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attractiveness plays such a significant, multi-faceted role, thus meriting a detailed analysis in a separate chapter. Related detailed knowledge is indispensable since biologi- cal influences on our behavior are met with a lot of resis- tance in terms of world view. There is profound suspicion when it comes to using innate behavior as an excuse for role clichés. By way of illustration and elucidation I would like
to cite the science journalist Nuber: “If the ability of a woman to reach orgasm is not just dependent on the man’s sexual intuitive power but also on the quality of his genet- ic makeup, then he doesn’t have to worry about it when she cannot come. And if female orgasm has nothing to do with love, then he doesn’t have to have any doubts about her feelings when she doesn’t experience one.” (Nuber, 1996; p. 28)

2.
The Basic Features of Erotic Attraction
     

     
Darwin (1874) was impressed by the various notions and preferences held by different cultures for beauty: “ It is certainly not true that there is in the mind of man any universal standard of beauty with respect to the human body ” (cited in: Grammer, 1974)
     
If Darwin is right, and there are no general criteria for asses- sing beauty, then beauty lies wholly in the eyes of the behol- der. Aesthetics would then be a matter of individual taste. One of the few cultural-comparative studies contradicts this hypothesis. Morse (et al. 1978) conducted assessments of attractiveness in the U.S.A. and in South Africa. Both of the cultural circles studied showed a high degree of concor- dance in assessing the attractiveness of people. Apparent- ly, within a given culture men and women used the same standards to describe physical attractiveness (Grammer, 1994; p. 151).
     
One of the first studies on this subject carried out by Iliffe (1960) speaks in favour of assuming a general notion of beau- ty. Under the motto “Who is the most beautiful in all the land?” he had the readers of an English journal assess twelve pictures of young women. He obtained 4,355 answers and concluded that one and the same portrait of a woman was deemed the most beautiful in different parts of the country and by individuals from different professional groups. There is thus a general understanding of beauty, at least with regard to faces. The existence of such a general notion of beauty has been confirmed by Henss (1987 and 1988) (Grammer, 1994; p. 150). Beauty is universal and interna-
tional. It makes an impression regardless of race, ethnic group or skin color.
     
As soon as physical attractiveness plays a role in a couple finding each other, the laws of the “free marriage market” come to bear. One’s own value on this market depends not only on self-assessment but also on the assessment of others. It is only possible to be assessed by others when there is a standard of attractiveness shared by others within a popu- lation. The high concordance found by men when it comes to assessing women can be explained by the fact that men obviously use these general criteria of selection for orienta- tion. This, of course, automatically results in a competition for women considered desirable.
     
Henss (1991) has divided the assessment of attractiveness in three criteria. He ascertained that men and women use the same standards in assessing beauty, sexual attraction and sympathy. Those who were seen as being attractive are also those who are regarded as beautiful and sexually desirable. According to Henss, these findings confirm the conventio- nal stereotype of attractiveness. Whoever is beautiful is also considered to be nice. By contrast, whoever is seen as ugly and unerotic, is neither nice. (Grammer, 1994; p. 151)
     
The Female Face
In assessing female attractiveness the face plays a crucial role. No one would dispute this fact. But is there a precise formula for a beautiful face? How does one explain that in all cultures there is a consensus on whether these features are