Perceiving flirtatious communication: An exploration of the perceptual dimensions underlying judgments of flirtatiousness

Perceptual dimensions underlying flirtatiousness judgments were examined in a three‐phased study. This study was conducted to answer the following research questions: (a) What perceptual dimensions underlie flirtatiousness judgments? (b) Do men and women use similar perceptual dimensions in assessing flirtatiousness? and (c) Do men and women vary in the degree to which they employ these perceptual dimensions in making their judgments? Based on an INDSCAL procedure and regression analyses completed on the sorting data of 94 participants (47 men and 47 women), six perceptual dimensions underlying flirtatiousness judgments were found: sexual assertiveness, overtness, invitation, playfulness, nonverbalness, and unconventionality. Additionally, men and women used identical dimensions in assessing the flirtatiousness of the episodes employed as stimuli. With a slight exception for perceptions of invitation, men and women judged the flirtation episodes similarly on the uncovered dimensions. The practical and theoretical implications of these results are discussed.