A guy’s body language can indicate how he feels about you and what he’s thinking. So, paying attention to these non-verbal cues and reactions can give you an idea of whether he likes you (or not).
However, body language is not an exact science, and it’s often vague and unclear. The gestures, movements, and expressions all happen at once, so it can be confusing to keep up with everything and derive accurate meaning from them.
Also, the meaning of body language varies between cultures and contexts and depends on a person’spersonalityand intentions. Therefore, when you’re reading body language, always consider these factors.
Nevertheless, body language can, at the very least, tell you if someone’s interested in you.
1. Eye Contact
It’s like, if you haven’t had a chance to scope him out and decide if you’re interested, it can feel uncomfortable when he just walks up and starts hitting on you.
According to Body language expert and intelligence officerGavin Stone:
“Eye contact is a massive sign of animal attraction […]Prolonged eye contact and regular eye contact when in conversation is a high sign of attraction. Especially if the blink rate is slowed. That’s an even bigger sign than the prolonged eye contact. On the flip side, increased and rapid blink rate is high indicator of stress.”
Flirting Triangle
The “flirting triangle” refers to the area of the face our eyes focus on when interacting with others.
The more intense the attraction, the more focused the eye contact becomes on specific parts of this expanded triangle.
2. Glancing Behavior
Even if he’s not maintaining constant eye contact, if you catch him frequently glancing your way or looking at you from across the room, it may suggest that he’s drawn to you and wants to keep you in his sight.
So, if you catch a guy doing either of these types of glances, it could be a sign that he’s interested in you.
The room sweep is more subtle, like he’s trying to casually check you out without being too obvious. The direct look is a bit bolder, like he wants to make sure you notice him noticing you.
Keep an eye out for these tell-tale glances next time you’re in a social setting with a potential love interest!
3. Mirroring
Mirroring is a subconscious behavior often between people who feel a rapport or connection. It involves mimicking the other person’s body language, such as crossing your legs when they cross their legs or leaning in when you lean in.
When you blink more frequently while interacting with your crush, they’ll instinctively mirror your blink rate to maintain synchrony, which consequently increases mutual attraction between you two.
Joe Navarro, the author ofWhat Every Body Is Saying, suggests that when a man is interested, he may point his feet toward the person he’s attracted to, as feet tend to point where the mind wants to go.
He also notes that a man may subconsciously mirror the body language of the person he’s interested in, such as crossing his legs or leaning in the same direction.
Gavin Stone states, “Mirroring each other’s body language is a great sign of having a deep connection. When done unconsciously, the mimicking of each other’s body language and actions is an open display of love and admiration.”
4. Directional Coupling
While mirroring implies doing the same thing at the same time, like a reflection, directional coupling is more like a flowing conversation where one person responds to the other.
Directional coupling is a term used to describe when one person’s body movements can predict or lead their partner’s body movements a moment later.
Imagine you’re on a date and you start swaying gently to the music. A few seconds later, your date starts swaying too, almost like they’re following your lead.
That’s directional coupling – your movements are subtly influencing and predicting your date’s movements.
Researchersdiscovered that when one person’s body swaying matched their date’s body swaying a moment later, almost like they were dancing together, it meant the first person was more interested in a serious relationship with their date.
This was the case even if they didn’t find their date super attractive.
5. Physical Touch
Physical touch is a way of expressing affection and closeness. If he likes you, he might brush your arm, give you hugs, or gently or playfully touch you.
Tracey Coxnotes that a man may gently touch the person he’s interested in, such as brushing their arm or touching the small of their back while guiding them through a door.
Gavin Stone says, “Regular touching is a definitive sign of sexual desires and attraction.”
In contrast, if he pulls away when you touch him, it might mean he doesn’t like you.
It could also mean he doesn’t like to be touched in general or it’s too hot and humid to be touched – but if he frequently pulls away from your touch, ask yourself why.
6. Adjusting his appearance
When someone frequently adjusts their appearance in the presence of another person, it can be a sign that they want to look their best and make a good impression.
This behavior is often referred to as “preening” or “self-grooming.”
If a guy frequently touches, smooths, or adjusts his hair when he’s around you, it could be a sign that he wants to look well-groomed and attractive in your presence. This behavior may be more noticeable if he doesn’t tend to do this as much when you’re not around.
Tracey Cox, relationships expert and author of Superflirt, suggests that a man who is interested may subconsciously touch his face, particularly his mouth or chin, while talking to the person he’s attracted to.
We can break this down into three main zones:
Just keep in mind, this doesn’t include things like resting his chin on his hand or clasping his hands behind his head. We’re talking about more active, repeated touches that seem to happen in a sequence.
7. Leaning In
Leaning in during a conversationis often seen as a nonverbal cue indicating interest, engagement, and attraction.
When someone leans in during a conversation, they are essentially reducing the physical space between themselves and the other person. This can be a way of creating a sense of intimacy and connection, suggesting that they are comfortable being close to the other person.
Generally speaking, when a person stands or sits close to you or leans in when you’re speaking it indicates trust, affection, and a desire for intimacy and closeness.
However, depending on their stance and facial expression, it could also mean aggression or dominance – context is always important to take into consideration.
Body language that can mean he likes you includes:
Conversely, closed-off body language, creating physical space between you, and pulling away when you touch him can indicate disinterest or dislike.
But there could always be contextual reasons for this as well, for example, he might have his arms crossed because he’s cold or create physical space because he’s too hot.
8. Facial Expression
It’s hard to control your facial movements so they can often give away someone’s thoughts and emotions without them even realizing.
For example:
9. Tone of Voice
Pay attention tothe wayhe says things, not justwhathe says.
Researchhas shown that men (subconsciously) deepen their voices when they’re speaking to someone they like romantically or sexually because it makes them appear more masculine.
Psychologists have studiedvocal modulation in the context of courtship.
They found that men lowered the pitch of their voice and used more varied intonation patterns when speaking to an attractive woman compared to a less attractive woman.
This study provides evidence that men may modify their vocal patterns when interacting with someone they find attractive.
10. Smiling and Laughing
A genuine smile is one of the most reliable indicators of attraction and enjoyment. If he smiles at you a lot (with eyes and mouth), it’s very likely he enjoys your company.
A true, uncontrolled smile that reaches his eyes and lights up his whole face, known as a Duchenne smile, is a significant indicator of authentic positive emotions like joy and affection.
The same goes for laughter – if he laughs a lot when he’s around you, he’s comfortable and happy in your presence.
Gavin Stone says:
“Never underestimate the power of a real smile. It’s beautiful to see when another person is smiling at you, and it feels even better when it’s reciprocated. If the mere sight of someone makes you smile, that tells you everything you need to know about your feelings towards them and if your smile is returned, well, it speaks for itself.”
A playful smile or smirk can indicate sexual attraction, while a one-sided smile without the eyes crinkling can indicate contempt or disinterest.
11. Other Signs to Look Out For
The body language expert Tracey Cox also mentioned the following signs to look out for in a man:
Sources
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Leongómez, J. D., Binter, J., Kubicová, L., Stolařová, P., Klapilová, K., Havlíček, J., & Roberts, S. C. (2014). Vocal modulation during courtship increases proceptivity even in naive listeners.Evolution and Human Behavior,35(6), 489-496.
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Renninger, L. A., Wade, T. J., & Grammer, K. (2004). Getting that female glance: Patterns and consequences of male nonverbal behavior in courtship contexts.Evolution and Human Behavior,25(6), 416-431.
Stone, G. (2020, October 6). What your partner’s body language actually means. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-your-partners-body-language-actually-means-gavin-stone/
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Saul McLeod, PhD
BSc (Hons) Psychology, MRes, PhD, University of Manchester
Saul McLeod, PhD., is a qualified psychology teacher with over 18 years of experience in further and higher education. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychology.
Olivia Guy-Evans, MSc
BSc (Hons) Psychology, MSc Psychology of Education
Olivia Guy-Evans is a writer and associate editor for Simply Psychology. She has previously worked in healthcare and educational sectors.
Anna DrescherMental Health WriterBSc (Hons), Psychology, Goldsmiths University, MSc in Psychotherapy, University of QueenslandAnna Drescher is a freelance writer and solution-focused hypnotherapist, specializing in CBT and meditation. Using insights from her experience working as an NHS Assistant Clinical Psychologist and Recovery Officer, along with her Master’s degree in Psychotherapy, she lends deep empathy and profound understanding to her mental health and relationships writing.
Anna DrescherMental Health WriterBSc (Hons), Psychology, Goldsmiths University, MSc in Psychotherapy, University of Queensland
Anna Drescher
Mental Health Writer
BSc (Hons), Psychology, Goldsmiths University, MSc in Psychotherapy, University of Queensland
Anna Drescher is a freelance writer and solution-focused hypnotherapist, specializing in CBT and meditation. Using insights from her experience working as an NHS Assistant Clinical Psychologist and Recovery Officer, along with her Master’s degree in Psychotherapy, she lends deep empathy and profound understanding to her mental health and relationships writing.
