Some Notes on William Moulton Marston, Wonder Woman, and Loving D/s

by Ambrosio

Version 1
First posted here on September 24, 2022

This was originally part of my Marginalia on the Old Guard, Leather Traditions, and BDSM History article written in 2006. I moved the content to its own page in September 2022.

Introduction

Dr. William Moulton Marston (1893–1947) is best known today as the inventor of the lie detector (or at least one of its major contributors), the creator of the DiSC theory of psychology, an early advocate of polyamory, and the creator of the superheroine Wonder Woman.

Marston lived in what we would now call a polyamorous triad with his wife, Elizabeth Holloway Marston, and his partner, Olive Byrne. They shared a household and raised the children Marston had with both women. Elizabeth and Marston formally adopted the children he had with Olive, creating a unified family. Sheldon Mayer, Marston’s editor at DC Comics, described the arrangement as “a family relationship with a lot of women, yet it was male-dominated.” After Marston’s death, Elizabeth and Olive continued to live together and maintain the household until the end of their lives. (Daniels)

↑ Back to Top

Lie Detection and the Lasso of Truth

Marston made a significant contribution to lie detection by studying how changes in systolic blood pressure could reveal emotional responses, like excitement or deception. Inspired by his wife’s observation that her blood pressure rose when she was upset, he developed a method to analyze these changes during speech. His work laid the foundation for modern lie detector technology, influencing John Augustus Larson's invention of the polygraph. Marston later wove this idea into his comic book writing, giving Wonder Woman her famous Lasso of Truth, which, like his blood pressure research, helped expose lies while binding suspects.

↑ Back to Top

Psychological Theories

Marston’s psychological theories foreshadowed ideas that later became central to the Leather and BDSM communities. Geoffrey C. Bunn noted that Marston explored “the political and sexual connotations of dominance and submission” in his work. (Daniels)

In his 1928 book, Emotions of Normal People, Marston argued that dominance and submission were natural human instincts that played out in social interactions. Hense, the "Normal People" in his book's title.

Marston divided human behavior into four "Motivational impulses," or "Emotions." I think it's misleading to call them emotions but that's the term he used for the classes that defined as "Reactions to external stimuli" (i.e., external obstacles or antagonists.) Marston's "Emotions" are dominance, inducement, submission, and compliance.

Dominance

Primary emotional reaction to an antagonistic and inferior motor stimulus by increasing one's own intensity of antagonistic motor stimulus. It is "consisting of increase of the self to overcome an opponent." (p. 141) It is described with such words as: self-assertion, will, initiative, determination, force, and strength. "The seeking of 'social' prestige probably represents the most usual female expression of dominance." (p.136)

Inducement

Co-operating with an inferior and allied motor stimulus. The stronger force becomes progressively stronger by compelling obedience from the weaker allied force while remaining in alliance with the weaker allied force. Inducement is different from dominance in that dominance is expressed antagonistically through force, threats, and punishment while inducement is expressed positively through seduction, persuasion, and other positive means. (The Marston's concept of Inducement seems closer to the concept of Dominance as practiced today in the BDSM and Leather communities.)

Compliance

yielding to a superior antagonistic motor stimulus (an external obstacle or opponent) along with a decrease in intensity and antagonistic compulsion. This can be illustrated with the metaphor of water flowing around an immobile rock. "The stream does not continue to attack an opponent stronger than itself, but complies with such an antagonist by letting the opponent have its own way and by turning its own energies in another direction." (p. 141) There is no attempt at altering the obstacle. The compliant actor accepts the superior strength of the antagonist and readjusts in response.

Submission

allying oneself with a superior motor stimulus. It is characterized with a decrease in intensity and an allied compulsion of the motor self. "If you can't beat them, join them." (The current theory has replaced "Submission" with the designation "Steadiness.") Marston believed that the best rulers were in fact submissive to their citizens even while appearing outwardly dominant.

Marston thought these emotions could be understood in relation to two axes: how someone perceives their environment, as either favorable or antagonistic, and how they respond, actively or passively. These combinations created four behavioral patterns. Dominance represented active behavior in an antagonistic environment, while inducement described active behavior in a favorable one. Submission referred to passive behavior in a favorable environment, and compliance described passivity in an antagonistic setting.

In addition, Marston examined how people with different emotions interacted: Dominance and Submission, Inducement and Compliance, Dominance and Compliance, etc., Dominant people crave control, while submissive people prefer to follow. Marston believed that both traits were essential for healthy relationships. He referred to these power dynamics as are "power relationships" --- or what the Leather and BDSM communities recognize as "Power Exchanges."

After publishing his book, Marston moved away from academic research and began writing for the popular press, but his interest in these concepts persisted. He conducted a study of a sorority hazing ritual at Jackson College, observing that “the strongest and most pleasant captivation emotion was experienced during a struggle with girls trying to escape captivity.” In his review of the 1923 film The Hunchback of Notre Dame, he noted that a scene where the heroine is whipped while bound evoked “a strong, disguised captivation emotion in the minds of the audience.” Marston also explored themes of bondage and submission in his novel Venus With Us, where he described vivid scenes of servitude and devotion, often linking them to a sense of admiration for women’s strength and allure.

Marston believed that women were less aggressive and greedy than men, and he predicted that America would become a matriarchy within 100 years. He envisioned a society ruled by women, not through physical dominance but through psychological and emotional influence. Marston argued that “submission in love belongs to the man, not the woman,” reflecting his belief in women’s natural capacity for leadership and love. (Daniels)

↑ Back to Top

Wonder Woman

Dr. Marston was a keen observer of popular culture. After criticizing comics for their negative influence on young minds in 1941, All-American Comics editor Max C. Gaines invited Marston to advise on how comics could promote better values. This collaboration led Marston to create Wonder Woman, a character who became a symbol of empowerment and psychological complexity. Marston wrote the strip under the pen name Charles Moulton, combining his and Gaines’s middle names. Within five months of her debut, Wonder Woman became hugely popular, outshining many male superheroes of the time in reader polls.

For Marston, Wonder Woman was more than a role model for girls; she was a way to introduce boys to the idea of strong, dominant women. He believed women’s leadership would create a more peaceful, loving society. Wonder Woman reflected his vision of a matriarchal world where women combined love and dominance to bring stability and harmony. Marston described her as “psychological propaganda for the new type of woman who should rule the world.”

Wonder Woman’s stories were infused with themes from Marston’s theories and personal interests. Her origin on Paradise Island, a society of Amazon warriors, reflected his belief in women’s capacity for leadership. Her magic lasso, which compelled truth-telling, symbolized feminine charm and influence. Bondage was a recurring theme in her adventures, with Marston portraying it as both a challenge and a source of strength for the character. In his own words, the lasso represented “the power every woman uses to influence or control.”

Marston also incorporated his personal life into the character’s development. His wife, Elizabeth, inspired Wonder Woman’s personality, while his partner, Olive Byrne, influenced her physical appearance. Olive often wore "protective bracelets," which Marston cited as the inspiration for Wonder Woman’s iconic accessories. He explained that these bracelets symbolized the Amazons’ resilience and a reminder of their decision to never again submit to male oppression.

Despite criticism of its “lesbian overtones” and controversial themes, Wonder Woman became a beloved and enduring character. Marston believed she satisfied “the subconscious, elaborately disguised desire of males to be mastered by a woman who loves them,” and her popularity among male readers supported this claim. Surveys showed that her readership was 90% male—an even higher percentage than Superman’s audience. Through Wonder Woman, Marston sought to champion his vision of a world where love, strength, and feminine dominance would lead to peace and harmony.

↑ Back to Top

The Evolution of DISC Theory

In 1948 Industrial psychologist Walter V. Clarke built an assessment instrument (personality profile test) using Marston's theories. He adapted Marston's model using the terms aggressive, sociable, stable, and avoidant in place of the four emotions. He applied these theories in developing a questionnaire for choosing qualified employees for businesses. John Geier simplified the test and produced the DISC personality profile in 1958. Over time the assessment instrument was adopted and adapted by various psychologists and publishers in commercial products. Today variations of the DISC profile are widely available from numerous publishers. Major companies such as AT&T have used it to assess their employees and place them in roles that they are best suited for.

↑ Back to Top

↑ Back to Top

Appendix: Olive Richard Interviews Dr. Marston

Olive Byrne --- Dr. Marston's lover --- wrote articles for Family Circle under the name "Olive Richard." Often the articles were interviews with her lover.

Our Women Are Our Future
by Olive Richard
Family Circle, August 14, 1942

The war news had me down. I had just been to see a friend whose husband, a naval officer, was killed at Pearl Harbor. Going home, I bought a newspaper with a "Wake Up, America!" editorial spread all over the front page. The general drift of it seemed to be that the country is on the brink of ruin and that we'd better wake up or else. Well, I was awake to the danger, all right, but I couldn't think of anything more to do about it. I'd paid my income taxes, bought war stamps and bonds, volunteered up to my neck for every defense project, cut out sugar and all pleasure trips with the car, and made the decision that I would look awful but patriotic in my old clothes.

Then to cap it all I turned on the radio and out blared the voice of an expert war-news commentator telling us in 15 minutes of dismal prediction that we should prepare ourselves for much worse disasters than anything we had yet suffered. Women must do this and women must do that and women must be charming through it all. Usually some everyday incident comes up to stop one going through thought mazes of this kind, and it happened here. On the table where I was about to throw my hat with a Katherine Cornell gesture was a comics book with a brilliant-hand cover bearing the picture of a pretty girl in a scanty costume leaping aboard a racing motorboat.

A memory stirred; this must be the "daughter or the brain of Dr. William Moulton Marston, Family Circle psychologist" that I had seen recently in The Family Circle.

"Well," I thought, "If Marston is whipping up comics stories while Rome burns, there must be a reason." So, I clamped the hat on again and made tracks for Rye, New York.

The Doctor hadn't changed a bit. He was reading a comics magazine, which sport he relinquished with a chuckle and rose gallantly to his feet, a maneuver of major magnitude for this psychological Nero Wolfe. "Hello, hello, my Wonder Woman!" cried the mammoth heartily. "I was just reading about you in this magazine. You're prettier than your prototype in the story strip, and far more intellectual. Sit down and tell me all."

"I came to be told, and what's the idea of calling me Wonder Woman, and I don't feel like listening to any male sarcasm on account of I've heard too much already."

"Your bracelets," said the Doctor, taking up one thing at a time "-they're the original inspiration for Wonder Woman's Amazon chain bands. Wonder Woman's bracelets protect her against bullets in the wicked world of men. Here, see for yourself."

The picture was the same that I had seen at home. In the motorboat were several characters of definitely Teutonic cast shooting rifles and machine guns at the smiling girl. The bullets glanced harmlessly off the fair intruder's twin bracelets, which did closely resemble-astonishing coincidence!-the pair of ancient Arab "protective" bracelets that I have worn for years.

I opened the book to read, "This amazing girl, stronger than Hercules, more beautiful than Aphrodite," and so on, and I remembered that my sons had argued as to whether she could lick the whole Japanese army all at once or whether she'd have to take them a few thousand at a time. The Doctor beamed when I told him this and said, "Tint's right, the kids love her. Wonder Woman's quarterly magazine outsold all others"

"I know, I know. You'll be writing advertising next But I came here to ask you about the war. Women feel so helpless and depressed about it. I wish you'd answer one question for Family Circle readers: Will war ever end in this world; will men ever stop fighting?"

"Oh, yes. But not until women control men," he answered mildly.

"According to the Wonder Woman formula, I suppose?"

"That's it exactly!" The Doctor got up from his chair and began to pace the floor as he talked - a mannerism that betokens extreme interest and enthusiasm. "Wonder Woman, and the trend toward male acceptance of female love power which she represents, indicates that the first psychological step has actually been taken. Boys, young and old, satisfy their wish thoughts by reading comics. If they go crazy over Wonder Woman, it means they're longing for a beautiful, exciting girl who's stronger than they are. By their comics tastes ye shall know them! Tell me anybody's preference in story strips and I'll tell you his subconscious desires. These simple, highly imaginative picture stories satisfy longings that ordinary daily life thwarts and denies. Superman and the army of male comics characters who resemble him satisfy the simple desire to be stronger and more powerful than anybody else. Wonder Woman satisfies the subconscious, elaborately disguised desire of males to be mastered by a woman who loves them."

"Hold on" I interrupted. "That's nothing more than the reaction of a little boy to his mother. In this comic strip it must be the same childish feeling-a longing for a mother to protect them-and they'll probably get over it at adolescence."

"Ah, there's where you're wrong." The Doctor continued his pacing. "They don't get over it at any age. Normal men retain their childish longing for a woman to mother them. At adolescence a new desire is added. They want a girl to allure them. When you put these two together, you have the typical male yearning that Wonder Woman satisfies."

"Almost entirely based upon theory," I countered. "What if boys do like Wonder Woman they probably like strong men better. It's just the strength that fulfills their wishes. They like her despite the fact that she's a woman!"

Dr. Marston gave one of his rumbling whoops of laughter. "Theoretically you might be right. But factually you're quite wrong. A popularity survey was conducted recently among comics readers of all ages by the publisher who brings out Wonder Woman, Superman, and several other superpowerful story characters. Wonder Woman was the only female on the list, yet she corralled 80% of the votes. Even the publisher was surprised. But to a psychologist it's the ABC of subconscious wish fulfillment. The fact that both sexes are beginning to recognize the desire for the supremacy of strong and loving women is by far the most hopeful sign of the times."

"Suppose you're right," I said. "Suppose men do long for superwomen to take them over. And assume for the moment that these strong-arm babes are willing to undertake the job. What makes you think they can do it? Do you imagine that we females can develop muscles that big overnight?"

The big man ignores sarcasm when he has something to say that he considers important. "The one outstanding benefit to humanity from the first World War was the great increase in the strength of women-physical, economic, mental," he stated with conviction. "Women definitely emerged from a false, haremlike protection and began taking over men's work. Greatly to their own surprise they discovered that they were potentially as strong as men-in some ways stronger. Women have more emotional power than men, they have greater endurance and more resistance to disease they live longer, and they can endure pain far better. The moment women began doing things to develop their strength, it increased enormously.

With enthusiasm the psychologist expanded his thesis: "Women now fly heavy planes successfully, they help build planes, do mechanics' work. In England they've taken over a large share of all manual labor in fields and factories; they've taken over police and home defense duties. In China a corps of 200,000 women under the supreme command of Madame Chiang Kai-shek perform the dangerous function of saving lives and repairing damage after Japanese air raids. This huge female strong-arm squad is officered efficiently by 3,000 women. Here in this country we've started a Women's Auxiliary Army and Navy Corps that will do everything men soldiers and sailors do except the actual fighting. Prior to the first World War nobody believed that women could perform these feats of physical strength. But they're performing them now and thinking nothing of it. In this far worse war, women will develop still greater female power; by the end of the war that traditional description 'the weaker sex' will be a joke - it will cease to have any meaning."

"Your enthusiasm is a great build-up," I admitted. "I feel like Wonder Woman already. But when I leave your hypnotic presence I'll lose confidence in myself as most women do when they have to generate their own steam. They're used to regarding men as their superiors, and even if a gal is physically strong and able to earn her own living, she can't cave-woman the man she wants to control or buy him. Now, Wonder Woman has magic powers. You wouldn't claim, I suppose, that we ordinary mortals have any such fantastic weapons as bracelets that repel bullets or her magic lasso that compels whomever it binds to obey her commands?"

Seriously the Doctor responded, "Of course all women have those two powers. Wonder Woman is actually a dramatized symbol of her sex. She's true to life-true to the universal characteristics of women everywhere. Her magic lasso is merely a symbol of feminine charm, allure, oomph, attraction every woman man uses that power on people of both sexes whom she wants to, influence or control in any way. Instead of tossing a rope, the average woman tosses words, glances, gestures, laughter, and vivacious behavior. If her aim is accurate, she snares the attention of her would-be victim, man or woman, and proceeds to bind him or her with her charm."

"But the trouble is," I objected "that ordinary feminine charm is a bond that is easily broken."

The Doctor nodded. "You've a point there," he admitted. "But not a very sound - one. Woman's charm is the one bond that can be made strong enough to hold a man against all logic, common sense, or counterattack. The fact that many women fail to make strong enough lassos for themselves doesn't deprive the lasso material of its native magic. The only thing is, you have to use enough charm to overcome your captive's resistance."

"The chains that the Nazis forge on conquered people," I muttered, "seem a whole lot stronger than the bonds of personal charm!"

"Ah, they only seem that way," the oracle replied And he continued with an exposition of the upside-downness of popular thought. Chains of force are always broken sooner or later. No human being can put another's soul or spirit in bondage, only his body. And in the end the inner self triumphs over the outer; mind and personality win back their control over flesh. Nazi chains already are beginning to snap in "conquered" France, Holland, Belgium, Norway, Czechoslovakia, sabotage and killing of oppressors goes on increasingly. But the real turn of the tide will come when Hitler loses his persuasive charm control over the German people.

Dr. Marston reminded me that Hitler gained his initial power by stirring oratory and personal magnetism-the magic-lasso method-not by force. When he resorted to force in the famous beer cellar Putsch he failed miserably and spent a year in prison. Mussolini similarly achieved his dictatorship by the magic of his persuasive tongue, and now, when force and military ability are needed in place of persuasiveness and drama, Il Duce is on the skids. Churchill never won a military campaign in his life, prior to the present war, but his political oratory has always been outstanding and the power of his keen mind and prolific pen has been equaled by few modern writers. President Roosevelt has one of the most charming personalities in the world and be casts this magic lasso over the radio with unerring aim. Three times he has caught and bound with his charm a large majority of American voters. And the Doctor asks, "Can you doubt that Roosevelt's control over America is stronger than Hitler's over occupied France?"

"So men have magic lassos, then, as well as women," I remarked. "And your own verbal lariat seems to be roping me in today."

"But you mustn't let it hold you," he grinned. "Wonder Woman can break any rope or chain with which a mere man tries to bind her. She stays bound only as long as may be necessary to accomplish her good purpose-then tears off her man-made shackles and goes to work on the man!"

At this point I protested. "Women enjoy being bound by men; it's less work and more fun than keeping male captives secure. Girls like to get their man, then surrender to him."

"And what happens next?" prompted the psychologist. "The man loses interest completely. No man wants to be freed by the girl who has caught him and no man has the slightest interest in tying up a girl who holds out her hands to be bound. If he takes her as his property, that's a bad day for both of them. The man begins to use dominance, and that's acutely painful for the woman captive. Wonder Woman and her sister Amazons have to wear heavy bracelets to remind them of what happens to a girl when she lets a man conquer her. The Amazons once surrendered to the charm of some handsome Greeks and what a mess they got themselves into. The Greeks put them in chains of the Hitler type, beat them, and made them work like horses in the fields. Aphrodite, goddess of love, finally freed these unhappy girls. But she laid down the rule that they must never surrender to a man for any reason. I know of no better advice to give modern women than this rule that Aphrodite gave the Amazon girls."

Hastily the psychological giant added, "Of course, she may let the man think she's helpless. My Wonder Woman often lets herself be tied into a bundle with chains as big as your arm. But in the end she easily snaps the chains. Women can do lots of things by letting men think they're fettered when they're not."

"Oh, sure," I agreed. "Women do things like that constantly. Why, just this morning I got myself out of a strait jacket in Sing Sing prison. Then I tore out a section of the prison walls and jogged back to Child's in New York for a refreshing quaff of tea and toast. I often move our house about on the lot to catch the sun at its best, and-"

Dr. Marston's laughter reached apoplectic proportions and I was trying to remember if you give stimulants for red unconsciousness when he said with seeming irrelevance, "I tell you, my inquiring friend, there's great hope for this world. Women will win! Give them a little more time and the added strength they'll develop out of this war and they'll begin to control things in a serious way. When women rule, there won't be any more because the girls won't want to waste time killing men. They'd rather have them alive; it's more fun from a feminine point of view."

"In all seriousness," he continued, "I regard that as the greatest - no, even more - as the only hope for permanent peace. And as a psychologist I'm convinced that the ever-increasing counterparts of Wonder Woman in real life will lead the way. More power to them! Let them keep their Amazon chain bands polished. And their magic lassos limbered up! Women are nature-endowed soldiers of Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, and theirs is the only conquering army to which men will permanently submit - not only without resentment or resistance or secret desires for revenge, but also with positive willingness and joy!"

At which moment I took wing and flew over the housetops to my little nest to spread joy among all the lucky males I could rope in with my magic-lariat charm.

Family Circle, August 14, 1942

↑ Back to Top

Sources

The Primary Source for this article

• Wonder Woman: The Complete History by Les Daniels

Additional Sources

• Bryne, Oliver (under the name Olive Richard) "Our Women Are Our Future" Family Circle August 14, 1942
• Daniels, Les Wonder Woman: The Complete History (Chronicle Books, 2004)
  
• Jones, Gerald, Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters and the Birth of the Comic Book (New York: Basic Books, 2004)
• Marston, William Moulton, Emotions of Normal People (Taylor & Francis Ltd., 1999) [originally published 1928]

Additional Reading on Wonder Woman, Dr. Marston, Dr. Elizabeth Holloway Marston, and Oliver Bryne

I had already written and posted the original version of this article before the following books were published. Someday, I'd like to revise this article with the information in these books --- especially Jill Lapore's book which goes into far greater depth than the sources I used.

• Lepore, Jill The Secret History of Wonder Woman (Vintage; Reprint edition, 2015)
  The definative book on the subject.
• Langley, Travis (editor) Wonder Woman Psychology: Lassoing the Truth (Union Square & Co., 2017)
  This anthology of articles includes a fragment of an autobiographical sketch by Elizabeth Holloway Marston.
• Alder, Ken The Lie Detectors: The History of an American Obsession (Free Press, 2007)
  Dr. Marston is sometimes credited as being the father of the lie detector. The truth is more complicated than that. There were other contributors to what became the modern lie detector. This book explains the history.

↑ Back to Top

↑ Back to Top

↑ Back to Top

↑ Back to Top

Additional Articles by Ambrosio

• Eleven Short Tips for BDSM Novices
• Some Notes on Safety for Meeting Online and Off
• Meeting Someone Else into BDSM
• An Open Letter to a Novice Domme
• Perverted Vocabulary: a Glossary of Terms Used in BDSM
• Some Notes on Netiquette and 'Net Basics
• Marginalia on the Old Guard, Leather Traditions, and BDSM History
• Play Nice: Some Notes on Scene Etiquette and Leather Protocol
• A Proposed "Pansexual Protocol"
• BDSM Gone Bad: Reporting Non-Consensual "Play" and Rape to the APD

Additional articles by Ambrosio can be found under the "My Writings" heading on his About Me page.