scopophilia
Scopophilia, from Greek skopein "to look" and philos "loving," is a theoretical term in psychoanalysis for the pleasure derived from looking at erotic objects. In Freudian theory, it denotes one of the primary routes by which sexual arousal is experienced through visual observation. The phenomenon is most often discussed in relation to voyeurism, the desire to observe others without their knowledge, and to derive sexual satisfaction from watching. In clinical contexts, individuals who frequently engage in such looking may be described as exhibiting voyeuristic tendencies; voyeuristic disorder is diagnosed when the behavior causes distress, involves non-consenting persons, or impairs functioning.
In film and media studies, scopophilia describes the viewer's pleasure in looking at images and bodies on
Critics note that the term is controversial because it risks overgeneralization about sexuality and gender. In