Implicit and Explicit Attitudes Toward Bondage, Discipline, Dominance, Submission & Sadomasochism

Abstract

We explored the bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadomasochism (BDSM) sexual behaviors of people in Taiwan, and how they accepted these behaviors. Previously, research on attitudes of BDSM were based mostly qualitative interviews and inevitably were considered as subjective statements than true insight thoughts. This study was designed using the Single Category Implicit Association Test (SC-IAT) and self-administered structured questionnaires to compare the implicit and explicit differences on attitudes toward BDSM of Taiwan people. The D value measured by SC-IAT indicated the positive or negative implicit attitude of the subjects. The explicit attitudes were calculated by the self-report inventory mean. This study comprised 66 participants with an average age of 33.15 years, males (53%) and females (47%). Subjects disclosed moderate negative implicit attitude (D= -.35). Females showed more negative attitude than males (D= -.41/ -0.31); Younger groups (D= -.28) had more positive attitude than elder groups; undergraduate University students disagreed with this attitude more than the postgraduates (D= -.36/ -0.34); Academic class students showed negative attitude, especially the College of Management (D= -.39), but all did not show significant differences.