Tickling heredidtary?

[$Tickletorturer]

Here's something I've been pondering for some time now. Is being a tickle fetishist hereditary? Check it out, I've heard from a lot of people that their parents used to tickle each other and their kids growing up. Then the children in question grow up and become ticklers/ticklees themselves. I know I suspect certain people in my own family. So is it just me or is there more than just a coincidence happening here?

 

[Mimi]

This is a topic that comes up here on the forum every so often, and it seems that most members are quite torn on the topic. Many feel tickling IS hereditary, and can be inherited from other family members. Some, though, feel you can not pass on personality traits, or "kinks" in this case.

Personally, I feel it IS hereditary. My uncle is a known tickle fetishist. I believe I inherited my tickling interests from him. I knew by the age of 5 already that I enjoyed tickling more than what was normal, and no one in my life previous to that stage had tickled me enough for it to have been a 'conditioned' effect. It just HAPPENED. So I am positive I was genetically wired this way.

Same with my fiance, and fellow TMFer Lazarus. By preschool age he already had a strong interest in womens feet, and tickling them. Also not something he was conditioned to take notice of. His bitch ex (who did not approve of Lazzy's tickling fetish) blurted out to his Dad one day during a conversation: "Are you into tickling too?" - much to Lazzy's dismay, since he had never told his father of his interest in tickling. His fathers reply? "As a ler, or a lee?"...spoken with an evil sadistic grin. Safe to assume his father has at least a minor interest in it.

Both Lazarus and I have passed it on through our genes to our kids as well. My one daughter is a severe ticklephile, and his oldest son also has a healthy, beyond normal childhood playfulness, interest in it.

So in closing, yes, I do believe an interest in tickling can be passed on hereditarily.

Mimi 🙂

 

[AffectionateDan]

Absolutely

While the traits you inherit are a crap shoot genetickly 🙄 speaking, I've long maintained that the tickle gene is strong! With the benefit of hindsight, I'm positive that all the males of my family have it. Sure, sure, you could also make the case that you're a product of your environment, but it's not like there was what I'd consider an abnormal amount of tickling going on as I was growing up (not ENOUGH to suit my young ticklemonster tastes, in fact). Everybody has their own take on it, though. Some people don't even discover it until they're well into their adult life, so who's to say?

 

[ShadowTklr]

Its All In Your Head?

The tickling fetish may be no more or less hereditary than homosexuality. If I recall my studies in psychology and physiology correctly, many scientists believe that the answer to sexual predisposition may lie in a gland at the base of the brain called the hypothalamus. It has been correlated in part to individuals who have demonstrated preferences for fetishism, homosexuality, and S&M in clinical studies.

Some studies actually point to the size of the hypothalamus as a comparative indicator found in people of like dispositions. The larger the gland, the more likely the behavior. The results, however, are far from conclusive.

Interestingly, fetishism seems to be present in many people who are also abstract thinkers, or at least display an ability for creativity. If you think about artists, writers (hello), actors, etc, you're bound to find an abundance of interestingly quirky behaviors among them.

But, who knows. I'm just glad I've got it. Bring on the swollen Hypothalamus, baby!!

 

[KoocheeKoo]

I also question it being hereditary..

While true my dad tickled mom a lot....who did he inheritate it from?
My grandmother says her hubby never tickled her, never attempted to tickle her in the six years they knew each other (divorced in 1935, she never remarried, he didn't contact her after WWII started).

My grandmother has never tickled anyone...not even us when we were kids (and has always reportedly hated being tickled). While my mom always seemed to enjoy being tickled, dad will tell you he was always the instigator of their ticklefights....not her. I don't know of any unusual tickling by anyone on mom's side of the family, although admit they are in Tennessee, and I've seen them far less over the years. My aunts in Tennessee don't remember mom ever enjoying being tickled until she and dad married...in fact, they said she would cry when boys tickled her it was so excruiating to her.

Also, while dad took delight in tickling mom (probably because she was so extremely ticklish and had a great laugh), he's never tickled my stepmother in the same way. He's not like me.....I have a passion for tickling and a foot fetish, while dad doesn't. I've had enough discussions with him over the years to know....dad does not share my tickling enthusiasm and has no semblence of a foot fetish -- he's more attracted to a woman's breasts than anything else (I want to tickle every lady I meet, tickled all my previous girlfriends, while mom was the only woman dad says he ever tickled to any extent).

Maybe it was just my seeing them having ticklefights, plus all the cute barefoot friends of my sisters around our house all the time that made me different....they were definitely my first tickling targets.

 

[$Tickletorturer]

Very Good!

Thanks a lot everyone. I'm glad others share my theory on this topic. I appreciate any and all responses.

 

[ericr]

I tend to think there is a hereditary aspect. My parents and I are very ticklish and tickle others. My wife is not ticklish but tickles me. My son is ticklish but not into tickling.

 

[toyou444]

My kids definetly like tickling. I kind of tried not to tickle them too much so they wouldn't be influenced by me, but they both love it and their very young ages. Maybe they will out grow it...but I didn't. My wife, on the other hand, never really liked being tickled and hated feet...now she enjoys the tickling (most of the time😉 ) and will rub my feet and more often than not tickle them too. So maybe there is something to a kind of training-the-mind aspect of it to.

~ toyou