What are your quirks? Take this test to find out!

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

What is Kink?

“Kinky” is a broad umbrella term that covers sexual preferences, desires, activities, and/or fantasies that are outside of what is typically considered mainstream. Kinks vary from person to person and are as broad as your imagination. Some common types of kinks include role-playing, BDSM, sensory play,

A significant number of people have experienced or fantasized about kink, with estimates ranging from 40-70% of adults having kink fantasies. In fact, Dr. Wingnall says, “all people have some degree of kink tendencies.” Kink tendencies refer to a person’s “interest in or desire for kinky practices.” It encompasses different aspects of kink, including a person’s identity, attitudes, desires, and behaviors. While some people may have high kink tendencies, identify as kinky, have positive attitudes toward kink, and regularly engage in kink practices, there is a wide spectrum of kink. For example, others may have low kink tendencies and only fantasize about kinky things on rare occasions. And others may have moderate kink tendencies, who enjoy kinky fantasies and behaviors from time to time and may even have some 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. Wegener argues that by redefining kink as a sexual orientation, we can include a wider range of people who participate in kink to varying degrees, even if they don’t consider themselves “kinky.”

Understand Your Own Quirks

Kink is an important part of many people’s sexuality, pleasure, and identity. For others, it may not be as important, but it may still be present in their lives to some extent. It is important to note that an individual’s kink orientation is not necessarily “good” or “bad.” Instead, it is just another way to conceptualize a person’s sexuality, and helps us understand that we all have some degree of kink, ranging from low to high.

Learning about your kinks has the following benefits. For example, a better understanding of your sexual preferences and desires can lead to more fulfilling and authentic sexual experiences. This awareness may make it easier for you to share these fantasies/desires with your partner and allow you to explore and grow in your sexual life.

What are your quirks?

In a series of research phases, Dr. Winner and his colleagues developed and validated a method to measure the orientation of a kink, called Knot Orientation Scale (KOS)They designed this scale as an individual-level measure of kink tendencies that could be used to measure kink overall. They found that a person’s kink identity, kink paraphernalia (e.g., sex toys), role-playing, sexual communication, and participation in kink communities all contributed to their overall kink tendencies. In other words, kink tendencies are more than just whether someone self-identifies as “kinky.”

The scale itself has 18 questions and takes less than 5 minutes to complete. The author has made it available online so you can check your Quirk score!

Communicate with your partner

Now, you may be wondering what to do next after getting a KOS score. Dr. Wingnall mentions that while the score may not be a perfect reflection of kink, it can give people a chance to think more deeply about their kink and discuss it with their partner.

“I think it’s useful to get people thinking about their own sexuality, and considering their own desires and needs. I think the PTSD scale can be a useful starting point for thinking about kinks – I’ve already had people mention that it’s useful to discuss with their partners how relationships are developing!” — Dr Wingnall

Discussing sexuality can be stressful for some people, so Dr. Wegener recommends using a tool like the KOS to ease the pressure rather than jumping right into a list of kinks or limits—concepts that can feel scary or unfamiliar. The KOS provides an easy icebreaker for the conversation. For example, if a feature on the scale turns you on, you can ask your partner if they’d like to explore it together. Dr. Wegener also notes that kinks are more common than we often think, and your partner may also be curious about certain aspects of kink. Open, honest conversations about interests and desires can reveal new areas you’re both willing to explore—and maybe even create an opportunity to discover a shared kink!

To learn more about the kink orientation scale and the science of kinks, check out our podcast with survey report co-author Dr. Mark McCormack.

For more tips on how to communicate your sexual needs to your partner, check out our recent podcast episodes, “How to Get What You Want in Bed” and “What to Do When Your Partner Is Kookier Than You Are.”

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