The split attraction model also defines several other forms of attraction including aesthetic, sensual, and platonic. However, the broader aspec community’s main distinction in the split attraction model is between romantic and sexual attraction. The model is useful for describing how a person’s attractions can differ (e.g. biromantic demisexual), but aspec people whose attractions “line up” (e.g. aromantic asexual) frequently make use of the model to describe their labels as well.
Aesthetic attraction refers to finding an object or person pleasing to look at.
Alterous attraction defines a type of attraction somewhere between platonic and romantic.
Platonic attraction refers to wanting a deeper emotional bond, enjoying the company or personality of a person without desiring a romantic or sexual relationsip.
Queerplatonic attraction has some characteristics associated with romantic attraction, but is still a platonic attraction.
Romantic attraction is desiring a romantic relationship with a person. This can be harder to define as a romantic relationship can be defined differently to each person, but this feeling can often be identified by feelings of giddiness and nervousness when in the presence of the other person.
Sensual attraction is wanting physical closeness with a person.
Sexual attraction refers to wanting to have sex with a specific person, or finding the idea of having sex with a specific person appealing.
The following prefixes or suffixes can be applied to either romantic or sexual attractions, with the same meaning.
(referring to an orientation) A- refers to the absence of an attraction
Abro- identities are fluid, meaning that a person who identifies with this label may at times experience orientations that are either on or off the a-spectrum.
Also using the prefix “autochoris-,” aego- identities describe a disconnect between the self and something that causes feelings that are romantic, sexual, etc. in nature, but often with no desire to engage in them personally.
Allo (referring to an orientation) refers to experiencing a certain type of attraction, basically the opposite of a-.
A label used to describe having interest in activities typically associated with romance or sex without experiencing the attraction. More information on bellusromantic here.
A label exclusive to people with trauma, specifically trauma that they feel has taken away attraction that they previously experienced, effectively changing them from an allo to an a-spectrum orientation.
Desiring relationships of a certain nature (sexual, romantic, etc.) despite not experiencing the same type of attraction. More information here
Demi- refers to not experiencing attraction until after an emotional connection is formed.
-flux refers to not a fluid or changing orientation.
An identity that describes people who can be attracted to people they have little to no connection with but lose that attraction as a connection is formed or deepened. Some describe fray- identities as the opposite of demi- identities.
Grey- is used to describe experiencing a type of attraction very rarely, or only in specific situations. People who identify as gray-asexual (also known as graysexual, gray-ace, or grace) can and do experience sexual attraction but not as regularly as someone who is allosexual. Gray-asexual is a broad label that encompasses the majority of the asexual spectrum between the extremes of asexual (no sexual attraction) and allosexual (regularly experiencing sexual attraction). It may also be used as an umbrella term for a number of different microlabels that fall into this space on the asexual spectrum.
Experiencing attraction only if the attraction is not recipcrocated
Also referred to as "WTF". Refers to a difficulty in differentiating beetween romantic and other types of attraction.
Used as a label for the ability to experience attraction only if the attraction is mutual, or reciprocated (hence the name).
A label that describes a rapid fluctuation between allo- and a-spectrum attractions, mostly staying within the a-spectrum but sometimes rapidly “spiking” into allo- attraction.
The following terms are other orientation-related terms that apply to specific orientations rather than being broadly applicable.
Loveless aromantic refers to people who are aromantic and are also disconnected from the idea of other types of love in some way, either through not experiencing, doubting their ability to experience, or feeling that the concept of love is not relevant to them. More information here.
The positivity and favorability spectra are often conflated. for example, some may assume that a person who is sex-averse or -repulsed will also be sex-negative when this is not necessarily the case. “Favorable” and “positive” are also commonly mistakenly interchanged to mean one another, but there is an important distinction between the two. A person’s position on the positivity spectrum does not indicate their willingness to engage or interest in sexual activity (as favorability does), nor their level of attraction (as aspec orientation does). The positivity spectrum is most often referred to in regards to sex though it can apply to other things such as romance.
Repulsed refers to a strong dislike toward experiencing, witnessing, or even reading/hearing/seeing the certain actions. Many people on the aro and ace spectra may describe themselves as romance and/or sex-repulsed, but However, being sex or romance repulsed does not equate to being asexual or aromantic.
Averse often refers to a less extreme dislike, meaning people dislike personally experiencing an activity, but are fine with hearing/experiencing it in theory or second hand.
As the name implies, neutral refers to being indifferent, having no strong opinions either way.
Being sex or romance favorable refers to enjoying the actions associated with those attractions, but does not necessarily coincide with the attraction. Some people who are asexual are sex-favorable despite not experiencing sexual attraction.
Positivity refers to opinions on others' actions rather than personal preference.
Neutral again refers to having no real opinion on the actions.
Negative refers to being against or having a negative attitude toward other people's actions, in this case commonly applied to sex or romance. It is important to note that sex negativity is not a trait of the asexual community, and this definition is included here for informational purposes.
The Kinsey scale , also known as the Heterosexual-Homosexual Rating Scale, was published in 1948. The scale goes from 0 to 6, with 0 being exclusively heterosexual and 6 being exclusively homosexual. This scale was associated with changing the public perception of sexuality at the time, but it does not, of course include all sexual identities. Aspec identities are largely excluded, as an additional category "X" was used as a catch-all for not having socio-sexual contact or reactions. This oversimplifies asexual identities and reduces them to one "other" label, so this scale is often not useful for aspec identities.
Libido refers to sex drive, and it has no relation to sexual attraction. An asexual person could have high libido, and an allosexual person could have low libido.