Editing Sexual attraction (section)

{{short description|Attraction on the basis of sexual desire}}
{{about|sexual attraction among humans|sexual attraction among other animals|Animal sexual behaviour}}
{{redirect|Sex appeal|other uses|Sex Appeal (disambiguation){{!}}Sex Appeal}}
{{pp-semi-indef|small=yes}}
{{use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
[[File:Eugen de Blaas The Flirtation.jpg|thumb|right|250px|''The Flirtation'' (1904), by [[Eugene de Blaas]]]]
'''Sexual attraction''' is [[interpersonal attraction|attraction]] on the basis of [[sexual desire]] or the quality of arousing such interest.<ref name="Sexual attraction">{{cite web|title=Sexual attraction|publisher=[[TheFreeDictionary.com]]|access-date=December 16, 2011|url=http://www.thefreedictionary.com/sexual+attraction|archive-date=March 31, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331224102/http://www.thefreedictionary.com/sexual+attraction|url-status=live}}</ref> '''Sexual attractiveness''' or '''sex appeal''' is an individual's ability to attract other people sexually, and is a factor in [[sexual selection]] or [[mate choice]]. The attraction can be to the [[physical attraction|physical]] or other qualities or traits of a person, or to such qualities in the context where they appear. The attraction may be to a person's [[aesthetics]], movements, voice, among other things. The attraction may be enhanced by a person's [[body odor and sexual attraction|body odor]], [[human sex pheromones|sex pheromones]], adornments, clothing, perfume or [[hair style]]. It can be influenced by individual [[Genetics|genetic]], [[psychological]], or cultural factors, or to other, more amorphous qualities. Sexual attraction is also a response to another person that depends on a combination of the person possessing the traits and on the criteria of the person who is attracted.

Though attempts have been made to devise objective criteria of sexual attractiveness and measure it as [[Individual capital|one of several bodily forms]] of [[capital asset]] (e.g. [[erotic capital]]), a person's sexual attractiveness is to a large extent a subjective measure dependent on another person's interest, perception, and [[sexual orientation]]. For example, a [[Homosexuality|gay or lesbian person]] would typically find a person of the same sex to be more attractive than one of the other sex. A [[bisexuality|bisexual person]] would find either sex to be attractive. [[Asexuality]] refers to those who do not experience sexual attraction for either sex, though they may have [[Romantic orientation|romantic attraction]] or a non-directed libido.<ref name=asexualityarchive>{{cite web|title=Things That Are Not Asexuality|url=http://www.asexualityarchive.com/things-that-are-not-asexuality/|website=Asexuality Archive|date=2012-05-27|access-date=2015-12-16|archive-date=2019-04-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190421095539/http://www.asexualityarchive.com/things-that-are-not-asexuality/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Interpersonal attraction]] includes factors such as [[propinquity|physical or psychological similarity]], [[Intimate relationship#Intimacy|familiarity]] or possessing a preponderance of [[Koinophilia#Physical attractiveness|common or familiar features]], [[similarity (psychology)|similarity]], [[Interpersonal compatibility|complementarity]], [[reciprocal liking]], and [[reinforcement]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Miller|first1=Rowland S.|last2=Perlman|first2=Daniel|last3=Brehm|first3=Sharon S.|title=Intimate Relationships|edition=4th|publisher=McGraw-Hill|year=2007|isbn=9780072938012}}{{page needed|date=December 2012}}</ref>

The ability of a person's physical and other qualities to create a sexual interest in others is the basis of their use in [[sex in advertising|advertising]], [[Sex in film|film]], and other visual media, as well as in [[Model (person)|modeling]] and other occupations. In evolutionary terms, the [[ovulatory shift hypothesis]] posits that female humans exhibit different sexual behaviours and desires at points in their [[menstrual cycle]], as a means to ensure that they attract a high quality mate to copulate with during their most [[Fertile window|fertile]] time. Hormone levels throughout the menstrual cycle affect a woman's overt behaviours, influencing the way a woman presents herself to others during stages of her menstrual cycle, in an attempt to attract high quality mates the closer the woman is to [[ovulation]].<ref name="Pillsworth">{{cite journal|last1=Pillsworth|first1=Elizabeth G.|last2=Haselton|first2=Martie G.|last3=Buss|first3=David M.|title=Ovulatory Shifts in Female Sexual Desire|journal=Journal of Sex Research|date=February 2004|volume=41|issue=1|pages=55–65|doi=10.1080/00224490409552213|pmid=15216424|s2cid=26680290|url=http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/comm/haselton/papers/downloads/ovulatoryshifts.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120710082800/http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/comm/haselton/papers/downloads/ovulatoryshifts.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 10, 2012}}</ref>