Informaciones Psiquiátricas 2025 - nº 259 49 or less covert phenomenon. But there are currents in general psychology, including that known as “humanistic psychology” (19) by pioneers Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers, which aim to de-feminise this phenomenon. This, however, can sometimes imply a majority “gender psychopathology” (20). In this regard, so-called “continuous seduction” will be discussed at the end of the following subsection. More correctly, in contrast to the feminist ideological perspective, defeminisation should be understood as the biological process by which neuronal networks are hypothetically restructured in favour of a male brain organisation. Using functional MRI, defeminisation has indeed produced more activations in the left superior parietal lobe and medial occipital gyrus in the female sex (21). Endocrine disrupting chemicals can cause the demasculisation and feminisation of male fish (as is the case on the coast of the Basque Country, Spain), birds and mammals, as well as the defeminisation and masculisation of female fish, gastropods and birds. Different chemical disruptors interact by disrupting the hormonal balance and can cause feminisation or masculinisation of the body (22). In this regard, it is known that parental exposure to these disruptors may increase the risk of developing birth defects such as cryptorchidism (23). In patients with ambiguous genitalia, and especially when congenital anorchia or “missing testicle syndrome” is involved, erroneous and far-reaching decisions may be made about appropriate gender assignment (24,25). On the other hand, sexual arousal is a dynamic, highly coordinated neurophysiological process that is often induced by visual stimuli. Visual sexual stimuli evoke discernible patterns of brain activity in both men and women, probably reflecting stronger attentional engagement in the former (17). It had previously been suggested, on the contrary, that the neural circuits activated by sexual stimuli were independent of biological sex (26). The truth of the matter is that neuroimaging studies question the latter hypothesis and suggest differences in the underlying biology of neural activity in sexual arousal linked to sex and sexual orientation (27). There is little quality specialised literature on seduction and the associated romanticism, but popular literature abounds. Apart from the vulgarised concepts of stealth seduction or attraction, where the person’s style, fashion and body language matter so much, the much-publicised new concept of breadcrumbing refers to an affective interpersonal relationship that could be considered toxic and linked to virtual relationships. It basically consists of providing very limited attention or interest in the chosen person, without seeking or making any real commitment explicit. Gaslighting and orbiting, among other concepts, are also worth mentioning. The latter is when a person interrupts direct contact with someone close, but keeps them in their orbit. Similarly, so-called ghosting refers to the unilateral cessation of all communication with someone with whom one had some kind SEDUCTION: PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
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