Sexual Cognitions of Dominance and Submission in Gay, Lesbian, and Heterosexual Individuals

What is it about?

For a long time, mental sexual content has been described simply as "sexual fantasies". However, we know that the concept of "sexual cognition" is broader and helps us better understand the diversity of these experiences. Thus, a distinction can be made between sexual cognitions that are experienced as pleasant or acceptable (positive sexual cognitions) and those that are experienced as unpleasant, uncomfortable, or even intrusive (negative sexual cognitions). This distinction is particularly important when we discuss cognitions related to sexual dominance and submission, as they are influenced by factors such as gender roles, personal experiences, and the social context. This study analyzed these thoughts in more than 1,300 gay, lesbian, and heterosexual adults. The aim was to understand how gender and sexual orientation—and the combination of both—are associated with the frequency of sexual dominance cognitions (i.e., imagining exercising sexual control or power) and sexual submission cognitions (i.e., imagining relinquishing it), both in their positive and negative forms. The results showed clear differences. In general, men reported more positive sexual cognitions of both dominance and submission. In contrast, women more frequently reported negative sexual cognitions related to submission. Regarding sexual orientation, differences emerged only in negative sexual cognitions of submission, which were more frequent among gay and lesbian individuals than among heterosexual individuals. One of the most interesting findings concerned the interaction between gender and sexual orientation. For certain cognitions, lesbian women showed patterns more similar to those of heterosexual men, whereas gay men resembled heterosexual women. This suggests that the way we experience these cognitions depends not only on gender but also on sexual orientation and on how both factors interact.

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Photo by Alexander Krivitskiy on Unsplash

Photo by Alexander Krivitskiy on Unsplash

Why is it important?

From both clinical and forensic perspectives, these findings are particularly useful. Differentiating between the content of sexual cognitions and the way they are emotionally experienced may help identify distress, avoid misinterpretations, and promote a healthier sexual experience. Moreover, understanding how gender and sexual orientation relate to these sexual cognitions can help provide care that is better tailored to the reality of each individual.

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