MEDIA ADVISORY: KU researcher writing book on flirting styles


Tue, 01/31/2012

author

Mary Jane Dunlap

LAWRENCE – In any romance, a first step is communicating attraction – flirting. Jeffrey Hall, assistant professor of communication studies at the University of Kansas, researches dating and courtship and has identified five specific styles — physical, polite, playful, sincere and traditional. Hall is writing a book due out next year on how the flirting styles influence everything from who you are, where you look for love, and your love life and your sex life.

Hall cautions that no style fits all situations: “All flirting styles have consequences – good and bad.” Finding a style that works depends on what outcome is expected – and the possibilities can range from wanting to begin a long-lasting romance to wanting a free drink and everything in between.

Hall specializes in researching how we communicate attraction and what our communication styles and strategies tell us about ourselves. When he and his research colleagues introduced the Flirting Styles Inventory to the public in November 2010, as the lead researcher Hall quickly became a national expert on flirting styles. Hall’s research includes deception in online dating, sexism and aggressive pick-up strategies, and the role of humor in romantic relationships.

To set up an interview with Hall, contact Mary Jane Dunlap, KU News Service, 785-864-8853.

Tue, 01/31/2012

author

Mary Jane Dunlap

Media Contacts

Erin Curtis Dierks