Ronald E. Riggio Ph.D.
Cutting-Edge Leadership
The 9 Primary Signals of Flirtation
Reading the nonverbal cues of seduction.
Posted July 19, 2021 |
Reviewed by Ekua Hagan
KEY POINTS
- While the meaning of specific nonverbal cues can vary, at least 50 of them can be generally thought of as flirtatious.
- A woman's "head toss" can be interpreted as a message saying, "I'm arranging myself for you."
- A relaxed demeanor and low tone of voice makes men appear more masculine and confident.
Source: Sergey Nivens/Shutterstock
This post is co-authored by nonverbal communication expert Alan Crawley.
Last week, we focused on body language cues that turn people off. In this post, we will look at nonverbal cues of
sexual attraction and seduction.
First, it is important to note that body language is not a true language. The meaning of specific nonverbal cues can vary with the situation, by culture, or by individual differences in style.
That being said, there are at least 50 nonverbal behaviors that can be labeled cues of
flirtation that can turn others on. Here are a few of the more common ones.
Flirtatious Body Language in Women
Coy Smile. This consists of two somewhat conflicting signals ā a lowered head of ā
shynessā and a bold stare of confidence (Eibl-Eibesfeldt, 1971; Morris, 1977). The head is turned to the side and tilted down. There is a slight smile on the lips and eyes gazing forward to make eye contact. This sends a message of āI am vulnerable but open to you.ā
Head Tossing. An upward or sideways jerk of the head as if one is throwing aside long hair. It signals a sort of āgrooming behaviorā that suggests āI am arranging myself for you.ā The seductive appeal is threefold: The movement grabs the otherās
attention; it displays tossed hair showing off this attractive feature, and the movement allows
pheromones (āsexual scentsā) to emanate from the hair.
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Self-Touching and Massaging the Skin. Another āinvitingā body language cue that suggests a woman's availability is when softly rubs her own neck, thighs, or face. It suggests the desire to be touched and the
unconscious message of: āSee how smooth my skin is.ā
Rotating the Wrists Outward. Exposing the inner part of the wrist is a signal of interest and invitation, directed toward the person which sends the unspoken message āI approve of you and you may approach.ā
Flirtatious Body Language in Men
Open and Relaxed Posture. Being relaxed and open (i.e., not crossing the arms in front of the body) sends a message of
self-confidence and invitation. A study of speed dating found that males with open postures received more offers from women than did men with closed postures.
Space Maximization. Research shows that men who take up more space with their postures and gestures are perceived as more attractive. It suggests dominance and makes the man more visible.
Assertive and āSmoothā Demeanor. Men appearing āin controlā with a minimum of
anxiety cues is a turn-on. Movements, gestures, and posture shifts should flow smoothly ā almost as if the man is moving underwater.
Signs of Flirting in Both Women and Men
Tone of Voice. In general, a higher tone in women, and a lower tone in men is more of a turn-on. During courtship behavior, women may have a tone of voice that seems almost childlike ā which can trigger a sense of āprotectivenessā in men. Deeper voices, for men, signal more masculinity.
Positivity. Our own research on āseductiveā nonverbal behavior suggests that people use different nonverbal cues to try to attract others, but one commonality is that the other person has to perceive those as āpositive/pleasantā emotional messages. Both men and women who do not do well at appearing seductive tend to have their emotional messages judged as ānegative/unpleasant.ā
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Howling at the moon works for me, my wife keeps tabs on me.
I sometimes dream of getting back in the game due my ego as if I had something offer a lady? Perhaps men in general, would like to experience a time in life that we were invincible. My glory days were when people knew and respected me based on my behavior. Sure, behave myself now but not nearly to the extent of a small high school where everyone knew each other.
The strange thing about me is if were single again I consider myself marketable in my dream, reality, however, I'm just an old man with delusions of another life that is not my own.