Sexual attraction

Lore & Background

Sexual attraction is a response to another person that depends on a combination of the person possessing certain traits and the criteria of the person who is attracted. Though attempts have been made to devise objective criteria, a person's sexual attractiveness is largely subjective, dependent on another person's interest, perception, and sexual orientation. For example, a gay or lesbian person typically finds a person of the same sex more attractive, while a bisexual person finds either sex attractive. Asexuality refers to those who do not experience sexual attraction for either sex, though they may have romantic attraction or a non-directed libido.

Reader's Guide

The concept of sexual attraction is significant because it underpins many social and biological interactions, from mate choice to advertising and media. The ovulatory shift hypothesis suggests that female humans exhibit different sexual behaviors at points in their menstrual cycle to attract high-quality mates during fertile times. The misattribution of arousal, demonstrated in experiments with fear-arousing bridges and anticipated shocks, shows how physiological arousal can be mistakenly attributed to a person, influencing attraction. Enhancement, both conscious and subconscious, is used to increase attractiveness, including altering appearance, body language, or engaging in flirting. Substances are also used as aphrodisiacs to enhance sexual pleasure and desire. The role of pheromones in human attraction is disputed but has some scientific basis, influencing hormone secretion. Overall, sexual attraction is a complex interplay of biological, psychological, and cultural factors, with no single objective measure.

Did You Know?

• Sexual attractiveness is largely a subjective measure dependent on another person's interest, perception, and sexual orientation.
• The misattribution of arousal suggests individuals can associate psychological symptoms like increased heart rate with the wrong cause, leading to sexual attraction.
• Pheromones influence gonadal hormone secretion, such as follicle maturation in ovaries and testosterone and sperm production in males.
• Enhancement can be conscious, like improving looks or showing off talents, or subconscious, like altering body language to appear more confident.