homehome Home chatchat Notifications


What pick-up line should a woman use on men? Your best bet is being direct

Being direct in your intentions as a woman seems to be the most effective tactic to pique a man's interest. In some cases, though, it makes sense to use a more flippant line.

Tibi Puiu
December 3, 2019 @ 12:16 pm

share Share

Credit: Pixabay.

If you’re dating in 2019, chances are you’ve gone through some very confusing experiences. Many guys will lament that online dating has made things incredibly frustrating, but the reality is that women don’t have it any easier. Sure, women might have more options — but often times it’s the wrong kind of attention.

In most western cultures, men are expected to make the first move. There is no shortage of dating advice, with entire books and seminars dedicated to how to open a conversation with an attractive woman — enter the world of cheesy pick-up lines:

  • “Are you religious? Because you’re the answer to all my prayers.”
  • “I’m not a photographer, but I can picture me and you together.”
  • “I’m lost. Can you give me directions to your heart?”
  • “There’s only one thing I want to change about you, and that’s your last name.”

Some ladies will find these hilarious, others might just cringe. But, could you do better?

Whether in person or on an online dating app, it might be in your interest as a woman to make the first move. Here’s what a new study had to say on the matter.

Psychologists at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Canada recruited 130 heterosexual adult males who had to evaluate a series of 12 photographs of women, each annotated with a pick-up line. The participants had to score the perceived attractiveness and perceived promiscuity of each woman featured in the photos, as well as the effectiveness of the pick-up lines.

The researchers tested three types of pick-up lines: direct, flippant, and innocuous. These looked something like this:

  • Direct pick-up lines: “Want to have a drink together?” “You have really nice eyes.” “Can I have your number?” “You’re cute.”
  • Flippant pick-up lines: “Shall we talk, or continue flirting from a distance?” “I always see you here, you must be the bar’s best customer!” “Since you’re alone and I’m alone, why don’t we sit together?” “I’m easy, are you?”
  • Innocuous pick-up lines: “Can you recommend a good drink?” “I’ve seen you before, do you work here?” “Where did you get that tattoo? Did it hurt?” and “Hi.”

The results suggest that direct pick-up lines were the most effective at piquing men’s interest, followed by flippant pick-up lines, while innocuous lines were judged the least effective.

Perceived attractiveness and promiscuity had a major influence on the effectiveness of the lines. Perhaps unsurprisingly, men rated all types of pick-up lines as effective when delivered by a highly attractive woman. Perceived attractiveness was more important than promiscuity, the study found.

Overall, direct pick-up lines were found to be the most effective. However, for women who were perceived as less attractive, flippant pick-up lines worked the best.

“Results indicate that direct pick-up lines are preferred over flippant or innocuous pick-up lines, with the innocuous being the least preferred. Further, regardless of the line that is used, once a woman has been viewed as attractive by men, she is rated positively. This study provides insight into the effectiveness of women’s tactics for soliciting dating attention,” the authors wrote in their study.

The findings were reported in the journal Personality and Individual Differences.

share Share

The World's Oldest Known Ant Is A 113-Million-Year-Old Hell Ant with Scythe Jaws

A remarkable find for ant history was made, not in the field but in a drawer.

Your Cells Can Hear You — And It Could Be Important for Fat Cells

Researchers explore the curious relationship between sound and gene expression in cell cultures.

16,000-Year-Old Dog-Like Skeleton Found in France Raises Haunting Questions

Cared for like a companion, or killed like prey?

Japanese Scientists Just Summoned Lightning with a Drone. Here’s Why

The drone is essentially a mobile, customizable, lightning rod.

Tiny Chinese Satellite Sent Hack-Proof Quantum Messages 12,900 Kilometers Through Space. Is a Quantum Internet Around the Corner?

The US and Europe are now racing to catch up to China.

Cats Came Bearing Gods: Religion and Trade Shaped the Rise of the Domestic Cat in Europe

Two groundbreaking studies challenge the old narrative that cats followed early farmers into Europe.

The People of Carthage Weren’t Who We Thought They Were

The Punic people had almost no genetic ties to Phoenicians, even though the latter founded the great city of Carthage.

RFK Jr loves raw milk. Now, he's suspending milk quality tests due to Trump cuts

Imagine pouring a glass of milk for your child and wondering if it’s safe.

A Roman gladiator died fighting a lion in England and his 1,800-year-old skeleton proves it

It's the first-ever evidence of man-lion combat found in the Roman period.

This Surprising Protein Shift Could Add Years to Your Life, Study Finds

A global study ties plant protein to longer adult lives, but early life needs differ.