Synaesthesia and sexuality: the influence of synaesthetic perceptions on sexual experience
Frontiers in Psychology January 1, 2013 Janina Nielsen, Tillmann H. C. Krüger, Uwe Hartmann et al. 13 citations
People with synaesthesia who experience sensory crossovers during sex—such as seeing colors or feeling textures from arousal—report deeper states of sexual trance but lower sexual satisfaction than those without synaesthesia. Among 19 synaesthetes and 36 controls, synaesthetes scored higher on measures of oceanic boundlessness and visionary restructuralization, indicating more intense altered states during intercourse. They also showed better overall sexual function, particularly in sexual appetite, yet felt less satisfied. Qualitative interviews revealed that the idiosyncratic perceptions can create a sense of isolation. The findings suggest that sexual synaesthesia amplifies trance-like immersion without improving satisfaction.