The personality type most likely to have frequent sexual fantasies revealed
Most people have imagined a sexual encounter, but a new study suggests some personalities are far more likely to indulge those fantasies.
Researchers from Michigan State University analyzed thousands of adults to examine how personality traits shape the frequency and types of scenarios people fantasize about.
They found that people who score high in negative emotionality, traits linked to anxiety, emotional volatility and depression, tend to have more frequent sexual fantasies.
People with higher levels of negative emotionality fantasized about all four types of sexual fantasies: adventurous, romantic, detached and power-driven.
The team suggested these individuals may use fantasies as a psychological coping mechanism, helping regulate mood or escape negative feelings.
‘Highly neurotic people tend to have both more positive and negative sexual thoughts, including violent fantasies,’ the researchers noted.
In contrast, people who score high in conscientiousness, meaning they are responsible, disciplined and organized, and those high in agreeableness tend to have fewer sexual fantasies overall.
Researchers said this may be driven by specific traits within those personalities, particularly being highly respectful and responsible, which could make people less likely to entertain certain thoughts.
Researchers found that people who score high in negative emotionality, traits linked to anxiety, emotional volatility and depression , tend to have more frequent sexual fantasies
The study included a sample of 5,255 adults with a median age of 58, and more than half were men.
Participants were given a 30-item questionnaire, with six questions focusing on each of the Big Five Personality traits: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism.
Subjects were also asked to complete a detailed survey about their sexual fantasies, rating how often they experienced 40 different scenarios on a scale ranging from ‘never’ to ‘daily.’
Those scenarios were grouped into four categories, allowing researchers to compare not just how often people fantasize, but the types of thoughts they tend to have.
Exploratory fantasies included more adventurous or unconventional experiences, while intimate fantasies focused on romance and emotional connection.
Impersonal fantasies involved more detached or observational scenarios, and sadomasochistic fantasies centered on power dynamics such as dominance or submission.
Intimate fantasies centered on emotional closeness and romance, and sadomasochistic fantasies include themes of dominance, submission, or power dynamics
Despite the sensitive nature of the topic, researchers noted that sexual fantasies are extremely common and occur across all ages, genders and relationship types.
Most participants in the study were in long-term relationships, with an average relationship length of nearly 30 years, and more than two-thirds reported being sexually active at least once a month.
The findings also challenged long-standing assumptions that sexual fantasies are unusual or linked to problematic behavior.
Scientists said these mental experiences are a normal part of human psychology and can even play a positive role in relationships and well-being.
While personality clearly plays a role, the researchers emphasized that the connections they found were generally modest.
Many of the links between traits and fantasies became weaker after accounting for factors like age, gender and the way personality traits overlap with each other.
However, one of the more striking findings came from a deeper breakdown of personality. When researchers looked at smaller sub-traits, they found that depression, not anxiety or emotional instability, was the strongest driver behind more frequent fantasizing.
This suggested the link may be less about general emotional distress and more about how people cope with low mood.
Scientists believe sexual fantasies may serve as a form of mental escape, helping individuals generate more positive or stimulating thoughts.
At the same time, the traits most strongly tied to fewer fantasies, respectfulness and responsibility point to the influence of social norms.
People who place a high value on rules, structure and appropriate behavior may be less likely to entertain thoughts they perceive as unconventional or taboo.
Another unexpected finding was that creativity and imagination, often associated with open-mindedness, had little impact on sexual fantasizing.
Researchers said this runs counter to the assumption that more imaginative people would naturally have more vivid or frequent fantasies.
The study also highlighted how complex and varied sexual fantasies can be.
People who are generally reserved or introverted may still have highly active fantasy lives, while those who are outgoing in real life may not necessarily think about sex more often.
However, the researchers acknowledged several limitations. The data relied entirely on self-reported answers, which can be influenced by how comfortable people feel disclosing private thoughts.
The study also captured a single moment in time, meaning it cannot show how fantasies or personality traits may change over the years.