How do you determine ticklishness?

[saratk]

A question I've pondered: if you were to determine someone's ticklishness not on a scale but rather a "yes or no" basis, how would it be determined?

Examples: "if I tickle them there and they laugh, yes, otherwise no"
"If you can see they are physically effected in some way, even if they can hold in laughter or fight it"

The list goes on. What would make you say yes? Even for yourself? Is it if you feel ticklish or if you react?

When someone says "very ticklish" to you does that = big reaction or very strong feeling?

 

[JoePTickle]

Cool question, thanks. Looking forward to the theories.

I'm inclined to measure from the outside, so let reaction be the guide. Even so, there's going to be some mixed signals, like possibly a component of anxiety for example rather than true ticklishness, body control, acting ability for those who love it but fake it to some extent. Everybody's different - I've had someone start out in a session at what I'd call "Low" due to initially good body control, but increased over 15 or more minutes into the High range as she broke down and safe worded.

Starter thoughts based on personal observation:

Not: Possible smiles or giggles without flinch or defensive reaction. Little to no disruption of breathing or other sign of distraction.

Low: Some involuntary flinching, some mild laughing while tickled. Fades relatively quickly. Few ticklish spots.

Medium: Involuntary spasms, laughter significantly above speaking volume, quickened breathing. Sustains at least five minutes. Multiple spots.

High: Involuntary thrashing, laughter approaches screaming, loss of breath/talk. Sweat develops after sustained tickling. Safeword may be needed. Broad range of spots.

Max: Involuntary flailing, uncontrollable screaming laughter. I've had one person like this. We practically had to evacuate the hotel room, and even with reasonable restraints she was bucking too crazily to enjoy. If I were a tickle sadist in a dungeon somewhere, she'd have been a dream come true.

 

[Pghtkltorture]

I think the above analysis is pretty astute.

Personally I am not a huge laugh out loud person every time I am tickled. I squirm, thrash, pull away. My breathing patterns change, I beg, curse, etc. personally I think I am pretty ticklish.

That's why I hate when people complain and whine about videos with "not ticklish" or "faking" models. Everyone experiences tickling in a different way.
I would say that I would rate ticklishness on reaction. If there is no reaction then there is no
Little to no ticklishness.

In a video though I would want someone who reacts and laughs if I were going for ideal or watching a clip

 

[piyr]

I think we can describe ticklishness in an objective manner because we've all seen extreme reactions to tickling such as silent laughter, panic, begging, etc... Sure we'll all may have somewhat different reactions and we may describe something as being very ticklish when it makes us squirm or gigle but but we all recognize suffering when we see it and know whether or not we can reach that high level of suffering through tickling, even if we only observed it in someone else.

 

[sttklr]

When judging my own ticklishness, I consider a spot ticklish if it feels ticklish.

When judging someone else's ticklishness, it's the opposite: I consider them ticklish based on how they react. It might really tickle for them, but they're just smiling and giggling so I'd consider them not very ticklish.

Not sure if that's fair or not, but it is what it is. 😛