Sexual motivations: A critical review

SummaryThis article provides a critical review of the scientific literature on sexual motivations. The results from the literature concerning the plurality of sexual motivations and determinants are first presented. The individual/interindividual and social importance of this object is then emphasized. In the second part are discussed the limitations of the current researches. Some, already addressed elsewhere, concern the design of the works and their reference samples. Others not discussed so far, refer to the statistical models used. The impacts that may result from such data processing on the production of scientific knowledge about sexual motivations are questioned. Research perspectives emerged which will now consider the sexual motivations in a systemic perspective.