Effects of erotica upon men's loving and liking responses for women they love.

In two studies, the construct validity of the Rubin Love scale and its discriminant validity in relation to the Rubin Liking scale were examined. In Study 1, males were asked to describe their loved ones on a series of measures after having been exposed to either erotica or control materials. Analysis of the within-condition correlations revealed convergent and discriminant patterns indicating construct validity. Analysis of covariance also revealed convergent and discriminant patterns: Only scores on the Love measures reliably increased from the control to the erotica condition. In presenting a behavioral analysis of the differential impact of erotica upon Love as opposed to Liking scale responses, it was assumed that (a) women are more likely to reinforce suitors for emitting statements more similar to the Love than to the Liking items and (b) men are more likely when sexually aroused than when not aroused to express statements more similar to the Love than to the Liking items to their loved ones. In Study 2, a series of surveys offered support for these assumptions. Overall, the results were interpreted as corroborating the construct validity of the Love scale and were embedded within a behavioral analysis of love in general and the determinants of Love scale responses in particular.