Tickling game

Tickling games are interpersonal or social activities involving the tickling of one person by another. Many people find tickling to be a pleasurable experience in its own right, but also an erotic experience. Some people are sexually excited by being tickled or by tickling another person.^[1] Some people engage in tickling games as part of a social activity, or as part of a couple bonding or foreplay.

Terminology

Knismolagnia is the experience of "arousal from tickling".^[2] Acarophilia, often confused with knismolagnia, refers to arousal from scratching.

Excessive tickling has been described as a primary sexual obsession and, under these circumstances, is sometimes considered a form of paraphilia.^[3] People whose sexuality is based almost solely on tickling can be said to have a tickling fixation. This fixation may also exist outside of sexual contexts.

Overview

Tickling can be regarded as a form of physical intimacy as it involves the sensual touching of one person's body by another. It could serve as a bonding experience between friends, or a simple act of familiarity and trust. Between adults, tickling sometimes functions as an outlet for sexual energy, with erotic games, foreplay and sex being the primary methods of doing such.

Tickling games

A woman being tickled at EXXXOTICA New York 2009

Some people take part in tickling games or contests which test their endurance to being tickled, for amusement, for erotic pleasure, or for other reasons. These games may involve some form of physical restraint of the person to be tickled to prevent them protecting the ticklish spots or otherwise interfering with the game. Common positions for tickling are the over-arm tie, the hogtie, spread-eagle, with the person being tied up, cuffed or in stocks. The restraints may be left loose to increase the amount of possible movement, but short of the person being able to protect the ticklish spots. On the other hand, some participants prefer very tight bondage. The tied person may also be blindfolded to increase the anxiety and surprise element.

The objective of such games is to generate uncontrollable writhing, struggling, laughing and vocalizations etc., from the person being tickled, while the person tries to control such reactions, without the ability to physically defend the ticklish spots.

In dominance and submission scenarios, sexual partners may agree upon a safeword such as watermelon or bicycle to signal that tickling should stop.

See also

• Creep Mouse
• Laughter
• Tickle torture

References

1. Love B., Encyclopedia of Unusual Sex Practices. New York: Barricade Books Inc.; 1992. p280-281.
2. Aggrawal, Anil (2009). Forensic and Medico-legal Aspects of Sexual Crimes and Unususal Sexual Practices. Boca Raton: CRC Press. p. 375. ISBN 978-1-4200-4308-2.
3. Ellis H. Studies in the psychology of sex. Vol. iii. Philadelphia: FA Davis Co.; 1926

Further reading

• Moran, Michael. Erotic Tickling. Greenery Press, 2003. ISBN 1-890159-46-8
• Courtois, Wayne. My Name is Rand. Suspect Thoughts Press, 2004. ISBN 0-9710846-7-X
• Courtois, Wayne. In the Time of Solution 9. Lethe Press, 2013. ISBN 1-59021-277-0

External links

• Glossary of clinical sexology (it - en)