How Do You Walk?
This video on the Live Science website is quite interesting from the perspective of visual perception. What do we perceive about a person from a distance? How do we see the movements a body makes, and how does that determine our behavioral responses even before we can see a face or hear a voice?
The study, published in Current Biology, found that moving masculine figures were perceived as coming toward the observer, while feminine figures were perceived as heading away. The researchers posit that the difference might have been evolutionarily beneficial since men are more often perceived as threatening. Whether or not they are actually coming at you it might be a good idea to be subconsciously ready to run.
Another study, published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, found that people trained in the field of sexology were able to determine a woman’s vaginal orgasmic history simply by watching her walk. It seems like a vague and subjective measure to me, but then again maybe visual cues like gait cannot only inform an observer about threats, but also the reproductive status of potential mates, when olfactory or other cues are unavailable.
The studies together lead me to ponder how changes in a woman’s fertility throughout her cycle might affect the way she walks on a day to day or week to week basis. Might some shoes be better suited for a particular phase? Are stilettos functionally designed to enhance the most fertile, receptive period? Or, do they help a woman fake her fertility? Is there a reason that I love my sneakers some days more than others?
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Dr. Kiki – “Vaginal Orgasmic History” – sounds the name of a great uni class (or Rock band :). But really, what does that mean? Last Thursday, “YES!”. Last Tuesday, “no, she was faking it”.
Interesting, anyway, though very strange.
btw, I am walking toward you now.