2. Sexuality can be expressed in a variety of ways
Atypical sexual behavior is statistically
uncommon behavior
Most variation is not identified as a
psychological disorder
What Are Sexual Variations?
3. According to the APA, a paraphilia is
characterized by recurrent or intense sexually
arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors
lasting at least 6 months involving:
2. Nonhuman objects
3. Suffering or humiliation of self or partner
4. Children or other nonconsenting people
What Is Paraphilia?
4. For people with paraphilias, the paraphilic
behavior is predominant in their life
Distinction between sexual variation and
paraphilia is sometimes a difference of degree,
not kind
Majority of diagnosis involve males
Paraphilic behaviors tend to be compulsive and
long-standing
May lead to legal and interpersonal difficulties, it
may seem irresistible
Vocabulary and categories change across time
Paraphilia
5. Nymphomaniacs
Satyriasis
Judgments of Sexual Behavior
6. Historical judgmental term: Nymphomaniacs
Desires sexual stimulation to orgasm 6-7 times
per week
Self identified
Sexuality an important part of their life and
identity
Highly Sexual Women
7. An important aspect of paraphilias is whether
they involve coercion
Noncoercive paraphilias regarded as victimless
and relatively benign
Noncoercive paraphilias are consensual
Noncoercive Paraphilias
8. Consensual variation is not paraphilia or a
disorder
Paraphilia is not the same as consensual
variation
Consensual variation and noncoercive
paraphilia may be the same
Important Distinction
9. Consensual sexual role-playing in which one
person dominates and the other submits
Also known as sadomasochism (S&M)
◦ A form of fantasy sex carefully controlled by shared
and elaborate scripts
◦ Power is central element
◦ Not considered paraphilic as consensual
Most widely known form is bondage and
discipline (B&D)
Sexual Variation: Domination and
Submission
10. Top and Bottom Klismophilia
Dominatrix
Urophilia
Illusion of harm is
Coprophilia
important
Humiliation can occur Infantilism
in many forms Kennelism
Domination and Submission
11. Fetishism: sexual attraction to an object which
is required or preferred for sexual arousal
Partialism: exclusive attraction to particular
body parts
To meet APA definition of fetishism as a
disorder, one must not be able to have
satisfactory sex without the fetish
Noncoercive Paraphilias
12. Wearing of clothing associated with other
gender for sexual arousal
Different from transsexualism
Many value transvestitism as an important part
of their life
Most men who engage in this practice are
heterosexual and masculine in gender role
Noncoercive Paraphilias: Transvestism
13. Zoophilia: animals are preferred sexual outlet
even when other outlets are available
Voyeurism: nonconsensual observation of
others for the purpose of sexual arousal
◦ Video voyeurism
Exhibitionism: exposure of genitals to a
nonconsenting stranger
Coercive Paraphilias
14. Telephone scatalogia: non-consensual
telephoning of strangers; often involves
obscene language
Frotteurism: touching or rubbing against a
nonconsenting person for the purpose of sexual
arousal
Necrophilia: sexual contact with a corpse
Coercive Paraphilias
15. Pedophilia: recurrent intense sexual urges
and sexually arousing fantasies involving
sexual activity with a prepubescent child
◦ Children age 13 or younger
◦ A person with pedophilia must be at least 16 years
old and at least 5 years older than the child
◦ Nonpedophilic child sexual abuse and incest are
discussed in Chapter 17
Coercive Paraphilias
16. Pedophilia in which the sex of victim and
perpetrator are different is more common than
same-sex pedophilia
Most convicted perpetrators are male, most
victims female
For most persons with pedophilia, the fact that a
child is vulnerable is more important than
gender
Other Sex Pedophilia
17. Majority of pedophiles know their victim and
their family
About half of pedophiles are or have been
married
Most common activities: fondling and
masturbation
Pedophilia and Relationships
18. Few reported cases of females with pedophilia
May be underreported
◦ Stereotypes of female nurturance may hamper
recognition of pedophilic activities
◦ Male child victims may not recognize the event as
abuse
Coercive Paraphilia: Female Pedophilia
19. Sadism: urges or fantasies of intentionally
inflicting real physical or psychological pain or
suffering on a partner
Masochism: recurring sexual urge or fantasy of
being humiliated or caused to suffer through
real acts, not simulated ones
Autoerotic asphyxia: a form of sexual
masochism linking strangulation with
masturbatory activities
Sexual Sadism and Sexual Masochism
20. Paraphilias are likely the result of
social/environmental, psychological, and
biological factors
Difficult to treat, relapses often occur
◦ Multi-faceted approaches that include enhancing
social and sexual skills may assist recovery
◦ Prevention has been shown to be best approach
Origins and Treatment of Paraphilias
