A Psychometric Analysis of Tailcalled's Gender Themes Survey

Tailcalled ran a “Gender themes” survey, so I decided to analyze the data. The responses came from 188 cis men recruited on Prolific.

Factor Structure

I was able to extract 7 factors:

Homosexuality
Gender Conservatism
Social Comfort
Sexual Experience
Female Social Affiliation
Autogynephilia
Emotional Vulnerability

Factor 1: Homosexuality

Have you ever wanted a romantic relationship with a man? (0.88)

Have you ever wanted a romantic relationship with a man?

Yes, I am gay
Yes, I am bisexual
Yes, I am curious
No

Sexuaity [Having sex with a man] (0.84)

How sexually arousing would you find having sex with a man?

Very
Quite
Moderately
A little
Not at all

Do you have sexual fantasies about having sex with straight men? (0.79)

Do you have sexual fantasies about having sex with straight men?

Yes
Kind of
No

Have you had a threesome? [Two men] (0.73)

Have you had a threesome with two men?

How many sexual&romantic relationship partners have you had? [Male] (0.71)

How many male sexual&romantic relationship partners have you had?
Excluding one-night-stands, friends with benefits, etc. (use your best judgement aboutwhat counts - it's not important to get it right though)

Sixteen or more
Five to fifteen
Two to four
One
nan

Sexuaity [Having sex with a woman] (-0.67)

How sexually arousing would you find having sex with a woman?

Very
Quite
Moderately
A little
Not at all

Do you wear makeup in your everyday life? (0.57)

Do you wear makeup in your everyday life?

Sometimes
Rarely
No

Did you have more feminine or more masculine interests as a child? (-0.36)

Did you have more feminine or more masculine interests as a child?

More masculine
Equally much of both
More feminine

Most items that load on this factor concern same-sex attraction and behavior. The exceptions are “Do you wear makeup in your everyday life?”, which reflects a stereotype associated with gay men, and “Did you have more feminine or more masculine interests as a child?”, which reflects another stereotype.

As with previous homosexuality scales¹ ², this scale had very low reliability at the low end of the distribution (despite having a decent number of items) and acceptable reliability from the average to the high end.

Factor 2: Gender Conservatism

Do you think it is important for men to be manly and women to be womanly? (0.74)

Do you think it is important for men to be manly and women to be womanly?

Yes
Kind of
No

Gender identity (-0.69)

Which of the following is closest to your views on gender identity politics? (If none of them match at all, then you can write your own answer, but you should feel encouraged to instead "round off" your answer to the listed one that's "closest" to you, or which you think can best represent your values.)

I think all the newly expressed diversity in gender identity is heartening, and that people who try to keep at bay are repressive
I support more progressive norms but can get concerned that they can get overly dismissive of the concerns and experiences of people in majority groups
I think activists are pushing for policies that common sense tells us are nonsensical or harmful
I believe there is an emergency as gender ideology has normalized a lot of highly destructive policies

Do you have a negative opinion of gay men? (-0.60)

Do you have a negative opinion of gay men?

No
No, but I did for much of my life
Yes

Do you believe there are more than two genders? (-0.58)

Do you believe there are more than two genders?

Yes
Kind of
No

Would you be offended if people thought you were unmanly or gay? (0.57)

Would you be offended if people thought you were unmanly or gay?

Yes
Depends a lot
No

Do you believe men have an obligation to take care of and protect women? (0.56)

Do you believe men have an obligation to take care of and protect women?

Yes
Kind of
No

Do you feel like people can choose their gender? (-0.56)

Do you feel like people can choose their gender?

Yes
Kind of
No

Do you feel young women tend to have a lot of unnecessary drama? (More than young men) (0.55)

Do you feel young women tend to have a lot of unnecessary drama? (More than young men)

Yes
Kind of
No

I tend to vote for liberal political candidates [-] (-0.54)

I tend to vote for liberal political candidates

Agree strongly
Agree
Neither
Disagree
Disagree strongly

Do you believe women can do anything men can? (Other than physical strength) (-0.50)

Do you believe women can do anything men can? (Other than physical strength)

Yes
Kind of
No

Do you feel like women are prone to excessively overthinking things? (0.49)

Do you feel like women are prone to excessively overthinking things?

Yes
Kind of
No

I believe in one true religion [-] (0.48)

I believe in one true religion

Agree strongly
Agree
Neither
Disagree
Disagree strongly

Do you feel men or women have it easier in life? (0.47)

Do you feel men or women have it easier in life?

Women
About equal / they each have their own difficulties
Men

How psychologically different do you feel men and women are? (0.43)

How psychologically different do you feel men and women are?

Like two entirely different minds; it is difficult if not impossible for men to understand women
There are significant differences, but they are not insurmountable
Basically the same with at most small differences

Do you think men or women are treated worse by society? (-0.38)

Do you think men or women are treated worse by society?

Women
It's about equal
Men

Who do you think has a most healthy understanding of gender? (0.37)

If asked whether they would choose to become women if they magically could, some men feel proud of being men, and feel that they wouldn't want to be women. Others feel like it would be cool to be women, even though they don't choose to be transsexual under current circumstances. Who of the two groups of men do you think has the most healthy understanding of gender?

Men who feel proud of being men
They are equally healthy
Men who feel like it would be cool for themselves to be a woman

I like to stand during the national anthem [-] (0.36)

I like to stand during the national anthem

Agree strongly
Agree
Neither
Disagree
Disagree strongly

Do you like making things into competitions? (0.35)

Do you like making things into competitions?

I believe that I am better than others [-] (0.34)

I believe that I am better than others

Agree strongly
Agree
Neither
Disagree
Disagree strongly

Do women feel too much guilt about everything? (0.33)

Do women feel too much guilt about everything?

Yes
Kind of
No

Do you think competition or cooperation is better for making people achieve things? (-0.33)

Do you think competition or cooperation is better for making people achieve things?

Cooperation
Competition

Do you feel that society has become more accepting or less accepting of alternate gender identities over time? (0.33)

Do you feel that society has become more accepting or less accepting of alternate gender identities over time?

Less accepting
About the same
More accepting

As with the Gender Satisfaction survey, this factor includes items endorsing masculine gender norms, expressing pride or comfort in being male, and treating being a man as a core part of one’s identity. It also contains several items tied to political and social conservatism, such as holding negative views of gay men, not voting for liberal political candidates, and being religious. Because of this mix, I decided to call this factor “Gender Conservatism” rather than “Masculine Gender Norm Endorsement,” the label used in the Gender Satisfaction survey.

Although it contained many items, the loadings were not especially strong, yielding a scale with merely acceptable reliability across the distribution.

I feel at ease with people [-] (0.72)

I feel at ease with people

Agree strongly
Agree
Neither
Disagree
Disagree strongly

Do you feel like you have a good sense of belonging in some social groups? (0.66)

Do you feel like you have a good sense of belonging in some social groups?

Are you more introverted or extraverted? (0.50)

Are you more introverted or extraverted?

More extraverted
Ambiverted
More introverted

Did you have an easy time making male or female friends as a child? [Male friends] (0.48)

Did you have an easy time making male friends as a child?

Easy time
Neither
Hard time

Are you good at understanding what others need from you? (0.48)

Are you good at understanding what others need from you?

Yes
Kind of
No

Do you feel you have learned a lot of lessons about how to succeed as a man? (0.46)

Do you feel you have learned a lot of lessons about how to succeed as a man?
*Specifically* as a man, rather than more general lessons about how to succeed in life regardless of gender.

Yes
Kind of
No

I say little [-] (-0.41)

I say little

Agree strongly
Agree
Neither
Disagree
Disagree strongly

Are you good at taking care of others? (0.40)

Are you good at taking care of others?

Yes
Kind of
No

Are you a fan of team sports? (0.40)

Are you a fan of team sports?

Huge fan!
Kind of
Not at all

Were there any men you looked up to and could talk with during your childhood? (0.38)

Were there any men you looked up to and could talk with during your childhood?

Yes
Very much
Kind of
No

Did you have an easy time making male or female friends as a child? [Female friends] (0.33)

Did you have an easy time making female friends as a child?

Easy time
Neither
Hard time

Items emphasize feeling at ease in social situations and being more extroverted or socially competent.

This scale had moderate reliability across the distribution, due to a modest number of items with modest loadings. On the plus side, the items covered a range of difficulties.

Factor 4: Sexual Experience

How many sexual&romantic relationship partners have you had? [Female] (0.69)

How many female sexual&romantic relationship partners have you had?
Excluding one-night-stands, friends with benefits, etc. (use your best judgement aboutwhat counts - it's not important to get it right though)

Sixteen or more
Five to fifteen
Two to four
One
nan

How many different sexual partners have you had? (0.64)

How many different sexual partners have you had?
(Including one-night-stands.)

Move than thirty
Eleven to thirty
Four to ten
Two to three
One
Zero

Have you had a threesome? [Two women] (0.63)

Have you had a threesome with two women?

Have you had a threesome? [A woman and a man] (0.62)

Have you had a threesome with a woman and a man?

Would others regard you as being a macho man? (0.43)

Would others regard you as being a macho man?

Yes
Kind of
No

Sexuaity [Having causal sex with a stranger] (0.36)

How sexually arousing would you find having causal sex with a stranger?

Very
Quite
Moderately
A little
Not at all

Items reflect sexual experience, primarily heterosexual. For example, the threesome-with-two-men item did not load on this factor, whereas being regarded as “macho” did load here. On the plus side, the items covered a range of difficulties.

This scale had somewhat poor reliability across the distribution, largely due to the small number of items. Again, the main strength is that the items span a range of difficulties.

Have you "gone shopping" with a female friend group? (0.62)

Have you "gone shopping" with a female friend group?

Regularly
Sometimes
Rarely
Never

Has there been a period in your life where your friends were mostly female? (0.60)

Has there been a period in your life where your friends were mostly female?

Most of my life
More than a few years
Around a year or two
Briefly
No

Have women tended to pick you as someone they particularly trust with sensitive things, compared to other men? (0.58)

Have women tended to pick you as someone they particularly trust with sensitive things, compared to other men?

Yes
Kind of
No

Have you given a lot of social/emotional/material support to women who have gone through traumatizing experiences? (0.51)

Have you given a lot of social/emotional/material support to women who have gone through traumatizing experiences?

Yes
Kind of
No

Are you good at taking care of others? (0.36)

Are you good at taking care of others?

Yes
Kind of
No

Have you moved to a different country in adulthood? (0.35)

Have you moved to a different country in adulthood?

Have you gotten teased about looking like a girl? (-0.34)

Have you gotten teased about looking like a girl?

Never
Rarely
Sometimes

Do you like sewing? (0.32)

Do you like sewing?

Yes
Kind of
No

Is your closest friend male or female? (0.29)

Is your closest friend male or female?

Female
Male

Items relate to participation in female friend groups and being trusted by women. Strangely, the item about having moved to a different country in adulthood also loaded on this factor.

This scale had somewhat poor reliability across the distribution, with reliability dropping especially at the low end. It would benefit from additional items with stronger loadings.

Factor 6: Autogynephilia

Do you have sexual fantasies in which you imagine what it would be like to be a woman? (0.71)

Do you have sexual fantasies in which you imagine what it would be like to be a woman?
Counting erotic fantasies only.

Frequently
Sometimes
Occasionally
Never

Body sex satisfaction (-0.70)

Imagine you were magically permanently transformed into a woman, though with your psychological traits left intact (so e.g. if you are exclusively attracted to women now, you would also be so after the transformation). Some men feel like this would be absolutely terrible, while other men feel like it would be OK, or even pretty good. What would best describe the way you would feel about it? (To clarify: While the psychological traits would be intact, you would still be able to choose to do things differently. E.g. if you are bisexual i.e. sexually attracted to both men and women prior to the transformation, but you currently choose to only date women, then you would also be bisexual after the transformation, and you could choose to only date men then.)

Absolutely terrible for me, e.g. worse than death to become a woman
Extremely bad for me, e.g. I would do my best to reverse it by e.g. taking testosterone and having surgery
Very bad for me, e.g. I would continue to be upset about it the rest of my life, but I would deal with it
Quite bad for me, e.g. it would take a long time to accept it and adapt to it
Somewhat bad for me, e.g. it would be inconvenient and disruptive but I could deal with it
Not so bad for me, e.g. it might be disruptive but might also be interesting
Somewhat good for me, e.g. I would like to be a woman, but it is not so important
Quite or very good for me, e.g. I deeply wish to be a woman or dislike being a man, but I accept being a man today

Do you think you could be happy if you were a woman? (0.68)

Do you think you could be happy if you were a woman?

Yes
Don't know
No

If you had the opportunity to magically try being female, with the option of switching back, how long would you try? (0.67)

If you had the opportunity to magically try being female, with the option of switching back, how long would you try?

Forever
About a year
About a month
About a day
Not at all

Sexuaity [Imagining being a woman and masturbating by rubbing your clitoris] (0.66)

How sexually arousing would you find imagining being a woman and masturbating by rubbing your clitoris?

Very
Quite
Moderately
A little
Not at all

If you somehow magically became a woman in mind and body, would you still consider that to be "you"? (0.59)

If you somehow magically became a woman in mind and body, would you still consider that to be "you"?

Yes, a female "me" would still be me
Kind of
No, a female "me" would no longer be me

Do you have a fetish for women's underwear? (0.50)

Do you have a fetish for women's underwear?

Yes
Kind of
No

Have you had sexual partners who wanted you to wear women's clothes? (0.47)

Have you had sexual partners who wanted you to wear women's clothes?

Yes
Kind of
No

Are you sexually attracted to trans women/male-to-female transsexuals? (0.45)

Are you sexually attracted to trans women/male-to-female transsexuals?

Yes
Kind of
No

Do you prefer hanging out with women or with men? (0.35)

Do you prefer hanging out with women or with men?

With women
Equally much with either
With men

Have you been forced by others to dress like a woman/girl? (-0.33)

Have you been forced by others to dress like a woman/girl?

Never
Once
A few times
Many times

Have you ever been "pegged" by a woman? (-0.32)

Have you ever been "pegged" by a woman?
Pegged = anally penetrated by her as she was wearing a strapon. (If you have not had sex with women, answer "Never" here.)

Never
A few times
Many times
For most of my sex with women

Who do you think has a most healthy understanding of gender? (-0.32)

Men who feel proud of being men
They are equally healthy
Men who feel like it would be cool for themselves to be a woman

As in the Gender Satisfaction survey³, this factor contains items involving sexual arousal from feminine behaviors, fantasizing about having female anatomy, or imagining oneself as female.

This scale had acceptable reliability on the average-to-high end of the distribution, though it dipped at the low end. Respondents varied more in autogynephilia than I expected. The scale would benefit from items with stronger loadings.

Factor 7: Emotional Vulnerability

I get upset easily [-] (0.59)

I get upset easily

Agree strongly
Agree
Neither
Disagree
Disagree strongly

I have once wished I were dead [-] (0.56)

I have once wished I were dead

Agree strongly
Agree
Neither
Disagree
Disagree strongly

Is it easy for people to hurt your feelings? (0.55)

Is it easy for people to hurt your feelings?

Yes
Kind of
No

Have you been shamed for not being masculine enough? (0.52)

Have you been shamed for not being masculine enough?

Often
Sometimes
Rarely
Never

Have you been bullied about your appearance? (0.52)

Have you been bullied about your appearance?

A lot
Kind of
No

Are you autistic? (0.49)

Are you autistic?

Yes; professionally diagnosed
Yes; self-diagnosed
Maybe; I suspect so
No

I do things that I later regret [-] (0.46)

I do things that I later regret

Agree strongly
Agree
Neither
Disagree
Disagree strongly

I suffer from sleeplessness [-] (0.39)

I suffer from sleeplessness

Agree strongly
Agree
Neither
Disagree
Disagree strongly

Might you cry when watching sad movies? (0.37)

Might you cry when watching sad movies?

Usually
Sometimes
Rarely
Never

I seldom daydream [-] (-0.36)

I seldom daydream

Agree strongly
Agree
Neither
Disagree
Disagree strongly

This factor includes items about emotional vulnerability, being bullied or shamed, and other themes related to neuroticism.

This scale had moderate reliability across the distribution, with some decline at the low end. It would benefit from additional items.

Factor Interactions

Factor Correlation Matrix

In the following correlation matrix, each cell displays the estimated Pearson correlation coefficient in large font, with the 94% credible interval in smaller font. Correlation magnitudes are relatively modest.

Partial Correlation Matrix

The partial correlation between two variables is their correlation after eliminating the influence of a third variable (or set of variables). Inverting a covariance matrix yields its precision matrix, from which partial correlations and partial variances can be extracted. The resulting partial correlations are those between two variables while controlling for the influence of every other variable. The resulting partial variances reflect how much variance remains unexplained by all the other variables.

Compared to the correlation matrix, the partial correlation matrix has much smaller correlations. This suggests that the Markov network describing the interaction between the factors is sparser than it appears when examining the raw correlation matrix.

Deriving a Markov network from the remaining variables yields the following structure:

A notable difference between this Markov network and the one derived from the Gender Satisfaction survey is the negative partial correlation between Autogynephilia and Gender Conservatism. Recall that Gender Conservatism is closely related to the Masculine Gender Norm Endorsement factor in the Gender Satisfaction survey, where the partial correlation with Autogynephilia was positive.

I initially suspected this discrepancy might be due to the influence of Affective Gender Identity. However, after removing that factor from the analysis, the partial correlation between Autogynephilia and Masculine Gender Norm Endorsement was only −0.07—an outcome that, in retrospect, fits the expected path structure. Summing the paths between Autogynephilia and Masculine Gender Norm Endorsement gives $0.17 + (0.61 \times -.44) = -.10$.

Even so, I’m still left wondering why the partial correlations between Autogynephilia and Gender Conservatism / Masculine Gender Norm Endorsement differ so much across surveys.

Thanks to Tailcalled for sharing the data!

The homsexuality factor of Tailcalled’s Gender Satisfaction Survey ↩
The gay factor of Aella’s Kink Survey ↩
Compare to the autogynephilia factor of Tailcalled’s Gender Satisfaction Survey ↩