The Body Language of Attraction,
or "how do I know if (s)he really likes me?"

Does (s)he like me or not? One of the most perplexing questions posed by daters - after all people can say one thing and mean another. Especially if you're new to dating or your skills are a little rusty, what to believe?

Well here's the good news - as the song says, "Hips don't lie" - your body gestures are constantly giving you away! Students of the branch of psychology known as " body language" have identified a number of ways your body tells people what you REALLY think of them.

Here are 7 clues that someone finds you attractive:

Clue #1 - Let's Turn In

When a person likes someone and enjoys their company, they tend to orient their bodies in that direction. Conversely, if they DON'T like you they tend to turn their bodies away.
Look for: Shoulders and feet turned towards you, if sitting side by side, legs crossed in your direction.

Clue #2 - "Space Invaders"

If someone finds you attractive, they are more likely to find excuses to get into what's known as your "personal space" - the area within about 20" of your body.
Look for: Leaning in closely towards you, moving into the zone of your personal space.

Clue #3 - Preening

Well, who wouldn't want to make themselves more attractive for someone they're trying to impress? People subconsciously "groom" themselves in the presence of someone they find attractive.
Look for: "Grooming" actions - fixing or playing with their hair, touching their own face, straightening their clothes, etc.

Clue #4 - Touchy Feely

If someone likes you, they'll punctuate their conversation by reaching out and touching you. Or they may touch you under the pretense of checking the fabric of your clothing or removing a hair from it.

A characteristically male variation of touching is reaching towards you... then touching something else, for example, reaching across the dinner table and touching the tablecloth or your glass.
Look for: Repeatedly touching your arm, waist, neck, face, touching your clothing, reaching into your space but touching something else (a common male variation).

Clue #5 - Watch those Eyes!

The eyes are one of the best giveaways to how someone is feeling. Eye contact of course is a good sign, but more particularly eye contact which includes glances to the rest of the face instead of just scanning from eye-to-eye. Many body language signals that occur in the eyes can't be faked. For example, when we look at someone we like our pupils will dilate and our blink rate will increase.
Look for: Rapid blinking, dilated pupils, eye contact, little glances towards other parts of your face during eye contact.

Clue #6 - Love Monkey See, Love Monkey Do

Here's something interesting - when we like someone, we tend to subconsciously mimic their gestures!
Look for: Mirroring of your gestures, mimicing the way you are standing or the way you are sitting.

Clue #7 - Miscellaneous Flirty Gestures

There are many other small, flirtatious signals - we've only covered a few!
Look for: "Cute" body language - things like lifted shoulders or a tilted head

Want to send clear signals to your date that you like them? Deliberately use these secret body language signals and watch the sparks fly!