The Lasting Impact of Flirting

1554 Words4 Pages

This paper describes flirtation today and how flirtation has evolved. Based on several forms of research, this paper will explain studies concerning how people flirt, why they do it, and the theories behind it. It is stated that not only does flirting increase your chances of getting a date; it also improves your interpersonal skills at the work place. Researchers also came to the conclusion that there are many forms of flirting, some you may have never thought to be flirting cues. For example, the occasional hand to the shoulder move when you think someone has said something funny, may be perceive as a flirtatious action. Lastly, this paper will discuss effective and ineffective flirting styles along with how men and women’s views on flirting vary from each other.

The Various Styles of Flirting

What motivates a person to flirt? According to research conducted by professor David Henningsen in 2008, there are six different situations in which an individual is likely to engage in flirting. Although men and women do their fair share of flirting, the opposing sexes perceive flirting very differently. It has been recognized that men perceive flirtation as more of a sexual innuendo rather that simply a friendly gesture (Henningsen, 2008). In this text, many motivations that trigger flirting will be discussed along with will be collated from several different aspects including motivation, purposes, and effectiveness.

Several studies have been made to explain why people flirt. According to Belinda Luscombe, one of the reasons people flirt is because they have no control over it, whether by biology or culture we are programmed to flirt (Luscombe, 2008). Jeffry Simpson, professor at the University of Minnesota states, “A ...

... middle of paper ...

...ometimes disastrous acts that one should contemplate before pursuing (Henningsen, 2004). Overall, flirting will always be a part of our society and is an important concept that people need to be educated about.

Works Cited

Goudreau, J. (2011). When Flirting Goes Wrong. Forbes.com, 41.

Hall, J. A., Carter, S., Cody, M. J., & Albright, J. M. (2010). Individual Differences in the Communication of Romantic Interest: Development of the Flirting Styles Inventory. Communication Quarterly, 58(4), 365-393. doi:10.1080/01463373.2010.524874

Henningsen, D. (2004). Flirting With Meaning: An Examination of Miscommunication in Flirting Interactions. Sex Roles, 50(7/8), 481-489.

Henningsen, D., Braz, M., & Davies, E. (2008). WHY DO WE FLIRT? Journal of Business Communication, 45(4), 483-502.

Luscombe, B. (2008). Why We Flirt. (Cover story). Time, 171(4), 62-65.

Open Document