Use science to craft the perfect first date.
Warm Her Up
The Date – Coffee may be a cliché, but it’s effective. Here’s why: warming her up physically will help her warm up to you. Using physical senses to influence a mental response works well with other stimuli: watching a funny movie will make her associate you with laughter.
The Science – A Yale University study had participants hold either warm or cold beverages and indicate if they thought someone had a warm or cold personality. Those who held warm drinks judged the person to have a warm personality, and likewise with the cold ones.
Be Her Prey
The Date – Win her heart by letting her chase yours. Use competitive games like paintballing or go-karting to let her reel you in and win. Chasing you will appeal to her secret desires.
The Science – “The mere act of physically approaching a potential partner, versus being approached, seems to increase desire for that partner,” says social psychologist Eli Finkel.
Party Hard
The Date – If you met as strangers, kick things off by taking her to a party. She’ll get to see you interacting with your friends, and chatting with them and their partners will give her some positive background info on you.
The Science – “Humans don’t exist in a vacuum,” explains Skyler Place, a researcher at Indiana University. “Humans, like many other animals, pay attention to the preferences of others to make for a more efficient search process. Who others like might also be a good choice for ourselves.”
Keep Her Guessing
The Date – If you’re visiting another couple, bring out some cards for a low-stakes game. Your poker face will add to your enigmatic persona.
The Science – It turns out there may be something to “playing hard to get”. Research published in Psychological Science found a woman is more attracted to a man when she’s uncertain about how much he likes her.
Get a Girl Friend
The Date – Enlist a crew of female friends… even if it’s your sister and her BFFs. Meeting the girls for cocktails shows her your gender relations and lets her weed out any misogynistic trends.
The Science – A University of Texas study revealed that the presence of other women who appear to be interested in a man may provide valuable information about that man’s quality. If other women like you, it suggests that you at least tick some of the general boyfriend boxes.
