ABSTRACT
Desire is a ubiquitous human psychological state that can influence many aspects of people’s lives. Desires reflect what people crave and long for and can be based on physiological needs (e.g., hunger, thirst, rest, sex) as well as psychosocial needs (e.g., power, social connection). Desire is a profoundly emotional experience that has the power to shape our thoughts and drive our behaviour. In this chapter, we first provide a general overview of the meaning of desire, drawing upon classic perspectives. Most of the chapter, however, is focused on a commonly researched desire, namely, sexual desire. We review conceptualizations and measurement of sexual desire. Then, because sexual desire is experienced subjectively by the individual, and can vary both within and across individuals, we discuss how sexual desire can be impacted by personal characteristics (e.g., age, gender, health) and the social-environmental contexts (e.g., gender norms, cultural sexual permissiveness/restrictedness) in which individuals are embedded. Because individuals often experience sexual desire within a relational context, we then synthesize the growing and emergent study of sexual desire experienced for the romantic partner. More specifically, we describe the association between sexual desire and significant relationship experiences and properties (e.g., love, satisfaction, responsiveness). Additionally, we summarize recent studies that have used novel methodologies to explore desire, including the inevitable desire discrepancies in ongoing relationships (e.g., daily diaries), as well as identify effective strategies for couples to promote sexual desire.
