In order to win the heart of a potential partner of any gender, you need to laugh at his jokes.
This discovery was made by researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, whose article in the journal Evolutionary Psychology.
Flirting is a very important tool for establishing an emotional connection with a potential romantic or sexual partner. The tactics people use when flirting can be both verbal (such as compliments) and non-verbal (body language).
The scientists decided to compare what tactics people of different sexes use when flirting. Almost a thousand university students from Norway and the USA took part in the study.
Participants were asked to answer a series of questions about the flirting tactics they prefer in different situations.
The researchers specifically designed four versions of the questionnaire: a woman flirting with a man for a short-term or long-term relationship, and, similarly, a man flirting with a woman with the expectation of a one-time sex or a long-term relationship. Each of the participants, depending on gender, received one of the versions of the questionnaire.
In the end, it turned out that men and women basically use the same flirting techniques, but, depending on the goal, some strategies work better and some worse. Thus, the demonstration of sexual availability (appropriate clothing, showing open parts of the body) based on short-term relationships is effective only if women behave this way, not men. At the same time, women who seek only one-time sex with a new acquaintance should not expect that friendly behavior will help them get closer to this goal — hugs, kisses on the cheek, humor.
At the same time, for men, humor, as well as an open demonstration of generosity and seriousness of their intentions, help to establish a long-term relationship with a woman.
However, as the researchers found out, there is a universal flirting tactic that is equally effective for both sexes in all situations. If you giggle and laugh at your potential partner’s jokes, you have a good chance of both short-term and long-term relationships with him.