Sex appeal

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Sex appeal , also sex appeal ( English sex appeal [ ˈsɛksəpiːl ], sexual charisma '), describes a sexually - erotic form of attractiveness of people.

Word origin

In the actual origin of the word, sex appeal is made up of the words sex and appeal. Both words are derived from Latin, with the original word appellare meaning 'to address'. The term, which was adopted from English, found its spread in Germany with increasing sexualization in the mass media ; the first evidence has been found since the middle of the 20th century.

Influencing factors

A clear, generally binding definition of the term and its effects is hardly possible, since sex appeal as well as attractiveness is based more on subjective perceptions than on objective facts.

Subjective perceptions

What makes one person sexy for another is individual - i. H. from person to person - extremely inconsistent and also depends on cultural and cultural-historical factors. So there are conventions in every culture that try to describe what sex appeal is. As general factors for sexual charisma - in addition to a well-proportioned body - above all characteristics such as self-confidence , a good body image, humor and communication skills can be named. Social-psychological attractiveness research has also found that people who look attractive are considered to be more sociable, dominant, sexually accessible, mentally healthier and more socially adept, even if this is objectively not the case and people with or without sex appeal often hardly differ from one another in terms of their other personality traits distinguish.

Physical attractiveness as the main criterion

Pamela Regan and Ellen Berscheid showed in a 1995 study that 90% of the men and women surveyed found that an attractive appearance was the main criterion for female sex appeal. For only 15%, female intelligence was important. But for 76% of those surveyed, male sex appeal is also based on external appearance. Clayson and Klassen (1989), Davis-Pyles, Conger and Conger (1990), Lamb, Jackson, Cassiday and Priest (1993) and other researchers have shown that slim, but not too thin, people are clearly preferred over more obese. Obese people were rated as the most sexually unattractive. In addition to body structure, according to Grammer and Thornhill (1994) and Jones and Hill (1993), symmetrical facial features increase sexual attractiveness, whereby according to Cunningham, Barbee and Pike (1986, 1990) faces that correspond to the child pattern are particularly popular.

Women's faces are perceived as attractive when they have dainty noses and protruding cheekbones.

Men's faces are considered attractive when the chin is angular and pronounced. This trait is associated with strength and a thirst for adventure. Other features include high cheekbones and an overall larger upper half of the face in relation to the lower.

In addition, a facial expression with a big smile and raised eyebrows make a person look more attractive.

Characteristics that increase sex appeal in heterosexuals

In Western cultures, men are considered sexy if they have traits such as: B. broad shoulders, narrow hips, a small, tight buttocks and a large body length. Scientific studies have shown that the " waist-hip ratio " ( English waist-to-hip ratio is WHR) with the sexiest men from 0.80 to 0.90. But even a man of high social status who has willpower, financial security, ambition and intellectual abilities is attractive to many Western women. He doesn't have to be pretty, but has charm and that so-called, not clearly defined “certain something”. Essential characteristics of this “certain something” are undoubtedly - especially in men - enthusiasm and drive.

Heterosexual men, on the other hand, look more at the physical attractiveness of women. In heterosexual women, qualities such as a pretty face and a well-proportioned body are considered sexually attractive. The ratio of waist to hips should be around 7 to 10 because this speaks for the woman's childbearing ability . This is in line with various scientific studies, according to which the waist-to-hip ratio with the greatest sex appeal in women is between 0.68 and 0.80. But women also have that “certain something”. According to Barbara Sichtermann, the erotic charisma described in this way is “a tone, an atmosphere, an 'appeal' as a definable attribute, and that is why it is so difficult to grasp as a source of power. And yet it is incredibly effective ”, for example when a girl with sex appeal silences a room full of people. It also matters whether the woman has her fertile days. At the time of ovulation , women are particularly attractive to men. The Viennese evolutionary psychologist Karl Grammer is of the opinion that the increased estrogen levels during ovulation cause women to move differently. Scientists from Jyväskylä University , on the other hand, came to the conclusion that men find the female body odor particularly attractive on ovulation day.

Cultural relativity of the ideal of beauty

How variable and ultimately arbitrary the characteristics that are considered to be characteristics of sex appeal is given by culture-specific fetishes such as eg. B. the lotus foot widespread in the Chinese Empire or the neck stretched with brass rings of the Padong Karen women in Thailand .

Social reception

The clear sexualization of media representations of personality traits is accompanied by advice on improving one's own sexual charisma. The advisors, including date trainers , use the subjective perception of sex appeal and try to satisfy the needs of the readers with distinctive keywords:

  • “Sexiness is an attitude, not an external characteristic. Just like true beauty, the sex appeal comes from within. ”Anyone who is happy, self-confident and at peace with themselves therefore automatically appears sexy.
  • “If we are satisfied with ourselves and our lives, we have every reason to show it. A radiant smile makes you extremely attractive. "
  • "Personal stress has a negative effect on sex appeal."

It is also emphasized that imitating well-known sex symbols cannot increase sex appeal, whereas a willingness to communicate and a slightly arrogant attitude can increase personal charisma. It is also claimed that people who exert a charismatic aura on others are also sexually more popular.

According to a representative study of singles and partners, which in 2009, together with the market research institute Innofact AG, surveyed around 2,000 singles and non-singles between the ages of 18 and 65, in addition to a self-confident demeanor and good manners, the hairstyle, the clothing and the way of doing things have an effect of the hallway and an appealing fragrance have a positive effect on sex appeal.

literature

  • Kate Botting, Douglas Botting: Sex appeal. The art and science of sexual attraction. St. Martins Press, 1996, ISBN 0-312-14412-1 .
  • Ansgar Rank, Dietlinde Rank: Sex appeal. Eroticism and sexuality from a bioenergetic point of view. Walter-Verlag, 1996, ISBN 3-530-30013-6 .
  • Laura Dahm : The representation of the human body in the media. GRIN Verlag 1999.
  • Mario Thomas Günther: Eman (n) zipiert? An empirical study on the connection between the image of men in the magazine “Men's Health” and the reality of the readers' lives. LIT, Münster 2000, ISBN 3-8258-4714-4 (Diss. University of Münster 1999).
  • Steven Heller: Sex appeal. The art of allure in graphic and advertising design. Allworth Press, 2000, ISBN 1-58115-048-2 .
  • Jürg Häusermann: Staged Charisma. Media and personality. Niemeyer 2001.
  • Rüdiger Lautmann: Sociology of Sexuality. Erotic body, intimate action and sexual culture. Weinheim / Munich 2002.
  • Irmgard Vogt: women's body. Pleasure and burden. Volume 2, DGVT-Verlag 2005.
  • John H. Harvey, Amy Wenzel, Susan Spokesperson: The Handbook of Sexuality in Close Relationships. Lawrence Earlbaum Associates 2004, chap. 5: Sex and Attraction Process.
  • Andreas Nawrocki: Sex appeal. That certain "something" that makes the seller more successful. In: Hans-Uwe L. Köhler (Ed.): Sex sells: Myth or Truth? Offenbach 2006.
  • Barbara Sichtermann: Puberty. Hardship and promise. Beltz Verlag 2007, chap. 5: The staging of femininity.
  • Gordon L. Pazer: Why Physically Attractive People are more Successful. The Scientific Explanation, Social Consequences, and Ethical Problems. Edwin Mellen Press 2007.
  • Doris Katheder: Images of girls in contemporary German youth magazines. Contributions to media education. VS, publishing house for social science. Wiesbaden 2008, ISBN 978-3-531-15940-9 (Dissertation University of Education Freiburg 2008, 347 pages).

Web links

Wiktionary: Sexappeal  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Elisabeth Klaus: Gender research in communication studies . LIT-Verlag, 2005.
  2. ↑ cf. Native language. Quarterly for the German language , Volume 76, 1966.
  3. ↑ See Rüdiger Lautmann: Sociology of Sexuality: Erotic Body, Intimate Action and Sexual Culture. Weinheim / Munich 2002, p. 59.
  4. ↑ Quoted in John H. Harvey, Amy Wenzel, Susan Spokesman: The Handbook of Sexuality in Close Relationships. Lawrence Earlbaum Associates 2004, chap. 5: Sex and Attraction Process. P. 123. See also Gordon L. Pazer: Why Physically Attractive People are more Successful: The Scientific Explanation, Social Consequences, and Ethical Problems. Edwin Mellen Press 2007, pp. 63-64.
  5. ↑ http://www.beautycheck.de/cmsms/index.php/merkmale-schoener-gesichter
  6. ↑ Quoted in Harvey, Wenzel, Sprecher, p. 124.
  7. ↑ See Mario Thomas Günther: Eman (n) zipiert? An empirical study on the connection between the image of men in the magazine 'Men's Health' and the reality of the readers' lives. LIT-Verlag, Münster 2000 (Diss. University of Münster 1999), p. 150.
  8. ↑ Furnham, Tan and McManus 1997; Henss 1995; Singh 1993, 1994, 1995
  9. ↑ Quoted in Harvey, Wenzel, Sprecher, p. 124.
  10. ↑ Cf. Jürg Häusermann: Staged Charisma. Media and personality. Niemeyer 2001.
  11. ↑ Women of normal weight "with a WHR of 0.7 were certified to have the highest sex appeal, health, fertility and attractiveness". Underweight women, on the other hand, were only certified as youthful. See Irmgard Vogt: Women-Body: Lust and Burden. Volume 2, DGVT-Verlag 2005, p. 100.
  12. ↑ Furnham, Tan and McManus 1997; Henss 1995; Singh 1993, 1994, 1995
  13. ↑ See Harvey, Wenzel, Sprecher, p. 124.
  14. ↑ Barbara Sichtermann: Puberty. Hardship and promise. Beltz Verlag 2007, chap. 5: The Staging of Femininity, pp. 101–102.
  15. ↑ Ovulation increases sex appeal. In: Focus , October 10, 2007.
  16. ↑ See Doris Katheder: Mädchenbilder in German youth magazines of the present. Contributions to media education . Dissertation University of Education Freiburg 2008, p. 163.
  17. ↑ Smiling creates sex appeal. In: Augsburger Allgemeine , February 18, 2010.
  18. ↑ Andreas Nawrocki: Sex appeal: That certain "something" that makes the seller more successful. In: Hans-Uwe L. Köhler (Ed.): Sex sells: Myth or Truth? Offenbach 2006, p. 267.
  19. ↑ See e.g. B. Peter Modler: The principle of arrogance . 9th edition, Frankfurt / M. 2011.
  20. ↑ See Stéphane Etrillard: Charisma. Simply arrive better. Junfermann, Paderborn 2010, ISBN 978-3-87387-762-7 .
  21. ↑ The study found that 51 percent of men find a woman with long hair extremely attractive, 33 percent attach great importance to stylish and elegant female clothing, and 29 percent think that an elegant female walk attracts attention. For 83 percent of women, polite men with good manners are sexually attractive, 73 percent stand in a self-assured manner, 53 percent like an elegant scent in men. See Augsburger Allgemeine , February 18, 2010.