Here’s the good news:
When it comes to attraction, men do reveal their desires in various ways.
That’s if you know what to look for. Because certain psychological and biological signs will give the game away.
So without any further adieu, let’s dive right in and look at the scientifically backed signs a man finds you incredibly good-looking.
1) He takes an interest in you
Asking questions and revealing information is one of those subtle forms of flirtation that we may miss.
Research confirms that we take more of an interest in trying to get to know someone who we’re attracted to.
You don’t always notice as you can misconstrue this as sheer friendliness. But it’s also a tactic for wooing someone.
After all, psychology shows that we love the opportunity to talk about ourselves.
As Psychiatrist Samantha Boardman M.D highlights:
“Talking about oneself activates the same areas of the brain that light up when eating good food, taking drugs, and even having sex. Simply put, self-disclosure is gratifying. It gives us a neurological buzz.”
Plus studies have confirmed that someone who asks lots of questions is instantly viewed as being more likable.
The other side to this coin is that he also opens up to you, and reveals information about himself.
This disclosure serves the same function — to initiate a bonding experience.
No wonder then that the number of words exchanged and the amount of time spent talking have been found to be among the best predictors of attraction.
2) He can’t keep his eyes off you
When it comes to non-verbal cues to watch out for, this is one of the most powerful.
Studies have long found a link between eye contact and attraction.
One, in particular, suggested it helps us to create better connections, as Dr Wendy L. Patrick explains in Psychology Today.
“Eye contact plays a role in reducing uncertainty within initial romantic interactions because with more eye contact comes more nonverbal affiliative expressiveness. Accordingly, they recognized eye contact as a critical, natural component of communication used to convey liking and attraction and note that perhaps not surprisingly, mutual romantic attraction sparks more eye contact.”
There’s another reason why sparks fly from a mutual gaze.
Prolonged eye contact is believed to release a chemical responsible for attraction called phenylethylamine, along with the so-called love hormone oxytocin.
Studies have also shown that men are more likely to look at women they find attractive.
In many ways, eye contact is a tool to help us humans bond.
3) He smiles from ear to ear
A genuine smile is another one of the signs that can speak volumes without saying a word.
So say studies that confirm smiling is a good indicator of attraction.
Of course, it’s always good to wear a smile. But the reality is that when someone finds you good-looking, they are more likely to smile around you.
This may be bad news for fellas out there hoping to catch your eye.
Because one study concluded that women are actually less sexually attracted to smiley, happy men.
As discussed by NBC News, researchers were surprised by the results.
“They found that women ranked the smiling guys as less attractive — but they were into the prideful and ashamed men. But the male participants were most attracted to the smiling women, and least attracted to the ones who seemed proud.”
4) He gets up close and personal
I’m referring to physical proximity.
Generally speaking, science shows how this body language signal is another subtle giveaway that a guy thinks you’re hot.
Almost like an inviable magnetic force, he may find himself leaning in towards you.
In a variety of ways, he will likely try to close the gap between you. Sometimes through so-called “accidental” touch, as psychology professor Ronald E. Riggio reveals.
“Sitting together so that legs touch slightly, or allowing one’s hand to brush up against, or rest upon another’s body are seduction cues.”
This is why, if a man consistently finds ways to be close to you, it may be a sign of attraction.
5) He pays you plenty of compliments
Men who find you attractive are more likely to give you compliments.
He may praise things about your appearance. But he could also be flattering about other qualities and attributes that you have.
After all, one study found that compliments having to do with personality or character were reported as the most meaningful.
According to politeness theory, complimenting people is a sort of inclusion strategy.
It can certainly be a good method of leaving a positive impression on someone. So it’s no surprise that men will dish out compliments when they find you attractive.
Scientists have noted how being paid a compliment lights up the same parts of your brain as getting paid a monetary award.
It makes you feel good and so makes the person dishing out the compliment more likable.
6) He nods a lot when you speak
Of all the signs on our list, it is perhaps easiest to overlook this one.
Yet research has proven that nodding a lot can be a clue that someone finds you attractive.
When you stop and think about it, this makes sense. It may sound cynical but it’s all about creating an image of being agreeable.
Because despite the saying, opposites don’t actually attract. The reality is that we like people who are most similar to us.
By nodding along when you are speaking, he is sending the signal to you that says:
We have plenty in common. We share similar thoughts, ideas, beliefs and values.
It becomes a physical way of trying to create rapport.
It also signals to you that he is properly listening to what you have to say and taking a genuine interest.
7) He tries to make you laugh
It’s official, humor is attractive to both men and women. Although not necessarily in the same ways.
Research has found that women like men who make them laugh, and men like women who laugh at their jokes.
As Professor Aaron Ben-Zeév Ph.D explains, it’s all part of the dance of attraction.
“Men tend to look for a partner who appreciates their sense of humor, while women tend to look for a man that can make them laugh. These two complementary factors work in favor of any blossoming relationship: If, on a first meeting, a man is able to make a woman laugh, it increases the chances of her being interested in forming a relationship.”
Studies have also noted how the more shared laughter there is between two people, the stronger the attraction is.
It seems that men really can laugh women into bed, as yet another study concludes that, “men who were considered funnier also tended to be considered more attractive for both short and long term relationships but especially short term.’
8) You make him feel nervous and awkward
And now for the catch:
Because the difficulty with reading attraction comes from how diverse we all are.
Your personality heavily dictates how you’ll behave in any given situation, and that goes for romance too.
Whereas one man may try to show off and impress, plenty more may retreat and act nervous.
Despite some of the signs we’ve already seen, this type of guy may lean back, give you more space, and be lost for words.
That’s because if a man finds you incredibly good-looking and he has a more reserved style there’s a good chance he’ll be very hands-off and respectful.
So says a study that delved into why it’s so darn difficult to know if someone else is into you, as we’re about to see…
Can’t tell if he’s flirting? You’re not alone says science
If you’ve ever found yourself googling the signs of attraction, it’s understandable.
Science has confirmed that when it comes to reading the signs someone is into you, we often find it hard. Researchers found that flirting can be pretty tricky to detect.
The author of one study, Jeffrey Hall, concluded:
“If you think someone is not interested in you, you are probably right, they are not interested. But if someone is, you probably missed it. Behavior that is flirtatious is hard to see, and there are several reason for that. People aren’t going to do it in obvious ways because they don’t want to be embarrassed, flirting looks a lot like being friendly, and we are not accustomed to having our flirting validated so we can get better at seeing it.”
That means a bit of detective work is often required. By observing his behavior and interactions with you, you can gain valuable insights into his level of attraction.
