When pleasure begets pleasure: Recipient responsiveness as a determinant of physical pleasuring between heterosexual dating couples and strangers.

Abstract

Contrary to the well-documented notion that positive verbal responses reinforce behavior, research on physical pleasuring has demonstrated that positive verbal 'responsiveness from a recipient of pleasurable vibrations inhibits, rather than facilitates, heterosexual pleasuring. The present research sought to clarify the role of recipient responsiveness in interpersonal pleasuring through comparison of established dating couples with ad hoc pairs. Using the pleasure paradigm developed by Davis, Rainey, and' Brock, 160 undergraduate couples-either established dates or ad hoc pairs-delivered intensity-graded pleasurable vibrations to the buttocks and thighs of a recipient. It was proposed that among dating couples, intimacy would be perceived as appropriate; hence, responsiveness would facilitate rather than inhibit pleasuring. In the case of strangers, however, it was expected that intimacy would be perceived as inappropriate; hence, responsiveness would not facilitate pleasuring. Results offered support for these predictions.The ubiquitous human propensity to give and receive physical pleasure has recently become the object of systematic empirical research. Using the pleasure machine developed by Davis, Rainey, & Brock (1976), with which subjects administer pleasant vibrations to an experimental confederate rather than electric shock (e.g., Buss, 1961), investigators have explored the effects of such variables as sex combinations, recipient attractiveness, liking, anticipated future interaction (Davis et al., 1976), recipient responsiveness (Davis et al., 1976; Davis & Brock, Note 1), recipient status (Davis & Brock, Note 1), relationship meaningfulness (Cacioppo, Note 2), and perceived appropriateness of pleasure giving (Thomas, Canty, Geva, & Brock, Note 3) on the administration of physical pleasure. Special thanks are due Timothy C. Brock for his comments on previous drafts of this article. We would also like to thank Thomas M. Ostrom and Robert S. Wyer, Jr. for their comments.

Self-monitoring and cooperation as a self-presentational strategy.

“…For example, in the present study high selfmonitors are more contingently responsive to the behavior of their partners than are low self-monitors (see also Ickes & Barnes, 1977, 1978. Since contingent responsiveness can induce feelings of acquaintanceship and attraction (Davis & Martin, 1978;Davis & Perkowitz, 1979), it may be that high selfmonitoring persons are strategically responsive. That is, high self-monitors may believe contingent responsiveness leads to more positive interaction outcomes.…”

Consequences of responsiveness in dyadic interaction: Effects of probability of response and proportion of content-related responses on interpersonal attraction.

“…than approval avoiders; and furthermore, "recognition" scores were positively correlated with approval actually received from subjects' naive partners. Finally, research on physical pleasuring (Davis & Brock, in press;Davis & Martin, 1978;Davis, Rainey, & Brock, 1976) has shown that attraction to a recipient of physical pleasure is facilitated by responsiveness. Recipients who responded to receiving pleasure (by expressing enjoyment) were liked better than those who remained silent.…”

Effects of sex guilt on interpersonal pleasuring.

“…The hypothesis that low-and high-guilt individuals have different views regarding the appropriateness of interpersonal pleasuring offers many possibilites for future research. As just one example, Davis and Martin (1978) recently examined interpersonal pleasuring in dating and nondating couples. They found, as predicted, that subjects gave more pleasure to dates than to strangers.…”