What exactly is an unusual sexual fantasy?
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional survey (Oxford CEBM Level 4)
PubMed 25359122 · doi:10.1111/jsm.12734
What was done
An Internet survey was conducted with 1,516 adults (799 women and 717 men) recruited from the general population. Participants ranked 55 sexual fantasies using an extended version of Wilson's Sex Fantasy Questionnaire and wrote their favorite sexual fantasy in an open question. Fantasies were statistically categorized by prevalence: rare (2.3% or less), unusual (15.9% or less), common (more than 50%), or typical (more than 84.1% of the sample). Quantitative and qualitative analyses compared the nature and intensity of fantasies across genders.
What was found
Only 2 sexual fantasies met the threshold for rare (≤2.3%) for women or men, and 9 were unusual (≤15.9%). In contrast, 30 sexual fantasies were common (>50%) for one or both genders, and 5 were typical (>84.1%). Submission and domination themes were common in both genders and significantly related to each other. The presence of a single submissive fantasy was a significant predictor of overall fantasy scores across both genders.
Why it matters
This paper provides statistical baselines showing that many sexual fantasies often pathologized or labeled as unusual are widespread in the general public. It suggests clinical evaluations should focus on the psychological effect of a fantasy rather than its content.
Limits
The study relied on a self-selected Internet convenience sample, creating risk of volunteer bias. It utilized self-report measures exclusively. The abstract does not provide exact percentages or confidence intervals for specific fantasies, nor does it detail participant age, cultural background, or other demographics beyond gender.
Cited by
- supports Approximately 60% of women and 20% of men report having fantasies of sexual submission.