Beyond Identity-Based Language: Studying Intimacy & Attraction in the Global South

OSF Project Link: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/HNPY2

Status: Conceptualized | Data Collection in Progress

Principal Investigator: Nishita Rao
Affiliation: Center for Interdisciplinary Human Studies (CIHS)

_{Rao, N. (2026). Beyond Identity-Based Language (Global South Perspectives). Open Science Framework. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/HNPY2}

Abstract

This research program challenges the adequacy of identity-based models of attraction for non-WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic) populations. It proposes and tests a configurational model, which frames attraction as an emergent outcome of specific combinations of intimacies. The program comprises two methodologically distinct but conceptually linked studies: a large-scale cross-cultural survey and a longitudinal autoethnography. The objective is to develop a more culturally-attuned and less hazardous linguistic and theoretical framework for studying human connection in the Global South, where publicly asserting a sexual or romantic identity can carry significant social and physical risk.

Background

The scientific study of attraction has been overwhelmingly dominated by research conducted in Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) societies. This has led to the global proliferation of identity-based models (e.g., asexual, aromantic, gay, straight) that are treated as universal. However, in many Global South contexts, public discourse on sexuality is highly constrained, and the act of claiming a sexual identity is not a neutral act of self-definition but a politically charged statement that can lead to severe consequences, including social ostracization, familial rejection, and state-sanctioned violence. This research program proceeds from the premise that intimacy-based language offers a more accessible, culturally resonant, and less hazardous entry point for discussing attraction in these contexts. It seeks to build a new framework from the ground up, one that prioritizes behavioral and experiential data over potentially ill-fitting identity labels.

Research Questions

1. This program is guided by a central overarching question: If the language of inquiry is shifted from identity to intimacy, will different patterns of attraction emerge in Global South populations? This leads to the following primary research questions for the program:
2. Can a multi-dimensional model of intimacy, i.e. a 20-Factor Intimacy Scale (200 items) be psychometrically validated across diverse cultural contexts?
3. What distinct intimacy profiles are empirically observable in these populations, and how do they differ from Western-centric assumptions about intimacy hierarchies?
4. To what extent do these intimacy configurations predict self-reported attraction experiences, and does this configurational model offer greater explanatory power than traditional identity-based questions?
5. How do intimacy configurations and their relationship to attraction evolve over time (spanning across 15 years) within a single individual, and how does this longitudinal perspective inform the interpretation of cross-sectional data?

Method

This program employs a convergent mixed-methods design that integrates two distinct but complementary component studies:

• Component 1 (Quantitative, Cross-Cultural): A Cross-Cultural Study of Intimacy-Attraction Configurations to quantitatively map its landscape.
• Component 2 (Quantitative/Longitudinal): A Longitudinal Study of Configurational Dynamics (2014-2026). This study provides a diachronic analysis of the evolution of intimacy and attraction in a single individual for 15 years, using periodic quantitative self-assessments.

Ethical Considerations: This analysis relies on self-reported measures, ethnographic work and autoethnographic work, in countries where owning an identity comes with risks. Reports may only include data participants feel safe enough to share.

Analysis Plan

The analysis will be conducted at two levels. Within each component, specific quantitative (e.g., CFA, cluster analysis, regression) and qualitative (e.g., thematic analysis, narrative inquiry) methods will be applied. At the program level, a convergent analysis maybe used to integrate the findings from both studies. The qualitative insights from the autoethnography will be used to contextualize and interpret the quantitative patterns emerging from the cross-cultural survey, providing a richer and more robust understanding of the configurational model.

Anticipated Contribution

This research program is expected to make a significant methodological and theoretical contribution to the study of human sexuality. By developing and testing an intimacy-based linguistic and analytical framework, it aims to produce a more culturally-sensitive and less perilous methodology for conducting research in the Global South. The findings will challenge the universality of identity-based models and provide an empirical foundation for a more inclusive, globally-relevant science of attraction.

Data Availability

Upon acceptance for publication, the anonymized datasets, analysis code, and all study materials for each component will be made publicly available on their respective OSF project pages.

How to Cite

Rao, N. (2026). Beyond Identity-Based Language (Global South Perspectives). Open Science Framework. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/HNPY2

---

---