sadomasochism

1. sexual activity between consenting partners in which one partner enjoys inflicting pain (see sexual sadism) and the other enjoys experiencing pain (see sexual masochism).

2. a paraphilia in which a person is both sadistic and masochistic, deriving sexual arousal from both giving and receiving pain. —sadomasochist n. —sadomasochistic adj.

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Psychology term of the day

November 19th 2024

criminal responsibility

a defendant’s ability to formulate criminal intent (see mens rea) at the time of the crime with which he or she is charged; it must be proved in court before the person can be convicted. Criminal responsibility may be excluded for reason of insanity (see Durham rule; irresistible impulse rule; M’Naghten rule) or mitigated for a number of other reasons (see diminished capacity; diminished responsibility).