Why Women Have Sex (54 page)

sexual anxiety,
139

sexual arousal

anxiety and,
245–46

exercise and,
246–47

gender and differences in,
162–64
,
173

of genitals,
31–34
,
47

psychological,
xiv–xv

SNS activation and,
247–48

touch and,
29–31

sexual attraction,
1

body symmetry and,
7–8
,
10
,
17

to a certain “type” of person,
26–27

evolution-based hypotheses on,
2
,
7
,
11
,
13–14

facial features and,
12–16

fame/power and,
23–25

familiarity and,
3–5

fertility and,
9

height and,
10–11

high shoulder-to-hip ratio and,
11–12

kissing and,
68–69

to opposites/similars,
25–26
,
95

personality and,
19–23

physical movement and,
17–19

scents and,
5–8

voice pitch and,
16–17

sexual bartering,
167–70

implicit forms of,
180–83

in ongoing relationships,
186–87
,
189–90

prostitution (
see
prostitution
)

in traditional societies,
187–89

sexual bonding,
64–68
,
70–73

sexual coercion,
142
,
218–22

sexual compatability,
155–57

sexual competition

celebrity media coverage and,
81

conquest and,
87–89

evolution-based hypotheses on,
79–80
,
85

for high-status partners,
91–92

jealousy and,
xvii–xviii
,
99
,
104

for long-term mates,
89–91
,
93

mate poaching and,
92–97

ovulation cycles and,
83–85

physical appearance and,
81–83
,
96–97

sexual reputation and,
85–87

on television shows,
78–79

sexual conflict theory,
212–14

sexual deception,
212–18

sexual desire

during and after pregnancy,
126–29

factors in diminishment of,
123–26

gender differences in,
121–23

in long-term relationships,
117–21
,
133–34
,
136–39
,
162

neutrality and,
143–44

partner’ sexual skills and,
132–33

peak in women,
159

prescription drugs and,
129–30

and psychological fusion in lesbian couples,
134–35

psychological turnoffs and,
131–32
,
135

testosterone and,
124–26
,
127
,
253

sexual double standards,
86–87

sexual economics

gender and,
171–73

within marriage,
187
,
189–90

See also
sexual bartering

sexual economy of prostitution,
173–75
,
176

sexual enslavement/trafficking,
175–76

sexual fantasies,
123
,
172
,
206–7
,
208
,
233–34

sexual fidelity,
104
,
109
,
165

sexual functioning

after rape,
222
,
227

body image and,
195–96

depression and,
250–51

sexual infidelity,
7
,
8
,
11
,
114–16
,
165

sexual intercourse

to achieve a sense of power,
204–7

to burn calories,
256–57

curiosity and,
152–55

depression and,
251–56

emotional connection and,
51
,
64–68
,
201–2
,
214–15
,
254–56

to feel attractive,
193
,
194–95

to gain social acceptance,
198–200
,
261

health benefits of,
236–39
,
257–60

to improve sexual skills,
157–61

love and,
60–64
,
65

nonconsensual (
see
rape
;
sexual abuse
)

out of sympathy,
139–41
,
206

for pleasure,
28–29
,
30

premarital,
147–48
,
149–50

as a relationship screening test,
155–57

to relieve loneliness,
xxi
,
254–56

to relieve menstrual cramps,
239–40

for revenge,
97–98

self-esteem and,
xxi
,
100–101
,
192–93
,
202–4

as a sleep aid,
244–45

as a stress reliever,
241–43
,
262

unwanted (
see
unwanted sexual intercourse
)

sexual jealousy.
See
jealousy

sexual neutrality,
143–44

sexual orientation,
132

sexual overperception bias,
172

sexual pleasure

after hysterectomy,
34–35

communication about,
43–44

G-spot stimulation and,
35

guilt about,
45
,
46
,
74

orgasm and (
see
orgasm
)

penetration and,
34

touch and,
29–31

Sexual Pleasure in Marriage
,
138–39

sexual reputation,
85–87

sexual revictimization,
223–24

sexual selection,
xvi
,
81–83

sexual selflessness,
49

sexual submission,
207–10

sexual variety,
164–66
,
172

sexuality

body image and,
193–95

cultural expectations about,
45–46

evolution-based hypotheses on,
171–73

religion and,
73–75

self-esteem and,
191–92

sexy-son hypothesis,
25

Shakespeare, William

Othello
,
103

Romeo and Juliet
,
1
,
51

Sharanahua,
170
,
188

She Came in Through the Bathroom Window
,
92

Shiva,
50

shopping,
84

shoulder-to-hip ratio,
11–12

similarity, sexual attraction and,
25–26
,
95

Simpson, Jessica,
89

Singapore,
176

Siriono,
187–88

Siskind, Janet,
170

Skene’s gland,
36

skin,
29

slavery, sexual,
175–76

smell, sense of,
5–8

Smith, Will,
69

Smuts, Barbara,
232

SNS.
See
sympathetic nervous system (SNS)

social esteem,
197–200

social reputation,
xvi–xvii

Somalia,
176

spectatoring,
241

sperm,
47–48
,
171

sperm donors,
10
,
171

Spitzer, Eliot,
177

spontaneous orgasms,
42

spouse abuse,
114

Sprecher, Susan,
58

SSRIs.
See
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)

status orgasmus,
39

Sternberg, Robert,
51
,
54

Stewart, Jon,
22

Stewart, Rod,
148

stress

depression and,
249–50

sexual intercourse to relieve,
241–43
,
262