Hirschfeld Attraction Scale (Dual-Bar Model)
What does your sexual attraction pattern look like? The dual-bar model measures homosexual and heterosexual attraction independently.
How is your sexual attraction distributed across two independent dimensions? This 2-item scale uses a dual-axis model first sketched by Magnus Hirschfeld in the early 1900s.
What Did Hirschfeld Invent?
In 1896, Magnus Hirschfeld published *Sappho und Sokrates* under the pseudonym Th. Ramien. Buried inside it was something that didn't exist before: the first quantified sexual orientation scale.
Hirschfeld's design was simple but ahead of its time. Instead of a single line, he used two independent bars — one for same-sex attraction, one for opposite-sex attraction — each rated on a 1-10 scale. That two-dimensional approach wouldn't resurface in mainstream research until Storms' EROS model in 1980, 84 years later.
The Dual-Bar Model
| Bar | Measures | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| :---: | ---------- | :------: |
| Bar A | Same-sex attraction intensity | 1 (indifference) - 10 (hurricane-like) |
| Bar B | Opposite-sex attraction intensity | 1 (indifference) - 10 (hurricane-like) |
Classification Categories
Based on the scores of the two bars, Hirschfeld classified individuals into:
- Heterosexual — Bar A low, Bar B high
- Homosexual ('Urning') — Bar A high, Bar B low
- Bisexual ('psychical hermaphrodite') — both moderate
- Asexual ('anesthesia sexualis') — both low
Why It Matters Today
Hirschfeld's scale was the first to recognize that:
- Sexual orientation is a continuum, not a binary
- Same-sex and opposite-sex attraction are independent dimensions, not opposite ends of one scale
- Some people experience low attraction to either sex — a concept that anticipates modern asexuality research
Historical Context
Hirschfeld created this scale while German law still criminalized homosexuality under Paragraph 175. His motivation was political as much as scientific: he wanted data to argue that same-sex attraction was natural, not a crime or illness. The scale appeared in a book aimed at general readers, not academics — making it perhaps the first example of citizen-friendly psychometrics.
References
- Hirschfeld, M. (1896). *Sappho und Sokrates*. Leipzig: Max Spohr. (Published under pseudonym Th. Ramien)
- Hirschfeld, M. (1914). *Die Homosexualitaet des Mannes und des Weibes*. Berlin: Louis Marcus.
Result Interpretation
After completing the 2 questions, you'll receive an immediate, detailed report with:
- Your score — calculated automatically based on your responses
- Score interpretation — what your score means in practical terms
- Context — how your results compare to general population norms where available
All results are displayed on screen. No account or login needed.