Now this is a good question! Unfortunately, I don't really have much of an answer for you. I suspect it's an ego thing or they are trying to show off to others. Or perhaps they simply objectify people. I did ask this question once out of frustration. . .I asked a guy why. The answer was simple. . .uhhhh, you look nice. Okay, but why is it necessary to call that fact to everyones attention! Sigh. He hadn't a clue. Another take on this was a girlfriend of mine was rather obnoxious about whistling at "hot guys". I told her it was rude and she was stunned. Her reply was "Look at him! He's all cocky, he knows he looks good and he wants somebody to tell him so". In other words, the way he was dressed and carrying himself invited people to whistle according to her. As for what do they hope to gain? Hopefully, not a date. Wish I had a better answer. Hope this helps.

wolf whistling (as you call it) is not neccesarily meant to be rude or disrespectful. most people use it as a gesture to inform someone else that they look nice or "go it going on" so to speak. it is as harmless as waving your hand at someone meaning "hello" or "goodbye". there are many gestures we humans use, such as winking one eye or even rolling both eyes as a form of communicating without words. some people may get offended by this but not anybody i know. my advice would be to check the persons mood out before you try whistling to them. if they look mad or irritated, chances are you will most likely get another one of our human gestures..............the middle finger!!!!!! as far as gain goes maybe they want to get that persons attention. maybe they use it as a means of introduction. maybe they just want to wolf whistle. the bottom line is that people use the whistle for different reasons and people respond differently to it so if it bothers you then just tell the person not to do it anymore because it bothers you........then if they keep doing it it becomes rude.

I used to indulge in this behavior but lost interest, around age 16 or 18. I saw other guys doing it and thought it was the cool thing to do. It is probably a primitive courting ritual that traces back to our cave-man ancestry. The only gain would be a chance to yell and thump your chest. I got the impression, however, that women tend to not enjoy this attention. I'm the type that doesn't persist with behavior that seems to annoy others, so I gave it up. There are plenty of guys who do something even more when they find out others don't like it. Strangely enough, I once had a woman whistle at me. She probably needed glasses. I took it as a compliment. A guy whistled at me once, too. It gave me a clear understanding of why women don't like it.

When guys in a group do this, they are relating their manliness to each other. It's more a sort of bonding ritual than anything else. They probably don't mean any harm, even though it is rude and inconsiderate. As a man, I think I would really enjoy getting shouts and whistles from women who thought I was attractive if they were sincere. I imagine a lot of guys feel this way, and maybe that is why they don't understand why a woman would feel any differently because they don't realize how different it is for women.

It seems human beings are objects rather an people with personalities. This is why we objectify the opposite sex. Being a man, I never understood the whole point of whistling when you see an attractive woman, it makes no sense to me. Those who do the whistling never have the guts to approach females and the quiet males are the ones who get the females. It's really quite embarrassing to see a group of guys whistling when they see an attractive female because that is exactly what they are doing, they are embarrassing themselves. However, another thing I don't understand is females. I don't understand the whole point of dressing and looking all sexy and attractive and scoffing at guys who try to approach them. Isn't that the whole point of fixing yourself up to look attractive, to attract the opposite sex? But when a male tries to approach a female she scoffs and does the "Get out of my face routine." Women. Can't live with them, can't live without them.

You should watch the standup comedy from Jerry Seinfeld on why men honk their horns at women, it's very funny! This is basicly the same concept. I don't think they really hope to gain anything from this. It's mainly a way of expressing that you think the woman (or man since women do this too) is very good looking. As much as it may be rude, if someone does this to you consider it a compliment that the person thinks you are good looking. I've had a girl whistle at me while I was walking past her house, it didn't make me upset. It's good to know people find you attractive. I think part of it too is that the person whistling or yelling wants to attract your attention. They know that you probably wouldn't look at them otherwise and it makes them feel better. But almost anyone will look at the person who whistled at them so they just suceeded in attracting your attention. Assuming the person doesn't stalk you or anything than this type of behavior is harmless even if it does make you uncomfortable. I agree with one of the other people who answered this question that it is probably a learned behavior. Maybe the guy saw his father do that when he was a kid and thought it was acceptable behavior. There's really no telling why people do what they do.

Many people like to think that we are completely different to animals. We're not, we're very very similar. Our wolf whistle is a mating call, we see a potential partner that we like the most and we call. Unfortunately humans have almost completely surpassed mere primal instincts and evolved a more intellectual and emotional bond. Very few creatures bond for life and multiple offspring at different times, we have tried to find not only a mate for reprocreation but also for company. A wolf whistle is based souly upon what we see, which is a potential reprocreation mate. Women should take it as a complement that we find them attractive enough to make our desires known, at the end of the day we are all animals.

They do it to draw attention to themselves. They are saying, in a very crude way, that you look like someone they wouldn't kick out of bed. Look at me, I'm the one you should want. And they are demonstrating to their companions around them that they are brave enough and manly enough to draw attention to themselves in this way. All rather childish, I think.

A friend of mine whilst we were at college once got a summer job at a building site. The other guys often engaged in shouting, whistling and making obscene comments at women as they walked by. Being the somewhat more gentlemanly type, my friend didn't join in with any of this, and sure enough, within three or four days, the rumour was circulating that he was homosexual. So I'd guess that one reason is through a desperate need to prove their heterosexuality and all round alpha-male status. As a by the by I find it interesting that the practice has become so commonplace that, irritated as I am by it, and sexist as it clearly is, if I walk past a building site or other large collection of men and nobody says anything its actually started to knock my ego a little! The troubles of life in the post-feminist world.....

The only way to know why someone shouts or "wolf whistles" at someone else "they find attractive" is to ask them for yourself because no one can predict with any 100% certainty or fully understand what motivates people's actions--only they can answer this question themselves. More than likely they hope that the opposite sex person they're whistling at will either (A) be embarrassed, (B) smile and talk to them, or (C) run away in shame and disgust. Bottom line: You'd have to ask someone who engages in this activity to get the real 411 on this issue! Good luck with your search!

As a 39-year-old man I can tell you, it is simply great fun! If her reaction is positive, it is fun for the woman and myself. If her reaction is one of disgust (about 10% of the time) it is still amusing to me. My intention is not to harass or annoy however, I'm just trying to add spice to both our lives and am inviting her to participate in the playfulness. Most of the time the reaction I get is ambivalence by the woman, but I have caught many women smiling or have even engaged me in conversation, seeking further compliment. I know that despite the rare angry response, I have brightened many a woman's day in that someone took enough time to pay appreciative attention to her appearance, and publicly expressed it. I am never, ever, rude or derogatory, and am very careful in assessing that I have permission to continue. I also am careful to never indulge this playful activity in an environment that could be deemed threatening. The shock value is also fun since in our button down, politically correct society, most men won't or simply can't act like "men". Yes, I know the "N" word will probably be hurled by some (neander..., etc.), but really, must we take ourselves so seriously all the time?

Wonderful answer! I would love it if men whistled at me in the way you describe. I confess I would also feel intimidated if a whole group whistled--depending on body language and context. I further confess I love to look good and I do it in the hopes of attracting men but I am dismayed to hear that some women who dress to attract men are then rude and scoff. I can't imagine that. Both rude and cruel.

Wonderful answer! I would love it if men whistled at me in the way you describe. I confess I would also feel intimidated if a whole group whistled--depending on body language and context. I further confess I love to look good and I do it in the hopes of attracting men but I am dismayed to hear that some women who dress to attract men are then rude and scoff. I can't imagine that. Both rude and cruel.

I wish I could whistle...

the other person's attention I would assume.