Psychology of sex - Total No. of Records in System :: 2032

THE BIOLOGY OF SEXcinema to gaze in a state of sexual excitement at an adoredhero,perhaps living thousands of miles away, whom inreal life they will never see.An important secondary appeal to vision associated withmovement is that which takes the form of dancing. Herewe have what Sadger has called muscle erotism, and Healydescribes as muscle and joint pleasure combined with"skin erotism." In dancing there is spectacle combinedwith muscular action, each becoming under some conditionsa sexual stimulus, and the spectacle sometimes moreso than the exercise. Among many savage races dancing isoften a highly important method of sexual selection, theskilful and athletic dancers rightly warranting femininechoice. The question of the wholesome or unwholesomeinfluence of dancing in civilization has sometimes beendebated. Some years ago, Brill investigated this point inNew York, among 342 men and women (friends, patients,and others whose answers could be relied on) enthusiasts,for the "new" dances, about two-thirds of them men andone-third women. He sent out these questions: (i)Dothe newyou ever become sexually excited when dancingdances? (2)Do you become excited when watchingthem? (3)Do you have the same experiences dancing orwatchingthe old dances?To the first question 14 men and 8 women repliedyes; to the second 16 men and 29 women; to the third 11men and 6 women. Those who said "yes" to the secondquestion included all who replied similarly to the firstand third. Relatively to the total number there is a veryslight excess of affirmative answers among the women;all of this group were known to Brill and regarded byhim as sexually hyperesthetic. The great majority assertthat they are merely conscious of a sense of exhilarationand well-being. The question whether the "new" dances[75]