For the rest of the species on planet Earth, reproduction is a matter of life or death, and achieving it means being able to spread one’s genes and thus continue the hereditary legacy. Although it cannot be said that some have it easier than humans (such as male mantises, who are devoured while they are still finishing ejaculating), it is a simpler matter.
The individuals most suitable for copulation are selected, usually by the female, according to their physical qualities. While some animals engage in fierce combat between rivals, others opt for more orthodox courtship methods. In the wild, there are competitions in singing, dancing and other disciplines to see who wins the right to reproduce.
Just this week we were talking about the ‘peacock spider’, whose males have a colorful and vibrant body that closely resembles the feathers of this bird. For their courtship dance, these jumping arachnids perform very measured movements and display the beauty of their bodies, seeking to attract the attention of the females.
We humans, however, have developed non-explicit codes of behavior and other more ‘civilized’ and complex ways of selecting who we reproduce with. Seduction is a real art, albeit a very subtle one, and one of the main difficulties is developing the intuition necessary to perceive the small gestures of approval or rejection.
Clumsiness is replaced by skill only through practice and socialization, so it is necessary to receive the occasional ‘rejection’, as they say, to improve in this respect. Although it is a partly subjective matter, the behavioral sciences do provide tools for analyzing when a person is or is not feeling attracted to another.
In recent days, J. M. Pincho (@cienciascomportamiento), a member of the Civil Guard and expert in non-verbal communication, has shared a video on his social networks in which he explains one of the most important parts of the body in seduction. As Cicero said: “The face is the mirror of the soul, and the eyes, its betrayers”.
In order to generate any kind of gaze, people move (consciously or unconsciously) numerous muscles and folds of skin on our face. As the expert in human behavior pointed out, it is precisely in the lower part of the eyes where we should look to see if someone in front of us or nearby is being seduced.
Just below the eyes are the so-called “eyelid bags”, small swellings or bulges caused by the accumulation of fluids, fat or loss of elasticity in the skin. In terms of non-verbal communication, the role of these bags in seduction is related to the facial expression and the emotional state of the individual.
These bags can be a natural feature that some people have permanently and others develop due to tiredness, age or fluid retention. But in the context of seduction, they can play a role in the perception of the gaze and the emotion it conveys. When someone is in a state of relaxation or pleasure, the eyelids may droop slightly, and the bags under the eyes become more noticeable.
This effect is associated with the expression of experiencing intense pleasure, which can be attractive on an unconscious level. In seduction, a gaze with slightly narrowed eyelids and visible eye bags can suggest a state of surrender, pleasurable tiredness or attractive vulnerability. This part of the eyes is also involved in another common expression during games of seduction.
According to behavioral science, when a person has half-open eyes, with a special shine and slightly marked eyelid bags, it is usually associated with desire and attraction. It is believed to be a way of imitating the look someone has when they are deeply relaxed or aroused. Combined with slower breathing and a slight smile, this gaze can be a powerful tool in seduction.
In addition, the bags under the eyes can give the impression of a deeper gaze, evoking mystery or emotional intensity. In certain faces, they can make the eyes look more expressive and give the person an enigmatic or melancholic air, something that is often attractive. If combined with a prolonged gaze, a tilt of the head and a slight smile, the message of attraction becomes clearer.
