Reading people can give them security
Most of us know it: the first date. We dress up, put on something nice and off we go. To the restaurant, to the cinema, for a walk in the park. You immediately find your date likeable, you have a good conversation and you notice how you take him or her to your heart. But then comes the uncertainty! Does he or she like me too? Suddenly you start thinking. You should be clairvoyant and be able to easily find out what he or she is thinking.
Understand the signals of body language
You might of course just ask regarding it and talk regarding it. But let’s be honest: by far not everyone can do that. That’s why here are 7 tips that you can use to tell from facial expressions and gestures whether your date is into you.
From a psychological point of view, facial expressions, gestures and posture are quite similar in men and women. You should pay particular attention to the following points if you want to understand your counterpart on a non-verbal level:
- the eyes
- Mouth
- The legs or foot direction
- The arm pose
1. The eye contact
You probably know this from yourself: If you find a man or a woman attractive, you would like to look at him or her all the time. It shouldn’t turn into a stare, of course, but if you notice that your date keeps looking over at you, that’s a good sign. According to a study by University College London, the optimal duration of eye contact between two strangers is a good 3 seconds. After that, it becomes uncomfortable. However, if the eye contact between you lasts longer, it shows that your counterpart is either aggressive (which we are not assuming here), or your date trusts you and is seeking your attention.
2. Posture
A simple but good indicator to show interest or to spot someone on your date. When we are interested in something or someone and feel comfortable, we turn our whole body towards the other person. The posture becomes open, legs and toes are turned towards the person. A man also likes to stand up to show his size.
3. A smile that comes from the heart
There’s nothing like an honest, hearty laugh. It’s not just women who like to smile at their date and laugh at pretty much every joke they’re into. Even men find it difficult to resist the constant grin when they have butterflies in their stomachs. Even if, on average, they smile less than women do. Important here: only if the smile can be seen up to the eyes – i.e. the famous laugh lines form – is it an honest smile that shows affection.
4. A relaxed voice
Also pay attention to the voice of your date. Does he or she speak in a soft, gentle voice? Then you’re in luck, because relaxation and attraction are also reflected here. Unless, of course, you’re in the middle of the dance floor with loud music. A conversation is a bit more difficult anyway.
5. Dilated pupils
Another reason to look deep into your date’s eyes: check the pupils. They widen when we like something and narrow when we want distance. However, recognizing dilated pupils is not that easy. Many factors, such as dim light or the delicious food that is just arriving, can also be the reason for this. In dark eyes, the pupil is also generally more difficult to identify. It’s still worth taking a look, because we can’t consciously control the pupils, so you can count on it being an honest indication.
6. Proximity and physical contact
The distance we find comfortable – especially to strangers – has a lot to do with the respective social norms. In this country, it is usually at least 1.20 meters that we keep as a distance from each other (with the exception of social distancing). Only those who are familiar to us may go below this distance and come closer. So if your date leans in your direction and repeatedly seeks your closeness, you can read from this that he or she likes you.
The increase in the search for closeness is physical contact. An “accidental” stripe on the sleeve, a little nudge at a particularly good joke, or the removal of a lint. All of this tells you: your date is into you! On the other hand, you can of course let your date know that you are interested. However, you should not overdo it.
7. Only eyes for you
If we like someone, we automatically pay more attention to him or her. We notice many details and also small changes. He or she noticed your new dress? Complimented your hairstyle or noticed straight away that you’re not doing so well today? These are also indications that your crush has his eye on you.
Psychology once morest gut feeling?
All of this may seem a bit top-heavy and psychological for one or the other. But science actually only confirms what you might already suspect from your famous gut feeling. Still, reading people – especially the opposite sex – takes practice at first, but over time you’ll get the hang of it and maybe even enjoy understanding the little gestures and expressions.
However, while analyzing facial expressions, gestures and body language, don’t forget to enjoy your date. After all, getting to know each other is part of the adventure.
You can read here how you can completely convince your date of yourself:
