Great question. In fact, I have a lot of questions about Attract overall. It's one of those moves that, if you think about it too realistically, it can get really weird, no matter how you approach it.
Sticking just to this, though, I feel like Attract is probably like that feeling of having a mega crush on someone, butterflies, feeling flush and all. You just can't take your eyes off that person, but you don't know what to do. However, I'm also thinking it removes inhabitions in a way as well, because if it just made you straight up nervous, you'd probably back off if you aren't the proactive type. It might make you apprehensive, though, which is why you'd never attack.
It must be horrible to be a Pokemon who's been subjected to Attract thousands of times, only to get beat up shortly afterwards. That's got to be one heck of an emotional roller coaster ride. I'd be tired of the opposite gender by that point. :(