ABSTRACT
The growing proportion of the population using the Internet presents a unique research opportunity for the scientific study of human sexuality. Whereas most of the other chapters in this book focus on the influence of the Internet on human sexuality and sexual practices, we will present the relatively less explored domain of the Internet as a tool to obtain data about human sexuality and sexual functioning in general. There are two key issues that sex researchers need to address: (a) methodological considerations that will insure the integrity and credibility of the data obtained, and (b) the adherence to appropriate ethical guidelines that will protect study participants and researchers. Thus, the chapter includes a review of relevant findings along with a brief description of a computerized sex therapy program, Sexpert, as a potential model for guiding the development of online therapy programs. Discussions of the methodological advantages of the Internet for research on human sexuality and ethical considerations of Internet-based research are then provided.
