Our flirtatious signals have been studied carefully. Both men and women will show their submissiveness and docility by shrugging their shoulders, and resting their hands with the palms facing up. A flirtatious woman will make eye contact, play with her hair, lick her lips, sway her hips, bat her lashes, and look away. An interested man will show off his goods with grand gestures and stately composure. For fun, observe the body language of a flirting duo the next time you are at a bar or nightclub.
Evolutionary psychologists say that men want pretty, young and fertile women.
And women seek secure, strong men with definite financial prospects. Although these qualities do have some bearing on who we choose for ourselves, we are cognitive and social beings who can squelch the primal attraction that may rear its beguiling head at inopportune times. We can develop strong attractions for someone who has a sparkling personality, a dry wit, a capacity for caring, and similar hobbies. We can become genuinely attracted to an individual's quirks and eccentricities. We all have our individual idea of what the perfect mate is and beauty standards vary the world over.