Transparency
Methodology & Limitations
How each test is scored, what the numbers mean, and where these self-reflection tools stop.
Kink test
How the 40-question kink test is scored
The kink test uses five statements for each of eight interest families: power, restraint, sensation, roleplay, sensory, display, care, and structure. Every statement offers the same five answers, weighted 0 to 4: “not for me”, “curious but unsure”, “fantasy only”, “yes with the right person and conditions”, and “actively interested”. Each family’s points are divided by its maximum and rounded to a percentage. Five items per family gives broader coverage than most short quizzes but still does not establish reliability or validity.
The fantasy-versus-practice reading
Alongside the eight percentages, the result reports what share of your positive answers were “fantasy only” rather than something you would consider in practice. This is a descriptive ratio of your own answers, not a psychological measure. It exists because most quizzes silently collapse “haven’t tried it”, “like imagining it”, and “want to do it” into a single agreement score, which is the most misleading thing a kink questionnaire can do.
What the kink test does not do
It does not catalogue every possible kink, assign you a type, rank how kinky you are, or measure experience. Ten families of vocabulary are listed separately on the kink types page precisely because a questionnaire covering eight axes is not the same thing as a complete inventory.
BDSM test
How the 52-question Text Mode is scored
Text Mode uses two statements for each of 26 archetypes. Each statement uses a five-point scale from Strongly Disagree (0) to Strongly Agree (4). For each archetype, its points are divided by the maximum available points and rounded to a percentage. Equal item counts improve coverage consistency, but two items per archetype do not establish reliability or validity. The percentages are category-alignment scores — not population percentiles, probabilities, or proof that a label defines you.
What Image Mode can tell you
The 12-choice Image Mode is a forced-choice, exploratory experience. Added questions reduce obvious coverage gaps, but each choice still compares unlike options and cannot assess all 26 archetypes independently. Treat its output as a playful snapshot rather than an equivalent or more precise assessment.
Profile comparison limitations
The comparison score summarises selected complementary and shared archetype patterns. It does not measure activity-level interests, hard limits, communication quality, experience, health considerations, consent, relationship health, or real-world compatibility. It is only a conversation starter.
Limitations and review
Known limitations and review process
Neither questionnaire has representative norms, a reliability study, factor analysis, or external validation. The BDSM test uses only two positively worded items per archetype, and its Image Mode is inherently comparative. The kink test uses positively worded items throughout, so it measures stated interest rather than aversion. Preferences also change with context, relationships, knowledge, and time. Material changes to questions or scoring will be documented here with an updated date; safety-critical content should be reviewed against reliable educator and community resources.
Question revisions
2026-08-17 — three kink test items were reworded, with no change to scoring, dimensions, or item counts. One asked readers to judge how rope work looks, which cannot be answered without seeing it; two others did not say whether the sensation or the language was being given or received, so the same answer meant different things to different people. Rewording changes what an item measures, so scores from before and after this date are not strictly comparable.