u/Upper-Eye-8753

Many discussions suggest that attention or attraction from the opposite sex can help repair low self-esteem, even in cases where a partner or ex-partner has previously damaged that confidence. Why does validation through sexual or romantic desirability often seem to have such a strong psychological impact compared with other forms of confidence building, such as career achievement, volunteering, artistic expression, or physical activities like dance?

What psychological or social mechanisms explain why sexual desirability appears to influence self-esteem so strongly?