Sexual attraction

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In a species that reproduces sexually, sexual attraction is an attraction to other members of the same species for sexual or erotic activity. This type of attraction often occurs amongst individuals of a sexually-reproducing species, although in many species it serves no immediate reproductive goal – indeed, some sexual behavior among primates is undertaken as a social activity.

Common elements of sexual attraction in humans

Certain aspects of what is sexually attractive to humans may differ amongst particular cultures or regions. Influencing factors may be determined more locally among sub-cultures or simply by the preferences of the individual. These preferences come about as a result of a complex variety of genetic, psychological, and cultural factors. The sexual attraction of one person to another depends on both people.

Much of human sexual attractiveness is governed by physical attractiveness. This involves the impact one's appearance has on the senses, especially in the beginning of a relationship:

Visual perception (how the other looks and acts);
Olfaction (how the other smells, naturally or artificially; the wrong smell may be repellent);
Audition (how the other's voice and/or movements sound).

As with other animals, pheromones may also enter into the picture, though less significantly. Theoretically, the "wrong" pheromone may cause someone to be disliked, even when they would otherwise appear attractive. Frequently a pleasant smelling perfume is used to encourage the member of the opposite sex to more deeply inhale the air surrounding its wearer^{[citation
needed]}, increasing the probability that the pheromones from the individual will also be inhaled. The importance of pheromones in human relationships is probably limited and is widely disputed,^[1] although it appears to have some scientific basis.^[2]