10 funny flirting facts
By Laura Schaefer
So you’ve mastered the eye-contact game and can beckon a
cute prospect with a few coy glances… but do you really know all there is to
know about the fine art of come-hither? Just to make sure you’re up to speed,
we culled some very surprising info that you can use to your advantage. Read on
for some juicy tidbits that may up your cute quotient in no time.
1. Flirting is good for you. Studies show that people who
flirt have higher white blood-cell counts, which boost their immunity and keep
them healthy.
2. Think it ends at a little eye batting? Hardly—all told,
scientists say there are 52 “flirting signals” used by humans. Of these, the
hair flip is the most common.
3. In some places, flirting is illegal. In Little Rock, AR,
an antiquated law is still on the books warning that engaging in playful banter
may result in a 30-day jail term. In New
York City, another outdated law mandates that men may
be fined $25 for gazing lasciviously at a female; a second conviction
stipulates the offender wear a pair of blinders whenever he goes out for a
walk.
4. Why wait for Happy Hour? Lots of people get their flirt
on during their morning commute. A full 62 percent of drivers have flirted with
someone in a different vehicle while on the go, and 31 percent of those
flirtations, it turns out, resulted in a date.
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5. Flirting need not occur face to face. According to Pew
Research, 40 percent of people who look for love online say they can easily
flirt with someone via email or IM.
6. In the Victorian era, fans were the ultimate playful prop
that could communicate all sorts of messages. A fan placed near the heart
meant, You have won my love. A half-opened fan pressed to the lips suggested,
You may kiss me. Hiding the eyes behind an open fan meant, I love you, while
opening and closing the fan several times warned, You are cruel. Given how much
a fan could come in handy, it’s a shame they ever invented air conditioning.
7. These days, cell phones do the flirting. In one survey,
half of all mobile phone users have texted suggestive messages to keep things
interesting while away from their amour.
8. Watch out, you can overdo it. According to the Social
Issues Research Centre, the most common mistake people make when flirting is
maintaining too much eye contact.
9. Sometimes, flirty gestures aren’t what they seem.
Research has shown that men tend to routinely mistake friendly behavior for
flirting.
10. Flirting is universal. A woman living in New York City and one in rural Cambodia may not have much in
common, but when it comes to attracting a little attention, they both employ the
very same move: smiling, arching their eyebrows, then averting their gaze and
giggling. Animals flirt, too: Birds, reptiles, and even fish have their own way
of strutting their stuff. Moral of the story: If the simple sea bass can act
cute to enhance a romantic agenda, you can, too—so give it a go!
Laura Schaefer is the author of Man with Farm Seeks Woman
with Tractor: The Best and Worst Personal Ads of All Time.