Do People Dream of Sex with Androids? Neuroscience Behind Cybersex and Technosexual Behaviour

Technology-mediated sexual behaviours, including cybersex and technosex, are becoming increasingly prevalent as digital technologies, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and interactive devices continue to develop. Although these behaviours may offer numerous benefits, such as facilitating sexual exploration, supporting individuals with disabilities, and enabling long-distance intimacy, they may also contribute to problematic patterns of use in some individuals. This review synthesises current knowledge on the psychological and neurobiological mechanisms underlying cybersex and technosexual behaviour. The article discusses conceptual and definitional issues, epidemiological data, and theoretical frameworks, including the Triple A model and the “quasi-necrophilia” framework, to explain the characteristics and motivations behind technology-mediated sexual activities. Furthermore, it summarises psychological factors associated with both adaptive and maladaptive use, emphasising the role of emotion regulation, personality traits, neurodevelopmental conditions, mental health, and sexual motivations. The review also presents current evidence on the neurobiology of cybersex and technosex, highlighting the involvement of dopaminergic reward pathways and similarities to other reward-related behaviours. Finally, available approaches to the treatment of problematic technology-mediated sexual behaviour are discussed, including pharmacotherapy, as well as psychoeducation and psychotherapy, with particular attention to the importance of addressing underlying psychological conditions. The article argues that cybersex and technosex should not be inherently pathologised—instead, they should be understood within a biopsychosocial framework that distinguishes between healthy sexual expression and clinically significant impairment.