What Does Flirting Mean and How Do You Flirt?

What is the meaning of flirting? This question may seem simple enough to answer. After all, we've all done it (or tried to, at least.)

Image by pedrosimoes7 via Flickr

Complimenting women, dressing to impress, and spouting off cheesy pick-up lines are just some of the tactics devised to attract a mate, but how much do we really know about the art of flirting?

In short, flirting is nothing more than a mating ritual, and it is not exclusive to humans alone.

Consider the animal kingdom. Have you ever wondered about the songs birds sing? Is it just a mere coincidence that peacocks have such stylish feathers? What's the science behind apes beating their chests the way they do?

The answer is simple... it's all a part of their mating ritual.

While flirting techniques are unique to each species, the goal behind them is not. For humans, flirting involves the verbal and nonverbal cues we use to attract a potential mate. We use this form of communication to show interest and to generate the sexual tension that's necessary for creating attraction.

As men, we take specific actions to impress the female of our choice: humor; intelligence; material wealth; social status; confidence. Like the male ape beating his chest, these are just some of the signals we emit to prove our desire and worthiness to the opposite sex.

This is the essence of flirting! What's more is that it is mostly done on an unconscious level. Think back to the animal examples mentioned earlier. Do you think any of these mating rituals are preplanned?

They are not. In actuality, they are all nature's answer to continuing the life cycle, and every creature on the planet is bred specifically for this purpose, including humans.

Like the animal kingdom, humans don't think about flirting...they just do it. In fact, the only time we're actually aware of our flirtatious nature is when it backfires on us. Every guy has been in a situation where a girl appears to be flirting with him, only to act annoyed when he returns the gesture.

She spouts off comments such as, "You're not my type," or "I like you as a friend," and he finds himself confused at the entire interaction. In fact, it's not uncommon for a guy to misinterpret a girl's friendly signals for a sexual attraction.

While it's important to know how to flirt, it's equally vital that you know how to read her signals. The truth is a woman will send specific body language cues that show she's interested when you're flirting with her. Knowing how to read these signs (and act upon them) is the secret to getting her.

So even if you understand WHY people flirt, it's much more important to be able to flirt in a way that attracts the women you're meeting!