Signs of Flirting

From LoveToKnow Dating

If you think a person is interested in you, but you're not positive, it's a good idea to watch for signs of flirting. Some flirting signals are obvious, and others are more subtle. Actions that you think might just be friendly gestures can actually indicate romantic interest.

Flirting or Friendly?

Eye Contact

One of the hardest flirting signals to detect is eye contact. It can sometimes be difficult to distinguish casual eye contact from flirting. To tell the difference, you have to know what separates conversational eye contact from the type that indicates interest.

Extended Eye Contact - Most people make eye contact when carrying on conversations. Therefore, it isn't a good idea to assume that everyone who makes eye contact with you is sending a message of romantic interest. When a person holds eye contact for just a few seconds longer than what seems natural for a particular conversation, however, there's a good chance that he or she is flirting with you. Extending eye contact for brief moments longer than expected can add intimacy to a casual encounter, and can definitely be one of the signs of flirting.

Across a Crowded Room - If you notice someone on the other side of the room trying to catch your attention, and then smiling when you make eye contact, that can be a sign of flirting. To test it out, smile when the flirting suspect catches your eye, and then glance away for a few seconds. When you look back in the person's direction, if he or she is still looking at you, it's a pretty safe bet that flirting is taking place.

Body Language

LoveToKnow Dating Tips
Don't Ignore Body Language
Actions speak louder than words. A person's body language can provide much more honest signs than words about his or her intentions. If a person is sending flirty signals, that probably indicates a genuine interest in getting to know you better.

You can tell a lot about a person's intentions by observing his or her body language. When it comes to any type of human communication, especially romantic interest, actions often speak louder than words.

Light Touching - Seemingly casual touches during conversation can sometimes indicate romantic interest. Depending on how it's done, and the personalities of the people involved, simple touches that seem to be very casual can be signs of flirting. Someone who gently brushes real or imaginary lint off the sleeve of your sweater, or who lets his or her hand rest lightly on your arm during conversation just might be flirting with you. It's important to realize that some people are naturally more touchy-feely than others, so you have to pay attention to how the individual interacts with other people to evaluate intentions. If you seem to be singled out for special attention, it's likely that the person is very interested in getting to know you on a romantic level.

Response to Touching - If you move away when someone casually touches you, you'll be sending a sign that the flirting behavior is unwelcome. If you don't respond at all, you're sending a message that you aren't uncomfortable with the other person's actions. If you respond in like fashion by initiating casual contact of your own, your behavior lets the person know that you recognize and reciprocate the potential interest, and may be interested in getting to know him or her better.

Smiling

You shouldn't assume that everyone who smiles at you is flirting with you. However, you can tell a lot about a person's intentions toward you and interest in you from the manner in which he or she smiles when interacting with you.

Shy Smile - For example, if someone makes eye contact with you across a crowded room and then smiles shyly when catching your eye, a little bit of flirting might be taking place. To test it out, when you glance back at the person who initiated eye contact, see if he or she is still smiling. If the shy smile was a gesture of embarrassment for getting caught looking at you, the person will look away again. If the intent was flirting, however, it's likely that he or she will maintain eye contact and smile even more this time.

Open Smile - There is a big difference between a polite smile and one that is truly open. When a person's smile reaches the eyes, and the whole face seems to light up, that's a sign of genuine affection. It may be a smile of friendship, but it can also indicate romantic interest. The first thing to look for when evaluating whether or not a smile indicates flirting is the person's eyes. A polite smile doesn't generally reach the eyes. If you notice a sparkle in the person's eyes, watch for other flirting behaviors paired with the smile to help you figure out if more than just friendship might be motivating the gleam in the person's eye.

Not an Exact Science

Of course, recognizing whether or not flirting is taking place is not an exact science. A big part of recognizing whether or not someone is interested in getting to know you on a romantic level is developing the ability to recognize the signs of flirting. It's important not to jump to conclusions about the other person's intentions, and you should avoid responding to suspected flirting attempts in an aggressive manner. If you observe the subtle signs of flirting, and you want to see if the interest is sincere and mutual, respond by doing a little flirting of your own.

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