Flirting is a form of human interaction. It is generally used to express a sexual or romantic interest in the other person. It comprises of different ways and types such as conversation, body language, or brief physical contact. Flirting does not necessarily mean a two way process. Since it is about the expression of interests, it could be one-sided or could be reciprocated too.
Need for flirting
Flirting is often used as a means of expressing interest in a person of the opposite sex and gauges the other person's interest in courtship.
It could be said to be the predefining stage to dating for flirting generally paves the way for courtship between individuals.
This courtship could continue into a long term relationships.
Alternatively, it could also be a simple prelude to casual sex with no emotional strings attached and no continuous relationship
In a few situations, flirting may be done simply for immediate entertainment, with ideas or intent of developing any further relationship. This type of flirting sometimes faces disapproval from others, either because it can be misinterpreted as more serious, or it may be viewed as "cheating" if the person is already in a romantic relationship with someone else.
People who flirt may speak and act in a way that suggests greater intimacy than is generally considered appropriate to the relationship (or to the amount of time the two people have known each other), without actually saying or doing anything that breaches any serious social norms.
One way they accomplish this is to communicate a sense of playfulness or irony.
Double entendres, with one meaning more formally appropriate and another more suggestive, may be used.
Ways to flirt
Flirting may consist of stylized gestures, language, body language, postures, and physiologic signs. Among these, at least in Western society, are:
Eye contact, batting eyelashes, etc. When we are aroused and interested in what we are looking at our pupils dilate. In medieval Italy, women put belladonna into their eyes to make them look bigger. In fact, bella donna means 'beautiful lady'. However, this is not recommended, as belladonna is a kind of poison
"Protean" signals, such as touching one's hair
Casual touches; such as a woman gently touching a man's arm during conversation When people are attracted to each other, they tend to sit or stand in the same way and copy each other's physical gestures. This is known as 'mirroring'. When someone does this, it marks good communication and shows us that our interest is reciprocated.
Smiling suggestively
Winking
Sending notes, poems, or small gifts
Footsies, the "feet under the table" practice
While some of the subconscious signs are universal across cultures, flirting etiquette varies significantly across cultures. Different cultures have different ways to convey and communicate and as a result what applies in one country might be contraband in another country. This could lead to misunderstandings.
