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Topics: Sex and Relationships
Dan Seddon
The pleasures of the bedroom 'praise kink' have been dissected by one of its proponents.
Despite the word 'kink' harbouring filthy overtones, it's simply a myth that they have to involve sex swings, colourfully-worded commands, leather whips or hot wax.
For guys, softly praising your other half can become an art in itself, positively reinforcing their x-rated antics or beauty instead of throwing a 'dirty s**t' barrage down their ear canals.
Over on TikTok, sex professor Dr Nicole K McNichols revealed it doesn't even require touch.
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"People who have praise kinks get turned on by their partner complimenting them during sex," she said in a video.
"Praise kink exists on a continuum, of course, because, I mean, who doesn't love being told that they're beautiful or hot or amazing in some way?"
Praise kink sees the kink-owner asking for the verbal support they crave, so that they can feel both desired and desire themselves.
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"Good girl" is just one example of where you can go with it.
In conversation with Glamour Magazine, 23-year-old Rose Luna revealed: "I think for me it comes down to that I want sex to be a joyful act with my partner(s). So I want to be celebrated the whole time.
"I like to do 'degrading' things only if someone is speaking positively or encouraging me during the act itself."
Over on social media, one person alleged that 'most romance book girls would likely' be into praising beneath the sheets.
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Another shared a screen recording of a multiplayer game, with her partner online praising her when she did well.
Alongside the footage, she wrote: "This guy was feeding my praise kink all game without even knowing it."
Speaking to the same publication, sex therapist Jennifer Rehor went on to share: "Many people respond quite well to positive reinforcement and want to avoid criticisms.
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"What's special about praise kink is that the recipient may get erotic pleasure from the praise."
Rehor also weighed in on the misconceptions attached to this particular kink.
"While it may be true that someone who didn't get enough attention as a child ends up craving praise as an adult, another person may say they received plenty of attention as a child and they also crave praise from their partners.
"We don't know if one causes the other or if this is just speculative. I'm not aware of any solid research specifically in the realm of praise kink to know what childhood characteristics are connected with these desires."