Longitudinal Study of Attraction and Intimacy

OSF Project Link: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/XDCG5

Status: Conceptualized | Data Collection in Progress

Abstract

This study provides a longitudinal, quantitative examination of the configurational model of attraction. It employs a systematic, single-subject time-series design to analyze the evolution of the researcher’s own intimacy configurations and attraction experiences over a 15-year period (2011–2026). The analysis will model a trajectory for 20 Intimacy Factors, gathered through a 200-item scale. This study serves as a quantitative, longitudinal counterpart to the program’s large-scale cross-sectional survey, offering a detailed case study that illuminates the dynamic, lived reality of the configurational model through a non-WEIRD structured tool.

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

This program is guided by a central overarching question: If the language of inquiry is shifted from identity to intimacy, 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 project:

1. Can a multi-dimensional model of intimacy, i.e. a 20-Factor Intimacy Scale (200 items) be psychometrically validated for people coming from non-W.E.I.R.D societies?
2. What distinct intimacy profiles are empirically observable in this study, and how do they differ from Western-centric assumptions about intimacy hierarchies?
3. 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 qualitative and quantitative methods: a Longitudinal Study of Configurational Dynamics (2011-2026). 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 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.

1. Vector Autoregression (VAR) or other time-series modeling: To examine the statistical relationship between changes in specific intimacy scores and self-reported changes in attraction over time.
2. Time-Series Analysis: The longitudinal intimacy scores will be plotted and analyzed to identify statistically significant trends, cycles, and structural breaks in the data over the 12-year period.

Anticipated Contribution

This study is designed to provide a critical layer of quantitative longitudinal validation to the broader research program. Its specific contributions will be:

1. To generate nuanced, person-centered quantitative insights that can inform the interpretation of the findings from the large-scale cross-cultural survey.
2. To offer a rich, diachronic proof-of-concept for the configurational model, demonstrating its fluidity and responsiveness to life context through quantitative modeling;
3. To demonstrate a rigorous time-series approach for single-subject research in the field of sexuality studies; and

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). Longitudinal Study of Attraction and Intimacy. Open Science Framework. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/XDCG5