There are a lot of things you can do to improve your chances of getting a second date. A new haircut, a spritz of fragrance, or even a stylish new outfit can all help attract your date’s attention. Our matchmakers always recommend wearing something that makes you feel good about yourself because that will also help you feel more comfortable and confident on the date. In the end, however, scientists say attraction is based on something more than just your looks: body language.
A University of Minnesota study published in the March issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests a welcoming, open body posture attracted more second dates than one that was contractive, or closed. Both men and women who used their limbs and torso to effectively enlarge their personal space fared much better in a speed dating experiment than those who kept their limbs close to their bodies. The more you spread out, the more likely your date is to request a second date.
The key here is really just to appear confident. “People pick up on the openness of their potential romantic partners,” said lead researcher Tanya Vacharkulksemsuk. It’s all about using your social knowledge and reading your date’s body language to determine whether they are interested, and – if so – whether you are attracted to them in return.
Paul Zak, chairman of the Center for Neuroeconomics Studies at Claremont Graduate University in California, explained the findings of the study as a biological phenomenon. “Women like dominant guys. To a lesser extent, they find that guys like dominant women, too. And dominant people have more open body postures.” We agree that it pays off to pay attention to what science says about biology in relationships, but there is definitely more to dating than science can explain.
The best advice we have is to trust professional matchmaking services like Kelleher International to set you up with the right person from the beginning. People who use matchmakers have significantly higher success rates than singles who use mobile dating apps or websites that promise enormous pools of random daters in your area. This is akin to closing your eyes and throwing a dart at a target across the room without any guidance. Matchmaking services help open your eyes and guide that dart right to the bullseye: your soulmate!
How do we manage to have such high success rates? It’s all about the human element of dating. A computer simply can’t calculate whether or not you will be attracted to someone else. It takes a living, breathing person to listen and truly understand your needs before they can arrange a successful first date. Matchmaking is a skill – not an equation.
All the same, if spreading out and making yourself appear larger increases the likelihood that your date will want to see you again, we think it’s worth a shot! This is a simple fix to a widespread solution (pun totally intended).
If you’re ready to narrow down your search for “the one” and meet only the most compatible people for you, let us know! Body language is just the beginning when it comes to true love.
