Foreplay

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Martin van Maele's print Francion 15 depicts a couple engaging in foreplay outdoors Martin van Maele - Francion 15.jpg
Martin van Maële's print Francion 15 depicts a couple engaging in foreplay outdoors

Foreplay is a set of emotionally and physically intimate acts between one or more people meant to create sexual arousal and desire for sexual activity. [1] [2] Although foreplay is typically understood as physical sexual activity, nonphysical activities, such as mental or verbal acts, may in some contexts be foreplay. [1] This is typically the reason why foreplay tends to be an ambiguous term and means different things to different people. It can consist of various sexual practices such as kissing, sexual touching, removing clothes, oral sex, manual sex, sexual games, and sexual roleplay. [1]

Contents

Foreplay is not only about initiating sexual activity but is fundamentally centered on enhancing pleasure for all participants. It serves as a critical phase in sexual encounters that heightens emotional intimacy and physical pleasure, making the sexual experience more fulfilling and satisfying. [3]

Role

Foreplay has important physical and psychological effects.

Physically, the sexual organs for both partners receive more blood flow and become aroused. For male partners this leads to an erection and for female partners this results in a clitoral erection. When partners experience sexual arousal from the acts of foreplay, their organs that are susceptible to pleasure become highly sensitive to external stimuli all while at the same time releasing bodily fluids that lubricate the organs to prepare for intercourse. These physical events aforementioned are more easily reached by the male partner as compared to the female partner which is possibly due to the potential consequences of pregnancy and motherhood. [4] Because of this reason, foreplay has been found to play a critical role for the female partner, as noted by sexologist Dr. William Robinson. Robinson suggests that male partners are able to perform sexual intercourse without the requirement of foreplay, whereas female partners require longer acts of foreplay to become sufficiently stimulated and pleasured. [5]

Psychologically, foreplay lowers inhibitions and increases emotional intimacy between partners. Both partners, while performing foreplay, are able to have a mutual experience of understanding and emotions. This mutuality leads to an enhanced sexual experience for both partners. [4]

From a biological perspective, foreplay may be seen as an act that is costly in regards to reproduction (male animal perspective). Nonetheless, the costliness of foreplay becomes insufficient when it has been noted through biological research that it is a worthwhile strategy to increase fertility rates in both the animal and human kingdom. The increased rates of fertility are due to physical and psychological effects aforementioned which also play a role in the effects of the neurohypophysial hormone. This hormone is capable of increasing the rate production of sperm count within the male during the acts of extensive foreplay and therefore results with the female partner having higher chances of becoming impregnated. [6] [7]

Research

According to a survey on heterosexual couples about duration of sexual intercourse and foreplay, neither partner in these relationships was satisfied with the duration of foreplay in their relationships. This survey sampled 152 couples who were mainly university educated and satisfied with their sexual life. In this study, and when compared to some larger studies, men were better at perceiving desired sexual intercourse and foreplay duration for their partner. The average times spent on intercourse were 7 minutes and 12 minutes on foreplay for the couples in this survey. Another result of this survey was that the length of desired foreplay for men and women was about the same. [8]

In a global study of about 12,000 individuals from 27 countries in 6 continents, physical foreplay was rated as "very important" for 63% of men and 60% of women. [9]

According to a study of individuals in committed romantic relationships, pornography and sexual media usage does not play a role in satisfaction with time spent on foreplay, although other aspects of sexual satisfaction can be impacted by this type of sexual media. This means that foreplay is an important part of the sexual script, and social influences on the sexual script such as pornography and provocative sexual media do not impact foreplay. Time spent on foreplay is an important part of becoming sexually aroused and unique to each individual, and individuals still need the same amount of foreplay in order to become sexually aroused despite what they learn from porn. [10]

Games

Foreplay by kissing a woman's back moving towards her hips Nipping the Nape.png
Foreplay by kissing a woman's back moving towards her hips

Sexual role-playing or sex games can create sexual interest. [11] These games can be played in a variety of situations, and have been enhanced by technology. This type of extended foreplay can involve SMS messaging (sexting), phone calls, online chat, or other forms of distance communication, which are intended to stimulate fantasizing about the forthcoming encounter. This tantalization builds up sexual tension.

A card or board game can be played for foreplay. The objective of the game is for the partners to indulge their fantasies. The loser can, for example, be required to remove clothing or give the winner a sensual foot massage or any other thing that the winner wants to try. A sensuous atmosphere can also be enhanced by candles, drinks, sensual food or suggestive clothing. Even a suggestion of the use of sex toys or the playing of games involving fetish, sexual bondage, blindfolding or sploshing is an indication of sexual interest.

Some couples create sexual interest by watching erotic and pornographic videos. Role playing may involve the partners wearing costumes, to create and maintain a sexual fantasy. For variety, the partners can make up a (sexual) story together. One of them starts with a sentence and then the other continues until the story becomes sexually explicit, and it provides an opportunity for the partners to express their sexual fantasies. "Strangers for a day" is a role-playing game which consists of the couple playing roles of the first meeting between them. In a public meeting place, the partners pretend to be strangers meeting for the first time. The objective is for them to flirt and seduce the other, without doing or saying anything that they normally would not do or say at a first meeting.

Tantric

Tantric foreplay is the first step in the lovemaking session, according to the tantra principles. Tantric sex is against rushing things for the purpose of reaching an orgasm, so tantric foreplay is a way to prepare the body and the mind for the union between the two bodies. The tantric rules say that foreplay must be focused on the preparation before sexual intercourse. Tantric foreplay may include sensual baths between the two partners in a relaxing atmosphere. Fragrance oil and candles may also be used to set up the mood. [12]

Tantric foreplay is only about giving each other time to connect spiritually and bind. Staring at each other while in a cross-legged position and touching the other's hand palms is a usual foreplay tactic used by tantra practitioners. Tantric foreplay may also include Tantra massages. The massage that is applied, according to the tantric philosophy, is not for reaching orgasms but for giving each other pleasure and connecting at a spiritual level. [13]

History

There are many historical references to foreplay, with many artistic depictions. The Ancient Indian work Kama Sutra mentions different types of embracing, kissing, and marking with nails and teeth. [14] [15] [16] It also mentions BDSM activities such as slapping and moaning as "play". [17] There are also examples of the use of foreplay in marital advice literature that dates back to the early 1900s. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fellatio</span> Oral sex on the penis by a sexual partner

Fellatio is an oral sex act consisting of the stimulation of a penis by using the mouth. Oral stimulation of the scrotum may also be termed fellatio, or colloquially as teabagging.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Human sexual activity</span> Manner in which humans engage sexually

Human sexual activity, human sexual practice or human sexual behaviour is the manner in which humans experience and express their sexuality. People engage in a variety of sexual acts, ranging from activities done alone to acts with another person in varying patterns of frequency, for a wide variety of reasons. Sexual activity usually results in sexual arousal and physiological changes in the aroused person, some of which are pronounced while others are more subtle. Sexual activity may also include conduct and activities which are intended to arouse the sexual interest of another or enhance the sex life of another, such as strategies to find or attract partners, or personal interactions between individuals. Sexual activity may follow sexual arousal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sex position</span> Position of the body used for sexual activities

A sex position is a positioning of the bodies that people use to engage in sexual intercourse or other sexual activities. Sexual acts are generally described by the positions the participants adopt in order to perform those acts. Though sexual intercourse generally involves penetration of the body of one person by another, sex positions commonly involve non-penetrative sexual activities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doggy style</span> Sex position

Doggy style is a sex position in which one participant bends over, crouches on all fours, or lies on their abdomen, for sexual intercourse, other forms of sexual penetration or other sexual activity. Doggy style is a form of a rear-entry position, others being with the receiving partner lying on the side in the spoons sex position or the reverse cowgirl sex position. Non-penetrative sex in this position may also be regarded as doggy style.

Sex manuals are books which explain how to perform sexual practices; they also commonly feature advice on birth control, and sometimes on safe sex and sexual relationships.

Erotic massage is the use of massage techniques by one person on another person's erogenous zones for their sexual pleasure. The process may achieve or enhance the recipient's sexual excitation or arousal and sometimes achieve orgasm. The person providing the massage is called a masseur (male) or masseuse (female). Massages have been used for medical purposes for a very long time, and their use for erotic purposes also has a long history. In the case of women, the two focal areas are the abdomens and pubis, while in case of men, the focal areas are the male breast muscles and nipples, male genitals, the anus, and the prostate. When the massage is of a partner's genitals, the act is usually referred to as a handjob for penises and fingering for vulvas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sexual stimulation</span> Anything that causes a sexual response

Sexual stimulation is anything that leads to sexual arousal or orgasm. This thing can be physical or of other senses, and is known as a stimulus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mammary intercourse</span> Non-penetrative sex act

Mammary intercourse is a sex act, performed as either foreplay or as non-penetrative sex, that involves the stimulation of a man's penis by a woman's breasts and vice versa. It involves placing the penis between a woman's breasts and moving the penis up and down to simulate sexual penetration and to create sexual pleasure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edging (sexual practice)</span> Orgasm control technique

Edging, sometimes also referred to as gooning or surfing, is a sexual technique whereby an orgasm is controlled. It is practiced alone or with a partner and involves the maintenance of a high level of sexual arousal for an extended period without reaching climax. Orgasm control involves either sex partner being in control of the other partner's orgasm, or a person delaying their own orgasm during sexual activity with a partner or through masturbation. Any method of sexual stimulation can be used to experience controlled orgasm.

<i>Kama</i> Concept of pleasure, enjoyment and desire in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism

Kama is the concept of pleasure, enjoyment and desire in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. It can also refer to "desire, wish, longing" in Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and Sikh literature. However, the term is also used in a technical sense to refer to any sensory enjoyment, emotional attraction or aesthetic pleasure experienced in connection with the arts, dance, music, painting, sculpture, and nature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erotic talk</span> Practice of using explicit word imagery to heighten a type of arousal

Erotic talk, also known as dirty talk, gross talk, love talk, naughty talk, sexting, sexy talk, talking dirty, or talking gross, is the practice of using explicit word imagery to heighten sexual excitement before and during physical sexual activity. It is commonly a part of foreplay, and can include vivid erotic descriptions, sexual humor, sexual commands and rude words. It may be whispered into a partner's ear, spoken over a telephone, or put into text. The intention of erotic talk is generally to generate excitement between one, both or all parties engaged in a sexual interaction, or even to induce orgasm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sensation play</span> Erotic activities meant to impart physical sensations

Sensation play, also known as sensual play or sensory play, is an act where senses are engaged in various ways to heighten erotic pleasure and induce sensuality. As an activity, it is meant to impart pleasurable and arousing sensations upon a partner, usually during an intimate interaction.

Neotantra, navatantra, or tantric sexuality is a Western new religious movement influenced by the Eastern esoteric spiritual traditions of Tantra. Rooted in elements of Hindu and Buddhist tantras, neotantra blends New Age interpretations with modern Western perspectives, often emphasizing the sexual aspects of these ancient traditions. While some proponents reference traditional texts and principles, many utilize tantra as a broader term encompassing sacred sexuality, occasionally incorporating unconventional practices. However, neotantra does not always adhere to the complete range of Indian tantric practices, particularly the reliance on a guru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pornography</span> Portrayal of sexual subject matter

Pornography is sexual subject material such as a picture, video, text, or audio that is intended for sexual arousal. Made for consumption by adults, pornographic depictions have evolved from cave paintings, some forty millennia ago, to modern virtual reality presentations. A general distinction of adult-only sexual content is made by classifying it as pornography or erotica.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pompoir</span> Sexual intercourse technique

Pompoir is a sexual technique in which the woman uses her vaginal muscles to stimulate the man's penis. Both partners remain still, while the woman strokes the man's erection using rhythmic, rippling pulses of the pubococcygeus muscles, so this practice is best performed in a woman on top position.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Non-penetrative sex</span> Sexual activity that usually excludes penetration

Non-penetrative sex or outercourse is sexual activity that usually does not include sexual penetration, but some forms, particularly when termed outercourse, include penetrative aspects, that may result from forms of fingering or oral sex. It generally excludes the penetrative aspects of vaginal, anal, or oral sex, but includes various forms of sexual and non-sexual activity, such as frottage, manual sex, mutual masturbation, kissing, or hugging.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sexual practices between women</span> Sexual activity between women

Sexual activities involving women who have sex with women (WSW), regardless of their sexual orientation or sexual identity, can include oral sex, manual sex, or tribadism. Sex toys may be used.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Effects of pornography</span> Influence of pornography on an individual and their intimate relationships

Pornography has been defined as any material in varying forms, including texts, video, photos or audio that is consumed for sexual satisfaction and arousal of an individual or partnership. The effects of pornography on individuals or their intimate relationships have been a subject of research.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buddhism and sexuality</span> Relation between Buddhist theory and practice and sexuality

Buddhism categorizes sexuality, in particular sexual arousal and pleasure, as a type of kama, or earthly pleasure, that must be abandoned to achieve enlightenment. Many Buddhists avoid drawing a distinction between monastic sexual abstinence and other forms of religious self-discipline, while some traditions actively incorporate sexual concepts or acts in a yogic or ritualistic context.

Sexual guilt is a negative emotional response associated with the feeling of anxiety, guilt, or shame in relation to sexual activity. Also known as sexual shame, it is linked with the negative social stigma and cultural expectations that are held towards sex as well as the historical religious opposition of all "immoral" sexual acts. It originates from the negative pressures exerted upon individuals during the course of their lives due to parental and religious teachings concerning sexual activity and expression. Participation in sexual intercourse does not need to occur in order for an individual to experience sexual guilt, however, as self-pleasure and the sexual activities of other people can also induce this feeling. Furthermore, a person who feels guilty or otherwise uncomfortable about sex might also experience sexual guilt.

References

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