Various types of behavior is classified as exhibitionistic. These include:

Flashing is the display by a woman of bare breasts with an up-and-down lifting of the shirt and/or bra, or the display by a man of his bare penis.

Mooning is the display of one's bare buttocks — both in a sexual, exhibitionistic context (almost always by females) and also when done (usually by men) for shock value. In Australia and New Zealand this is sometimes known as a browneye.

Anasyrma is lifting up of one's skirt to expose bare genitals, for varied reasons, but most often to please the exhibitionist.

Martymachlia is a paraphilia involving sexual attraction to having others watch the execution of a sexual act.

Classically, the part(s) of the body exposed when referring to "flashing" are bare female breasts and/or buttocks. In reality, however, flashing and exhibitionism more often involve the genitalia or buttocks of either gender. A "male flasher" stands in stark comparison to this definition as the latter usually refers to a male indecently exposing his penis to an unwilling observer. Women typically do not suffer such societal sanctions and are usually encouraged, even heavily paid, to engage in such behavior.

Again, the classical and rigid concept paints with a broad brush and states, "Flashing is done as a momentary "thrill" to inflate the ego of the flasher while having the 'added bonus' of increasing the sexual arousal of the recipient(s)." These stereotypical thought patterns include unproved beliefs that exhibitionists who view exhibitionism as a lifestyle as opposed to a rare thrill, however, more carefully select their target audience and make the exposure brief, inconspicuous and apparently unintentional. Some researchers invalidly postulate that all exhibitionism is, whether on the end of the giver or the receiver, ultimately a sexual fetish, many practitioners see it as an art form. Far less criticized are night clubs and goth bars that encourage mild exhibitionism to enhance the venue's atmosphere. This all contrasts with non-sexualized social nudity, in which the exposure is not connected with sexual expression, such as sunbathing or swimming at nude beaches or other participation in public nudity events where nudity is the norm. In short, the classical view of exhibitionism misses the mark by a wider margin than erroneous scientific claims about homosexuality.

Accordingly, points must be made that define the differences between rational and irrational exhibitionism.

Rational exhibitionists display themselves sexually to other people, singly or in groups, in appropriate settings. This can be done consensually as part of swinging or group sex. When not done threateningly, the intent is usually to please and sexually arouse the viewer, giving the recipient an erotic rush. Irrational exhibitionists like to expose themselves in front of large crowds, typically at sporting events; see streaking. A similar irrational phenomenon is when, at the conclusion of a sporting event, a woman may flash her breasts while sitting atop someone's shoulders in a dense crowd of people. Rational and irrational exhibitionists like to use the internet to distribute their stories and pictures on websites, sometimes using webcam feeds and other amateur methods. As a major distinction, irrational exhibitionists attempt to sexually arouse the recipient by giving the impression that the exposure is "first time" and/or "innocent." Rational exhibitionists, instead, require an invitation from the recipient. Irrational exhibitionists typically lack this type of self control.