What's YOUR flirting style? Scientists say there are 6 key pulling tactics - so, are you a joker or a self-praiser?

Whether you turn up the charm or opt for chat–up lines, there are plenty of ways to make someone aware you like them.

Now, scientists say that all flirting tactics fall into six key categories. 

Researchers from the University of Augsburg in Germany analysed flirting in the context of Love is Blind, a TV show where contestants go on dates through a wall without seeing each other.

They analysed 140,000 instances of words being used in a flirty context and grouped them into distinct techniques.

Their analysis uncovered half a dozen styles, ranging from 'humour' to 'self–praise'. 

If your style is the 'imagined future', you probably like making playful references to joint future endeavours. 

But if you prefer the 'sexual innuendo' style, you might find a way to turn a conversation about cleaning a dirty kitchen into a flirting opportunity.

'In our analysis we found that contestants make use of six vehicles to signal sexual and/or romantic interest,' the researchers wrote in the Journal of Pragmatics.

1. Imagined future

People who flirt using an 'imagined future' tactic will construct an imaginary joint future endeavour, the researchers explained.

With this style, people will tend to use the words 'we' and 'can' to create a joint hypothetical situation, they said.

Its main function is to create an 'excitement of possibility' rather than an actual plan, without any concrete arrangements being made.

2. Metalinguistic reference

This style involves referencing flirting itself, or flirting–related terms, the researchers said.

'These instances, while explicitly rendering previous utterances as flirtatious, can furthermore be considered as being flirtatious in themselves, as they make the flirtatious intent, which was often only implicit before, explicit,' they wrote.

For example, someone might say 'Look at us getting flirty' to make the underlying interest and tone of the conversation impossible to deny.

3.Self–praise

'Another vehicle that is used to flirt is self–praise which can trigger a compliment or teasing sequence,' the scientists said.

They give an example from the show when one individual playfully – and exaggeratedly – describes himself as a worthy partner.

This tactic can manipulate the other person into flirting back, the team said.

4. Humour

A variety of types of humour – from self–deprecating humour and jokes to banter and teasing – are used by the dating show participants, the researchers said.

However, they seem to predominantly use idiosyncratic humour – a unique, highly personal and unconventional style of comedy.

They only found one instance of an actual joke being told in the series, suggesting that this type of humour is not commonly used as a method of flirting.

5. Sexual innuendo

This tactic refers to a shift that takes a non–sexual topic or conversation to a sexual level, the team said. 

As an example, they reference part of the show when a participant references cleaning the kitchen, and is then asked 'Are you dirty?' by her date.

She replies with 'I'm always dirty' – bringing the conversation to a sexual level. This style 'allows fewer possibilities of deniability, as it oftentimes explicitly sexualises topics', the researchers wrote.

Throughout the study, men used sexual innuendo twice as often as women, the team found.  

6. Compliment

Compliments, which are a positive statement about the other person, are commonplace in flirting and dating. Examples from the show include 'You're so hot' and 'You have such a sultry voice', showing that some can be sexualised.

'It is due to its sexualised nature that the compliment can be considered flirtatious, escalating the current relationship and moving towards a more intimate relationship,' the researchers said.