Science Says These 8 Flirting Techniques Are The Most Successful

 

Being devastatingly charming isn’t just for the Clooneys and Goslings of the world, you know. Across bars and used-car showrooms you will find Professional Flirts – people who practically have sweet-talking built into their DNA. But what’s the secret to successfully flirting? Well, according to scientific research, there are actual flirting techniques that are (scientifically) proven to work better than others.

1. Hold Eye Contact

Turns out eye contact really is a vital part of flirting. Participants in a study published in the Journal of Research in Personality held eye contact with a stranger for two minutes consistently. After the two minutes, the participants cited increased feelings of attraction. I’m not encouraging you to grab a stranger and stare at him or her for two minutes straight, but when flirting try to hold some eye contact for as long as you comfortably can to show interest.

2. Offer Compliments Appropriately

SheKnows.com spoke to flirting expert Rachel Dealto who suggested offering up a compliment as part of a successful flirting routine. According to Dealto, flirting is about making the other person feel good by giving them attention. So accordingly, adding a genuine compliment to that bit of attention your giving will serve to further amp up your flirting game.

3. Make Them Laugh

According to the Social Issues Research Centre (SIRC), adding humour into the conversation can make for some good flirting. SIRC said studies have shown those who use humour in conversations are perceived as more likeable, and telling jokes can bring a sense of relaxation to the conversation during the flirting process.

4. Smile Regularly

In addition to making eye contact, another successful flirting tactic is smiling. TIME magazine spoke to Dr. Monica Moore, a psychologist at Webster University who has researched flirting techniques, and Moore cited that smiling among the best flirting tactics that signals interest.

5. Stand Up Straight

Posture means everything when it comes to flirting. This is because the way you hold your body speaks nonverbally about how confident you are, and therefore how attractive you might seem to the person you’re flirting with. Research from Colorado College agreed and proved that standing up straight shows that you’re confident and that you may be conscious of how you’re moving your body in order to be successful at flirting.

6. Wear Red (Yes, Really!)

If your goal in flirting is to be deemed attractive, then choose to wear something red before you go out. A study out of the University of Rochester showed men were more attracted to women wearing red compared to those who weren’t wearing the colour. A separate study by the University of Rochester showed the opposite was true of women who viewed men dressed in red — they were significantly more attracted to them then men who weren’t wearing it.

7. Point Your Feet

Yet another flirting tactic worth mentioning here if you want to do so successfully has to do with your feet. Kind of weird, right? Science shows that women will point and move our feet towards someone we’re interested in, so if we want to show interest in someone we should use those feet to our advantage. According to a study reported on by The Telegraph, women will slide their feet toward the person of interest, making a more open-legged stance. Oppositely, according to the study, if a woman tucks her legs beneath her or crosses them, she’s showing less interest.

8. Buy Them A Drink (Specifically, A Hot one!)

Warm beverages can play a part in the flirting process, so if you’re flirting with someone you might be interested in, just grab them something hot to drink. According to research out of Yale, holding a warm drink can better someone’s perception of the person they’re with, particularly seeing the other person as generous and caring.