Does Playing Hard To Get Really Work?
by Jaqulyn Spezze | July 1, 2011
{ 11 comments... read them below or add one}
Most people have heard that “playing hard to get” is an essential part of dating. Our friends, movies (Swingers, He’s Just Not That into You), television shows (Sex and the City, Entourage, Friends), and advice books reinforce the concept of “playing hard to get” over and over, where it seems to be a must when dating. On one hand, you do not want to seem too eager or overzealous about a new person because you might be perceived as desperate or annoying. On the other hand, if they have not communicated with you for over two weeks or after calling them two or three times (and why three?) then they are probably just not that into you (and not just “playing hard to get”). So where does that leave you? Is the principle of “playing hard to get” really a dating essential and does it really work? Do we have to jump through the hoops of “playing hard to get” even if we like the other person?
Should I “play hard to get?”
If you are a woman, surveys say yes. These studies have found that women who are physically attractive, appear healthy and youthful, and are “hard to get” correlates with them being reproductively valuable to men. In other words, “playing hard to get” is a tactic used by women that show men that they are something to be valued and therefore are more desirable to men. Women that “play hard to get” give the appearance that they are more selective in choosing a mate and will not just date (or for that matter mate) just any guy. We know from earlier blogs how high-maintenance women use this tactic in spades. This theory suggests that “playing hard to get” functions to test a man’s motivation, ability to invest resources (time, money, effort, etc.), and/or a sign of his fidelity. Therefore it is reasonable to assume that “playing hard to get” is a beneficial tactic for women to use.
But what about men, should they play hard to get?
A new study by Whitchurch , Wilson, and Gilbert (2011) on uncertainty and romantic attraction would also say affirmative. They found that women were most attracted to men when they were uncertain of whether these men liked them in return. In this study, the researchers told the women that men from different universities rated their Facebook profiles. The researchers informed the women that they were rated based on the degree to which the men thought they would get along with each woman (but what the women did not know was that these men and their Facebook profiles were fictitious). The women in this study were either told that the four male profiles they were examining were men that liked them best, liked them an average amount, or in the uncertain condition (which meant that the men either liked them the best or liked them an average amount, and the women were unaware of what the men had rated them). The study found that the women were most attracted to the men when they did not know how they were rated (aka the uncertain condition). Also the women in the uncertain condition reported thinking about the men the most and it is suggested that this enhanced their attraction toward these men. It is proposed that the reason for this increased attraction is that the women might have spent more time thinking about these men and wondering how the men felt about them. This study suggests that men who create a sense of uncertainty (kept the woman they are dating guessing about how they feel about them), can actually increase that woman’s interest.
So what does this mean for me in the dating world?
It means that if you are a woman you can maximize the chances of getting into a relationship by valuing your self-worth and “playing hard to get.” You can do this by not being overly available and having (or just appearing to have) other male options. For men, it means that you should not immediately tell the woman you are dating that you like her and leave your feelings about her a mystery for awhile. By leaving your feelings a mystery she may think about you more and therefore be more attracted to you. Of course if both women and men play too hard to get then there will be no chance of anyone getting together. So please “play hard to get” responsibly.
Further Reading:
Buss, D.M. (1988). The evolution of human intrasexual competition: Tactics of mate attraction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54 (4), 616-28 PMID: 3367282
Walster, E., Walster, G., Piliavin, J., & Schmidt, L. (1973). “Playing hard to get”: Understanding an elusive phenomenon. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 26 (1), 113-121 DOI: 10.1037/h0034234
Whitchurch, E.R., Wilson, T.D., & Gilbert, D.T. (2011). “He loves me, he loves me not . . . “: uncertainty can increase romantic attraction. Psychological Science, 22 (2), 172-175 PMID: 21169522 DOI: 10.1177/0956797610393745
Ayo, this girl knows whats up . .
I disagree. I don’t care what the studies show. A healthy relationship requires being honest and forthright. Why not start that right away when you are dating? The woman I want to be with will appreciate that I am completely open with my feelings from the start. If she does not like that, she’s not the right one for me.
This is TOO TRUE and very sad!!!
I think the best thing is to be honest with one another. Playing games is okay in high school but no for mature adults. Don’t these authors believe in love at first sight?
I don;t think this article is really proposing playing games. Creating uncertainty is different from being cool. In my experience the most popular girls are the ones who are really friendly to everyone so you aren’t quite sure whether she is being just friendly or she likes you.
When you meet someone serious most of these rules go out of the window though. And ultimately people like people who like them.
The problem with us humans is that the evolutionary conditioned animal part of us seeking a mate for reproduction spoils chances for our spiritual and romantic nature to get expressed.
For our ancestors this “game” was a dead-serious evolutionary struggle. For us it’s a stupid relic of the past preventing us from being really higher beings than those who dwelled in caves.
Any way, to all what have read, playing hard to get works.Because wen i try doing it,men fall for me more than when i become too available for them…i hard a boyfriend who played hard to get,and i fell for him every now and then though we split, because i was getting hurt every day i thought he didn’t like me or taking me for granted. i hard stress, and all my thoughts were on him 24/7..but now am passed that pain. Am happy with my single life and ready to ride the horse again..but offcourse with experience..Thanx to all
It’s unfortunate but in this world if someone wants you, you don’t want them. If you want them they don’t want you. Playing games in love is sad to me. I believe you should be honest about your feelings and if you both feel the same way then that’s good. But, if one doesn’t truly feel the same way you do, then why should you have to play games to make them want you?
In my experience, and I’ve had many dates in the last 4 years, I can unequivocally say that if I am busy or not available, those guys are much more persistent, especially in anticipation of a first date.
I’m not playing games ~ I really AM busy with my own life ~ and it inadvertently seems to create higher interest levels.
This is my problem, I’ll admit it, but in that interim when I’m “figuring out a time,” (sometimes a week or two if I am busy at work or traveling), I wonder if the guys may make me into someone different, you know, let their imaginations run wild, and may have unrealistic expectations of who I am by the time we do meet.
I had been flirting with a woman for some time. She even asked me about other girlfriends. I asked her out (I told her where I was going and asked her to come along). She said Thanks but No Thanks……blah blah… I took it as a no she wasn’t interested in me and took my attention off her. She has since changed her style to match mine, talked to me about topics I am passionate about and she is not and constantly tries to be places I am. If she was interested in me. She blew it by playing hard to get. Ladies, make sure the man you’re toying with doesn’t have options before you end up like this particular woman.
Bill is right. Typically if I do not sense an interest from the lady, I will not pursue further as to be a nuisance. Same applies if she appears to be dating other guys, I am not one to compete like the guys in Madonna’s “Material Girl” video. Many guys I know feel the same way.
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