What’s Your Kink Orientation? Take the Quiz to Find Out!

Have you ever wondered just how kinky you are? In a new research article, an international team of scientists led by Dr. Liam Wignall designed a questionnaire that can measure an individual’s “kink orientation.” Read on to learn more about the science of kink, and take the quiz for yourself to find out your kink score!

What is Kink?

“Kink” is a broad umbrella term that encompasses sexual preferences, desires, activities, and/or fantasies that go beyond what is typically considered to be mainstream. Kinks vary considerably from person to person and are as vast as your imagination. Some common types of kinks include roleplaying, BDSM, sensory play, and more,

A substantial number of people have engaged in or fantasized about kink, with estimates ranging from 40-70% of adults fantasizing about kink. In fact, Dr. Wignall says that “all individuals have some level of a kink orientation on a continuum.” Kink orientation refers to a person’s “interest or desire in kink practices.” It encompasses different aspects of kink, including as an individual’s identity, attitudes, desires, and behaviors. While some individuals may have a high kink orientation, identify as kinky, have positive attitudes towards kink, and frequently engage in kink practices, there is a wide spectrum. For example, other folks may have a low kink orientation and only fantasize about kinky things on rare occasions. Yet others might have a moderate kink orientation in which they enjoy kinky fantasies and behaviors from time to time and maybe even have a few BDSM toys on hand, but don’t necessarily have a strong preference for kink.

Traditionally, research on kink has focused on individuals who identify with the kink community. However, Dr. Wignall argues that by reconceptualizing kink as an orientation, we can include a broader range of people with varying levels of engagement in kink, even if they don’t self-identify as “kinky.”

Understanding Your Own Kinkiness

Kink is an important part of many people’s sexuality, pleasure, and identity. For others, it may not play as large of a role, but it may still be present in their lives to some degree. It is important to note that an individual’s kink orientation is not necessarily “good” or “bad.” Rather, it’s simply another way of conceptualizing one’s sexual preferences that helps us to understand that we all have some level of kink in our sexuality, ranging from low to high.

Understanding your own kink orientation can be helpful for a few reasons. For example, greater self-awareness of your sexuality and sexual desires can lead to more fulfilling and authentic sexual experiences. This awareness can potentially make it easier to share these fantasies/desires with a partner and allow for exploration and growth in your sex life.

What’s Your Kink Orientation?

Over a series of research phases, Dr. Wignall and colleagues developed and validated a measure of kink orientation, titled the Kink Orientation Scale (KOS). They designed this scale as a measure of individual-level kink orientation that could be used to measure kink holistically. They found that one’s kink identity, kink paraphernalia (e.g., sex toys), role play, sexual communication, and involvement in the kink community were all factors that influenced their overall kink orientation. In other words, kink orientation is more than just whether someone self-identifies as “kinky.”

The scale itself is 18 questions long and takes less than 5 minutes to complete. The authors have made it publicly available online so that you can see your own kink score!

Communicating Kinks With a Partner

Now, you might be wondering what’s next after you obtain your KOS score. While Dr. Wignall mentions that while the score isn’t necessarily a perfect representation of kink, it can offer people an opportunity to think more deeply about kink and discuss it with their partners.

“I think it’s useful for people to think about their sexualities and consider their wants, desires, and needs. I think the Kink Orientation Scale can provide a useful starting point for considering kink sexuality – I’ve already had people mention that it’s been useful with their sexual partners to discuss how things could progress sexually!” — Dr. Wignall

Discussing sex can be stressful for some people, so Dr. Wignall recommends easing into it with tools like the KOS, rather than diving straight into a list of kinks or limits—concepts that may potentially feel intimidating or unfamiliar. The KOS offers an easy icebreaker for conversations. For example, if a certain feature of the scale excites you, you might ask your partner if they’d be open to exploring it together. Dr. Wignall also noted that kinks are more common than we often assume, and it’s likely your partner may be curious about certain aspects of kink too. Open, honest conversations about interests and desires can reveal new areas you’re both comfortable exploring—maybe even create an opportunity to discover shared kinks!

To learn more about the Kink Orientation Scale and the science of kink, check out our podcast with co-author of the survey Dr. Mark McCormack.

For more tips about communicating about your sexual wants with your partner, check out our recent podcast episodes, “How to Get What You Want in Bed” and “What to do When Your Partner is Kinkier Than You.”

Want to learn more about Sex and Psychology? Click here for more from the blog or here to listen to the podcast. Follow Sex and Psychology on Facebook, Twitter (@JustinLehmiller), or Reddit to receive updates. You can also follow Dr. Lehmiller on YouTube and Instagram.

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