RISE Blog | Come to Your Senses About Pleasure

Written By: Santos J. Ramirez & Beya Medellin, Peer Educators
Edited By: Ayin Lewis, Xander Sanders & Mariah Carlo
November 1st, 2024

Whenever we hear the word “pleasure” we tend to assume that someone is referring to sexual pleasure. But how often do we consider other types of pleasure?  Although pleasure is often considered sexual, it is important to expand our pleasure lens and understand the other aspects of our lives where pleasure arises. We’ve all heard the saying, “it’s about the simple pleasures in life,” but what exactly could they be referring to? 

Pleasure can be defined as “the sensation induced by the experience of what is felt to be good; a feeling of satisfaction or enjoyment,” (Oxford English Dictionary, 2024). For instance, listening to your favorite podcast, finishing your homework assignment for the day, or even enjoying a good meal. Recognizing these small joys is helpful for understanding pleasure and the human body so that we can debunk the common notion that pleasure is only experienced sexually and expand our holistic view of well-being (Sánchez, J., 2024).

Pleasure through the Senses

Touch. Sight. Smell. Hear. Taste. Because we use these senses on a daily basis, it is easy to overlook and under-appreciate how they contribute to us experiencing pleasure. So, let’s dive deeper into the interaction between these experiences, and how each sense corresponds with an act of pleasure. 

Tactile Pleasure: Pleasure from Touch

Do you prefer back scratches, warm cuddles, or a nice massage? When you experience a comfortable or tingling sensation on your skin, it lets your brain know this is a familiar, enjoyable feeling (Lloyd et al., 2015). There are sensors under our skin that tell us, “Hey! That’s too hot!” or “this has a funky texture” but in terms of pleasure it allows us to enjoy the comforting sensations such as the feeling of a warm blanket fresh out of the dryer.

Visual Pleasure: Pleasure from Sight

Have you ever found yourself enamored by an art exhibit here on campus, or a piece of art walking through the First Friday Art Trail? This sensation may be explained by research which suggests that aesthetic experiences can elicit positive emotional responses, even when the content might be negative (Mastandrea, S., 2019). In other words, the contrast between positive and negative elements in visual stimuli can heighten overall attention and satisfaction, further enhancing the experience of pleasure. Moreover, studies show that while the reward of seeing a single aesthetic element can be minuscule, in a successful piece of art, the elements combine to bring us satisfactory delight (Grinde, B., 2022). With this in mind, the next time you come across an art piece allow yourself to explore all the emotions you feel and maybe this will give you more appreciation for the aesthetic experience.  

Olfactory Pleasure: Pleasure from Smell

Do you ever wonder why you enjoy the scent and taste of one fruit compared to another? Well, smell and taste come hand in hand when discussing olfactory pleasure[CM1] [CM2] . Many studies use the Chemosensory Pleasure Scale (CPS) which has sufficient validity to measure the experience of pleasure related to smell and taste (Zhao, J., 2019). This scale allows us to consider our biological reaction to the interaction of the interaction of taste and smell and can provide understanding for the pleasures we experience. In other words, the CPS has the ability to quantify or rank our satisfaction based on how we react to certain stimuli, kind of like a tier list.[CM3] 

Auditory Pleasure: Pleasure from Sound

Everyone loves discovering a new favorite song, but have you ever wondered why? Well, a study found that chords elicited high pleasure ratings when they deviated substantially from what the listener had expected (Cheung, V., 2019). Essentially, surprises in music evoke positive emotions that then allow us to experience the sensation of auditory pleasure. So, next time you come across a song your ears enjoy, share it with your friends, it might bring them joy too!

Similarly, have you ever felt chills running down your spine when watching an Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) video? Studies showed that several participants equated ASMR to meditation and most agreed that ASMR was a simpler and more reliable way to encourage relaxation (Trenholm-Jensen, E. A., 2022). So, if you’re looking to relieve some stress, ASMR has the power to soothe.

Gustatory Pleasure: Pleasure from Taste

If you’ve seen our “you deserve a sweet treat” button, there’s a basis behind why we encourage this kind of self-love. Studies that show that pleasure evoked by food is remarkably like that of a reward (Kringelbach, M. L., 2015). I know after a long study session in the library, or even after a hard shift at work, I can’t help but find myself overly enjoying a warm, crunchy, gooey chocolate chip cookie. Talk about a “foodgasm.”

Propositional Pleasure and Enjoyment

You might be wondering, what does propositional mean, and how does it relate to pleasure? Well, one way to describe it is the satisfaction of setting a new personal record at the gym. You get pleasure from that sense of accomplishment because it means something special to you. You might tell yourself, “Man, I NEVER thought I would be able to do that”, but you did! And you absolutely nailed it! Basically, these are experiences where the pleasure comes from circumstances themselves, not necessarily tied to direct physical sensations but to our emotional responses. Some other examples include:

• Happiness felt when helping others or making people laugh
• Relief felt after a good cry
• Contentment in the presence of loved ones
• Feeling of freedom after you get your first car

Another way to look at pleasure is the attitudinal theory of pleasure, which essentially means that pleasure is what you make it. Each pleasurable experience is pleasurable because the experiencer takes certain attitudes towards it. Just like the saying, “put your best foot forward” there is value in starting off on a positive note.  Think about how much pleasure you’ve experienced from helping your friends and family overcome a problem or even helping a stranger with directions to their class. In these scenarios, the intention you have towards helping another makes the outcome of the experience more enjoyable because it was motivated by kindheartedness. Therefore, by having a positive attitude, we allow ourselves to enjoy pleasure in more aspects of our lives. Give yourself the opportunity to experience the satisfaction of completing a task!

All in All

Pleasure is a multifaceted experience, connected to our senses and our attitudes towards our actions. Therefore, by expanding our understanding of what induces pleasure, we can appreciate life to the fullest and enable ourselves to experience such satisfaction beyond sexual experiences alone. Thank you for allowing us to expand your pleasure lens, and we hope you continue to explore and savor all the pleasures that life has to offer. 

Resources

• Student Counseling Center: MindSpa
  • 806.742.3674 | StudentCounselingCenter@ttu.edu | Student Wellness Center, 201
• University Recreation
  • 806.742.3674 | urec@ttu.edu | 3219 Main St, Lubbock, TX 79409
• Student Activities Board (SAB)
  • 806.742.4708 | sab@ttu.edu 

References

• Cheung, V. K. M., Harrison, P. M. C., Meyer, L., Pearce, M. T., Haynes, J.-D., & Koelsch, S. (2019). Uncertainty and Surprise Jointly Predict Musical Pleasure and Amygdala, Hippocampus, and Auditory Cortex Activity. Current Biology, 29 (23). 
• Grinde, B., & Husselman, T.-A. (2022). An Attempt to Explain Visual Aesthetic Appreciation. Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science, 57(3), 840–855.
• Heathwood, Chris (2007). The Reduction of Sensory Pleasure to Desire. Philosophical Studies 133 (23-44).
• Karim, A. K. M. R., Prativa, S., & Likova, L. (2022). Perception and Appreciation of Tactile Objects: The Role of Visual Experience and Texture Parameters. J Percept Imaging.
• Kringelbach, M. L. (2015). The Pleasure of Food: Underlying Brain Mechanisms of Eating and Other Pleasures. Flavour, 4(1). 
• Lloyd, D. M., McGlone, F. P., & Yosipovitch, G. (2015). Somatosensory Pleasure Circuit: From Skin to Brain and Back. Experimental Dermatology, 24(5), 321–324. 
• Mastandrea, S., Fagioli, S., & Biasi, V. (2019, March 16). Art and Psychological Well-being: Linking the Brain to the Aesthetic Emotion. Frontiers. 
• Mori, K., & Zatorre, R. (2024).State-dependent Connectivity in Auditory-reward Networks Predicts Peak Pleasure Experiences to Music. PLOS Biology, 22(8). 
• Oxford English Dictionary (2024). Pleasure. 
• Pallies, Daniel (2020). An Honest Look at Hybrid Theories of Pleasure. Philosophical Studies 178 (3):887-907. 
• Sánchez, J. (2024). Transforming Pleasure Narratives: Redefining Victim-centered & Trauma-informed Care to Include Sex, Pleasure & Bodies [PowerPoint slides]. NASPA Strategies Conference.
• Trenholm-Jensen, E. A., Burns, L., Trenholm, J. E., & Hand, C. J. (2022). Beyond Tingles: An Exploratory Qualitative Study of the Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR). PLOS ONE, 
• Zhao, J.-B., Wang, Y.-L., Ma, Q.-W., Zhao, J.-B., Zhang, X.-Y., & Zou, L.-Q. (2019). The Chemosensory Pleasure scale: A New Assessment for Measuring Hedonic Smell and Taste Capacities. Chemical Senses, 44(7), 457–464. 

 

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