Both interesting and at times funny.
Pornography and the "Cum Shot" Phenomenon
- There's a long-standing claim that pornography, particularly external ejaculation on the face, is degrading to women. However, it's ubiquitous in porn, prompting questions about why it's considered negative while internal ejaculation is "sacred".
- A study by Catherine Salmon and colleagues showed participants images of male and female faces with cum shots, varying the recipient's emotional reaction (happy, neutral, unhappy).
- Key Findings:
- Enjoyment is Key: The biggest factor influencing whether an image was perceived as positive or degrading was whether the person in the image appeared to be enjoying the experience.
- Sexual Orientation: Straight men disliked images of other men with cum shots, while homosexual men found these to be their favourite. Bisexual women showed a slightly higher preference for the images than heterosexual or lesbian women, which might indicate a general openness to sexual experience.
- Disgust Sensitivity: Individuals high on pathogen avoidance (i.e., easily disgusted) were less keen on images featuring bodily fluids, especially near the face.
- Sociosexuality: People with more permissive sexual attitudes and an interest in short-term mating generally enjoyed the images more.
- Reasons for Ubiquity: It serves as a clear, visual "proof of ejaculation" for the viewer. Additionally, men are often attracted to women's faces, and faces convey novelty, which is appealing (similar to the Coolidge effect).
Rough Sex and its Motivations
- Rough sexual behaviours have often been associated with aggression, but recent research suggests they are more indicative of novelty seeking.
- Motivations for Women's Interest:
- Passionate Devotion: The fantasy that a man desires her so intensely that he cannot control himself, an idea frequently seen in romance novels, appeals to women interested in commitment.
- Testing Male Prowess: Similar to some animal species (e.g., Gladiator frogs), women may unconsciously seek to test a man's physical strength or dominance, finding pleasure in this display (e.g., wrestling, play-fighting). This is seen as a way for women to experience a man's physical strength brought to bear on her in a playful way.
- Novelty Seeking: Interest can stem from a desire to try something new or different, possibly due to boredom or exposure through media. This correlates with other novelty-seeking behaviours like public sex or using sex toys.
- Arousal/Orgasm: Women reported experiencing a shorter duration to orgasm during "rougher" sex (e.g., harder thrusting), suggesting it can be particularly arousing and stimulating.
- Male Jealousy: Rough sexual behaviours have been observed to increase in situations involving male jealousy or separation from a sexual partner.
Women's Pornography Preferences
- Women generally consume less pornography than men.
- Format Preference: Many women prefer written erotica (e.g., romance novels, fan fiction, slash fiction, authors' websites like Harlequin, Archive of Our Own) over visual pornography. This preference might be influenced by factors like prenatal or adult testosterone levels.
- Content Preference: Women's interest often revolves around the long-term commitment aspect of relationships and the fantasy of an ideal partner. Books can better provide the depth of story, character, and information about a man's qualities beyond just visual appeal, which is crucial for this fantasy. The male protagonist in women's erotica is typically not switched out frequently, reinforcing the focus on investment and long-term mate value.
- Some women, particularly those scoring higher on sociosexuality or in phases of life interested in short-term mating, do enjoy visual pornography.
The Divergence of Preferences for Masculine vs. Feminine Men
- There's a noticeable divergence between public narratives (e.g., promoting more feminine, agreeable men like Harry Styles as sex icons) and revealed preferences (e.g., dark romance novel cover models consistently depict strong, lean, masculine men).
- Erotica often fulfills women's fantasies which, historically and ancestrally, have centred on men who are good providers and protectors ("useful if the world comes to an end") rather than men they can easily control.
- Previous attempts to market "softer, gentler, kinder" men in romance novels were unsuccessful, suggesting these fantasies are enduring.
- The "ideal" romantic hero often begins as a highly masculine "Chad" but evolves into a "Dad," embodying both strength and commitment.
- While individual variation exists, and some women genuinely prefer less traditionally masculine traits, the overall market for erotica indicates a strong preference for masculine archetypes in fantasy.
Women's Fascination with True Crime and Serial Killers
- It's a paradoxical phenomenon: women are generally crime-averse, yet they show a strong fascination with true crime and serial killers (e.g., Dexter, podcasts like Serial).
- Potential Explanations:
- Victim Avoidance: A desire to learn about criminal behaviour to better understand and avoid becoming a victim.
- "Apex Predator" Attraction: In a dangerous environment, the "apex predator" (a formidable man) could be perceived as the ultimate protector. Women in more dangerous environments have been shown to value physical prowess and aggressiveness more in potential mates.
- Devotion Fantasy: The appeal of imagining a dangerous man who is nonetheless emotionally attached and devoted to her.
- Mate preferences are not fixed and can shift based on environmental factors; traits valued in a benign world might differ from those in a more dangerous one.
"Aggressive Cuteness" and Screaming at Concerts
- Aggressive Cuteness: The inexplicable urge to "squish" or "grab" something excessively cute is a documented but not fully understood compulsion, possibly representing an intense emotional reaction without another clear outlet.
- Screaming at Concerts: The widespread phenomenon of female fans screaming for popular male performers (e.g., The Beatles, Justin Bieber, Justin Trudeau).
- Proposed Explanations:
- Emotional Contagion: Screaming can be contagious within large crowds.
- Attention-Getting/Sexual Selection: Screams primarily function to attract attention. In the context of a superstar, it's a "look at me, I'm over here" signal from women to the desired individual. It can also be seen as a competitive display among women, signalling allegiance and passion, potentially operating within the dynamics of sexual selection. Historical examples include women lifting their shirts at wrestling events to display messages for wrestlers they admired.
- Proposed Explanations:
Evolutionary Psychology, Feminism, and Sex Differences
- Catherine Salmon notes that terms like "feminism" and "sexist" have become highly politicised, making objective discussions about sex differences challenging.
- Evolutionary psychology acknowledges that fundamental differences between men and women exist, shaped by our evolutionary history, and these differences are reflected in behaviour (e.g., distinct preferences in pornography). Salmon asserts that acknowledging these realities is not inherently "sexist".
- Stereotypes often arise from commonalities observed within groups, though they don't apply to every individual.
- There is a critique of the "stated preferences" versus "revealed preferences" dynamic, where public narratives (e.g., in media columns) may advocate for certain mate choices (e.g., dating shorter or less traditionally masculine men) that diverge significantly from individuals' actual choices in dating. This can create confusion and potentially detrimental dating advice for individuals.
- The concept of "reverse kinks" suggests that what is taboo or disallowed in the public sphere (e.g., race play, powerful women being submissive) may manifest as sexual preferences in the private sphere.
- While evolved strategies shaped humans, it does not mean these are immutable; however, there is currently no clear evidence that attempting to force changes in these preferences is beneficial.