Dating 101: Decode His Body Language
Whether you've just met your man or are long-term loves, this dating guide deciphers the meanings behind his actions.
By Cosmopolitan Updated: Dec 5, 2008
RATING THIS ARTICLE
What
woman doesn't appreciate a man with a nice body? Beyond admiring his
physique, you can also gauge crucial dating information with a simple
glance at him.
By picking up on the
subtle nonverbal messages he's sending, you'll discover tons of clues
about his personality and how he really feels about you. Here, you can
learn everything from how he handles intimacy to whether he's lying,
and more.
More Dating Articles from Cosmopolitan:
First-Meeting Body LanguageHe
lifts his eyebrows. When a man sees someone he's into,
he'll automatically lift and lower his eyebrows, wrinkling his forehead
in the process. But you'll have to keep your eyes peeled to catch a
glimpse of this telltale signal. Anthropologists call it the eyebrow
flash because it's usually lightning-quick.
He
stands with his legs spread apart. A guy will often
stand with his legs spread apart and pelvis facing you when he's
attracted to you. It's a primal, biological instinct, and most guys
don't even know they're doing it.
He
stands or sits with his toes pointed toward each other.
This means he's feeling a little unsure of himself. So if a boy in the
club is striking this pose, he's digging you but needs reassurance that
the interest is mutual.
He
smiles with his top lip stretched wide and his front teeth are just
barely peeking through. This tight-lipped look is a
polite signal that while he enjoys your company, the romantic spark may
not be there. but that doesn't mean his feelings can't
develop.
He holds a
looong, piercing gaze. Although you may think he's
smitten, he could be playing you. Holding intense eye contact for more
than five sedonds doesn't happen naturally, so he may be using the look
solely as a player's technique to get what he wants.
He
tilts his head slightly to the side when your eyes
meet. The head tilt is a subconscious come-hither
signal that the guy has feelings for you. So if that man you've been
meeting eyes with for the last hour gives you the head tilt, that's
your cue to go in for the kill and introduce yourself.
He
half smiles. There's a good chance this guy just wants
a no-strings fling. "A sneerlike grin is an indication that he's not
being sincere with you," points out body-language expert Patti Wood.
"it's a split-face gesture: Each side of his face is telling a
different story."
Dating Body LanguageHe
sits on his hands. If a guy is sitting on his mitts,
he's trying to control what's coming out of the his mouth. But this is
more about withholding information. He's worried that he's going to do
something that will displease you -- he wants to put his best foot
forward so he's disciplining himself.
He
has a big, broad expression, often with everything showing -- teeth,
gums... cavities. Consider it the "Wow, you give me
butterflies. I'm head over heels' smile." If it's accompanied by a
hearty laugh, look out. If he were any more into you, he might drop
down on one knee.
He
says good-bye with a soft peck. If 9 times out of 10
he plants a soft, tender kiss on your cheek, then your beau is the
sensitive type. This is a paternal gesture that shows he wants to take
care of you.
He
slouches his shoulders. When a man finds a woman's
actions to be adorable or sweet, he gets the urge to hold her. As a
result, his shoulders automatically round off as though he's about to
take her into his arms. So does this mean you've suddenly lost all your
seducing appeal? Not necessarily. The shoulder slump does indicate
attraction but, even better, with a serious emotional undercurrent. So
in the case of a long-term boyfriend, this shoulder roll is likely a
sign that one of your quirks has tugged on his heartstrings. And if a
brand-new dude pulls that move, chances are, he's feeling a true
connection to you. So forget all the flirting formalities
and be real. This lad's looking to go deeper.
He
strokes his stomach. A midriff massager craves the
spotlight and needs steady verbal reminders of what an absolte catch
you think he is. However, when it comes to throwing fond feelings your
way, this tongue-tied cutie is much more action than words. But if you
want him to shower you with the affection he's capable of, you'll have
to stroke his ego as often as he strokes his tummy.
He
extends his palm. When a guy offers his palm to you
faceup, you know hands down he's hooked. He's literally and
figuratively reaching out to the person he's speaking with in an
attempt to connect on a deeper emotional level. Even cooler: Our brains
respond to hand gestures with heightened alertness (we have a special
region that processes only hand shapes), so you'll actually feel the
love.
On-the-Rocks Body LanguageHe
shifts in his chair or taps his fingers. These nervous
ticks may make it seem like he's just plain nervous, but if they're
done while he's explaining himself to you, they actually indicate that
he could be fibbing.
He
toys with his ears or his nose. If youre guy starts
toying with his ear or nose (and he doesn't have allergies), be
suspicious. When a guy is being deceptive, it's common for blood to
rush to his face. His nose and ears will get warm and begin to itch,
causing him to unconsciously rub or scratch them.
He
looks up and to the left. The next time you ask him a
sticky question or he wants to explain himself to you, notice which way
he looks. If his eyes move up to the right, he's recalling information
from his memory. If he looks up to the left, there's a good chance that
he's inventing the answer.
He
averts his eyes. Because animosity is so hard to
conceal, your guy will reduce eye contact. He's subconsciously aware
that one peek into his peepers will reveal his inner grrr. For a clue
as to whether he's miffed at you or someone else, look into his eyes
(since he won't look into yours). If he stares you down the second you
catch his gaze, you're probably the object of his ire.
His
jaw is tense. Check out the spot where his jaw meets
his cheekbone. If his mouth is rigid and you can see his jaw flexing,
it's a sign he's fuming.
He
covers his mouth with his hand. This guy is probably
lying. When he unconsciously obstructs your view of his lips, it's a
sign that he's trying to block the truth from slipping out. In
addition, he might lick his lips and look away from you -- directing
his eyes down and to the right.
He
turns his cheek mid-convo. Occasionally averting his
eyes or scanning the room is normal, but if you find yourself talking
mostly to his profile, you're in trouble.
Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.
More on Dating from Cosmopolitan:More Dating Tips:- Dating 101: Will Your Guy Cheat on You?
- Dating 101: Are Bad Dating Habits Keeping You Single?
- Six Dating Behaviors That Scare Single Men Away
- Dating Secret Exposed: Why Nice Guys Finish Last
- Debunking the Dating Scarcity Myth
- What's Behind the Trend of Women Dating Younger Men?

Create Your

