TY - JOUR
T1 - ‘You want to be swept up in it all’
T2 - illuminating the erotic in BDSM
AU - Turley, Emma
AU - King, Nigel
AU - Monro, Surya
PY - 2018
Y1 - 2018
N2 - This research aims to understand the eroticism of consensual bondage, discipline, dominance & submission and sadism & masochism (BDSM). Eroticism is considered a central feature of most sexual experiences, yet there is limited research that examines erotic components of BDSM as lived by practitioners themselves. By adopting an experiential approach to the study using phenomenological psychology, the lived experiences of BDSM practitioners were foregrounded in order to clarify erotic meanings and extend existing understandings of consensual BDSM.Nine frequent practitioners of consensual BDSM were interviewed; discussing specific accounts of their BDSM experiences. Template analysis was utilised to analyse data, within an interpretive phenomenological framework. Findings illustrated that one of the most important erotic aspects was the co-collaboration between practitioners in order to create, maintain and engage with the erotic fantasy. The unpacking of the complexity of eroticised power exchange that occurred when BDSM practitioners adopted their sexual roles was also an important finding to emerge from the analysis.
AB - This research aims to understand the eroticism of consensual bondage, discipline, dominance & submission and sadism & masochism (BDSM). Eroticism is considered a central feature of most sexual experiences, yet there is limited research that examines erotic components of BDSM as lived by practitioners themselves. By adopting an experiential approach to the study using phenomenological psychology, the lived experiences of BDSM practitioners were foregrounded in order to clarify erotic meanings and extend existing understandings of consensual BDSM.Nine frequent practitioners of consensual BDSM were interviewed; discussing specific accounts of their BDSM experiences. Template analysis was utilised to analyse data, within an interpretive phenomenological framework. Findings illustrated that one of the most important erotic aspects was the co-collaboration between practitioners in order to create, maintain and engage with the erotic fantasy. The unpacking of the complexity of eroticised power exchange that occurred when BDSM practitioners adopted their sexual roles was also an important finding to emerge from the analysis.
KW - BDSM
KW - eroticism
KW - phenomenology
KW - qualitative research
KW - sexual fantasy
KW - template analysis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85042913956&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/19419899.2018.1448297
DO - 10.1080/19419899.2018.1448297
M3 - Article
VL - 9
SP - 148
EP - 160
JO - Psychology and Sexuality
JF - Psychology and Sexuality
SN - 1941-9899
IS - 2
ER -