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Nonverbal courtship patterns in women: Context and consequences
Abstract
There is a class of nonverbal facial expressions and gestures, exhibited by human females, that are commonly labeled “flirting behaviors.” I observed more than 200 randomly selected adult female subjects in order to construct a catalog of these nonverbal solicitation behaviors. Pertinent behaviors were operationally defined through the use of consequential data; these behaviors elicited male attention. Fifty-two behaviors were described using this method. Validation of the catalog was provided through the use of contextual data. Observations were conducted on 40 randomly selected female subjects in one of four contexts: a singles' bar, a university snack bar, a university library, and at university Women's Center meetings. The results indicated that women in “mate relevant” contexts exhibited higher average frequencies of nonverbal displays directed at males. Additionally, women who signaled often were also those who were most often approached by a man: and this relationship was not context specific.I suggest that the observation of women in field situations may provide clues to criteria used by females in the initial selection of male partners. As much of the work surrounding human attraction has involved laboratory studies or data collected from couples in established relationships, the observation of nonverbal behavior in field settings may provide a fruitful avenue for the exploration of human female choice in the preliminary stages of male-female interaction.
... In the rst sociological work on face-to-face interaction, Goffman (1959) noted that strangers in public space may make brief eye contact, but will avoid prolonged gazing to maintain public order. Eye contact serves a broader range of functions in humans than establishing dominance, including promoting facial recognition (Farroni, Johnson, & Csibra, 2004) and comforting in infants (Lohaus, Keller, & Voelker, 2001), initiating interactions with potential romantic partners (Eibl-Eibesfelt, 1970;Guéguen, Fischer-Lokou, Lefebvre, & Lamy, 2008;Moore, 1985), and increasing liking and a raction among adults (Stass & Willis, 1967). ...
... Eibl-Eibesfelt (1970) documented women giving a "coy glance," combining a half smile and a brief lowering of the eyes, which was used to gain male a ention. Glancing behaviors are important in signaling a woman's initial interest, they are effective in gaining male a ention, and other behaviors reaffirm interest a er establishing initial contact (Moore, 1985). ...
... Understandably, the rates at which women make eye contact to solicit male romantic interest are context dependent. In the salient mating market context of a singles bar, female solicitations occurred at four times the rate of those in a university snack bar and seven times the rate of those in a university library (Moore, 1985). ...
Eye contact is associated with multiple human social functions. These include social dominance displays or contests and signaling interest in potential romantic partners, functions more prominent for men and women respectively. People may actively avoid situations that could create a dynamic of initiating social attention without further communication. We observed seating patterns in a university cafeteria during off-peak hours. We predicted that individuals arriving alone would avoid sitting facing others and that women would be relatively less likely to sit facing a male stranger than vice versa. Only 14% of individuals arriving alone sat directly facing another individual not at the same table, however we did not have an adequate number of cases to reliably test the second hypothesis. We believe that evolved mechanisms regulating social interactions explain this pattern; the goals of avoiding social conflict and unwanted sexual attention continue to be important in modern environments.
... Small changes in a person's body posture can convey information about a person's internal states, such as their thoughts, feelings, and attitudes, through nonverbal communication (Cazzato et al., 2012;Grammer et al., 2000;Mehrabian, 1969). Previous research has examined how these perceptions of a variety of psychological traits are influenced by changes in body posture such as dominance (Carney et al., 2005(Carney et al., , 2010Pazhoohi, Grammer, et al., 2020;Rule et al., 2012;Vacharkulksemsuk et al., 2016), confidence (Briñol et al., 2009), openness (Latu et al., 2017;Vacharkulksemsuk et al., 2016), and sexual interest (Grammer, 1990;Moore, 1985;Pazhoohi et al., 2018Pazhoohi et al., , 2023Wade et al., 2021). ...
Contrapposto, an asymmetrical twisting of the hips and shoulders, has historically been associated with beauty and aesthetics in art. While the impact of a female con-trapposto posture on perception of attractiveness and visual attention has been studied , its effects on males remain understudied. The current research aims to explore whether contrapposto postures in men influence perceptions of attractiveness, dominance , masculinity, dynamism, and naturalness, as well as visual attention. Two eye-tracking studies were conducted, utilizing images of male models in contrapposto and upright poses. Despite differences in attributions, no significant differences were found in visual attention between the two poses in both initial fixation and prolonged gaze behaviors. Contrapposto was consistently perceived as less dominant, masculine, and natural. These findings suggest a feminizing effect of contrapposto on male body posture, aligning with previous research on female contrapposto. The current research provides insights into the historical and artistic significance of contrapposto while contributing to the understanding of nonverbal communication through body posture.
... Immature bears engage in complex play fighting as juveniles (Burghardt and Burghardt, 1972;Henry and Herrero, 1974;Fagen, 2004, 2009) but are quite solitary as adults. There are reports J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f that, like many primates, including humans (Epps, 1974;Moore, 1985;Pellis and Iwaniuk, 1999a), during mating male and female bears spend time engaged in social play as a precursor to copulation (e.g., Wemmer and Murtaugh, 1981;Herrero and Hamer, 1977), again suggesting that the ability to engage in fair play can overcome mutual antagonism. Primates may be particularly useful for comparative studies as species vary in both the degree of reciprocation in the play fighting they engage in as juveniles (Palagi, 2018;Reinhart et al., 2010;Kraus et al., 2019) and in the retention of play fighting in adulthood (Palagi, 2023; see topic 6, Adult play below). ...
... More specifically, we often use eye-directed gaze to signal liking or attraction (Fullwood, 2007); vice-versa eye-contact affects likeability and attractiveness (Hietanen, 2018;Mason et al., 2005). Furthermore, eye-contact plays a role during courtship (e.g., for making someone approach you) (Apostolou & Christogorou, 2020;Moore, 1985;Walsh & Hewitt, 1985). Although strong evidence points toward eye-contact as a driving force behind signaling interest and choosing a potential mate, it is still unknown whether it influences mate choice. ...
In popular narratives, the first date with a potential mate often centers on their gaze as embodiment of interest and attraction. However, evidence is still lacking on the role of eye-contact as a potent signal in human social interaction in the context of dating. In addition, behavioral mechanisms of mate selection are not well understood. In the present study, we therefore examined mutual eye-contact and its influence on mate choice by applying dual mobile eye-tracking during naturalistic speed-dates. A total of 30 male and 30 female subjects attended four speed-dates each (N = 240). Subjects were more likely to choose those dating partners with whom they shared more eye-contact with. In addition, perceived attractiveness played an important role for mate choice. Interestingly, receiving but not giving eye-contact also predicted individual mate choice. Eye-contact thus acts as an important signal of romantic attraction when encountering a dating partner.
The chapter explains how the concepts of physical and sexual attraction differ from each other. The materials of the chapter describe the ideas and research on beauty and physical attractiveness.
The chapter demonstrates how attractive physical appearance influences overall interpersonal attraction. Evolutionary, ecological, social, cultural, and psychological perspectives show that the values and notions of physical attractiveness depend on many of these contextual factors. The studies reviewed in the chapter have demonstrated variability in preferences for physical appearances across cultures.
The chapter presents research findings that reveal the effects of familiarity, imprinting, and exposure on the impressions of how physically attractive a person looks. The features of physical attractiveness are sexually polymorphic and differ between genders. The sections of this chapter provide an overview of the qualities of physical appearance that make a person attractive, as well as multisensory qualities of attractive appearance, including visual, auditory, tactile-kinesthetic, olfactory, and gustatory modalities of sensation and perception.
The chapter describes in detail how people experience and express physical and sexual attraction. The last section of the chapter presents varieties of sexual attraction in love that depend on sexual identities, sexual orientations, and factors influencing diversity in sexual attraction.
This investigation explores the connections between narcissism, intimacy, affiliation, and power motivation. The information from the individuals was gathered. Using the NPI-16, a test for narcissistic personality, which Cameron P. Anderson, Paul Rose, and Daniel Ames invented it in 2006. The Carl J. Descutner and Thelen (1991) Intimacy Scale having (38 items) and the Unified Motive Scale are based on a joint IRT analysis of 14 existing motive scales that was developed by (Schonbrodt & Gerstenberg, 2012). 300 individuals from various colleges (government and private) and the University of Haripur made up the sample. Data was gathered using the convenience sample method with a door-to-door survey, and the link between the hypotheses and data was evaluated using the t test, Pearson correlation, and independent t test. The study's hypotheses were confirmed. According to current study intimacy has positive correlation with affiliation and power motive and affiliation has also positive correlation with power motive. The results indicate that, in comparison to women, men scored highly on narcissism. By using Pearson correlation method findings indicate that narcissism has non-significant negative relation with power motive. The study's conclusions would be beneficial and encouraging for academics, educators, and counsellors to suggest how to deal with narcissism issues, through which process we increase affiliation and intimacy and how we become more motivated to get power through skills, appreciation and enhance reputation in a positive way and by don’t violating others.
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Territorial behavior of the Uganda kob (Adenota kob thomasi; Reduncini, Hippotraginae) was studied in the Toro Game Reserve, western Uganda. Two types of territories were found: (a) small individual plots, 15-30 m in diameter, aggregated in tight clusters that are called leks, arenas, or territorial breeding grounds (TGs) ; (b) larger territories of 100-200 m diameter, distributed between the arenas, called single territories (STs). The largely permanent TGs, to which most of the breeding is confined, provide the basis for a social organization of the kob population of ca. 15 000. A certain number of kob are, by tradition, attached to a particular TG, so that the total population is subdivided into units, each associated with one TG. STs are spread out between the TGs; their size, number, and distribution vary with season and local conditions. There is an irregular gradient in size and density of territories from the center of a TG through the STs in its vicinity. STs may be aggregated in loose clusters used as temporary or seasonal TGs. Permanent TGs may arise from such clusters. Abandonment of existing and formation of new TGs are relatively rare. The males on the STs are strongly attached to confined areas which they defend against intruding males. Competition for STs is not intense, but males are occasionally replaced. Males defeated from their STs join a male herd and may attempt later to reoccupy the same ST, often successfully. Whistling probably serves for marking the territory or for attracting females to it. Herds of females often pass through or stay on STs, but the males do not possess harems. They court the female and attempt to copulate with them, but most females avoid their approaches. Few copulations occur on the STs; in several cases the females involved proved to be physiologically abnormal, and it is concluded that the males on STs do not contribute significantly to the reproduction of the population. The daily activity of males on the STs is compared with that of males on TGs. The latter spend less time for feeding and have less food available on their territories; this, combined with the higher proportions of fighting and sexual behavior on TGs, is propably the main reason for the much higher rate of interchange of males on TGs compared with STs. Also, the degree of competition for territories is higher on TGs than STS. The males of the kob population studied are, on the whole, divided into two categories: Those frequenting TGs, and those staying on STs. Both types join a male herd when they are not territorial. The age distribution among males on TGs and those on STs is largely equal. Some males occupied both territories on a TG and STs, but such cases are relatively rare. Two young-adult males first occupied a ST for some time, before they appeared on a TG, but this course of behavioral development does not seem to be the general rule. Territorial behavior was found in several other kob populations; the relative number of STs and the development of TGs vary considerably between different areas. Territoriality and lek behavior in other ungulates are briefly reviewed. The Uganda kob is the only antelope known, so far, to exhibit typical lek behavior. In addition, behavioral polymorphism such as the occurrence of different types of territories within the same population has not yet been found in any other species of antelopes. The following conclusions pertaining to the Uganda kob are drawn: STs are the original form of territoriality, still prevalent in small or marginal populations. In large and dense populations the formation of TGs offers certain ecologic advantages, such as providing a social organization and a spacing mechanism to the population and ensuring maximum efficiency of reproduction. Despite these advantages of TGs over STs the latter have not disappeared. Either they provide some social advantage, as yet unknown, or their persistence ensures adaptive plasticity of local populations and the species as a whole, to meet emergencies brought about by changes in the environment.
The structural-functional views of Talcott Parsons are used as the rationale for predicting sex differences in dating aspirations and partner satisfaction. Blind dates were arranged for 500 male and 500 female students by an I.B.M. computer. Evidence was found to support the hypotheses that 1) women would have higher aspirations for a dating partner, in the sense of more socially desired characteristics, than would men; and that 2) women would register a high degree of satisfaction less frequently than men following the first date. The findings are compared with popular notions of male-female tendencies for romantic love at first acquaintance.
This study investigates the role of female color, size, and dominance, and the influence of early color experience in mate selection by male Convict cichlids, Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum. Dark wild-type male fish were reared by dark parents in dark schools (dark homogenous group), and by mixed dark and white parents in mixed schools (dark mixed group), until sexual maturity. Correspondingly a white homogenous group and a white mixed group were also established. Each male was then allowed to choose a mate among two dark (mixed group) and two white (mixed group) females. Males tended to spawn more often with dark females and always spawned with dominant females. Female size is positively correlated with female dominance and this may be either as a cause or as an effect of female dominance. Early color experience appears to be unimportant in male mate selection.