Tickling fetishism
Encyclopedia
Tickling games are interpersonal or social activities involving the tickling
of one person by another. Many people find tickling to be a pleasurable experience in its own right, but also an erotic experience. Some people are sexually excited
by being tickled or by tickling another person. Some people engage in tickling games as part of a social activity, or as part of a couple bonding
or foreplay
.
is the experience of "arousal from tickling
". Acarophilia
, often confused with knismolagnia, refers to arousal from scratching.
Excessive tickling has been described as a primary sexual obsession and, under these circumstances, is sometimes considered a form of paraphilia
. People whose sexuality
is based almost solely on tickling can be said to have a tickling fixation. This fixation
may also exist outside of sexual contexts.
involving a highly sensual touching of the body of one person by another. Tickling also serves as a bonding experience
between friends, and is an indication of familiarity and trust. Between adolescents, tickling often serves as an outlet for sexual energy, with erotic games, foreplay
and sex being the motivation of the tickler.
It is classified by psychologist
s as part of the fifth and highest grade of social play
which involves special intimacy or "cognitive interaction
". This suggests that tickling works best when all the parties involved feel comfortable with the situation and one another.
Some people find the tickling of virtually any part of their body
to be pleasurable, and some people are sexually excited watching others being tickled. It can play a part in courting rituals, especially among younger people, and can form part of foreplay
for many partners in the term's broadest sense. Popular tickle spots include the feet, navel, armpits, breasts, nipples, ribs, sides, stomach, and genitals. The body openings and erogenous zone
s are extremely ticklish; however, the tickling of these areas is generally not associated with laughter or withdrawal.
However, people who have a tickling fetish are likely to enjoy this activity to the exclusion of other pre-sex activities. For some, the focus is entirely on the tickling, with full intercourse less important or not included at all.
of the person to be tickled to prevent them protecting the ticklish spots or otherwise interfering with the game. Common positions for tickling are the over-arm tie
, the hogtie
, spread-eagle
, with the person being tied up
, cuffed
or in stocks
. The restraints may be left loose to increase the amount of possible movement, but short of the person being able to protect the ticklish spots. On the other hand, some participants prefer very tight bondage. The tied person may also be blindfold
ed to increase the anxiety and surprise element.
The objective of such games is to generate uncontrollable writhing, struggling, laughing and vocalizations etc., from the person being tickled, while the person tries to control such reactions, without the ability to physically defend the ticklish spots.
In dominance and submission scenarios, sexual partner
s may agree upon a safeword
to signal that tickling should stop.
Tickling
Tickling is the act of touching a part of the body so as to cause involuntary twitching movements and/or laughter. The word evolved from the Middle English tikelen, perhaps frequentative of ticken, to touch lightly. The idiom tickled pink means to be pleased or delighted.In 1897, psychologists G...
of one person by another. Many people find tickling to be a pleasurable experience in its own right, but also an erotic experience. Some people are sexually excited
Sexual arousal
Sexual arousal, or sexual excitement, is the arousal of sexual desire, during or in anticipation of sexual activity. Things that precipitate human sexual arousal are called erotic stimuli, or colloquially known as turn-ons. There are many potential stimuli, both physical or mental, which can cause...
by being tickled or by tickling another person. Some people engage in tickling games as part of a social activity, or as part of a couple bonding
Human bonding
Human bonding is the process of development of a close, interpersonal relationship. It most commonly takes place between family members or friends, but can also develop among groups such as sporting teams and whenever people spend time together...
or foreplay
Foreplay
In human sexual behavior, foreplay is a set of intimate psychological and physically intimate acts between two or more people meant to create desire for sexual activity and sexual arousal. Either or any of the sexual partners may initiate the foreplay, and they may not be the active partner during...
.
Terminology
KnismolagniaKnismesis and gargalesis
Knismesis and gargalesis are the scientific terms, coined in 1897 by psychologists G. Stanley Hall and Arthur Allin, used to describe the two types of tickling.- Knismesis :...
is the experience of "arousal from tickling
Tickling
Tickling is the act of touching a part of the body so as to cause involuntary twitching movements and/or laughter. The word evolved from the Middle English tikelen, perhaps frequentative of ticken, to touch lightly. The idiom tickled pink means to be pleased or delighted.In 1897, psychologists G...
". Acarophilia
Acarophilia
Acarophilia is a paraphilia consisting of sexual "arousal from scratching". Although it is often confused with arousal from tickling, or knismolagnia, they are listed as distinct paraphilias in scientific literature."...
, often confused with knismolagnia, refers to arousal from scratching.
Excessive tickling has been described as a primary sexual obsession and, under these circumstances, is sometimes considered a form of paraphilia
Paraphilia
Paraphilia is a biomedical term used to describe sexual arousal to objects, situations, or individuals that are not part of normative stimulation and that may cause distress or serious problems for the paraphiliac or persons associated with him or her...
. People whose sexuality
Human sexuality
Human sexuality is the awareness of gender differences, and the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also be described as the way someone is sexually attracted to another person whether it is to opposite sexes , to the same sex , to either sexes , or not being...
is based almost solely on tickling can be said to have a tickling fixation. This fixation
Fixation
Fixation may refer to the following:In science:*Fixation , the state in which an individual becomes obsessed with an attachment to another human, an animal, or an inanimate object...
may also exist outside of sexual contexts.
Overview
Tickling is a form of physical intimacyPhysical intimacy
Physical intimacy is sensual proximity or touching. It can be enjoyed by itself or be an expression of feelings which people have for one another...
involving a highly sensual touching of the body of one person by another. Tickling also serves as a bonding experience
Human bonding
Human bonding is the process of development of a close, interpersonal relationship. It most commonly takes place between family members or friends, but can also develop among groups such as sporting teams and whenever people spend time together...
between friends, and is an indication of familiarity and trust. Between adolescents, tickling often serves as an outlet for sexual energy, with erotic games, foreplay
Foreplay
In human sexual behavior, foreplay is a set of intimate psychological and physically intimate acts between two or more people meant to create desire for sexual activity and sexual arousal. Either or any of the sexual partners may initiate the foreplay, and they may not be the active partner during...
and sex being the motivation of the tickler.
It is classified by psychologist
Psychologist
Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
s as part of the fifth and highest grade of social play
Play (activity)
Play is a term employed in ethology and psychology to describe to a range of voluntary, intrinsically motivated activities normally associated with pleasure and enjoyment...
which involves special intimacy or "cognitive interaction
Cognitive science
Cognitive science is the interdisciplinary scientific study of mind and its processes. It examines what cognition is, what it does and how it works. It includes research on how information is processed , represented, and transformed in behaviour, nervous system or machine...
". This suggests that tickling works best when all the parties involved feel comfortable with the situation and one another.
Some people find the tickling of virtually any part of their body
Body
With regard to living things, a body is the physical body of an individual. "Body" often is used in connection with appearance, health issues and death...
to be pleasurable, and some people are sexually excited watching others being tickled. It can play a part in courting rituals, especially among younger people, and can form part of foreplay
Foreplay
In human sexual behavior, foreplay is a set of intimate psychological and physically intimate acts between two or more people meant to create desire for sexual activity and sexual arousal. Either or any of the sexual partners may initiate the foreplay, and they may not be the active partner during...
for many partners in the term's broadest sense. Popular tickle spots include the feet, navel, armpits, breasts, nipples, ribs, sides, stomach, and genitals. The body openings and erogenous zone
Erogenous zone
An erogenous zone is an area of the human body that has heightened sensitivity, the stimulation of which may result in the production of erotic sensations or sexual excitement.People have erogenous zones all over their bodies, but which areas are more sensitive than others vary...
s are extremely ticklish; however, the tickling of these areas is generally not associated with laughter or withdrawal.
However, people who have a tickling fetish are likely to enjoy this activity to the exclusion of other pre-sex activities. For some, the focus is entirely on the tickling, with full intercourse less important or not included at all.
Tickling games
Some people take part in tickling games or contests which test their endurance to being tickled, for amusement, for erotic pleasure, or for other reasons. These games may involve some form of physical restraintBondage (BDSM)
Bondage is the use of restraints for the sexual pleasure of the parties involved. It may be used in its own right, as in the case of rope bondage and breast bondage, or as part of sexual activity or BDSM activity.- Private bondage :...
of the person to be tickled to prevent them protecting the ticklish spots or otherwise interfering with the game. Common positions for tickling are the over-arm tie
Over-arm tie
An over-arm position is a posture in which a person's arms are extended over their shoulders or behind their head. This may take place, for example, during work or a sporting activity, and is used in stretching exercises or during meditation besides other activities. In wrestling, for example,...
, the hogtie
Hogtie bondage
The hogtie is a bondage position in which a submissive's wrists and ankles are fastened together behind their back using some form of physical restraints, such as rope or cuffs....
, spread-eagle
Spreadeagle (position)
The spread eagle is the position in which a person has his or her arms outstretched and legs apart, figuratively resembling an eagle with wings spread. It is a style that appears commonly in nature and geometry. In human style it is represented by the letter "X".A spreadeagle is a common position...
, with the person being tied up
Rope bondage
Rope bondage is bondage involving the use to rope to tie and wrap the body as part of BDSM activities.Most modern rope bondage techniques derive from the erotic Japanese bondage art form of shibari, which was in turn developed from the now-defunct Japanese military restraint technique of...
, cuffed
Bondage cuffs
Bondage cuffs are restraints designed for use in sexual bondage situations. Compared to conventional handcuffs, they are wide wrist and ankle restraints generally made of leather, often padded with soft leather or fake fur. Bondage cuffs may be fastened at the wrists and/or ankles by a locking...
or in stocks
Stocks
Stocks are devices used in the medieval and colonial American times as a form of physical punishment involving public humiliation. The stocks partially immobilized its victims and they were often exposed in a public place such as the site of a market to the scorn of those who passed by...
. The restraints may be left loose to increase the amount of possible movement, but short of the person being able to protect the ticklish spots. On the other hand, some participants prefer very tight bondage. The tied person may also be blindfold
Blindfold
A blindfold is a garment, usually of cloth, tied to one's head to cover the eyes to disable the wearer's sight. It can be worn when the eyes are in a closed state and thus prevents the wearer from opening them...
ed to increase the anxiety and surprise element.
The objective of such games is to generate uncontrollable writhing, struggling, laughing and vocalizations etc., from the person being tickled, while the person tries to control such reactions, without the ability to physically defend the ticklish spots.
In dominance and submission scenarios, sexual partner
Sexual partner
Sexual partners are people who engage in sexual activity together. The sexual partners can be of any gender or sexual orientation. The sexual partners may be in a committed relationship, either on an exclusive basis or not, or engage in the sexual activity on a casual basis...
s may agree upon a safeword
Safeword
A safeword is a code word or series of code words that are sometimes used in BDSM for a submissive to unambiguously communicate their physical or emotional state to a dominant , typically when approaching, or crossing, a physical, emotional, or moral boundary...
to signal that tickling should stop.