Of Pick-Up Artists

CEBU, Philippines - Pick-up artists, or PUAs, are probably fully active again as college girls are back in town. Pretending to be doing some class assignment around their targets is just one of their techniques. It's easy to break into the girl nearby with a question like "What do you think of girls kissing total strangers?"

The question may momentarily stun the girl, make her turn away or it may succeed in eliciting remarks. In the case of the latter, the conversation allows the PUA to pick the girl's mind. Then, more questions are likely to follow as the conversation lingers.

The most vulnerable to the PUAs' gimmickry are girls who are easily flattered by attention. And PUAs know that the chance to capture a hopelessly romantic and love-struck fool is greater with girls that are naïve. Also, there are girls who - though familiar with the predatory styles of these modern-day Casanovas - tolerate or even welcome the passes because it's the "in" thing to be in a relationship.

Recent studies report that the PUAs' tactics capitalize on the self-centeredness of women. Psychologists also say that throwing pick-up lines to ignite a conversation with women is more a manifestation of sexist behavior than of congeniality or conviviality. But to the question whether PUAs are only out for the numbers game and not really keen about sparking a relationship, a categorical answer is rather hard to come by just yet.

Dr. Jeremy Nicholson, doctor of social and personality psychology, who deals with questions on whether love is just one trick, technique, or a pick-up line away, explains that game, seduction, rules, and other approaches "can make someone more likely to like you, love you, and want to take you home." In his column in "Psychology Today" magazine, he points out that people like PUAs tap into some very basic, evolutionary and psychological mechanisms. "Love, indeed, can be triggered like a reflex!" the doctor stresses.

Literature on the "pick-up artist" theory and seduction tactics, according to Dr. Nicholson, points to the following:

.           Human courtship (dating, relationship, and sex) is a predictable process, with set stages of development. Everyone has the same feelings, in the same way, more or less. Both psychological research and pick-up artists themselves       concur. Although the labels change, some amount of attraction, comfort,    and seduction are present in courtship development.

.           Certain techniques of various types can elicit emotions and behaviors, which make relationship development more likely.  It is possible to use specific strategies to increase one's chances of love, relationships, and sex. Feelings of attraction, comfort, and seduction (or lust) can be reliably triggered with specific techniques.

.           However, more work still needs to be done identifying specific PUA techniques and testing them. Therefore, even though the "pick-up artist" theory shows merit by and large, all of the tactics they propose have not yet been scientifically validated.

Overall, Dr. Nicholson advises probable PUA targets to be wary. Thus, it is wise to raise a doubt about PUA advances, to question the underlying motive of the approach, to be cautious as where the peacocking would lead to.