Sell Assessment of Sexual Orientation (SASO)
Sell Assessment of Sexual Orientation — 12 questions, dual-axis
Sexual orientation is more than who you are attracted to. The Sell Assessment measures attraction, contact, and identity independently for same-sex and opposite-sex dimensions. 12 items, about 5-8 minutes.
What Is the Sell Assessment of Sexual Orientation (SASO)?
The SASO separates homosexuality and heterosexuality into two independent scales — not opposite ends of the same spectrum. It asks 12 questions about who you're attracted to, who you've been with, and how you identify. Sell designed it in 1996, and the four-part scoring system captures more nuance than a single Kinsey number.
Three Domains
1. Sexual Attraction: Number, frequency, and intensity of attractions to men and women 2. Sexual Contact: Number of sexual contacts with men and women 3. Sexual Identity: How you identify — heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, or something else
Scoring System
The SASO summarizes results across four dimensions:
- Homosexuality: Composite of homosexual attraction, contact, and identity
- Heterosexuality: Composite of heterosexual attraction, contact, and identity
- Bisexuality: Derived from the combination of both dimensions
- Asexuality Score: When both homosexuality and heterosexuality scores are low
Practical Use
The SASO is particularly useful when you need to capture sexual orientation in more detail than a single Kinsey-scale number. It's been used in population health surveys, identity research, and clinical settings where understanding the full picture matters.
Reference: Sell, R. L. (1996). The Sell Assessment of Sexual Orientation: Background and scoring. *Journal of Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Identity*, 1(4), 295–310.
Result Interpretation
After completing the 12 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.