Editing Sexual fluidity (section)

====Males versus females====
Research generally indicates that female sexuality is more fluid than male sexuality.<ref name="Bailey et al.">{{cite journal|last1=Bailey|first1=J. Michael|last2=Vasey|first2=Paul|last3=Diamond|first3=Lisa|last4=Breedlove|first4=S. Marc|last5=Vilain|first5=Eric|last6=Epprecht|first6=Marc|title=Sexual Orientation, Controversy, and Science|journal=Psychological Science in the Public Interest|date=2016|volume=17|issue=2|pages=45–101|doi=10.1177/1529100616637616|pmid=27113562|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301639075|doi-access=free}}</ref> In a seminal review of the sexual orientation literature, stimulated by the findings that the 1970s [[sexual revolution]] affected female sexuality more so than male sexuality, research by Baumeister et al. indicated that when compared to males, females have lower concordance between sexual attitudes and behaviors, and sociocultural factors affect female sexuality to a greater degree; it also found that personal change in sexuality is more common for females compared to males.<ref name="ReferenceC">{{cite journal | last1 = Baumeister | first1 = R.F. | year = 2000 | title = Gender differences in erotic plasticity: the female sex drive as socially flexible and responsive | journal = Psychological Bulletin | volume = 126 | issue = 3| pages = 347–374 | doi=10.1037/0033-2909.126.3.347 | pmid=10825779| s2cid = 35777544 }}</ref> Female sexuality (lesbian and heterosexual) changes significantly more than males on both dimensional and categorical measures of sexual orientation.<ref name="ReferenceB"/> Furthermore, the majority of homosexual women who previously identified as a different sexual orientation identified as heterosexual; whereas for males, the majority previously identified as bisexual, which the authors believe support the idea of greater fluidity in female sexuality.<ref name="ReferenceB"/> Females also report having identified with more than one sexual orientation, more often than males and are found to have higher levels of sexual orientation mobility. Females also report being bisexual or unsure of their sexuality more often than males, who more commonly report being exclusively gay or heterosexual.<ref name="auto">{{cite journal | last1 = Ott | first1 = M.Q. | last2 = Corliss | first2 = H.L. | last3 = Wypij | first3 = D. | last4 = Rosario | first4 = M. | last5 = Austin | first5 = S.B. | year = 2011 | title = Stability and change in self-reported sexual orientation identity in young people: application of mobility metrics | journal = Archives of Sexual Behavior | volume = 40 | issue = 3| pages = 519–532 | doi=10.1007/s10508-010-9691-3 | pmid=21125325 | pmc=3081371}}</ref> Over a six-year period, women have also been found to display more shifts in sexual orientation identity and were more likely to define their sexual orientation with non-exclusive terms.<ref name="Savin-Williams, R.C. 2012"/>

The social constructivist view suggests that sexual desire is a product of cultural and psychosocial processes<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Tolman | first1 = D.L. | last2 = Diamond | first2 = L.M. | year = 2001 | title = Desegregating sexuality research: cultural and biological perspectives on gender and desire | journal = Annual Review of Sex Research | volume = 12 | pages = 33–74 | pmid = 12666736 }}</ref> and that men and women are socialized differently. This difference in socialization can explain differences in sexual desire and stability of sexual orientation. Male sexuality is centered around physical factors, whereas female sexuality is centered around sociocultural factors,<ref name="ReferenceC" /> making female sexuality inherently more open to change. The greater effect on female sexuality in 1970s sexual revolution shows that female shifts in sexual orientation identity may be due to greater exposure to moderating factors (such as the media).<ref>Diamond, 2008 as cited in {{cite journal | last1 = Savin-Williams | first1 = R.C. | last2 = Joyner | first2 = K. | last3 = Rieger | first3 = G. | year = 2012 | title = Prevalence and stability of self-reported sexual orientation identity during young adulthood | journal = Archives of Sexual Behavior | volume = 41| issue = 1| pages = 1–8 | doi = 10.1007/s10508-012-9913-y | pmid=22302504| s2cid = 43225099 }}</ref> In western culture, women are also expected to be more emotionally expressive and intimate towards both males and females. This socialization is a plausible cause of greater female sexual fluidity.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Rust | first1 = P.C.R. | year = 2000 | title = Bisexuality: a contemporary paradox for women | journal = Journal of Social Issues | volume = 56 | issue = 2| pages = 205–221 | doi=10.1111/0022-4537.00161}}</ref> Whether female sexuality is naturally more fluid and therefore changes from social factors or social factors cause female sexuality to be less stable is unknown.

An [[evolutionary psychology]] hypothesis proposes that bisexuality enables women to reduce conflict with other women, by promoting each others' mothering contributions, thus ensuring their reproductive success. According to this view, women are capable of forming romantic bonds with both sexes and sexual fluidity may be explained as a [[reproductive strategy]] that ensures the survival of offspring.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Kuhle | first1 = B.X. | last2 = Radtke | first2 = S. | year = 2013 | title = Born both ways: The alloparenting hypothesis for sexual fluidity in women | journal = Evolutionary Psychology | volume = 11 | issue = 2| page = 147470491301100202 | doi = 10.1177/147470491301100202 | doi-access = free }}</ref>

A longitudinal study concluded that stability of sexual orientation was more common than change.<ref name="Savin-Williams, R.C. 2012" /> Gender differences in the stability of sexual orientation may vary by subgroup and could possibly be related to individual differences more than gender-wide characteristics.<ref name="auto"/>