Sexology of the Vaginal Orgasm by Karl F. Stifter Read Free Book Online

1980) Moreover, it can hardly be overlooked that there is a tendency to ascribe a higher status to taller peo- ple. A famous experiment in this context is the one carried out by Wilson in 1968. In various lectures that he gave in Australia he presented a Mr. England to the audience. Mr. England was presented to one group of students as a student from Cambridge, while to a different group he was presented as Professor England from Cambridge. After the alleged Mr. England left the room, the students were asked to guess his height. As it turned out, the students believed the professor to be ten centimeters taller.
Genes Don’t Explain it All
Human behavior cannot be explained by one single the- ory. On the one hand, we cannot simply slip out of our skin which we have acquired in a phylogeny extending over the millennia. On the other hand, it is precisely our ability to learn and the cultural possibilities of expression that have allowed us to become the homo “sapiens”, that is to say the “wise” being. We are certainly not just the puppets of our genes, but it would also be short-sighted to act as if no innate biological mechanisms acted as a driving force to successfully pass on our own genes. This perspective is seen by many as a narcissistic injury. Yet the fact remains that we are Mother Nature´s children, just as we are cultural beings. The preceding remarks on attractiveness have revealed innate behavioral patterns but at the same time they are not able to completely explain reality. They can only allude to tendencies which are, however, indispensable for our own understanding of eroticism. Charm, charisma and a certain magic that draws us into some people’s orbits will continue to evade models of ‘scientific explanation even in the future. Just as the unfathomable smile, the magic glow in someone’s eyes, a mesmerizing voice – and last not least the eternal mystery of love….
Gender-specific Attractiveness and its Effects
Physically attractive individuals are generally assessed more positively. This phenomenon is referred to as the stereo- type of attractiveness (Walster et al., 1966; Maiworm, 1993; p. 26)
It has, for instance, the effect of allowing more social intel- ligence and sociability. Moreover, it can be noted that a high- er degree of attractiveness in a person also has an impact on the assessment of his or her companion. A man with an attractive woman at his side is ascribed much more positive qualities than one with a less attractive woman. (Landy & Sigall, 1970)
As a result of the attractiveness stereotype people not only prefer to be seen together with so-called beautiful people, since they assume a more positive personality structure, but also because they are assessed more positively as a result of the interaction with them. (Adams, 1977; Maiworm, 1993; p. 28)
In their experiments Walster (et al., 1966) and Berscheid
& Walster (1974) have seen, as was to be expected, physi- cal attractiveness as a very important component of social desirability. It depends on the extent of physical stimuli whether a dating partner is liked and asked out again. Phy- sical attractiveness has a stronger influence on preference than intelligence, equal interests or similar personality qua- lities. Moreover, Dion (et al., 1972) assumes that attractive persons are more likely to respond to sexual stimuli. The future of attractive individuals is seen as being more suc- cessful, since these persons seem more competent and are generally thought to be healthier mentally. (Maiworm, 1993; pp. 26, 28)
In terms of cultural history, it could be more interesting for a man to be physically attractive, as the more socially independent women become, the more status may lose in value. However, this assumption has been disputed by Ame- rican studies. Physical attractiveness plays a more impor-
tant role in men’s selection of partners than it does in women. This is also illustrated by hard-core pornography whose target group