There is no doubt that cars have been an important part of human life for centuries. They are used for transportation, mobility, pleasure, status, power, competition, entertainment, leisure, and more. Cars can also be associated with psychological states such as excitement, anxiety, fear, love, desire, and lust. In this article, I will explore how manual gear shifts elicit fantasies of dominance, submission, or erotic mastery, and which cognitive-emotional mechanisms reinforce these associations.
What is a manual gear shift? It refers to a device located between the driver and passenger seats that allows the driver to change gears manually rather than automatically. The shift lever is connected to the transmission, which sends torque from the engine to the wheels. Manual transmissions were once commonplace but are now less popular due to convenience and efficiency advantages of automatic transmissions. Nonetheless, many drivers still prefer manual transmissions for their sportiness, control, or performance.
Manual gear shifting has been found to evoke feelings of power, domination, and arousal in some people. This may be because it requires physical effort and skill, involves precision timing and coordination, and provides a sense of control over the vehicle's movement. Some drivers find it exciting to push harder on the accelerator pedal to get higher revs and shift into higher gears while maintaining control over speed and acceleration. Others enjoy the sensations of depressing the clutch pedal and changing gears during tight turns or rapid acceleration. Still others experience sexual arousal when manipulating the gear shift.
One study found that men who drive stick shift cars are more likely to report sexual interest in women wearing red (Burns et al., 2018).
The association between manual gear shifting and dominance/submission can be explained by cognitive-emotional mechanisms such as conditioning, associative learning, and symbolic representations.
Driving a car with a manual transmission may bring back memories of childhood experiences such as riding bicycles or playing with remote-controlled vehicles, where pushing down on levers resulted in forward motion or turning. These early associations may lead to the idea that pushing on something results in a rewarding outcome, which is reinforced through positive feedback from the engine noise, acceleration, and other sensory inputs.
These associations become strong enough to create automatic responses that link manual gear shifts with dominance or submission.
Symbolic representations may arise based on cultural norms or social interactions related to power dynamics in society.
Some people may associate manual gear shifts with masculinity due to their association with sports cars or racing, whereas others may see them as feminine because they require finesse and precision.
Manual gear shifts can elicit fantasies of dominance, submission, or erotic mastery due to physical exertion, skillful coordination, and symbolic associations. These associations are reinforced through conditioning, associative learning, and emotional processing. Understanding these psychological processes can help us appreciate how our thoughts and feelings about cars influence our behavior and relationships.