Foreplay

From Free net encyclopedia

In human sexual behavior, foreplay is a set of intimate psychological and physical acts between two or more people, meant to build up sexual arousal. Foreplay takes place in preparation for sexual intercourse or another act meant to bring about mutual sexual gratification or orgasm. Psychologically, foreplay lowers inhibitions and increases the emotional comfort level between partners. Physically it helps to produce an erection in men, allowing them to penetrate the vagina (or other orifice), while in women it promotes vaginal lubrication, which allows penetration to take place comfortably. Image:MOULINROUGEF.jpg

Foreplay is not merely a mechanical matter of sexual stimulation. A particular act may or may not constitute foreplay; conscious intent is the determining factor for whether an act is foreplay or not. If there is no intent to stimulate sexual arousal and move towards more intimate sexual acts, a person's behavior will often be classified as flirting or being "touchy-feely".

Foreplay has no clear beginning and, as we shall see, no clear ending. Its initial steps may be a basic matter of a person using subtle behaviors to signal a partner, or potential partner, that s/he is sexually available. It often begins as non-physical behaviors that may often take place in public. Examples include sexual compliments and conversations about sexual acts and desires. Provocative dressing, preening gestures, licking the lips, and holding the other person's gaze longer than is acceptable for casual acquaintances are examples of "opening moves." If the invitation is accepted--often by similar behavior--foreplay has begun.

At some point, however, foreplay typically becomes physical, and the physical aspect often begins early. Simple and seemingly innocuous acts, such as whispering in someone's ear or stroking someone's arm, can constitute foreplay. Holding hands, other touching (especially of the face), kissing, biting, massaging, or scratching any area of the body can all qualify as foreplay. Specific examples include:

• deep tongue kissing (also known as French kissing)
• touching and massaging erogenous zones over clothing (also known as groping or petting)
• touching and massaging erogenous zones under clothing (also known as heavy-petting)
• rubbing together of partners' erogenous zones over clothing (also known as dry-humping and grinding).
• undressing one's self or one's partner (also known as stripping)

These various examples are often combined; a session of such acts is sometimes called "petting" or "making out". As the couple's degree of privacy increases, the level of intimacy of their actions does also.

Direct manipulation of naked erogenous zones is almost always considered foreplay. In women, this includes stimulation of the clitoris and labia lips. In men, this includes stimulation of the penis and testicles. For both genders, this includes stimulation of nipples or anus. Stimulation can be achieved using a mouth, hands, sex toys (such as dildos or vibrators), or common household objects (such as feathers or ice cubes).

Foreplay tends to become more purely physical as well as more intense as it proceeds. In heterosexual couples, for example, foreplay reaches its peak in the moments just before intercourse, when it is at its most intense, lowering any remaining inhibitions while at the same time producing a strong mutual desire for penetration. At this point it has achieved its goal of preparing the couple for intercourse. It may also by this time have incorporated birth control preparations: if the man is to wear a condom, for instance, the couple may put it on him as part of their final stages of foreplay. Even if the woman is on the Pill or some other hormonal form of contraception, the couple still needs to pause to use protection against STDs before moving into a position for penetration. Even at this point some genital teasing make take place for a brief time, which marks foreplay's final seconds. Then, as the man's penis starts to enter the woman's vagina, foreplay ends and intercourse begins. This, however, is a somewhat arbitrary dividing line, since during the final stages of foreplay most couples focus increasing attention on their genital areas and sensations, while during intercourse the couple usually continue many of the nongenital behaviors they engaged in during foreplay. The only difference is that the penis is now within the vagina. A better view might be that foreplay, rather than ending, evolves into intercourse.

On the other hand, direct manipulation of naked erogenous zones is not considered foreplay when it is not preparatory for further sexual acts. Again, intent is the pivotal question. For example, mutual masturbation and oral sex are often considered sexual acts with no expectation of further sexual congress. The common denominator seems to be that foreplay by definition is not a goal but rather a step, or series of steps, toward a goal that may or may not be intercourse.

Sexual roleplaying, fetish activities, and BDSM can also be considered foreplay, though they more commonly accompany sex rather than preceding it.

Foreplay can vary dramatically based on age, religion, and cultural norms.

See also

• Outercourse
• Erogenous zone
• Missionary position
• Sexual intercourse
• Footsie, the 'feet under the table' practice

Template:Sex-stubes:Juego sexual cs:Milostná předehra da:Forspil fr:Préliminaire id:Foreplay it:Preliminari lt:Meilės žaismas nl:Voorspel ja:前戯 sv:Förspel