Editing Flirting (section)

== Human mating strategy ==
{{See also|Human mating strategies}}
Many studies have confirmed that sex is a motivation for flirting.<ref name="Motives to Remain Platonic, Equity">{{cite journal|last1=Messman|first1=Susan J|last2=Canary|first2=Daniel J|last3=Hause|first3=Kimberly|date=2000|title=Motives to Remain Platonic, Equity, and the Use of Maintenance Strategies in Opposite-Sex Friendships|journal=Journal of Social and Personal Relationships|volume=16|issue=67–94|pages=67–94|doi=10.1177/0265407500171004|s2cid=145745343}}</ref> A study by Messman and colleagues demonstrated that the more one was physically attracted to a person, the higher the chances one would flirt with them.<ref name="Motives to Remain Platonic, Equity"/>

Many people flirt as a [[courtship]] initiation method.<ref name="auto">{{Cite journal|jstor=3813356|title=Courtship Signaling and Adolescents: "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun"?|author=Moore, Monica M.|year=1995|journal=The Journal of Sex Research|volume=32|issue=4|pages=319–328|doi=10.1080/00224499509551805 }}</ref> The person flirting will send out signals of sexual availability to another, and expects to see the interest returned in order to continue flirting. Flirting can involve non-verbal signs, such as an exchange of glances, hand-touching, and hair-touching; or verbal signs, such as chatting, giving flattering comments, and exchanging telephone numbers in order to initiate further contact.