Secret Things Women Do That Men Actually Love

For men, physical appearance is an undeniably important factor that influences attraction and interest. While the same applies to women, research reveals that men value appearance slightly more than women, who place greater value on intelligence than men do, per a 2006 study published in the Quarterly Journal of Economics. However, that isn't to say that men only care about appearance (and nothing else) when forming romantic relationships. Your hair color may contribute to your attractiveness, but it's a lot more complicated than that. In reality, there are several little quirks and behaviors that women do that men secretly love, and they're both influential and endearing enough to compensate for their initial surface-level judgments.

Aside from the obvious behaviors specific to women, such as the ability to laugh at your date's jokes and make use of your womanly wiles, the things you do instinctively or unconsciously are much more attractive to men than most would think. The unexpected things men find attractive include playful teasing, silly dances, and spontaneous hugs.

While some would think that getting flustered and over-excited while talking about your hobbies would be a turn-off, it's realistically as far from the truth as you can get. According to dating coach Crystal Irom, men secretly love it when you show them your passionate side by gushing over the interests and hobbies you love. As inherently curious beings, men love to gradually discover new bits and pieces about the person they're dating. Unraveling the mystery by understanding the other person's likes and dislikes is an exciting aspect of getting to know someone, so it makes sense that men find your passionate rambling endearing.

When a guy is interested and invested, he's curious about what makes you tick and loves to be at the center of your attention as you open up about your interests and obsessions. This helps men better understand you and allows them to feel closer to you, which strengthens your connection.

The evolution of what partners look for in a woman, including physical characteristics and personality traits, demonstrates how attraction is both complex and fickle. However, there are a handful of behaviors that women do that have stood the test of time — starting with a smile. "An open body posture is a signal of confidence and can enhance feelings of attraction. When women are attracted to someone, we tend to make eye contact and smile," social psychologist Madeline A. Fugère tells Brides. "Although women tend to do these behaviors intuitively, smiling and eye contact increase activity in the area of the brain associated with reward. The frequency of sustained eye contact varies across cultures, but eye contact and smiling can make you seem more attractive to others."

In other words, the next time you're interested in a cute guy at the bar, take the psychologist's word and flash a gentle smile while maintaining eye contact. Here's another hot tip: Avoid staring him down too intensely. Instead, keeping it light and flirty will do the trick.

Another adorable behavior that men go crazy for is when women display casual gestures of affection. Initiating physical intimacy, such as hugging, kissing, and cuddling, shows your partner you care, even if physical touch isn't one of his love languages. "When intimacy is present, people feel like they can talk to one another about anything, that they can trust their partner, and that their partner is a sincere and down-to-earth person," psychologist Kelly Campbell tells Brides.

What's more, the frequency of physical intimacy positively correlates with overall relationship satisfaction, per Psychology Today. In other words, a man is more likely to feel happy and satisfied in a relationship when both partners regularly partake in various forms of affection. So, indulge in your mid-day snuggles, and don't hesitate to initiate hugs at random. Physical gestures help reaffirm your attraction to him and deepen your bond. Men connect to their partners through physical touch more than conversation, so expressing your feelings via hugs and cuddles makes him feel good about you, himself, and your relationship.

The ability to make your girl laugh is one of the most important traits a man can have, and despite popular belief, men do appreciate humor in a woman — especially when it's in the form of playful teasing. Men love when you surprise them with witty retorts and comebacks. In fact, during an exclusive interview with Glam earlier this year, matchmaker and CEO of Exclusive Matchmaking Susan Trombetti revealed, "Some men love funny women that aren't particularly attractive. They will pick a funny woman that makes them fall over with laughter more than a gorgeous woman."

There's a time and place for playing nice or acting coy in the dating game. However, most men appreciate a verbal sparring sesh, especially when it's with a potential romantic interest. So, ladies, you have been given full rein to (playfully) rip into your man and match his energy. The next time a man confronts you with a cheesy one-liner, feel free to meet him halfway with a line of your own. Or, better yet, tease him by letting him know just how cringe-worthy his pick-up line was as a segue into further conversation.

Picture this: You're sitting in a restaurant and the waiter finally arrives with your food. As you take the first bite, you can't help but do a little dance in your seat as you enjoy your meal. Does this sound familiar, at all? Well, according to posts shared by men across several social media sites, many women are guilty of this — and men find it adorable. The unconscious happy dance that women do when they enjoy tasty food has not gone unnoticed if the many TikTok videos and Reddit forums are anything to go by. For instance, on a Reddit forum where users were asked to share what they love about women, one user (@xiledpro) said, "That little shimmy thing you guys do when we present you with food while you are comfortable. Absolutely love it." 

While the science of the food dance phenomenon in particular has yet to be studied, this may come down to the irresistible quality of goofiness, which applies to both men and women. "I think goofiness is synonymous with an ability to be self-deprecating or self-effacing, to be aware of and comfortable with your own quirks or idiosyncrasies," former dating app sociologist Jess Carbino, Ph.D., told Well + Good. Dating coach Erica Turner agrees, telling the outlet, "Once you feel like you can be goofy or silly with someone, you also likely feel like you can be seen, known, and appreciated for your authentic self — your quirks, your uniqueness, your feelings, your 'weird habits,' or 'out there' interests." 

So, the next time you're trying to win a man over, remember that the real you is likely to be much more impressive than a facade of perfection.