Sexual Attraction

Sexual Attraction explores different sides of mutual attraction between the sexes, especially why individuals are attracted to some people and not others who may themselves be generally well liked. This book also considers how sexual attraction is communicated to both people in a social encounter and argues that there is a strong but often disregarded prejudice against those who are physically unattractive. This monograph is comprised of eight chapters and opens with a discussion on sexual arousal in humans and its parallels with animal (particularly primate) behavior. The next chapter examines the process whereby we come to see others as beautiful and (sometimes) sexually desirable and how even very young children come to value looks. Examples of the privileges that the physically attractive are likely to enjoy in the classroom and the courtroom are given. The following chapters analyze the idea that we may not always make very accurate judgments about each other in relation to sexual behavior; popular misconceptions about personality and sexual behavior; how people behave towards each other during longer interaction sequences such as courtship and seduction; and the role of personality and behavior in attraction. The final chapter considers how physical attractiveness might be separated in people's minds from sexual attractiveness and social success. This text will be of interest to sociologists and psychologists.