Accurately Detecting Flirting: Error Management Theory, the Traditional Sexual Script, and Flirting Base Rate
Issue Date
2014-05-25Author
Hall, Jeffrey A.
Xing, Chong
Brooks, Seth
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Type
Article
Article Version
Scholarly/refereed, author accepted manuscript
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The present manuscript reports two studies on the accuracy of flirting detection. In Study 1, 52 pairs (N = 104) of opposite-sex heterosexual strangers interacted for 10-12 minutes, then self-reported flirting and perceived partner flirting. The results indicated that interactions where flirting did not occur were more accurately perceived than interactions where flirting occurred. In Study 2, 26 one minute video clips drawn from Study 1 were randomly assigned to one of eight experimental conditions that varied flirting base rate and the traditional sexual script. Participant observers (N = 261) attempted to determine if flirting occurred. Results indicated that base rate affected accuracy; flirting was more accurately detected in clips where flirting did not occur than in clips where flirting occurred. Study 2 also indicated that female targets’ flirting was more accurately judged than male targets’ flirting. Findings are discussed in relation to accuracy and courtship context.
Collections
Citation
Hall, J. A., C. Xing, and S. Brooks. "Accurately Detecting Flirting: Error Management Theory, the Traditional Sexual Script, and Flirting Base Rate." Communication Research 42.7 (2014): 939-58.
Items in KU ScholarWorks are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.
We want to hear from you! Please share your stories about how Open Access to this item benefits YOU.