Body Language of Eye Flutter or Batting Eyes
Cue: Eye Flutter or Batting Eyes
Synonym(s): Eyelash Flickering, Eyelash Batting, Batting Eyelashes.
Description: When the eyelids are opened and closed in rapid succession.
In One Sentence: Eyes that flutter signal sexual arousal, or heightened emotion.
How To Use it: In a dating context, women should bat their eyes in order to draw emphasis to them. Likewise the use of eye liner and mascara can add extra sex appeal by showcasing the “windows to the soul.” Fluttering eyes is linked to emotional arousal, thus, the signal should be paired with other signal such as brief eye contact followed by looking down and smiling. The context will define the eye flutter. For example, girls may flutter their eyes to convince Dad to buy them a treat, whereas Mom might flutter her eyes to her husband to signal sexual intent.
In some context, eye fluttering shows an internal struggle or disbelief, therefore, they should be used carefully.
Context: a) Dating, b) General.
Verbal Translation: a) “I’m aroused sexually and I’m drawing attention to one of my best assets, my sexy eyes and lashes to evoke protective feelings.” b) “I’m having an internal struggle and stress with what you have said and it’s causing me to stutter with my eyes and eyelashes.”
Variant: Eye Blink Rate (Rapid).
Cue In Action: a) When a hot guy passed by, she batted her eyes and look up coyly at him from her desk. b) When asked to the prom, she batted her eyes quickly and persistently with a blank look on her face – she didn’t want to tell him she already had a date.
Meaning and/or Motivation: Used to invoke feelings of protectiveness in others by appearing more childlike. It serves to draw interest to the eyes via long luscious lashes.
Batting the eyes is a cue of sexual interest when done by women in a dating context.
Other times eyelash fluttering is due to an internal struggle as in a high blink rate.
Cue Cluster: The cues will depend on the intension and context. When stress related, we see a blank, caught in the headlights, type expression. While in dating context we see smiling eyes and a doe-like expression.
Body Language Category: Courtship displays, Confused, Doubt or disbelief body language, Eye Language, Fearful body language, Frustration or frustrated body language, Indicators of sexual interest (IOsI), Pensive displays, Stressful body language, Worry body language.
Resources:
Abbey, A., and Melby, C. (1986). The effects of nonverbal cues on gender differences in perceptions of sexual intent. Sex Roles, 15, 283-298.
Argyle, Michael; Lefebvre, Luc; Cook, Mark 1974. The meaning of five patterns of gaze. European Journal of Social Psychology. 4(2): 125-136.
Anderson, Uriah S. ; Perea, Elaine F. ; Vaughn Becker, D. ; Ackerman, Joshua M. ; Shapiro, Jenessa R. ; Neuberg, Steven L. ; Kenrick, Douglas T. I only have eyes for you: Ovulation redirects attention (but not memory) to attractive men. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. 2010. 46(5): 804-808.
Bolmont, Mylene; John T. Cacioppo and Stephanie Cacioppo. Love Is in the Gaze: An Eye-Tracking Study of Love and Sexual Desire. Psychological Science July 16, 2014. Published online before print. July 16, 2014, doi: 10.1177/0956797614539706
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/lust-like-eyes-read-body-language-eyes/
Clark, A. Attracting Interest: Dynamic Displays of Proceptivity Increase the Attractiveness of Men and Women. Evolutionary Psychology. 2008., 6(4), 563-574.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/risky-versus-proceptive-nonverbal-sexual-cues/
Costa, M., Menzani, M., & Ricci Bitti, P. E. Head canting in paintings: An historical study. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. 2001. 25: 63–73.
Costa, M., & Ricci Bitti, P. E. Face-ism effect and head canting in one’s own and others’ photographs. European Psychologist. 2000. 5: 293–301.
Cari D. Goetz; Judith A. Easton; David M.G. Lewis; David M. Buss. Sexual Exploitability: Observable Cues And Their Link To Sexual Attraction. Evolution and Human Behavior. 2012; 33: 417-426.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/victim-blaming-or-useful-information-in-preventing-rape-and-sexual-exploitation/
Emery, N.J. The eyes have it: the neuroethology, function and evolution of social gaze
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. 2000. 24(6): 581-604.
Greer, Arlettee. ; Buss, Davidm. Tactics for promoting sexual encounters
Journal of Sex Research. 1994. 31(3): 185-201.
Goodboy, Alan, K. and Maria Brann. Flirtation Rejection Strategies: Towards an Understanding of Communicative Disinterest in Flirting. The Quantitative Report. 2010. 15(2): 268-278.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/how-to-reject-flirting-using-nonverbal-and-verbal-tactics/
Guéguen, Nicolas and Céline Jacob. Direct Look Versus Evasive Glance and Compliance With a Request, The Journal of Social Psychology. 2002.142(3): 393-396. DOI: 10.1080/00224540209603907. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00224540209603907
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/direct-eye-contact-best-making-request/
Guéguen, N., & Fischer-Lokou, J. (2004). Hitchhiker’s Smiles And Receipt Of Help. Psychological Reports. 94: 756-760.
Guéguen, N. The Effect Of A Woman’s Smile On Men’s Courtship Behavior. Social Behavior and Personality. 2008. 36(9): 1233-1236.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/how-women-can-use-a-simple-smile-to-attract-men/
Guéguen, N., & Fischer-Lokou, J. (2004). Hitchhiker’s Smiles And Receipt Of Help. Psychological Reports. 94: 756-760.
Givens D. The nonverbal basis of attraction: Flirtation, courtship, and seduction. Psychiatry. 1978. 41: 346.
Grammer, K. (1990). Strangers meet: Laughter and nonverbal signs of interest in opposite-sex encounters. Journal of Non? verbal Behavior, 14, 209-237.
Greer, Arlettee. ; Buss, Davidm. Tactics for promoting sexual encounters. Journal of Sex Research. 1994. 31(3): 185-201.
Goetz, Cari D.; Judith A. Easton; David M.G. Lewis; David M. Buss. Sexual Exploitability: Observable Cues And Their Link To Sexual Attraction. Evolution and Human Behavior. 2012; 33: 417-426.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/victim-blaming-or-useful-information-in-preventing-rape-and-sexual-exploitation/
Goetz, Cari D.; Judith A. Easton; Cindy M. Meston. The Allure of Vulnerability: Advertising Cues to Exploitability as a Signal of Sexual Accessibility. Personality and Individual Differences. 2013. 62: 121-125. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2014.02.019
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/allure-sexual-vulnerability-move/
Hald, G. M., & Høgh-Olesen, H. Receptivity to Sexual Invitations from Strangers of the Opposite Gender. Evolution and Human Behavior. 2010. 31, 453-458.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/first-12-minutes-flirting-using-nonverbal-communication-study-reveals-26-body-language-cues-attraction/
Hall, Jeffrey A. and Chong Xing. The Verbal and Nonverbal Correlates of the Five Flirting Styles. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. 2015. 39:41–68. DOI 10.1007/s10919-014-0199-8
Kellerman. 1989. Looking and loving: The effects of mutual gaze on feelings of romantic love. Journal of Research in Personality. 23(2): 145-161.
Keltner, D. The signs of appeasement: Evidence for the distinct displays of embarrassment, amusement, and shame. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1995. 68: 441–454.
Krumhuber, Eva; Antony S. R.; Manstead; and Arvid Kappas. Temporal Aspects of Facial Displays in Person and Expression Perception: The Effects of Smile Dynamics, Head-tilt, and Gender. Journal Nonverbal Behavior. 2007; 31: 39-56.
DOI 10.1007/s10919-006-0019-x
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/head-tilt-and-slow-onset-smile-nonverbals-trust-attraction-dominance-and-flirting-a-brief-report/
Moore, Monica. M. Nonverbal Courtship Patterns in Women: Context and consequences. Ethology and Sociobiology. 1985. 6:237- 247.
Moore, M. M. Courtship Communication and Perception. Perceptual and Motor Skills. 2002. 94(1): 97-105. doi:10.2466/PMS.94.1.97-105.
Moore, Monica. Courtship Signaling and Adolescents: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. Journal of Sex Research. 1995. 32(4): 319-328.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/girls-just-want-to-have-fun-the-origins-of-courtship-cues-in-girls-and-women/
Moore, M. M. and D. L. Butler. 1989. Predictive aspects of nonverbal courtship behavior in women. Semiotica 76(3/4): 205-215.
Moore, Monicam. Human Nonverbal Courtship Behavior—A Brief Historical Review
Journal of Sex Research. 2010. 47(2-3): 171-180.
Mishra, Sandeep; Andrew Clark and Martin Daly. One Woman’s Behavior Affects The Attractiveness Of Others. Evolution and Human Behavior. 2007 28: 145-149.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/rival-good-body-language-makes-partner-look-uglier/
Martens, Jason P.; Jessica L. Tracy and Azim F. Shariff. Status signals: Adaptive
benefits of displaying and observing the nonverbal expressions of pride and shame, Cognition & Emotion. 2012. 26(3): 390-406. DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2011.645281
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/significant-nonverbal-expression-pride-shame-body-language-detailed-examination-origin-function/
Martina Mara and Markus Appel. Effects of Lateral Head Tilt on User Perceptions of Humanoid and Android Robots. Computers in Human Behavior. 2015. 44: 326-334
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/nonverbal-head-tilt-says-robot/
McCormick, Naomi B. and Andrew J. Jones. Gender Differences in Nonverbal Flirtation. Journal of Sex Education and Therapy. 1989. 15(4): 271-282.
Nixon, Robin. Eye-catcher: lash-batting as sport. Psychology Today, July-August, 2008, Vol.41(4), p.24(1)
Renninger, Lee Ann ; Wade, T. Joel ; Grammer, Karl. Getting that female glance: Patterns and consequences of male nonverbal behavior in courtship contexts. Evolution and Human Behavior. 2004. 25(6). 416-431.
Sturman, Edward D. Involuntary Subordination and Its Relation to Personality, Mood,
and Submissive Behavior. Psychological Assessment. 2011. 23(1): 262-276 DOI: 10.1037/a0021499
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/nonverbal-submission-men-women-depression-critical-examination-use-disuse-submission/
Petrican, Raluca; Christopher T. Burris and Morris Moscovitch. Shame, Sexual Compulsivity, and Eroticizing Flirtatious Others: An Experimental Study. Journal of Sex Research. 2015. 52(1), 98–109, 2015. DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2013.829796
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/coy-flirtatious-smile-eye-contact-leads-shame-sex/
Walsh, D. G., & Hewitt, J. (1985). Giving Men The Come-On: Effect Of Eye Contact And Smiling In A Bar Environment. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 61, 873-874.
Weerth, Carolina ; Kalma, Akko. Gender differences in awareness of courtship initiation tactics. Sex Roles. 1995. 32(11): 717-734.