Love Signals: A Practical Field Guide to the Body Language of Courtship (Paperback)

~ David Givens (Author) "LOVE SIGNALS IS a practical field guide to the body language of courtship..." (more)
Key Phrases: infantile schema, neck dimple, jaw droop, Conversation Phase, Attention Phase, Recognition Phase (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A world renowned anthropologist explores the nonverbal signs, signals, and cues human beings exchange to attract and keep their mates. As a medium of communication, Love's silent language predates speech by millions of years. Today, we still express emotions and feelings largely apart from words. The postures, gestures, and facial cues of attraction are universal, in all societies and cultures.

According to Dr. Givens, courtship moves slowly though five distinct phases: attracting attention, recognition phase, conversation phase, touching phase, making love. Since potential mates "test" each other before uniting as one, courtship is a choreographed give and take of signs granting physical and emotional closeness.

Love Signals is part enthnography and part how-to. Dr. Givens documents the little courting rituals witnessed in elevators, on subways, and in the workplace. He examines the essential role the face plays in courtship and how it can be optimally displayed. He decodes the body to find silent messages given off by shoulders, neck, arms, hands, waist, calves, ankles, feet, and toes. Dr. Givens analyzes expressive shapes, colors, and markings encoded in arm wear, shoulder wear, leg wear, and shoes. He deciphers the background messages of spaces, places and interiors to learn how environs help or hinder in the meeting process. Chemical cues emanating from aromas, tastes, steroids, sterols, and hormones strongly shape a partner's feelings, so they are explored as well.

The book suggests ways to gaze, ways to read eyes across a room, and ways to sit, stand, align, walk dress, and lift a drink to participate in the fascinating adventure of finding, winning, and keeping a mate. Knowing the unspoken vocabulary of love signals will give readers an edge. What this means for courtship is that the reader becomes able to read unspoken motives, emotions, and feelings with great clarity and precision. The more readers know about the nonverbal idiom of attraction, the more likely they will find a loving, lasting partner.

From the Inside Flap

Praise for Dr. Givens' on-line Nonverbal Dictionary:

"A masterful piece of work."
- American Library Association

"Highly recommended."
- New Scientist

"It's contents will enlighten you."
- Discover Magazine's "Pick of the Web"

"Site of the Day."
- Good Housekeeping

"Tells all you need to know--and much, much, much more."
- San Francisco Examiner "Website of the Week"

"Very interesting reading."
- Houston Chronicle

See all Editorial Reviews

---

Product Details Paperback: 256 pages Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (January 10, 2006) Language: English ISBN-10: 0312315066 ISBN-13: 978-0312315061 Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #354,683 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

---

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

› Visit Amazon's David B. Givens Page

Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

Search Inside This Book:

---

Inside This Book (learn more)
Browse and search another edition of this book.

First Sentence:
LOVE SIGNALS IS a practical field guide to the body language of courtship. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
infantile schema, neck dimple, jaw droop, love signals, contrapposto stance, companionate love, recognition cue, sexual traits, nonverbal signs, orienting reflex, chemical cues, stranger anxiety, facial cues

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Conversation Phase, Attention Phase, Recognition Phase, Phase Five, Leather Vest, Charles Darwin, New York, Marilyn Monroe, United States, Edward Hall, San Diego, Touch Phase, Venus de Milo, Elvis Presley, James Dean

New!
Concordance | Text Stats

Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

Search Inside This Book:

---

Citations (learn more)

This book cites 50 books:

• The Descent of Man (Penguin Classics) by Charles Darwin on page 154, and Back Matter
• The Descent of Man (Great Minds Series) by Charles Darwin on page 154, and Back Matter
• The Sexual Life of Savages by Bronislaw Malinowski on page 152, and Back Matter
• Woman in the Mists by Farley Mowat on page 188, and Back Matter
• The Sexual Brain (Bradford Books) by Simon LeVay on page 81, and Back Matter

See all 50 books this book cites

---

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	80% buy the item featured on this page: Love Signals: A Practical Field Guide to the Body Language of Courtship 3.7 out of 5 stars (11) $10.17
	6% buy What Every BODY is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Speed-Reading People 4.5 out of 5 stars (62) $13.59
	6% buy Body Language Secrets: A Guide During Courtship & Dating 4.2 out of 5 stars (149) $12.89
	5% buy The Definitive Book of Body Language 4.3 out of 5 stars (134) $16.50

Explore similar items

---

Tags Customers Associate with This Product  (What's this?) Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people. Check the boxes next to the tags you consider relevant or enter your own tags in the field below.  body language(1) flirting(1) love(1) power(1) sex(1) Agree with these tags? Your tags: Add your first tag

Search Products Tagged with   See most popular tags

---

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

---

 

Customer Reviews

11 Reviews 5 star:  (4) 4 star:  (4) 3 star:  (1) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:  (2)           Average Customer Review 3.7 out of 5 stars (11 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 21 of 21 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended, June 1, 2005 By  Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)       This review is from: Love Signals: A Practical Field Guide to the Body Language of Courtship (Hardcover) In this fascinating book, anthropologist Dr. David Givens explains how body language and other silent signals and cues work in the different phases of courtship. Along the way, he explains what the various signals mean, and where they came from. He doesn't just look at gestures, but also at such things as colors, clothing, aromas and much more. Overall, I found this to be a very fascinating book. Dr. Givens has produced the premier book on how to be successful at the game of human courtship, which applies to those who want to meet someone new and to those who want to maintain their bond with their spouse. I highly recommend this book! 25 of 26 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars How to find your love - and keep it, January 29, 2006 By  Giancarlo Nicoli "Pharmacist and Publisher" (Appiano Gentile, close to Como Lake, Italy) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    This review is from: Love Signals: A Practical Field Guide to the Body Language of Courtship (Hardcover) This book is a blend of three parts: 1 - research studies on the subject of human behaviour, especially applied to courtship and mating; 2 - direct, field observations by the author; 3 - how-to manual to find a partner (how to wear, how to behave, how to speak, how to move... and so on). I'm fascinated by human behaviour, I read other books on the subject. Soon after the purchase, I quickly delved into it. Although some of the studies described here are already well-known, others aren't - that's why appreciate it. Did you know that courtship has five phases? They are: «(1) Attention, (2) Recognition, (3) Speech, (4) Touching, and (5) Lovemaking. Each phase has its own signs, signals, and cues. Since potential mates `test' each other before uniting as one, courtship is rarely hurried. Moving too fast - giving too many signals at once or showing them out of phase order - may frighten a partner away. Universally, patience is the key». This a practical book. What's written here is feasible by everyone. Caveat: when I say that what's written here is feasible by everyone, I don't mean this is an easy book. Many people will understand this book, but not everybody will. In this book, the author talks human behaviour, neuroanathomy, ethnography, anthropology; you find here things such as `conjugate lateral eye movements', `isopraxism'... and so on. I think to this book as an example of the cultural divide - if you understand (and apply the findings of) this book, you have a wide advantage over those who don't understand it: but that's another story... I give it four stars instead of five because here and there there are less interesting parts, the quality and the insightfulness of the prose is not even. Sometimes it's a rather dull reading. Now, a few quotations: "In courtship, palm-up gestures are psychologically friendlier than palm-down cues. (...) Our closest animal relatives, the chimpanzees, greet each other with compliant, upturned palms to show `I'm friendly'. For human beings everywhere, gesturing with an upraised, opened palm is a convincing and time-tested way to say `Trust me; I mean no harm.' Throughout the world, palm-up cues captivate, charm, and psychologically disarm partners who may be unsure of each other's intentions." "(...) before speaking to an unfamiliar man or woman you [should] establish a baseline of familiarity. This prepares the partner by laying psychological groundwork in which a new relationship can germinate. Before you ask the nice-looking Safeway clerk for a date, go through the clerk's checkout line to build familiarity. Establish eye contact, smile, bow your head forward, head-nod in agreement, and show an open palm. Three visits in as many days activate the familiarity effect. The odds that he or she will agree to take an espresso break with you dramatically improve. Repeated physical proximity over short periods of time converts you from `just a stranger' to someone who is better known and `liked'." "Courtship works on a principle of luring. Instead of chasing, cornering, and capturing a mate, you emit `come hither' signals and await a response. You hold back initially and play what amounts to a waiting game, in which lure, not seize, is the rule." Enough said. To learn more, go have your copy. 11 of 11 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Really great!, February 16, 2006 By  Alice in Wonderland - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)       Wow, what a fascinating book! When it comes to courtship among humans, the beginnings are all based on non-verbal cues - including posture, gestures and facial expressions. Everyone knows that first impressions are the most important, you really don't realize the impressions you are giving until you read this book! Read this book to find out what you are saying about yourself through non-verbal communication, and what you can do to broadcast the message about yourself that you want to send. I found this to be a really great book, and I highly recommend it to everyone! (Review of Love Signals : A Practical Field Guide to the Body Language of Courtship)		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars whoa all the information in this book opened my eyes to the language of body language between people. this tells it all- makes everything crystal clear... and it makes sense! Read more Published 5 months ago by Holly C. Cooper 1.0 out of 5 stars Reads like Medical text book I have over 5 book regarding body language. This one takes the cake. Reads like a dang medical text. Read more Published 21 months ago by Jose Andujar 4.0 out of 5 stars REVIEW OF LOVE SIGNALS THE BOOK IS WELL WRITTEN IN UNDERSTANDABLE LAYMEN'S TERMS ALONG WITH TECHNICAL TERMS AS NEEDED. EASILY COMPREHENDED AND EXPLAINED BODY ENGLISH RESPONSES IN RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN... Read more Published on January 18, 2007 by James Corbett Jr. 3.0 out of 5 stars Love signals The theoretical aspects are covert in excelent way, but i would like more photos or illustrations of some of the concepts Published on January 15, 2007 by Juan M. Martinez Montes 5.0 out of 5 stars Very good This book is very detailed about body language and the interaction between men and women during courting. Read more Published on January 11, 2007 by Lola Monroe 4.0 out of 5 stars Answers provider This book replied to many questions that I have wondered for long. Though it won't make you a real Giacomo Casanova, it might be useful to become more confident and sexy and... Read more Published on April 2, 2006 by Maksym Murzak 1.0 out of 5 stars So What The author, David Givens, states that this book is a result of research he has conducted throughout the years on the subject of body language in romantic situations. Read more Published on October 22, 2005 by Butterscotch 4.0 out of 5 stars Codebook of Non-Verbal Courtship Dr. Givens presents us with a readable compendium of his research into non-verbal cues characterizing modern courtship. Read more Published on July 18, 2005 by kthdimension Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

---

Customer Discussions

This product's forum Discussion Replies Latest Post No discussions yet Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight Start a new discussion Topic: First post: Receive e-mail when new posts are made Prompts for sign-in   Guidelines Active discussions in related forums Discussion Replies Latest Post health The Honey Revolution 36 30 minutes ago health Why oppose health care reform? 1762 38 minutes ago health Is Spanking a lovable or harmful form of disipline? 7693 49 minutes ago health Vitamin D Deficiency 14 59 minutes ago health You don't seem to understand a universal health system. This is how our where I come from works. 20 1 hour ago health do you want govt. for healthcare no thanks? "reform yes" , "not govt takeover" 153 1 hour ago health Anxiety 8 1 hour ago Search Customer Discussions Search all Amazon discussions

The Body Language community Latest activity 1 day ago 451 customers have contributed 161 products, 10 lists & guides and more... › Explore the community The Love community Latest activity 2 hours ago 14,986 customers have contributed 11,766 products, 1,391 lists & guides and more... › Explore the community Related forums body language health (731 discussions) love (35 discussions) sex (87 discussions) Explore more › See all Customer Communities › Your communities

---

Listmania!

Products to Help You Attract Men like a Veela: A list by Fleur Delacoeur   XEX WHYCHRYE: A list by PRINCE CHARMING "MARTIAN WARLORD"   The Pickup Arts: A list by D. Brackins "yoshi tora" Create a Listmania! list

Search Listmania!

---

So You'd Like to...

LOVE YOURSELF FIRST & FOREMOST!: A guide by Steve Nakamoto "The Friendly Voice of the Other Half"   Overcome Insecurities Over Appearance and Eating Disorders: A guide by Alessandra Eakin "Alessandra Eakin: Ugly Is Not An Option"   BECOME A SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE WOMAN TO MEN!: A guide by Steve Nakamoto "The Friendly Voice Of The Other Half" Create a guide

Search Guides

---

Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)

Be the first person to add an article about this item at Amapedia.com.

› See featured Amapedia.com articles

---

Look for Similar Items by Category

• Books > Health, Mind & Body > Psychology & Counseling > Sexuality > Human
• Books > Health, Mind & Body > Relationships > Interpersonal Relations
• Books > Health, Mind & Body > Relationships > Love & Romance
• Books > Health, Mind & Body > Relationships > Mate Seeking
• Books > Health, Mind & Body > Sex
• Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences

---

Look for Similar Items by Subject

Search Books by subject:
Dating, relationships, living together & marriage
Sexual behaviour
Body language
Interpersonal attraction
Mate selection
Psychology
Love / Sex / Marriage
FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS / Interpersonal Relations
Family & Relationships / Love & Romance
Interpersonal Relations
Love & Romance
Psychology / Human Sexuality
Human Sexuality
Courtship
Nonverbal communication
Marriage, Family & Other Relationships


i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

Ad feedback

 

Feedback If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? Is there any other feedback you would like to provide? Your comments can help make our site better for everyone. Please note that we are unable to respond directly to all feedback submitted via this form, but we'll ask you to sign in so we can contact you if needed.

Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

› View and edit your browsing history

Get to Know Us Careers Investor Relations Press Releases Amazon and Our Planet Make Money with Us Sell on Amazon Join Associates Self-publish with Us › See all Let Us Help You Shipping Rates & Policies Amazon Prime Returns Help

Canada | China | France | Germany | Japan | United Kingdom  And don't forget: Amazon Windowshop | AmazonWireless | Askville | Audible | DPReview | Endless | IMDb | Shopbop | SoundUnwound | Warehouse Deals by Amazon | Zappos Conditions of Use | Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (January 10, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312315066
• ISBN-13: 978-0312315061
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #354,683 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended, June 1, 2005

By	Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Love Signals: A Practical Field Guide to the Body Language of Courtship (Hardcover)

In this fascinating book, anthropologist Dr. David Givens explains how body language and other silent signals and cues work in the different phases of courtship. Along the way, he explains what the various signals mean, and where they came from. He doesn't just look at gestures, but also at such things as colors, clothing, aromas and much more.

Overall, I found this to be a very fascinating book. Dr. Givens has produced the premier book on how to be successful at the game of human courtship, which applies to those who want to meet someone new and to those who want to maintain their bond with their spouse. I highly recommend this book!

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars How to find your love - and keep it, January 29, 2006

By	Giancarlo Nicoli "Pharmacist and Publisher" (Appiano Gentile, close to Como Lake, Italy) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Love Signals: A Practical Field Guide to the Body Language of Courtship (Hardcover)

This book is a blend of three parts: 1 - research studies on the subject of human behaviour, especially applied to courtship and mating; 2 - direct, field observations by the author; 3 - how-to manual to find a partner (how to wear, how to behave, how to speak, how to move... and so on).

I'm fascinated by human behaviour, I read other books on the subject. Soon after the purchase, I quickly delved into it. Although some of the studies described here are already well-known, others aren't - that's why appreciate it.

Did you know that courtship has five phases? They are: «(1) Attention, (2) Recognition, (3) Speech, (4) Touching, and (5) Lovemaking. Each phase has its own signs, signals, and cues. Since potential mates `test' each other before uniting as one, courtship is rarely hurried. Moving too fast - giving too many signals at once or showing them out of phase order - may frighten a partner away. Universally, patience is the key».

This a practical book. What's written here is feasible by everyone.

Caveat: when I say that what's written here is feasible by everyone, I don't mean this is an easy book. Many people will understand this book, but not everybody will. In this book, the author talks human behaviour, neuroanathomy, ethnography, anthropology; you find here things such as `conjugate lateral eye movements', `isopraxism'... and so on.

I think to this book as an example of the cultural divide - if you understand (and apply the findings of) this book, you have a wide advantage over those who don't understand it: but that's another story...

I give it four stars instead of five because here and there there are less interesting parts, the quality and the insightfulness of the prose is not even. Sometimes it's a rather dull reading.

Now, a few quotations:

"In courtship, palm-up gestures are psychologically friendlier than palm-down cues. (...) Our closest animal relatives, the chimpanzees, greet each other with compliant, upturned palms to show `I'm friendly'. For human beings everywhere, gesturing with an upraised, opened palm is a convincing and time-tested way to say `Trust me; I mean no harm.' Throughout the world, palm-up cues captivate, charm, and psychologically disarm partners who may be unsure of each other's intentions."

"(...) before speaking to an unfamiliar man or woman you [should] establish a baseline of familiarity. This prepares the partner by laying psychological groundwork in which a new relationship can germinate. Before you ask the nice-looking Safeway clerk for a date, go through the clerk's checkout line to build familiarity. Establish eye contact, smile, bow your head forward, head-nod in agreement, and show an open palm. Three visits in as many days activate the familiarity effect. The odds that he or she will agree to take an espresso break with you dramatically improve. Repeated physical proximity over short periods of time converts you from `just a stranger' to someone who is better known and `liked'."

"Courtship works on a principle of luring. Instead of chasing, cornering, and capturing a mate, you emit `come hither' signals and await a response. You hold back initially and play what amounts to a waiting game, in which lure, not seize, is the rule."

Enough said. To learn more, go have your copy.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really great!, February 16, 2006

By	Alice in Wonderland - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Wow, what a fascinating book! When it comes to courtship among humans, the beginnings are all based on non-verbal cues - including posture, gestures and facial expressions. Everyone knows that first impressions are the most important, you really don't realize the impressions you are giving until you read this book!

Read this book to find out what you are saying about yourself through non-verbal communication, and what you can do to broadcast the message about yourself that you want to send. I found this to be a really great book, and I highly recommend it to everyone!

(Review of Love Signals : A Practical Field Guide to the Body Language of Courtship)