The Prosocial Sadist Jen - Science of BDSM Research Team

Sadism has a pretty bad rap. The word conjures images of Joffrey Baratheon and Hannibal Lecter, and historically, sadistic impulses could lead to a diagnosis of “sadistic sadism disorder.” Recently, psychologists have reconsidered sadism, defining “everyday sadism” as a personality trait that we all possess to some degree. But even here, the usual example of an everyday sadist is an Internet troll. Last year, the Science of BDSM Research Team published a study that examined the nature of BDSM sadism and how it differs from other types of sadism. In this workshop, we take a tour through past perspectives on sadism, from the assumption that sadistic impulses are universally pathological to the recognition that some situations provoke sadistic feelings in many of us. We’ll then share the results of our research, including the personality profiles of BDSM sadists and non-sadistic tops and the key characteristic that differentiates prosocial sadists: the necessity of consent.