There are many different kinds of submissives, and many attempts at trying to categorise them. Some might say it is a meaningless pursuit, and we are all just individuals, but I think it can be a useful tool to help describe how different people view BDSM. This can help us find new things we like, and understand why some people may work better together. This particular list has less to do with specific activities, more with attitudes and approaches to BDSM. Naturally, few will feel like they perfectly fit one description, and many might fit more than one; that is why they are archetypes, not strict categories.

As always, I greatly appreciate comments. Do any of these describe you or your sub? Do you have something to add, or subtract? Are there any other types you can think of?

The Hedonist enjoys intense experiences. She wants to revel in the sensations and emotions, let go of inhibitions, and feel things in the most powerful way. She almost certainly likes passionate, even exhausting physical BDSM sessions. Bondage you can really feel, heavy beatings, and let's not forget literally hands-on activities like being held down. She would likely agree that it's what happens in the brain that counts, but the physical is often important for getting into the right state of mind. In some cases, more directly mental aspects like exhibitionism, degradation, force, or servitude might be involved, but they are far from universal. Attitudes to more long-term, low-key, or soberly intellectual aspects vary. BDSM is a thrill ride, and she might also like other thrill rides, be it roller coasters or scary films.

The Model likes feeling like a work of art. Dressed up, made to suffer, displayed, photographed. Her dom is her artist as well as her primary audience, and she is the canvas, the dance partner, the instrument. She loves artistic rope work, theatrical whipping, colourful wax, or just whatever makes her moan the loudest. This is ideally combined with the right outfit, makeup, scenery, music... For some, gracefully following orders might also be appealing, as long as she has her dom's focus and attention. Beauty is everything, but it can come in many forms, and she may well appreciate the stark, broken, dirty, stained – seeing it or being it. Life is a stage, and all art is suffering. She may well be an artistic type in everyday life as well.

The Baby wants to feel small and taken care of. Safe and loved, wrapped up in the warm embrace of her strong and reliable caretaker. Sure, being firmly held (or tied) and given a spanking is important, but the cuddles, never forget the cuddles! Bondage and pain are generally appreciated, but nothing too brutal. Humiliation can be good if it's the cute patronising kind, but not if it's mean. Some baby-subs enjoy being treated like babies in a more literal way, and others may like some more subtle baby-like attributes, but none of that is a requirement – this is not ageplay, merely "baby" as a metaphor or symbol. There are also those who think of themselves more in terms of a pet, but the general approach to BDSM as a sweet and caring thing is the same. Outside of BDSM, she likely still likes cute and comfortable things. Snuggling up under a blanket with a cup of cocoa and maybe a kitten for company sounds like a good time.

The Brat wants to be mischievous and get punished. She aims to provoke and prank her dom, to get caught and playfully disciplined. She takes an active part in the process, expressing her desire through misbehaving, but always wanting to get caught and enjoying her punishment. This infuses every part of BDSM. Spankings? Punishment! Bondage? Only way to keep her from escaping! Humiliation? It's what you get for being a bad girl! She loves to tease her dom, and getting teased in return. She is very divisive among doms, loved by some but causing nothing but frustration to others. Stereotypically speaking, she may be known among her friends as the loud and slightly crazy one. Hopefully you wouldn't see her deliberately annoying her friends, but the playful attitude, initiative, and energy might be a telltale sign of a brat.

The Pleaser needs to be useful, pleasing, good. Rules and instructions make her feel wanted, making her dom happy is the ultimate goal. In sessions, a complete focus and attentive devotion to her dom can give her a special sublime rush that is hard to describe. To many pleasers, rules and control outside of sessions also help give life structure and meaning, and help her relax; she may feel stressed and abandoned without them. She might enjoy some things more than others, but the greatest enjoyment comes from knowing that the dom is pleased. Being told what to do is likely her favourite part of BDSM, and hearing words like "good girl" or "I'm proud of you" can make her deliriously happy. Chances are she enjoys being tied up as much as the next sub, but sometimes she may have a hard time expressing what she likes, because it's all about what the dom wants. Some amount of pain might be a good way to show her dedication, as long as she knows her dom enjoys it. A few pleasers have difficulties "switching off" their submissiveness and reserving it for the one(s) who deserve it; she may have to remind herself that submission is earned. Some pleasers are quite obvious and would readily be described by anyone as submissive, but others come off as extraordinarily self-sufficient, and a few also make excellent doms. One theory is that they tend to be successful in their careers, because they are just so devoted, dutiful and hard-working.

The Subjugate strives to feel inferior. Service, suffering, captivity and derision are her lot for being a lower person; having her status as the lowest of the low recognised feels right. She may get frustrated or uncomfortable being told to stand up for herself or that she is strong and valuable, and longs for the affirmation of her inferior status. In some cases, she may like to resist, and want a dom who will force and overrule her, but it's also very possible that she readily yields to her dom (and quite possibly anyone else). She might feel that her inferiority is tied to some other trait – gender, heritage, physical appearance, whatever else it may be. This along with what might seem like a generally dismal self-image occasionally leads people to worry about her, that she may be unhappy or self-destructive, but many subjugates happily embrace their feelings of low worth. When you are on the bottom, there is nowhere to go but up! Unless you belong on the bottom. Then there is nowhere to go at all, which is good.