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Exhibitionism is a psychosexual disorder which, according to DSM-III , has the following diagnostic criteria: “Repetitive acts of exposing the genitals to an unsuspecting stranger for the purpose of achieving sexual excitement, with no attempt at further sexual activity with the stranger” (p. 272). This disorder has been investigated from various theoretical standpoints: biological, psychodynamic, and social (Petri, 1969; Jerotic, 1971). Results of these investigations have had an influence on therapy. It should be emphasized that exhibitionism, according to DSM-III, is a disorder which “apparently occurs only in males” (Petri, 1969; Jerotic, 1971). Cases of female exhibitionism are rarely seen, mostly in mentally retarded or schizophrenic patients (Petri, 1969).
The essential conflict in exhibitionism is castration anxiety (Fenichel, 1945, pp. 345-346). Exhibitionism is closely connected with voyeurism as sadism is with masochism; they represent a pair of opposites (Laplanche and Pontalis, 1967, p. 106). Fenichel (Laplanche and Pontalis, 1967, p. 106) gives three ways in which an exhibitionist can try unconsciously to defend himself against castration anxiety:
The female onlooker, by merely reacting to an exposure of the genitals, defends the exhibitionist against castration anxiety.
Fear aroused in a female onlooker makes the exhibitionist sure of having a penis.
The exhibitionistic act as a magic act means: “I show you what I wish you could show me.”
Symbolically, “the attacked girl can display the very same thing, that is, a penis and not a female organ” (Laplanche and Pontalis, 1967, p. 106).