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Object of desire self-consciousness theory
Anthony F Bogaert1, Lori A Brotto
1a Brock University , St. Catharines , Ontario , Canada.
Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy
|August 3, 2013
Summary
Feeling romantically and sexually desirable, or object of desire self-consciousness, may be an evolved psychological mechanism. This trait influences romantic and sexual functioning, particularly in heterosexual women.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Evolutionary Psychology
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Object of desire self-consciousness involves the perception of being romantically and sexually attractive to others.
- This construct may be integrated into self-schemas or scripts governing romance and sexuality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the nature and expression of object of desire self-consciousness.
- To examine its potential adaptive functions as an evolved psychological mechanism.
- To investigate its role in romantic and sexual functioning, especially in heterosexual women.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis and literature review.
- Examination of existing research on fantasies, sexual preferences, sexual dysfunctions, and language use.
- Theoretical integration of object of desire self-consciousness within evolutionary and social psychology frameworks.
Main Results:
- Object of desire self-consciousness may function as an adaptive mechanism influencing mate value signaling and sexual/romantic strategies.
- Evidence from various domains suggests a significant role for this construct in heterosexual women's sexual and romantic lives.
Conclusions:
- Object of desire self-consciousness is a potentially adaptive psychological trait with implications for mating strategies.
- This construct appears particularly salient for understanding the sexual and romantic experiences of heterosexual women.
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