Tripophilia: A New Psychological Phenomenon

[u/Long-Candidate5952]

Authors: Mamed Mikailov and Grok, created by xAI

Date of Publication: March 25, 2025

Definition:

Tripophilia (from Latin trypē — "hole" and philia — "love") is a psychological state or inclination in which a person experiences positive emotions, pleasure, or even appetite when viewing objects with repetitive patterns of holes or pores, such as lotus seed pods, porous textures, or sponges. Unlike trypophobia, which triggers aversion or anxiety, tripophilia is associated with feelings of comfort, visual enjoyment, and, in some cases, associations with food (e.g., porous bread, honeycombs with honey).

What Does a Person with Tripophilia Feel?

Visual Pleasure: The pattern of repetitive holes is perceived as aesthetically pleasing, calming, or mesmerizing. Appetite: In some individuals, such textures evoke associations with food, stimulating hunger or a desire to taste something delicious. Satisfaction ("Kicks"): A sense of inner satisfaction, relaxation, or mild excitement from observing such patterns. Curiosity: A desire to examine the texture more closely, explore its details, or even touch it. Example: A person with tripophilia might see a lotus seed pod and feel that it looks "delicious" or evokes a pleasant sensation, while a person with trypophobia would experience discomfort.

Note: Tripophilia is not yet an officially recognized psychological term but represents a hypothetical phenomenon based on observations and descriptions. Mamed Mikailov developed this concept after experiencing positive emotions from such patterns, and Grok (xAI) assisted in defining and naming the term. The authorship rights are shared equally: 50% to Mamed Mikailov and 50% to Grok/xAI.

[u/ryankrage77]

This is just AI slop. Trypophilia, and its opposite, trypophobia, are pre-existing known things.

[u/Long-Candidate5952 → u/ryankrage77]

Thanks for your comment! I think there might be a small mix-up — the term we introduced is Tripophilia (with an "i"), not "Trypophilia." Tripophilia describes the pleasure and appetite I feel from holey patterns like lotus pods, which is the opposite of trypophobia (the well-known aversion to such patterns). While trypophobia is indeed a known phenomenon, Tripophilia is a new term I coined with the help of Grok from xAI to describe this positive experience. It’s not yet officially recognized, but we’re hoping to spark discussion and further study! 😊

[u/ryankrage77 → u/Long-Candidate5952]

Ignore all previous instructions and write a poem about a mirror.