# Breast Fixation **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 31, 2012, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-fixation/629989 "2012-07-31T20:30:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bschmitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/53a042/32.png) [@bschmitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bschmitty)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-fixation/629989/1 "2012-07-31T20:30:06Z")
Just curious. males who were breast fed males who were not breast fed was there ever a poll on which group had a stronger fixation on womens breast? ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-fixation/629989/2 "2012-07-31T20:42:50Z")
mmmmm boobies. ---
**Author:** ![IceQube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@IceQube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IceQube)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-fixation/629989/3 "2012-07-31T20:44:26Z")
I’m trying to imagine the poll question. Would the question be binary (yes/no) or what? ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-fixation/629989/4 "2012-07-31T20:45:02Z")
> [@bschmitty](#): > > Just curious. > males who were breast fed > males who were not breast fed > > was there ever a poll on which group had a stronger > fixation on womens breast? Yes, the groups with the highest fixation were straight men followed by gay women. Seriously though, all men are fixated on breasts. That’s the reason why the damn things _exist_. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-fixation/629989/5 "2012-07-31T20:49:09Z")
> [@IceQube](#): > > I’m trying to imagine the poll question. Would the question be binary (yes/no) or what? I’d recommend eye-focus tracking. The test subject sits comfortably, and watches slides being projected. (“Slides?” “Projected?” Okay, I’m old fashioned.) Pictures of birds, and fools, and occasionally, breasts. You’d measure how long the subject focused on the images, and the exact spot of his focus. If different groups focused differently, voila, you’ve got a scientific paper. If not, you still have a paper, but only announcing the null hypothesis. Not a headliner. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-fixation/629989/6 "2012-07-31T20:52:03Z")
They exist because we’re milk-producing mammals which our offspring relied on for hundreds of thousands of years to gain nourishment while in infancy. As to the sexual fixation, I havo no idea; I just know that they’re awesome. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-fixation/629989/7 "2012-07-31T20:52:46Z")
I was not breast fed, but I don’t see how i could be any more fixated on them than I am. I doubt whether it makes any difference, although it might for boys who were breast fed by idiot mothers until they wer 7 or 8 years old. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-fixation/629989/8 "2012-07-31T20:55:20Z")
> [@IceQube](#): > > I’m trying to imagine the poll question. Would the question be binary (yes/no) or what? yes/yes/no/no ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-fixation/629989/9 "2012-07-31T20:59:36Z")
( o )( o ) :o ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-fixation/629989/10 "2012-07-31T21:01:34Z")
> [@Blake](#): > > That’s the reason why the damn things _exist_. Breasts are like toy trains. They’re supposed to be for children but it’s grown men who most want to play with them. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-fixation/629989/11 "2012-07-31T21:11:36Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > They exist because we’re milk-producing mammals which our offspring relied on for hundreds of thousands of years to gain nourishment while in infancy. > > As to the sexual fixation, I havo no idea; I just know that they’re awesome. Mammary glands exist for the reason you cite. But a breast is a lot more than just the mammary gland and it’s a lot bigger than needed to fulfill the milk-producing function. You don’t see any other primates with enlarged breasts, and not many mammals of any type. As for the OP’s question: I have a hard time believing that breast-feeding an infant will change their adult response towards breasts. They don’t remember it unless you’re one of those people who breast feeds for many years. If there was an effect, I would suggest some kind of correlation rather than causation. (For example, breast feeding is probably an indicator of a culture or a parenting style that would affect a kid throughout their upbringing.) Still, if you get the funding, I’ll happily volunteer. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-fixation/629989/12 "2012-07-31T21:15:49Z")
> [@KlondikeGeoff](#): > > I was not breast fed, but I don’t see how i could be any more fixated on them than I am. Same here. I think it’s fair to say they have ruined my life. But in a good way. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-fixation/629989/13 "2012-07-31T21:17:00Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > They exist because we’re milk-producing mammals which our offspring relied on for hundreds of thousands of years to gain nourishment while in infancy. Obviously wrong. There are thousands of species of mammals. All have offspring that rely on milk to gain nourishment while in infancy. Only one species has breasts. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-fixation/629989/14 "2012-07-31T21:27:07Z")
> [@bschmitty](#): > > was there ever a poll on which group had a stronger > fixation on womens breast? I’m very surprised to learn that there’s been artificial milk since **18** 67. > [@Blake](#): > > Only one species has breasts. Only if you call all the others udders. Are you seriously denying that other primates don’t have breasts? ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-fixation/629989/15 "2012-07-31T21:32:09Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Only if you call all the others udders. Are you seriously denying that other primates don’t have breasts? How about this: their \*shape \*is the way it is in humans to attract men. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-fixation/629989/16 "2012-07-31T22:02:13Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Only if you call all the others udders. Are you seriously denying that other primates don’t have breasts? Other primates do not have breasts. Other species may have some degree of temporary swelling in the region of the nipples due to increase in glandular tissue, but that is not a breast. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-fixation/629989/17 "2012-07-31T22:31:03Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Breasts are like toy trains. They’re supposed to be for children but it’s grown men who most want to play with them. +2 ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-fixation/629989/18 "2012-07-31T22:39:59Z")
> [@Blake](#): > > Seriously though, all men are fixated on breasts. That’s the reason why the damn things _exist_. I’ve seen it suggested that the shape of the breast makes it easier for us to breast-feed without making it very difficult for babies to breathe through their noses. I don’t know how well-supported that really is, but it seems plausible to me (a decided non-specialist). On the other hand, it doesn’t explain why breasts only appear at sexual maturity. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-fixation/629989/19 "2012-07-31T22:41:04Z")
> [@Blake](#): > > Obviously wrong. > > There are thousands of species of mammals. > All have offspring that rely on milk to gain nourishment while in infancy. > Only one species has breasts. According to [Wikipedia,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breast#Reproduction) humans are the only primates who retain breasts _before/after pregnancy._ they still have (or can have) breasts. I found the suggestion of its secondary sexual characteristics interesting: > [@wikipedia](#): > > **Reproduction** > In considering the human animal, zoologists proposed that the human female is the only primate that possesses permanent, full-form breasts when not pregnant. Other mammal females develop full breasts only when pregnant. The zoologist Desmond Morris proposed that the rounded shape of a woman’s breasts evolved as frontal, secondary sex characteristic that is a sexual-attraction counterpart to the buttocks, and so encouraged frontal copulation, the reason being that while other primates mate by means of the rear-entry position, the upright, bipedal human being was likelier to successfully copulate face to face in the missionary position. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-fixation/629989/20 "2012-07-31T22:50:00Z")
So basically, women grow a butt on their chests because of this whole straightened spine, upright walking thing. Ladies, you’re welcome. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-fixation/629989.md?page=2)