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First, Best, Forbidden and Worst: Memorable Experiences of Intimate Kisses Among Heterosexual and Sexual Minority U.S. Adults

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 September 2020

Kendra S. Wasson Simpson Open the ORCID record for Kendra S. Wasson Simpson [Opens in a new window] ,
Lucia F. O'Sullivan Open the ORCID record for Lucia F. O'Sullivan [Opens in a new window] ,
Ashley E. Thompson Open the ORCID record for Ashley E. Thompson [Opens in a new window]  and
J. Dennis Fortenberry
Kendra S. Wasson Simpson
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
Lucia F. O'Sullivan*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
Ashley E. Thompson
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
J. Dennis Fortenberry
Affiliation:
Pediatric-Adolescent Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
*
Address for correspondence: Lucia F. O'Sullivan, Department of Psychology, University of New Brunswick, P.O. Box 4400, Fredericton, New Brunswick, CanadaE3B 5A3. Email: osulliv@unb.ca
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Abstract

Intimate kissing is often viewed as a preliminary or ancillary behaviour in studies exploring sexual interactions. There is a lack of research that focuses on differentiating the types of intimate kisses, including the contexts in which they occur, and desirable and undesirable features. The current study was designed to assess memories of first, best, forbidden and worst kisses. Participants were 691 U.S. adults (mean age 32.27 years; 55% identified as male) who completed an online survey addressing kissing attitudes and experiences using both structured and open-ended survey tools. Four themes emerged through content analysis: physical components, connection to the partner, context, and emotions evoked; and these are discussed for all four types of kissing memories. Findings are discussed in terms of embodiment that intimate kisses capture, their role as a metric of one's attraction to a partner, and the means by which kissing experiences might solidify a sense of oneself as a sexual person.

Keywords

intimate kissingsexual attitudesmemoriesgender differencessexual identity
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Relationships Research , Volume 11 , 2020 , e11
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. published by Cambridge University Press

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