Intimate Science

Evolutionary theory tells us that female mammals are sexually aroused by signs that the male carries healthy sperm and the wherewithal to defend offspring that he thinks are his own. These gene-defending archetypes are destined to reproduce, and to reproduce through a number of females. They evoke a sexual response in female humans, regardless of the female's better sense.

As you will see in the following case example, psychology does not have to be dry. Theory comes to life through it's intimate connection to our everyday and especially our not-so-everyday experiences.

In the interest of science, I can speak from personal experience. I was recently talked into visiting a drinking establishment, in other words, a bar, by a well-meaning friend who recognized in me a need to take a break from my demanding, self-imposed schedule and engage in social activity that included music and possibly the attention of males.

As my friend and I sat in the shadowy periphery of the bar, the approach of a male who corresponded to one of these sperm-defending archetypes aroused in me a hot rush of sensation that completely took me aback. Perhaps it was the contrast from my routine that made this experience so potent, but I even noticed that, during our intercourse, I should say, given the context to which I am referring, conversation, I spontaneously evinced a number of gestures and postures that indicated receptivity to this male's interest in me. As soon as I consciously modified such a gesture, I would find myself in another one.

Interestingly, this male was not of my social class, and fit what some women refer to as the "bad boy" type. He had a boyish ruggedness and a certain pluck that suggested he could be quite spontaneous, to say the least. The warm colors of the bar complimented his indigenous American skin tones. My struggle to control my impulses had resulted in difficulty speaking in an articulate manner, so I decided that engaging in the social custom of drinking would reduce my defenses sufficiently to allow an easier flow of conversation, and perhaps dull my genius level of intelligence so that he would not be intimidated.

Initially, this worked quite well. I made numerous comments that were nonessential and contributed to an atmosphere of frivolity and conviviality. I was surprised to discover that my sense of smell greatly increased. I realize now that it had been suppressed. Perhaps the evolutionary imperative to mate holds a key to activation of olfactory perception. Perhaps this explains why the warm scent of this hard-working, burley male came to the foreground.

Unfortunately, having led a somewhat narrow existence as a researcher, I experienced the effect of my alcoholic beverages rather rapidly, before my ability to recognize signs of intoxication could invoke my better judgement. I later wondered if, perhaps, my subconscious mind could have had such prescience that it orchestrated my request that my friend be the "designated driver" for this occasion.

In any case, I so completely devolved to a more earthy, organic, body-focused sub-self, that I took to the dance floor and carried on with little sense of the passage of time. In retrospect, I even wondered if perhaps I had a sensitivity to one or more of the components of the beverages, lured by the variety of tastes and colors and the way the lights and silhouettes of the dancers played on the glass. Even the way he glanced at my hand gripping a tall, frothy beer glass played into the expanding erotic fullness of the evening for some reason. 

My memories of the ride to his trailer, his use of cowboy poetry to augment the hypnotic effects of the drinks, of coffee to counter their sedative effects, his candles and their evocative shimmering, stirring my mood, all return to mind as a dreamy stream of light, movement, and timelessness. His generous lips, glinting eyes, and long, black pony tail all seemed orchestrated to create a magnetic resonance image of my every curve, corner and point as they swept across my awareness.

The genetic impetus behind all this was evident when I eagerly succumbed to his gentle, yet overpowering, desire to take me into an unfamiliar pose and, having penetrated my defenses so skillfully, induced in me a state of arousal that no colleague had ever approached. I would almost call it a religious experience, perhaps even an ancient one, as my voice lilted and drifted as though from some prehistoric flight-enabled creature spreading its wings, and careening over the mists of warm, wet Cretaceous rainforest. A guttural demand welled up from somewhere inside me. "Come up, come here, I want it NOW!" And he obeyed with a swift sureness that pushed me across a threshold, into an instinctive, snake-like vigor that broke two of my nails. 

I mention this in passing, not only because the personal significance of evolutionary psychology renders it more meaningful, but also because it led to another, even more personal and less professional, discovery that had an impact on our research on the disciples of a unique religious cult.