual daydreaming is generally associated with a healthy, accepting attitude toward one’s sexual fantasies and behavior. An alternative scoring method based purely on a factor analysis of the IPI items is available in Giambra (1980).

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire, Psychological Inventory Subscale

Format: 12 items measured on a 5-point Likert scale.

Language Available: English (Original research context)

Population Group: Non-clinical adults

Age Group: Late teens through the early nineties (17 to 92 years)

Population Details: Used extensively in life-span studies, examining differences between men and women, and correlations with aging and sexual behavior across various adult life stages.

Test Methodology: Respondents select one of five options for each item: Definitely Not True For Me, Usually Not True For Me, Usually True For Me, True For Me, and Very True For Me. These responses are assigned integer values (typically 0 to 4 or 1 to 5). The scale score is the sum of the values of the 12 items, resulting in a range of 0 to 48 or 12 to 60. Higher scores reflect a greater likelihood of sexual daydreaming.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The longer form of the Imaginal Processes Inventory (IPI), which includes the SDS, is copyrighted by Jerome L. Singer and John S. Antrobus. The instrument is available through The Measurement Group. Users are required to acknowledge its origin in any resulting publications. The scale was developed and refined in the context of research conducted in the 1960s and 1970s.

Correspondence regarding the scale can be directed to Leonard M. Giambra, United States Coast Guard Academy, 15 Mohegan Avenue, New London, CT 06320; e-mail: Leonard. [email protected].

References

• Campagna, A. F. (1975). The function of men’s erotic fantasies during masturbation. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Yale University, New Haven, CT.
• Giambra, L. M. (1977-1978). Adult male daydreaming across the lifespan: A replication, further analyses, and tentative norms based upon retrospective reports. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 8, 197-228.
• Giambra, L. M. (1979-1980). Sex differences in daydreaming and related mental activity from the late teens to the early nineties. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 10, 1-34.
• Giambra, L. M. (1980). A factor analysis of the items for the Imaginal Processes Inventory. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 36, 383-409.
• Giambra, L. M. (1983a). Daydreaming in 40- to 60-year-old women: Menopause, health, values, and sexuality. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 39, 11-21.
• Giambra, L. M. (1983b). Sexual daydreams in 40- to 60-year old women: The influence of menopause, sexual activity, and health. In J. E. Shorr, G. Gobel-Whittington, P. Robin, & J. Connella (Eds.), Imagery: Theoretical and clinical applications (Vol. 3, pp. 297-302). New York: Plenum.
• Giambra, L. M., & Martin, C. E. (1977). Sexual daydreams and quantitative aspects of sexual activity: Some relations for males across adulthood. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 6, 497-505.
• Huba, G. J., Aneshensel, C. S., & Singer, J. L. (1981). Development of scales for three second-order factors of inner experience. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 16, 181-206.
• Rosenberg, L. G. (1983). Sex-role identification, erotic fantasy and sexual behavior: A study of heterosexual, bisexual and homosexual males. Unpublished predissertation research, Yale University, New Haven, CT.
• Singer, J. L., & Antrobus, J. S. (1963). A factor analytic study of daydreaming and conceptually related cognitive and personality variables [Monograph]. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 17 (Suppl. 3-V17), 187-209.
• Singer, J. L., & Antrobus, J. S. (1972). Daydreaming, imaginal processes, and personality: A normative study. In P. Sheehan (Ed.), The function and nature of imagery (pp. 175-202). New York: Academic Press.

Items of the Sexual Daydreaming Scale of the Imaginal Processes Inventory

1. My daydreams about love are so vivid, I actually feel they are occurring.

2. I imagine myself to be physically attractive to people of the opposite sex.

3. While working intently at a job, my mind will wander to thoughts about sex.

4. Sometimes on my way to work, I imagine myself making love to an attractive person of the opposite sex.

5. My sexual daydreams are very vivid and clear in my mind.

6. While reading, I often slip into daydreams about sex or making love to someone.

7. While traveling on a train or bus [or airplane], my idle thoughts turn to love.

8. Whenever I am bored, I daydream about the opposite sex.

9. Sometimes in the middle of the day, I will daydream of having sexual relations with someone I am fond of.

10. In my fantasies, I arouse great desire in someone I admire.

11. Before going to sleep, my idle thoughts turn to love-making.

12. My daydreams tend to arouse me physically.

Note: Item 7 has been modified from the original by addition of the material in brackets.