Sex Signals: The Biology of Love

by Timothy Perper

Book Overview

Sex Signals: The Biology of Love offers new insights about why people behave the way they do when they meet, flirt, touch, and fall in love. Dr. Perper's ideas are based on more than 900 hours of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0894950495
• ISBN13: 9780894950490
• Release Date: January 1985
• Publisher: Isi Press
• Length: 323 Pages
• Weight: 1.54 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Watershed, landmark work

I have two points. The first concerns the importance of this book. The second is on its usefulness to the average person. In my opinion, this book was as important an addition to the field as was Kinsey in its time. Perper's work was groundbreaking when it was published. When you realize that this is real research, and not some April Fool's joke, it becomes quite remarkable. He covers ground that was uncovered before him - ground that was the subject of much professional skepticism (to put it mildly). When this came out, little things like pupil expansion were new research. Today, what every successful rug merchant knew, only as passed down cultural knowledge, is now validated in science: "The first key is in the eyes". The biological signals that Perper observed can be useful to more than the professional, they can be useful to an ordinary person to understand the people around them. Perper describes for us body language that we can see in real, everyday life. The book is mostly very dry (as others have described), but the gold nuggets are not that hard to find. I read this book when it was first published. Since then, perhaps others have come out with other books covering the same ground, but in a more readable fashion. I don't know - but I do know that Perper's work changed how I interacted with people. Not in major ways, but definitely in significant ones.

The Emotional Intelligence of Dating

I would say that this book is the foundation for anyone wanting to understand why people - and especially themselves - do the things they do during the partner selcection sequence. It begins in a very technical fashion and is a little dry to read through, but this however grants creedence to everything this book has to say because it is based on exhaustive study. A great book.

Seduction for smart lovers

Must read! Perper took a tax write-off for his engagement by sitting in bars with his fiancee watching the interaction between men and women. He chronicles a laundry list of mistakes the average person makes while trying to attract a mate. What is the most common signal women send but men ignore? Dancing in place. When a woman dances alone (either standing or sitting), she is saying, "Approach me." For more hints, read the book. "Sex Signals" is written a level above casual. If you are looking for Cosmo or Maxim, this is not for you. If you have some college, it is a valuable reference and guide to making the most of your evening on the town. I also recommend "The Biology of Love" by Fisher.