The Sex is Power Scale (SIPS) is a 12-item measure that is comprised of two subscales, one assessing one’s own feeling that sex can bring power and one assessing the belief that women in general use sex to gain power.
Geographies Tested: United States of America
Populations Included: Female
Age Range: Adults
Self-Sex is Power Scale (S-SIPS)
1. I use my body to get what I want
2. I can get what I want using my feminine wiles
3. My sex appeal helps me control men
4. If a man is attracted to me, I can usually get him to do what I want him to do
5. I like to use my womanhood to my advantage
6. My sexuality gives me power
7. I lead men on sometimes, but it makes me feel good
Women-Sex is Power Scale (W-SIPS)
8. A beautiful women can usually get what she wants
9. Beauty gives women power
10. Men are easily manipulated by beautiful women
11. Women can use their looks to control men
12. Women can control men through sex
Response Options:
6-point Likert scale
Disagree strongly - 1
Agree strongly - 6
The mean of each subscale is calculated, ranging from 1-6.
Erchull, M. J., & Liss, M. (2013). Exploring the concept of perceived female sexual empowerment: Development and validation of the Sex is Power Scale. Gender Issues, 30(1-4), 39-53. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12147-013-9114-6
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Evidence-based Measures of Empowerment for Research on Gender Equality (EMERGE)
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