Ugh, I’m doing so much research on this for school currently.
Most exhibitionists have a typical behavioral cycle. First is insult, the depression, restoration of self-esteem by exposing, and then shame for what they have done. (So basically shame is what drives it.)
That’s just one point of view on it. Of course there are other theories. Such as, the person having an intense sexual urge and arousal just from the fantasies involving exposing themselves to a stranger.
Then there’s the more behavioral explanation….saying that it’s learned from childhood, “when the individual was sexually aroused while displaying himself and was excited by the distress that his inappropriate behavior caused in other people.”
Sometimes some fantasize that exposing themselves will make a random woman fall madly in love with them. They are then extremely disappointed when it doesn’t work out that way.