The individual valuation of the fetich, which may go to the extent of an unreasoning enthusiasm in the individual affected, is called fetichism. This interesting psychological phenomenon is explicable by an empirical law of association,—the relation of a particular to a general concept,—in which, however, the essential thing is the pleasurable emotional coloring of the particular concept peculiar to the individual. It is most common in two related mental spheres,—those of religious and erotic feelings and ideas. Religious fetichism differs in relation and significance from sexual fetichism, for it found, and still finds, its original motive in the delusion that the object of the fetichism, or the idol, possesses divine attributes, and that it is not simply a symbol; or peculiar wonder-working (relics) or protective (amulet) virtues are superstitiously ascribed to the fetich. It is otherwise with erotic fetichism, which finds its psychological motive in fetiches which consist of physical or mental qualities of a person, or even merely of objects which a person has used. These always awaken intense associative ideas of the personality as a whole, and, moreover, are always colored with a lively feeling of sexual pleasure. Analogies with religious fetichism are always discernible; for, under certain circumstances, in the latter, the most insignificant objects (bones, nails, hair, etc.) become fetiches, and are associated with pleasurable feelings which may reach the intensity of ecstasy. With respect of the development of physiological love, it is probable that its nucleus is always to be found in an individual fetich (charm) which a person of one sex exercises over a person of the opposite sex. The case is the simplest where the sight of a person of the opposite sex occurs simultaneously with sensual excitement, and the latter is thus increased. Emotional and visual impressions are brought into associative connection, and this association is strengthened in proportion as the recurring emotion awakens the visual memory-picture, or the latter (another meeting) renews sexual excitement, which may possibly reach the intensity of orgasm and pollution (dream-picture). In this case the whole physical personality has the effect of a fetich. As Binet and others show, merely parts of the whole, simply peculiarities, either physical or mental, may affect the person of the opposite sex as a fetich, when the perception of them is associated with (accidental) sexual excitement (or induces it). It is well known from experience that accident determines this mental association, that the objects of the fetich may be individually very diverse, and that thus the most peculiar sympathies (and antipathies) arise.