Episode 302: The Psychology Behind Attraction To Monsters

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Jun 18, 2024

Researcher and writer Ella Gallego discusses the allure of monster fantasies, exploring physical attributes, BDSM overlap, fear arousal, appeal to women and LGBTQ+ individuals, and the importance of understanding sexual fantasies origins.

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INSIGHT

Arousing Monster Attributes

People are aroused by monsters with monstrous physical features (wings, horns, fangs, claws).
Power, exaggerated features (genitalia, height), supernatural powers, and domineering personalities are also appealing.

INSIGHT

Monster Fantasies and Kink

Monster fantasies often overlap with kink and BDSM, providing a safe space for exploration.
Fantasies involving monsters allow individuals to engage with power dynamics they might otherwise avoid.

ANECDOTE

Distancing from Real-Life Power Structures

One respondent found it easier to engage in submissive fantasies with monsters, as it's separate from real-life power structures.
They felt more comfortable with a woman being dominated by a vampire or orc than by a cis-het man.

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From the vampires and werewolves in Twilight to Bigfoot to the beast from Beauty and the Beast, it turns out that a lot of people are turned on by the idea of getting it on with a monster. But why is that? Where do these attractions come from in the first place? In this episode, we’re going to explore the rich psychology that helps to explain why monstrous, mythical, and scary creatures can sometimes become turn-ons.

I am joined once again by Ella Gallego, a researcher, writer, and the founder of the Monstrous Desire Study. The study examines the cultural history of erotic monsters around the globe based on research data from over 2,200 respondents. Ella was my guest in the previous episode, in which we explored people’s biggest monster crushes.

Some of the topics we cover in this episode include:

What physical or other attributes of monsters do people find arousing?
To what extent do monster fantasies overlap with interest in kink and BDSM?
What is the role of fear in sexual arousal?
Why do monster fantasies seem to be particularly appealing to women and LGBTQ+ folks?
How important is it for us to understand where our sexual fantasies come from?

You can check out Ella’s website to learn more about her work.

Got a sex question? Send me a podcast voicemail to have it answered on a future episode at speakpipe.com/sexandpsychology.

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