Within academic circles, dominance and submission is, in turns, conceptualised either as highly stable individual characteristics (temperament, character, genetics) or as highly dynamic properties of situations (relationship dynamics, trauma, life circumstances)(Burgoon and Dunbar 2000). In many of these characteristics, one or both of the character traits have been presented with a more negative slant; the analysis often leading to presenting the dominant as lacking social boundaries and the submissive as lacking personal strength (Orford 1986). Though there have been attempts at presenting a more balanced view the temptation of polarisation still persists.
