WOMEN EROTIC FANTASIES: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY M. Molo, E. Cappai, L. Castelli, E. Negro, P. Perozzo, D. Trotta*, S. Vighetti. Ce.R.Ne – Research Centre in Neuroscience, Turin – Italy *ISA Istituto Italiano Sessuoanalisi Contact: mtmolo@attglobal.net INTRODUCTION Erotic fantasies are often present during different kinds of sexual activities. Some people use a more-or-less connected series of mental images, like in a daydream, to trigger sexual activity. Erotic fantasies can be spontaneus, evoked by external stimuli, or intentional. The content of erotic fantasies is estremely personal; sexual fantasies can range from brief thoughts or images to stories with details. As sexual fantasies are relatively unconstrained by social consequences, they may reveal underlying psychological processes, motives, and predispositions more clearly than overt behaviour does (Ellis & Symons, 1990). The first extensive study on women erotic fantasies was carried on by Crépault in 1981. He used a self-report semi structured questionnaire in order to assess broad-spectrum women erotic fantasies in an extensive way. Women were involved in that study since they were considered more free of speaking about erotic fantasies than men. The present study aimed to compare the results obtained by Crépault in 1981 to the ones of a new women group, in order to highlight differences in erotic fantasies contents. METHODS The sample is composed by 80 women from northern Italy, with a mean age of 31 (sd: 8) years and a mean educational level of 15 (sd: 3) years. We used a self-report semi structured questionnaire developed by Crépault C. in 1978. The questionnaire investigates two different domains: 1) the goal of erotic fantasies 2) the typologies of erotic fantasies that women use in the following situations: sexual arousal masturbation sexual intercourse. 68 different erotic scenes were presented for each of the three situations and women have to indicate how often they used them (likert scale: often, sometimes, never) GOAL OF EROTIC FANTASIES RESULTS The goal of erotic fantasies What is the goal of erotic fantasies? The main role of erotic fantasies is to increase sexual pleasure (figure 1). On the contrary erotic fantasies seem not to be used in order to trigger orgasm. The typologies of erotic fantasies For each of the three situations we report the erotic fantasies that are used at least by 50% of the sample (often + sometimes). Figure 1 FANTASIES DURING SEXUAL INTERCORSE CUMULATIVE PERCENTAGE (OFTEN+SOMETIMES) Scene in which a man get very excited while he caresses me 62,8 Scene in which I embrace a man with passion 57,7 Scene in which a man caresses me with affection and tenderness 56,4 Scene by an exciting erotic movie 51,4 Scene in which a man kisses my genitals 51,2 Scene in which I caress a man with affection and tenderness 50,7 FANTASIES DURING SEXUAL AROUSAL CUMULATIVE PERCENTAGE (OFTEN+SOMETIMES) Scene in which a man get very excited while he caresses me 60,3 Scene in which I embrace a man with passion 60,1 Scene in which a man kisses my genitals 56,3 Scene in which I have a high sexual attractiveness 54,8 Scene in which I imagine a preceding sexual intercourse 52,5 Scene in which I am exited by a man seducing me Scene by an exciting erotic movie 51,3 Romantic scene Scene in which I am immobilised and stired up by a man FANTASIES DURING MASTURBATION CUMULATIVE PERCENTAGE (OFTEN+SOMETIMES) Scene in which a man kisses my genitals 50,0 DISCUSSION Comparison between our results and the study of Crépault (1981) In both the studies women state to use erotic fantasies during masturbation, sexual intercourse, and excitement, but not during orgasm. In addition the contents of erotic fantasies in the three situations are similar. It has to be noted that the samples are different both for age and educational level. Moreover social background about sexuality has changed since 1981. The goal of erotic fantasies For a long time, erotic fantasies were considered only a masculine prerogative. The results of the present study evidence that women are conscious about the importance of erotic fantasies in triggering sexual activity and increasing sexual pleasure. The typologies of erotic fantasies Overall, tenderness and affectivity contents prevail, specifically during sexual intercourse. The greater number of erotic fantasies emerged during the phase of arousal. In this phase women’s erotic fantasies reveal also aggressive content and an active role. During masturbation erotic fantasies are more differentiated with respect to the other two phases. We suppose that during erotic fantasies in masturbation each woman can express her intimate desire more expressly than in relational situation like sexual intercourse. Finally an interesting difference between our result and the study of Crépault (1981) is the presence of erotic movies scenes during erotic fantasies. REFERENCES Crépault C. (1981) L’immaginaire érotique et ses sécréts. Quebec, Press de L’Université. Crépault C. Abraham G., Porto R., Couture M. (1978) Le fantasie erotiche nella donna. In Sessulaogia Anno II (XIX) N1 e N2. Crépault C. (2007) Les fantasmes, l’érotisme et la sexualité, Odile Jacob. Ellis, B. J. & Symons, D. (1990). Sex differences in sexual fantasy: An evolutionary psychological approach. Journal of Sex Research, 27:527-555. Fossi G., Mascari P. (2002). L’immaginario. Fantasie e sessualità, Milano, Franco Angeli. Pasini W., Crépault C., Galimberti V., (1987) L’immaginario sessuale. Milano, Cortina.