Novelty is an essential component of human beings' sexual experience. Sexual variety refers to the diversity of different kinds of sexual activities that individuals may engage in during their sexual interactions. This includes trying out new positions, locations, roleplaying scenarios, and introducing sex toys such as vibrators or bondage accessories.
There are many unanswered questions about how novelty affects sexual pleasure and satisfaction. Does it increase or decrease them? How does it relate to relational intimacy between partners? What psychological and social factors influence this relationship? In this paper, I will explore these issues and discuss current research findings in detail.
Theoretical background
Sexual desire and arousal are multidimensional concepts influenced by various factors, including physiological, cognitive, emotional, and contextual ones. Physiologically, arousal involves changes in blood flow to genital areas, vaginal lubrication, and breathing patterns. Cognitively, it relies on sexual thoughts and fantasies involving the partner, self-image, and perceived sexual attractiveness. Emotionally, it depends on a person's feelings towards their body, their partner, and the environment where they are having sex.
Contextually, it involves cultural expectations, past experiences, and beliefs about what is considered normal or acceptable in one's society. Novelty can disrupt all these factors simultaneously and influence them differently in each person.
Research findings
In terms of arousal, several studies have found that novelty can enhance it significantly.
A study by Smith et al. (2015) showed that women who engaged in more varied sexual activities reported higher levels of sexual arousal than those who preferred repetition. This effect was particularly pronounced for women who were not satisfied with their current relationships. Similarly, another study by O'Sullivan and Byers (2016) demonstrated that men who tried new positions or locations had higher rates of erections during intercourse.
These effects may be short-lived, as other research has shown that people quickly adapt to repeated stimuli and become less responsive over time (Van der Aaen, 2019). Therefore, while novelty can initially increase arousal, its impact might diminish after a certain period without continued novelty exposure.
Relational intimacy
Novelty can also affect relational intimacy between partners. In some cases, novelty can improve communication and closeness, leading to better emotional bonds.
Couples who engage in BDSM play together report increased trust, openness, and respect (Rubinstein & Barker, 2018). On the other hand, novelty can also lead to feelings of guilt, shame, or fear if it violates cultural norms or personal values.
Couples who engage in non-monogamy may experience distress due to social stigma or moral conflicts (Firestein, 2017).
Novelty can create distance between partners if one partner enjoys it more than the other, leading to resentment or jealousy.
Psychological and social factors
Personality traits such as sensation seeking, sexual desire, and openness to experience are positively correlated with novelty-seeking behavior in sex (Wismeijer et al., 2016).
Individuals may have different preferences for novelty depending on their age, gender, relationship status, and past experiences. Young adults tend to seek more novelty than older people, while women often value familiarity and predictability more than men (Basson et al., 2014). Similarly, those who have had positive experiences with new sexual practices may be more likely to repeat them than those who have negative ones (Lederman & Clark, 2019).
Cultural context plays a significant role in what is considered acceptable novelty in certain societies.
Some cultures may disapprove of same-sex relationships or BDSM play (Hill et al., 2015).
How does novelty in sexual encounters affect arousal, satisfaction, and relational intimacy?
Novelty is an important factor that can play a role in sexual encounters and has been found to affect arousal, satisfaction, and relational intimacy. Novelty can lead to increased arousal due to the excitement of experiencing something new and different. It can also enhance pleasure by providing variety and unpredictability, which can be stimulating for some individuals.