patgund | Food for thought

Why do so many of us like kinky sex?

"Theories about sadomasochism, which encompasses a spectrum of behaviours (dominance, submission, bondage) involving infliction of pain are the stuff of psychoanalysts' dreams. It was thought to be congenital, a transmuted death wish (no prizes for guessing that was Freud's theory), early childhood shaming, fear of castration and so on, ad infinitum.

But a much more probable explanation is that it is an innate sexual behaviour. Like homosexuality, it is certainly seen in animals, and many animal species bite during coitus. I'd certainly bite a two-ton male hippo if I was a lady hippo, but perhaps that's not the same thing.

Sadomasochism is common. In his first report on sexual behaviour in 1948 Alfred Kinsey claimed that 50 per cent of respondents claimed to get erotic pleasure from being bitten, but the figure is probably nearer one in ten - and it's found equally in women and men.

A long line of research has indicated that it is higher-educated, Times-reading types who are more likely to indulge than those News of the World aficionados. I suspect a research bias here - Times readers are more likely to have the cash to spend on psychoanalysts who write research papers."