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Culture, Society, and Praxis

Volume 4 Number 1 Identity Article 8

January 2005

Sadomasochism According to Freud's Psychosexual Stages of Development Theory

Elizabeth Ehrmann California State University, Monterey Bay

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Recommended Citation Ehrmann, Elizabeth (2005) " According to Freud's Psychosexual Stages of Development Theory," Culture, Society, and Praxis: Vol. 4 : No. 1 , Article 8. Available at: https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/csp/vol4/iss1/8

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Sadomasochism According to Freud’s Psychosexual Stages of Development Theory

By Elizabeth Ehrmann

According to Freud, the combination of children being sexual, and perhaps the repeated act of spanking, whipping, or beating, is believed to lead to a life of sadomasochism. If Freud’s theory is correct, children who have experienced spankings or whippings will tend to be, or would tend to want to be a sadomasochist. Through Freud’s psychosexual stages of development theory, a better understanding of the sexual deviation, “sadomasochism” will ideally be reached. The six psychosexual stages of development are oral, anal, phallic, latent, and genital. Through each of these different stages, Freud believed that sexual outcomes originate. Perhaps Freud’s conclusions are true, but other social factors such as and knowledge of the social norm, allow sadomasochism to become better understood. Although supposedly uncommon, a better understanding of both the origins and the practice of sadomasochism, can allow it to become more socially acceptable and not such a taboo, allowing for more equality and less sexual preference profiling. Through a greater understanding and knowledge of both the history and the participants of Sadomasochism we as a society could come to a universal acceptance of this mysterious alternative lifestyle.

There is a hidden world that some do not pain, lent his name to masochism.” dare enter. It is mysterious and erotic, (Westheimer, 2000) The real mystery is and to many, twisted and sickening. This the origin of this sexual deviation, and is the world of sadomasochism and through Freud’s psychosexual stages of many forms of it are incredibly unusual development theory, a better according to today’s society. Sadism is understanding will ideally be reached. being aroused by the act of inflicting A considerable amount of research on pain upon others, and masochism is sadomasochism has been done by being aroused while being inflicted with famous writers of both homosexual and pain. “Sadism is named after the heterosexual sadomasochism practices, (1740-1814), a French such as Freud, Kinsey, Krafft-Ebing, nobleman and soldier, who spent many Spengler, Ellis, Faulk, and Stekel, but years in prisons and asylums, much of it much of it has been by a purely for sexual behavior that was considered observational standpoint. “Kamel (1980, abhorrent. He also wrote novels 1983) gathered his data in several ways: describing scenes of sexual cruelty. through tape recording interviews with Leopold von Sacher-Masoch (1836- S&M people whom he met while he was 1895), a German novelist whose employed in an bookstore, through characters took in receiving a perusal of S&M literature, and through

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informal ‘conversational interaction’ in Hard core Sadomasochism practices tend leather bars throughout the United States to need lots of equipment, depending on and Europe. In these conversations he the preference or the degree of pain took the role of ‘potential participant’ in needed to experience pleasure. Stocks, S&M interaction.” (Weinberg, 1987) ropes, masks, boots, whips, black stockings, bras, and much more are Whether we know it or not, sometimes needed accommodate an sadomasochism is a common practice. individual’s satisfaction. But what is not The reason this statement is not obvious widely known, is much more goes into a to us today is because it is not often sadomasochism practice than expected. discussed and sadomasochism has a very “Everyone we interviewed who sells wide spectrum of practices. sadomasochism insisted that, before “Sadomasochist (SM) clubs are probably having sex, they have a long talk with the most prevalent type of fetish clubs in the potential client to determine his or the U.S.A. today, although very few of her specific requests. There are also the members could be defined as having clubs where individuals meet to act out a true SM fetish or …... sadomasochistic scenarios. Those who Charles Moser (1988) estimates that seek out action are, in the literature of approximately 10 percent of the adult sexology, classically seen as purging population are SM practitioners.” themselves of ; some claim that it (Francouer, 1999) The statistic in that feels good to test themselves. Sellers of quote says 10 percent, but there were equipment for dominance/ many couples who enjoy spanking, whom we interviewed, and magazines biting, role playing, or scratching, and that promote sadomasochism, claim that physical restraints during sexual activity at least 8%, and probably 10%, of that are overlooked during that statistic. American homes have S/M equipment” Because sadomasochism has become (Janus, 1993) such a common practice, these “mild” cases are disregarded, but if included, Although sadomasochism is enjoyed by would raise the statistic dramatically. both males and females, the predominant This leads to the topic of what is the enjoyers of this practice are homosexual “social norm” (as to what is acceptable males. “In these studies, with few sexual behavior and what is marginal). exceptions, the vast majority of the Until the 1940s, sex education and participants have been males. They have discussion was inadequate, so been found to be mainly socially well- knowledge of social norms was limited. adjusted individuals practicing a wide Alfred Kinsey, and his Sexual Behavior range of sexual activities, usually in the Human Male (1948), opened the engaging in sadomasochistic sexual door to the realization that there are no behavior after other sexual orientation social norms. Through his personal issues have been resolved. The well- interviews, he discovered and disclosed being of these men has also been found a number of anonymous sexual to be connected to their level of , acts, and preferences that integration in sadomasochistic allowed individuals both then and now subcultures. Due to a small number of to know that there is no, “normal”, for females in the subject pool or the we are all different. commercial character (i.e., prostitution)

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of their sexual practices, fewer was the focus of the painting. The conclusions about female aesthetically embellished shoe was, in sadomasochistic behavior have been that era and culture, an erotic stimulus. drawn” (Sandnabba, 1999). However, the binding of the female foot was a flimsily disguised act of brutality. Sadomasochism is typically a gradual Women’s feet were crushed so that practice. In fact, there are six stages in women could be unable to walk the career of a sadomasochistic normally; thus they remained under the practitioner, each of which involves control of men. However, this practice increasing involvement in the subculture was a cultural norm, not a , as and commitment to a sadomasochistic with individuals in our culture who are career. “The first of these is the able to become erotically aroused by disenchantment stage, during which the disfigured women. A more normal individual becomes disillusioned with version of this same dynamic underlies the gay world, especially because most the custom of women wearing high- of the men he meets do not appear to be heeled shoes, which hobble them but masculine enough. Second, some men sexually stimulate men. (Berg, 1990) experience a depression period, isolate themselves, and retreat into ‘a second Sadomasochism is prominent in today’s closet’. Third, the man’s curiosity may media society. “Faulk and I attempted to be stimulated by stories about the hyper- tease out S&M themes in popular masculinity of the leather-sex culture. We noted that novels and poetry subculture, and he may leave his closet that are explicitly S&M can be traced at to explore tentatively its mysteries. least as far back as the 18th century. In Fourth, during the attraction stage, the addition, spanking and humiliation individual learns some of the norms and scenes with sexual undertones were part values of the S&M world and starts to of a number of movies made in the see that S&M may be part of his own 1940s and 1950s. Present-day movies, erotic possibilities. In the fifth or drifting television music videos, and records are stage, the man may attempt to involve much more explicitly S&M.” (Weinberg, himself actively in S&M by searching 1987) Along with being prominent in the for partners. He becomes socialized media, sadomasochism tools are being through actual participation, learning used for fashion purposes instead of such things at the importance of acting sexual purposes. “Still, it is obvious that ability in mutually sustaining a partner’s an additional problem for feminists fantasies. In the final stage, limiting, the resulted in part from Punk’s individual discovers what does and does appropriation of styles from not fulfill him” (Weinberg, 1987) sadomasochistic subcultures. The one Sadomasochism can be traced as far area in which Punk had immediate and back as the 18th century, but it was also lasting impact on the mainstream United incredibly prominent in China with the States is the fashion. Here punk styles practice of feet binding. like black leather ‘fetish’ clothing, dog (or slave) collars, wrist restraints, cock Stoller presented a Chinese painting of a rings worn as bracelets, chains and couple making love when one of the elaborate piercings, all borrowed from woman’s feet, bound in an ornate shoe, S/M rituals, rapidly begin to define

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rock’n’roll hipness. For punks S/M was and verbal acclaim for not soiling its a parodic metaphor for the irredeemable clothes. Toilet training is the beginning corruption of desire by externally of civilization in the individual. The imposed structures of dominance and seeds of society and repression are sown submission” (Siegel, 2000). by teaching the - (that is, bowel) control” (Collins, 2005). Freud’s Theory The of psychosexual “From his observations of patients and development is the stage when the child their neuroses Freud developed a model discovers the genital erogenous zone as a of five overlapping stages of source of pleasure. The female : oral, anal, and the male become the primary phallic, latent, and genital” (Collins, organs for sexual satisfaction. “Freud 2005). The oral phase begins at infancy understood the initial sexual instincts of when a baby derives gratification from childhood to be largely objectless or sucking on the mother’s breast. Because ‘autoerotic.’ The key stage of of this phase, the mouth and lips become development is the phallic, at which the the first erogenous zones on the human emerges, for this is the body. Gradually throughout this stage, point at which sexual drives become the baby’s teeth begin coming in and a firmly attached to an external object… baby explores the world by grasping Freud theorized that the young male things and putting them into its mouth in desires his mother and fears his father. order to bite or suck. Because it is (For the female child, he expects the unsure whether to bite or suck, the baby process to be the reverse.) The male is ambivalent, and according to Freud, child resolves this conflict by repressing this uncertainty is the prototype for love the wish to kill his father; he identifies and hate. with him instead and makes him his personal ego-ideal. Thereafter, the During the anal phase, Freud believed internalized father (or superego) that the of the child becomes punishes the child by making him feel concentrated on the energy of the anus guilty whenever he wishes for something for gratification. Not only is the child forbidden. The external punisher has fascinated by its feces, and enjoy playing taken up residence inside the child’s own with it, children feel gratified after their mind” (Collins, 2005). feces has been released, and while it is being released, children believe that their Freud believed that sexual interests feces is another body part. The child submerge during the latency period only learns that feces are bad, after it between the ages of five and twelve, and sees the negative facial expression on its then reappear at in the genital or mothers face. “The role of this early adult stage of sexual organization. memory trace or psychic imprinting Between the phallic stage and puberty, upon baby can hardly be overestimated the child learns from its social in the course of individual development. environment, from family and friends, Excrement becomes negative, associated and school how to channel its sexual in the child’s mind with the smelly, dirty feelings into socially acceptable forms of ‘bad me.’ The clean ‘good me’ of the behavior. child is rewarded with parental smiles

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According to Freud sadomasochism Freud’s Biography originates at childhood. The article The grew up a child prodigy First Pronouncement on the Theme of in his Viennese home. As a young child, Infantile Sexuality states “We do wrong his parents so much favored him over his entirely to ignore the sexual life of little sister that when she was practicing children; in my experience children are the piano, they made her stop because it capable of all the mental and many of was disturbing his studies. He began the physical activities.” (Jones, 1953) reading Shakespeare at age eight and at a The combination of children being very young age, dreamed of becoming a sexual, and perhaps the repeated act of great general like Napoleon. He spanking, whipping, or beating, Freud graduated summa cum laude from High believes leads to a life of School, and ranked so highly in college sadomasochism. “The phantasy is of that teachers and fellow students rarely peculiar interest because of its offering questioned his answers. As a Viennese great difficulties in the analysis. It is Jew, his social class job options were accompanied by very considerable those of industry, business, law and shame and guilt, and it is hard to obtain medicine. After much indecision, he any further details than the simple decided to enter the world of medicine statement ‘a child is beaten,’ an idea and studied as a medical student at the which in all cases is accompanied by University of Vienna in the autumn of pleasurable sensations relieved by 1873. He received a grant in 1876 and … With there are three began to live with and be mentored by phases in the genesis of the phantasy. physiologist, Ernst Brücke. In 1881, The first of them, which had once been Freud passed his final medical conscious, is of a non-sexual character. examination and for three years It expresses the wish that her father practiced as a doctor of residence at the would beat, or otherwise show his Vienna General Hospital working in displeasure to, another child of whom surgery, internal medicine, dermatology, the subject was jealous. In the second and . phase, which is entirely unconscious, this wish has been changed into the Freud became famous in 1900 after his fantasy of being beaten by the father, publication of The Interpretation of and this is accompanied by masochistic Dreams. His first famous discovery was pleasure. In the third, conscious phase that every individual lusts and hates. the father has been replaced by a teacher This was well known among the lower or person of similar standing and the classes, but the upper class was outraged child being beaten is now a stranger. The by such an image of them. His greatest latter is often a because of the discovery was the phenomenon of subject’s repression of the incestuous repression. The entire structure of wishes frequently sets up a to is based upon the the earlier masculine wishes of the . foundation of repression and according The beating is therefore not only a to Freud, random thoughts, dreams, slips punishment for the incestuous genital of the tongue, irrational symptoms, and wishes, but a regressive (sexual) daily mistakes all have meaning. “Freud substitute for them” (Jones, 1955). evolved several major explanatory systems during the course of his career:

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(1) the theory of primary and secondary the significance of social influences on processes; (2) the theory of stages of it, it is unlikely that any simple sexual development; (3) the libido associations between childhood abuse theory; (4) the Trinitarian theory of the experiences and later sm-sex will be ; and (5) the theory of found” (Sandnabba, 2002). Eros versus the instinct” (Collins, 2005). One might agree that Freud, being by far one of the world’s most famous Freud discusses the origins of , is entirely correct in his sadomasochism as childhood sadomasochism theory. In fact, it would experiences such as being spanked; not be uncommon to doubt his manifesting themselves into something hypothesis because many don’t. In high sexual that later in life becomes erotic. school and college, he was rarely Other psychiatrists and sociologists have questioned, and according to several, differing opinions about the topic of times have not changed. One of the sadomasochism. “Similarly, he problems with Freud is that he did not illustrates the idea that sadomasochistic follow through with his hypothesis. games (master-slave, parent-child O’Connell Davidson and Layder’s fantasies) do not typically involve real (1994) theory about sadomasochism acts of punishment but rather offer an being a practice with a happier ending is arena in which past , pain and a very positive one. For individuals who humiliation can be enacted (this time prefer cause and effect in their lives, this with happier endings), and thus could be the perfect explanation for the underlines the theatrical and mastery alternative sexual practice. In addition, elements in erotic life.” (Davidson & Freud leads us to believe that everyone Layder, 1994) In addition there is a in this world, no matter who it is, has theory that sadomasochistic practices as emotional problems and is beyond help. do not come from any origin. Perhaps a more optimistic view of life There is simply a population that could brighten things up for firm Freud requires pain to become aroused. believers. “Several studies exploring sexual behavior and social adaptation of sm-sex In 1924, Freud published a study of practitioners have shown them to be masochism, which was also full of generally well adjusted. This suggests theoretical conclusions called “The that childhood experiences of sm- Economic Problem of Masochism.” In practitioners will not in the large this study, Freud distinguished three majority of cases reveal pathological forms of masochism: erotogenic, patterns of family interaction, although a feminine and moral” (Jones, 1957). number of clinical case reports have Freud regarded the first two forms of suggested this to be the masochism as secondary to sadism, and case……Likewise, the question of a turning inward of this upon the self whether childhood abuse experiences because you enjoy having pain inflicted have etiological significance for upon yourself. The third kind, moral sadomasochistic behavior has largely masochism, is different because it is not been ignored. Because of the complexity obviously erotic, not physical and has no of sadomasochistic sexual behavior and special relations to significant persons.

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According to Freud, it is the suffering or psychosexual stages of development are self-injury itself that matters, no matter excellent keys to helping us learn more who inflicts it, weather some person or about the origins of this sexual fate. The moral form of masochism deviation, as well as many others. Freud plays an extensive part in social life was the pioneer for many psychological because it is an abusive internal topics and ideas. Because of him, the monologue, and in analysis it represents theory of dream meaning, repression, perhaps the most difficult problem to sexual development, the Oedipus solve. complex, etc. all started and continue to be finished by many that follow in his Freud’s psychosexual stages of footsteps. Now many believe that he was development are a very interesting key in some ways narrow minded, and for discovering the possible origins of focused too much on sexual acts, and our own repressed feelings, emotions, subconscious sexual desires, but because and desires. Through his research it can of him we are now more aware of be possible to direct certain instances sexuality and how prominent it really is. such as spankings or beatings that might In addition, Freud opened the door for have happened in childhood and perhaps sexual freedom and open discussion come to conclusions. The theory of about taboo topics that otherwise would repression ties closely along with the never be discussed. psychosexual theory of development, and if the repression is exposed, the Through Freud’s psychosexual stages of fetish, sexual preference, or sexual development theory, a better practice may reveal itself. On the other understanding of the sexual deviation, hand, Freud’s theory could be “sadomasochism” will ideally be completely untrue; because he is Freud reached. The six psychosexual stages of we often hold his theories at a higher development are oral, anal, phallic, caliber than others when it is, in fact, latent, and genital. Through each of still a theory. There are no identified these different stages, Freud believed origins of sadomasochism, and for that sexual outcomes originate. many, fetishes or sexual preferences also According to Freud, the combination of have no beginning. children being sexual, and perhaps the repeated act of spanking, whipping, or Analysis beating, is believed to lead to a life of There are many theories and beliefs sadomasochism. If Freud’s theory is about sadomasochism, from its origins, correct, every child who experienced to its members to its spectrum of spankings or whippings should be, or practices. Because of this, wants to be a sadomasochist. Perhaps sadomasochism is not only deemed that statement is true, but because of socially unacceptable, it’s looked down repression and knowledge of the social upon and considered taboo. With a norm, thanks to the , greater understanding of this secret sadomasochism is not typically an issue. world, perhaps this growing sexual Although supposedly uncommon, a practice will expand and become more better understanding of both the origins, socially acceptable. Freud’s research on and the practice of sadomasochism, can sadomasochism, in addition to his allow it to become more socially

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acceptable, and not such a taboo, allowing for more equality and less sexual preference profiling.

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Jones, E. (1955). The life and work of References Sigmund Freud, Volume 2. New York: Basic Books Inc. Berg, M. (1990). Erotic excitement bulletin of the Menninger clinic, 54(4). Jones, E. (1957). The life and work of Sigmund Freud, Volume 3. New York: Collins, R., & Makowsky, M. (2005). Basic Books Inc. The discovery of society. New York: McGraw Hill. Sandnabba, K. N., Santtila, L. A., & Nordling, N. (2002). Demographics, Davidson, J. O., & Layder, D. (1994). sexual behavior, family background and Methods, sex, and madness. New York: abuse experiences of practitioners of Routledge. sadomasochistic sex: A review of recent research. Sexual and Relationship Francoeur, R., Koch, P., & Weis, D. Therapy, 17, 39-55. (1999). Sexuality in America. New York: The Continuum Publishing Company. Sandnabba, N. (1999). Sexual behavior and social adaptation among Janus, S., & Janus, C. (1993). The Janus sadomasochistically-oriented males. report. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Journal of Sex Research, 36(3), 273-282. Inc. Siegel, C. (2000). New millenial Jones, E., Trilling, L., & Marcus, S. sexstyles. Bloomington, IN: Indiana (1961). The life and works of Sigmund University Press. Freud. New York: Basic Books. Weinberg, T. S. (1987). Sadomasochism Jones, E. (1953). The life and work of in the United States: A review of recent Sigmund Freud, Volume 1. New York: sociological literature. Journal of Sex Basic Books Inc. Research, 23, 50-69.

Westheimer, R. (2000). Encyclopedia of sex. Jerusalem Publishing House Ltd.

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