I'm in a class called Sexual Satisfaction, and we had to write a paper on a topic of our choice. I chose to write about the development of sexual fetishes. Here is it!
Sexual Fetishes As the Result of Childhood Experiences
Sexual fetishes have been observed across history, with records of French psychologist Alfred Binet (1857-1911) describing it in his writing. However, most of these old notes were not based on scientific research, but rather based on the clinical observations of patients by psychologists. Most research of sexual fetishism cited today comes from the 1990’s and later (with a few exceptions.) There were some notable case studies as well as actual studies conducted in the 1960’s that provided a solid base for later research. Today, while there is not a plethora of data regarding the development of sexual fetishes, there is certainly enough to draw some conclusions as to how a person can derive sexual satisfaction from an inanimate object. From the data presented, it is apparent that sexual fetishes are the result of usually positive sexual experiences occurring around puberty, and the new sensation of sexual arousal and pleasure that this fetishized object evokes a desire in the person for more, thereby creating a self-sustaining, vicious cycle.
Before attempting to understand how a fetish is developed, it is important to understand the scientific definition of fetish. A fetish is a form of paraphilia, meaning that it is a sexual desire focused at nonhuman objects. A sexual fetish is defined as “the use of a nonliving object as the exclusive or preferred method of achieving sexual gratification” (Köksal, Domjan, Kurt, Sertel, Örüng, and Bowers, 2003). Another definition offered by a different study is “a form of perversion in which sexual gratification is obtained from other than the genital parts of the body (Lowenstein, 2002).” Although not specifically mentioned, an important aspect of this definition is the difference between a sexual interest in a nonliving object, and a sexual interest in a body part other than the genitals or breasts. This is to say, sexual interests directed towards nonsexual body parts (feet, hands, knees) are not technically defined as a fetish, but rather as partialism (Kafka, 2009). For example, an amputee fetish would technically be considered partialism, not fetishism. Yet, because most people do not realize the difference between partialism and fetishism, for the purposes of this paper, partialism will be considered a type of fetish. However, it is important to understand both that there is a scientific difference, and what that difference is.
When looking at sexual fetishes, researchers have found that it is helpful to first look at fetishistic behavior in animals, because it is easy to control what an animal has been subjected to, and to specifically study how they develop a fetish (Köksal, 2003). In a study done on Japanese quails (Köksal, 2003) researchers sought to replicate and observe the ways in which a fetish is created and how individual differences in quails affected the development of fetishes, and then apply this knowledge to understand fetishes in humans. Results indicated that while many quails developed a sexual fetish, not every quail did, even though they were all subjected to the same methods to develop a fetish. This would suggest that individual differences in quails (and humans) play a part in the development of fetishes, and that given the right circumstances, anyone can develop a fetish at a young age. In addition to this, it was shown that in many cases, quails were more interested in copulating with the cloth rather than copulating with a female quail, indicating that the fetishistic object was of greater interest to the male quail than the female quail was. In managing to successfully recreate and study most aspects of a sexual fetish, this research using quails (but applied to human behavior) showed how a fetishistic behavior can originally manifest itself in humans, and the depth of dependence a fetishistic person can have on an object. Yet this research only begins to explain how people with different experiences develop sexual fetishes.
Fetishes have, historically, been thought to be the result of severe castration complex (Lowenstein, 2002), and it has only been fairly recently that researchers have attempted to understand their nature. Some researchers have argued that individuals with fetishes are “an unusual by-product of a normal adaptive process” and do not suffer from some horrible perversion (Munroe, Gauvain, 2001). It is argued that fetishistic people had the same experience of sexual arousal during childhood/puberty as non-fetishistic people, but while they were becoming aroused, a nonsexual object was present which ultimately became linked with their sexual arousal (Munroe, 2001). This link of an object to sexual arousal creates a dependence in the person to an object, which only gets stronger the longer the fetish exists.
Once these fetishes have begun, they operate on “self-maintenance, leading to a persistent response to an inanimate object (Köksal, 2003). In Köksal (2003), 58% of participants indicated that they had masturbated to fee or shoes at least 3-4 times a week for the past 12 months. This would suggest that for many fetishistic people, masturbation is frequently a method of sexual gratification. This continuous masturbation to a certain object serves to strengthen the mental connection a person makes with their sexual object. Indeed, once a person has this fetish, it is nearly impossible to get rid of (Munroe, 2004). Hence, a fetish once initiated becomes a part of a person’s life, and the dependence on an object for sexual arousal can become so severe as to render a person impotent without it (Lowenstein, 2002).
For many people, their particular sexual fetish has simply become a normal part of their life, and as such, it is hard for them to think of a specific instance or event that led to the fetish, in much the way that non-fetishistic people find it hard to remember the genesis of their normal traits. However, research indicated that the genesis of fetishes could be traced back to either one event or a series of events in a person’s childhood or adolescence (Munroe, 2004). In one study of homosexual men, all of who had foot and shoe fetishes, researchers looked specifically at what event triggered this fetish, who participated, and how old the participant was. 45% of participants indicated that “their fetish interest developed because of pleasurable events in childhood” while 46% said the same of events in adolescence (Weinberg, Williams, and Calhan, 1995). Participants’ answers also indicated that 12 years old was the average age when they first became sexually aroused by feet or shoes. Pleasurable events at these young ages included playing with their fathers’ feet, or tickling or massaging an older adults foot. Almost all participants indicated an event in their childhood that triggered the fetish, which supports the idea that the genesis of a fetish is in a person’s childhood.
In similar lit based study supporting the research, Munroe (2001) found that the sexual learning experience leading to fetishism normally happens around one of two different ages, either at 4 or 5, or at 8 or 9. The article goes on to describe how only one instance of sexual excitement with a nonsexual object is necessary to initiate a sexual fetish in a person. Once sexual arousal to an object has been reinforced via sexual satisfaction, the child may link the object to sexual arousal, and from then on think that the only way of obtaining sexual arousal/satisfaction is with the object. Yet, an important part of the development of a fetish is sexual reinforcement, most commonly in the form of masturbation (Köksal, 2003). Without this sexual reinforcement, the object will remain nonsexual and unlinked to sexual arousal, and the person will not develop a fetish
In one particular case study of, Dr. Walter Everaerd (1983) followed and described the history and current state of a man with an amputee fetish. In this case study, Everaerd listed his patients’ responses to open ended questions, revealing perfectly the genesis of his fetish, and the reasons behind his desire to cut off his own leg. When discussing what caused him to view amputees as an object of sexual arousal, the patient described a time when he was 10 years old, saying “I was jealous of the children who played in the street…even the boy who…had a wooden leg… so called unhappy boy…Never the less I considered him happier than myself…” (Everaerd, 1983). He then went on to say that the peg leg unconsciously became synonymous with happiness, as the peg leg boy was happier than he, a healthy boy, was. This seemingly un-noteworthy event shaped this mans’ sexual drives, and he linked the happiness in the amputee boy first to the boys’ amputated leg, and then the amputated leg to his own sexual satisfaction. It is small, un-noteworthy events like this that researchers argue create a fetish in an otherwise normally developed child.
It is clear from the data available today that sexual fetishes are the result of positive sexual experiences occurring around the age of puberty. Of course, while individual differences could lead people to develop fetishes as a reaction to different events, it is clear that most of the events people experience that lead them to develop fetishes are positive ones. A study of fetishism in animals showed that it is possible for anyone to develop a fetish, while lending proof and support to the scientific definition of fetishes. Studies before and since then have also lent evidence to the conclusion that fetishes are born out of the experiences in a persons’ childhood, and once they have developed, remain a big part of the person’s sex life for the rest of his or her life.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Sunday, November 1, 2009
The Halloween Tales Part 2
Saturday dawned. My room mate, who is exceedingly loud in the morning, woke me up at 9, and the day started. I met my friend at the Grundle, which is the local name for one of the dining halls, and after a long breakfast, went back to her dorm to watch the last bit of Scooby Doo, and then all of The Nightmare Before Christmas. That movie, for some movie, really got me into the spirit of Halloween. Well, enough so that I felt like going out dancing that night would be the perfect remedy for all my problems.
After one episode of Heroes, I called it quits and went back to my dorm. There the Halloween preparations began. I looked through my wardrobe, literally holding everything up to everything else, racking my brain for a costume. But the creative juices just were not flowing. No matter the match up, there was literally nothing in my wardrobe that could be used for a Halloween. Never did I hate having to fly to college more than at that moment. Stupid airline limitations on how much you can carry with you on a plane. Didn't they ever consider the implications their restrictions might have on a college students Halloween plans? Clearly not.
After an hour of racking my brains, I did the only logical thing to do. I gave up. I stopped desperately asking my suitemates for advice, and I stopped sending frantic texts. I simply grabbed a jacket, slipped my feet into some shoes, and went back over to my friends dorm room to hang out as he washed his clothes. It turned into a three hour event, with one of my other friends, Rebecca, coming down to join us, and Dylan and I ordering bad Chinese food. (Honestly, how hard is it to get good Chinese food in America? Clearly impossible.)
Later that night, Rebecca invited me to a rave that she was going to. I'm not going to lie, I was tempted. I miss dancing, a lot. However, the thought of a rave, as I pondered it, did not really fit my idea of a good dance party. Not to mention, I didn't have a costume (although we all know that that is just an excuse). And remember, I am slightly awkward. The idea of a party, where I would have to interact with a bunch of people my age, slightly freaked me out. I do better in smaller groups. Baby steps Sophie, baby steps.
After watching my friends transform into Hollywood stars (A Clockwork Orange person, Britney Spears), computer game characters (someone from Mario) and various other people and things, I waved goodbye to the group going raving, and went back for a quiet night of relaxation. Instead of getting my rave on, I watched Ghostbusters, a Halloween classic.
Many would say that this was a boring night, that I should be embarrassed. I disagree. This is who I am. I am a homebody. I don't like partying, I don't like drinking. I don't know how to interact with people my age in large groups. Yes, this is a hinderance, but I figure, as I am in college for longer, I will get used to it. For now, I can safely say, I am a homebody, and proud of it.
Happy Halloween.
After one episode of Heroes, I called it quits and went back to my dorm. There the Halloween preparations began. I looked through my wardrobe, literally holding everything up to everything else, racking my brain for a costume. But the creative juices just were not flowing. No matter the match up, there was literally nothing in my wardrobe that could be used for a Halloween. Never did I hate having to fly to college more than at that moment. Stupid airline limitations on how much you can carry with you on a plane. Didn't they ever consider the implications their restrictions might have on a college students Halloween plans? Clearly not.
After an hour of racking my brains, I did the only logical thing to do. I gave up. I stopped desperately asking my suitemates for advice, and I stopped sending frantic texts. I simply grabbed a jacket, slipped my feet into some shoes, and went back over to my friends dorm room to hang out as he washed his clothes. It turned into a three hour event, with one of my other friends, Rebecca, coming down to join us, and Dylan and I ordering bad Chinese food. (Honestly, how hard is it to get good Chinese food in America? Clearly impossible.)
Later that night, Rebecca invited me to a rave that she was going to. I'm not going to lie, I was tempted. I miss dancing, a lot. However, the thought of a rave, as I pondered it, did not really fit my idea of a good dance party. Not to mention, I didn't have a costume (although we all know that that is just an excuse). And remember, I am slightly awkward. The idea of a party, where I would have to interact with a bunch of people my age, slightly freaked me out. I do better in smaller groups. Baby steps Sophie, baby steps.
After watching my friends transform into Hollywood stars (A Clockwork Orange person, Britney Spears), computer game characters (someone from Mario) and various other people and things, I waved goodbye to the group going raving, and went back for a quiet night of relaxation. Instead of getting my rave on, I watched Ghostbusters, a Halloween classic.
Many would say that this was a boring night, that I should be embarrassed. I disagree. This is who I am. I am a homebody. I don't like partying, I don't like drinking. I don't know how to interact with people my age in large groups. Yes, this is a hinderance, but I figure, as I am in college for longer, I will get used to it. For now, I can safely say, I am a homebody, and proud of it.
Happy Halloween.
The Halloween Tales Part 1
Halloween. For most college students, it is the first real excuse to get fucked up with a solid group of friends (if you have been there for a more than a year.) If you are sadly, like me, a freshman, it is still the first real excuse to get fucked up, but instead, you are with friends that you have had for a much shorter amount of time. For many people who are not socially awkward, this isn't a problem, and the massive amount of house parties, raves, and random parties happening across the country, in every city in the US provide ample destinations to party to your hearts content, and rack up an impressive repertoire of drunken stories to wow your friends with the next morning.
However, as most of you know, I am not a normal college student. I have never been drunk, I have never been high. Hell, I have never even smoked, and the last time that I took a shot (1 single shot of JD) my head was spinning for hours. Add on to that my life long loathing of Halloween, you can see how this weekend posed some serious problems for me. Ever since I was young, I have steadfastly boycotted Halloween, turning all the lights off and locking the doors to deter trick or treaters, and finding some large paper to write on Halloween to deter friends. However, I have found that as I get older, this is a harder and harder tradition to enforce. Particularly so now that I am at college.
As you should all know, Halloween was on a Saturday night this year. For us college students, this means two nights of hardcore partying, possibly even three if you don't have class on Friday, or don't care about class on Friday. Friday night, I was supposed to go to a fencing party, hosted at a house that is a 20 minute walk from my dorm room. That night, I had gone downtown with a friend to go to a used bookstore and grocery shopping. When we were downtown, it started pissing down with rain while I, clad in all cotton, watched with despair from the book store. My friend had been texting me all afternoon trying to get me to come to the party, and after hours of me telling her I didn't want to go, I finally got her to stop texting me. I didn't realize until I went grocery shopping, and received a phone call, that the reason she had stopped texting me was because she had called someone else, Marc (one of the coaches on the fencing team) to persuade me to go. Even though I had promised myself I wouldn't go to the party, I agreed to go anyway. Why you might ask? I have no idea.
I don't know why Halloween stresses me out so much. There is no logical reason for it. It is some combination of thinking of a costume, being judged on the costume, and then hanging out with lots of people that I just can't handle. Don't ask me me why. Not to mention, someone only has to mention the word "party" to get me nervous and tense. that would be due to my extreme lack of social experiences with people my age. What do I do with my arms? My legs? How should I dance? Where should I look? What should I drink? What do I do with my drink? What if I am the only one not drinking alcohol? Will they judge me? Of course, these are all silly questions, and when I am in control of my emotions, I know this. However, at the time, I absolutely was not in control of my emotions.
After agreeing to go to the party, I hung up the phone, and immediately freaked out. Why did I agree to go? I HATE HALLOWEEN AND DON'T WANT TO GO TO ANY PARTY! After a 20 minute bitch fest with my friend while walking back up to campus, I calmed down enough to realize that I just needed to tell him that I didn't want to go, and it would be okay. Phew. Crisis averted. I texted Marc, said very politely that I didn't want to go, but have fun. At the time, I was exceedingly happy with my decision. On hindsight, there was no good reason for me not to go and if I had gone, I probably would have had a good time. Ah well. Freshman year is a learning experience. Instead, I went to my friends dorm, and spent the better part of the night watching movies, and just chilling out.
However, as most of you know, I am not a normal college student. I have never been drunk, I have never been high. Hell, I have never even smoked, and the last time that I took a shot (1 single shot of JD) my head was spinning for hours. Add on to that my life long loathing of Halloween, you can see how this weekend posed some serious problems for me. Ever since I was young, I have steadfastly boycotted Halloween, turning all the lights off and locking the doors to deter trick or treaters, and finding some large paper to write on Halloween to deter friends. However, I have found that as I get older, this is a harder and harder tradition to enforce. Particularly so now that I am at college.
As you should all know, Halloween was on a Saturday night this year. For us college students, this means two nights of hardcore partying, possibly even three if you don't have class on Friday, or don't care about class on Friday. Friday night, I was supposed to go to a fencing party, hosted at a house that is a 20 minute walk from my dorm room. That night, I had gone downtown with a friend to go to a used bookstore and grocery shopping. When we were downtown, it started pissing down with rain while I, clad in all cotton, watched with despair from the book store. My friend had been texting me all afternoon trying to get me to come to the party, and after hours of me telling her I didn't want to go, I finally got her to stop texting me. I didn't realize until I went grocery shopping, and received a phone call, that the reason she had stopped texting me was because she had called someone else, Marc (one of the coaches on the fencing team) to persuade me to go. Even though I had promised myself I wouldn't go to the party, I agreed to go anyway. Why you might ask? I have no idea.
I don't know why Halloween stresses me out so much. There is no logical reason for it. It is some combination of thinking of a costume, being judged on the costume, and then hanging out with lots of people that I just can't handle. Don't ask me me why. Not to mention, someone only has to mention the word "party" to get me nervous and tense. that would be due to my extreme lack of social experiences with people my age. What do I do with my arms? My legs? How should I dance? Where should I look? What should I drink? What do I do with my drink? What if I am the only one not drinking alcohol? Will they judge me? Of course, these are all silly questions, and when I am in control of my emotions, I know this. However, at the time, I absolutely was not in control of my emotions.
After agreeing to go to the party, I hung up the phone, and immediately freaked out. Why did I agree to go? I HATE HALLOWEEN AND DON'T WANT TO GO TO ANY PARTY! After a 20 minute bitch fest with my friend while walking back up to campus, I calmed down enough to realize that I just needed to tell him that I didn't want to go, and it would be okay. Phew. Crisis averted. I texted Marc, said very politely that I didn't want to go, but have fun. At the time, I was exceedingly happy with my decision. On hindsight, there was no good reason for me not to go and if I had gone, I probably would have had a good time. Ah well. Freshman year is a learning experience. Instead, I went to my friends dorm, and spent the better part of the night watching movies, and just chilling out.
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