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How was That for You?: Gender, Aftercare and Impression Management in BDSM.

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Title: How was That for You?: Gender, Aftercare and Impression Management in BDSM.
Authors: Mercer, Katie Holstein (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Sex Research. Mar/Apr2026, Vol. 63 Issue 3, p401-411. 11p.
Subjects: BDSM, Impression management, Patient aftercare, Interpersonal communication, Sexual dominance & submission, Gender differences (Sociology), Gender expression, Sexual partners
Abstract: Existing research finds that people's perspectives on sexual interactions shift with time and new experiences. Despite this, little empirical work has explored the role that communication following a sexual interaction plays in partners' perceptions of each other and the sexual interaction. This study began to address this gap by applying impression management theory and gender performance theory to analyze 40 interviews with BDSM (Bondage/discipline, Dominance/submission, Sadism, Masochism) practitioners who "top," or enact a dominant role, about a community-held practice called "aftercare." Participants were U.S. residents, ages 23-65, and included 14 cisgender women, 19 cisgender men, 2 transgender women and 5 non-binary individuals. Findings showed practitioners used aftercare to manage the impression they leave on their partners, the wider BDSM community, and themselves. Further, data revealed gender differences in how BDSM practitioners understood and articulated aftercare. Overall, these findings offer an empirical example of impression management in erotic interactions and the role that gender plays in this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Sex Research is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: How was That for You?: Gender, Aftercare and Impression Management in BDSM.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mercer%2C+Katie+Holstein%22">Mercer, Katie Holstein</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Sex+Research%22">Journal of Sex Research</searchLink>. Mar/Apr2026, Vol. 63 Issue 3, p401-411. 11p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22BDSM%22">BDSM</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Impression+management%22">Impression management</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Patient+aftercare%22">Patient aftercare</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interpersonal+communication%22">Interpersonal communication</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sexual+dominance+%26+submission%22">Sexual dominance & submission</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+differences+%28Sociology%29%22">Gender differences (Sociology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+expression%22">Gender expression</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sexual+partners%22">Sexual partners</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Existing research finds that people's perspectives on sexual interactions shift with time and new experiences. Despite this, little empirical work has explored the role that communication following a sexual interaction plays in partners' perceptions of each other and the sexual interaction. This study began to address this gap by applying impression management theory and gender performance theory to analyze 40 interviews with BDSM (Bondage/discipline, Dominance/submission, Sadism, Masochism) practitioners who "top," or enact a dominant role, about a community-held practice called "aftercare." Participants were U.S. residents, ages 23-65, and included 14 cisgender women, 19 cisgender men, 2 transgender women and 5 non-binary individuals. Findings showed practitioners used aftercare to manage the impression they leave on their partners, the wider BDSM community, and themselves. Further, data revealed gender differences in how BDSM practitioners understood and articulated aftercare. Overall, these findings offer an empirical example of impression management in erotic interactions and the role that gender plays in this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Sex Research is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/00224499.2024.2410338
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 11
        StartPage: 401
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: BDSM
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Impression management
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Patient aftercare
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Interpersonal communication
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sexual dominance & submission
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Gender differences (Sociology)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Gender expression
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sexual partners
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: How was That for You?: Gender, Aftercare and Impression Management in BDSM.
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              M: 03
              Text: Mar/Apr2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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