From traits to turn-ons: permissive sexual attitudes mediate associations between the Big Five and interest and participation in BDSM and multi-partner sexual practices

BDSM/kink and multi-partner sexual practices remain stigmatized and are often studied as dysfunction rather than as expressions of normative individual differences. Using a sample of 941 adults, this study examined whether permissive sexual attitudes (Brief Sexual Attitudes Scale Permissiveness subscale) mediate links between Big Five traits and participation and interest in nine sexual practices, grouped by exploratory factor analysis into power exchange, sadomasochism, and multi-partner clusters. A structural equation model with full-information maximum likelihood and bias-corrected bootstrapped indirect effects showed that permissiveness carried much of personality’s association with all three clusters. Openness was related to higher scores both directly and through permissiveness. Lower agreeableness related directly to greater sadomasochism and multi-partner scores. Extraversion, neuroticism, and conscientiousness operated primarily through permissiveness. Indirect effects were robust to participation-only outcomes and, except for openness, without the two permissiveness items closest to multi-partner content. Exploratory contrasts showed men higher in permissiveness and multi-partner scores and women higher in power-exchange scores. The results support a normative, less stigmatizing personality account of diverse sexual expression.