Proclivity for sexual fantasy accounts for differences in the perceived components of a ‘good kiss’
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Romantic kissing is theorized to promote positive psychological outcomes in close relationships, potentially serving as a mate assessment tool and a mechanism for relationship maintenance. However, to date no empirical evidence supports the hypothesis that romantic kissing acts as a catalyst for sexual intercourse (the arousal hypothesis). However, lack of support for this hypothesis may be due to a focus on the sensation of a kiss when it was conceptualised. As such, past tests of this hypothesis have underplayed the role of mental states that are a prerequisite for sexual arousal. Addressing this gap, this study investigated whether intimate fantasies predict the perceived importance of arousal when defining the qualities of a “good kiss.” As predicted, daytime fantasy proneness was correlated with the importance of arousal in a good kiss, independent of general creative thinking and sexual desire. By linking cognition to expressions of emotional intimacy, these findings advance our understanding of romantic rituals and highlight pathways for refining couples’ therapy interventions.
Source: Sexual & Relationship Therapy
Authors: Milena V. Rota, Christopher D. Watkins
Institution: Abertay University
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7117556575