Manifest Content and Psychodynamic Motives in Sexual Fantasies: A Qualitative Content Analysis of a German-Speaking...

Sexual fantasies have long been the subject of treatments and theories, yet empirical studies on their underlying motives are rare. This study analyzed the most arousing sexual fantasies reported by a quota sample of the German-speaking general population (N = 401, n = 327 valid fantasies, 18-70 years) using content-structuring qualitative content analysis to categorize and quantify descriptive-manifest acts and psychodynamic-latent motives. Fantasies showed a wide range of practices at the descriptive-manifest level, with over half involving impersonal counterparts (53.5%). Fourteen psychodynamic-latent motives emerged (e.g., power dynamics, playing with limits, care, objectification, self-actualization). Self-esteem-enhancing motives were most frequent (59.6%) and defensive processes (e.g., relativization, avoidance, undoing, distant from the self, distant from sexuality) appeared in every fourth fantasy (26.9%). Exploratory gender analyses largely reproduce conservative gender norms with women fantasizing more about passivity, affective connection, and playing with limits and men fantasizing more about objectification and omnipotence. Overall, the findings provide initial support that sexual fantasies may symbolically express individual motivational dynamics, including strivings that would be defended against outside the fantasy realm. At the same time, the gender differences point to culturally shaped patterns, underscoring the importance of considering both individual and socio-cultural perspectives when interpreting such narratives.