8 body language signs that signal an introvert is highly attracted to you, according to psychology

Sexual attraction is very complicated as it is. Try adding introversion to the equation, and the result is quite chaotic, to say the least.

Let’s be real – introverts aren’t exactly excellent at expressing sexual or romantic interest, especially if they fancy someone a great deal.

I say that as someone who’s extremely introverted and has always struggled to make a move on the people I really like. While I’ve found that practice makes perfect, it can still be pretty difficult for other people to recognize whether I fancy them or not.

Luckily, I’ve decided to solve your problem for you!

If you’re trying to figure out if an introvert is attracted to you, all you’ve got to do is look for these 8 body language signs.

1) They keep glancing at you when they think you’re not looking

Introverts aren’t immune to the thrill you get when you look at someone you find attractive.

After all, sight is considered the most important of the five senses, and so it stands to reason that we’ll definitely want to stare at the people we fancy – we’re just a bit more subtle about it.

Or that’s what we think, anyway. In reality, it isn’t that hard to spot an introvert looking at you if you pay attention. Just use your peripheral vision.

Of course, popular psychology advice is to watch out for whether someone holds eye contact for a little while longer than usual.

As Ronald E. Riggio Ph.D., the Henry R. Kravis Professor of Leadership and Organizational Psychology, says, “Looking directly into someone’s eyes, and holding that mutual eye contact for a bit longer than what is normal, can indicate flirtation and sexual interest.”

But here comes the issue: introverts are often too shy, socially awkward, or anxious to hold eye contact for long enough to indicate interest.

More often than not, they’re going to glance away pretty quickly – just to look back at you a few seconds later.

In short, an introvert who’s highly attracted to you will stare at you any chance they get, unless you’re returning the favor, in which case they might quickly divert their gaze.

2) They always end up sitting or standing close to you

Sexual attraction begets physical closeness.

When you find someone attractive, you’re probably going to automatically gravitate toward their presence, be it by sitting next to them, leaning toward them when they speak, lightly touching their arm while laughing, or seeking them out in a group setting.

Introverts are no different, but, again, they’re more subtle about it.

They may not immediately walk over to you in a room full of people, but might slowly shuffle between groups until they stand by your side.

They might not ask you out, but they’ll always find an excuse to work on the same project as you, be on the same team, or sit at the same table.

In other words, an introvert who finds you attractive wants to be in your proximity, even if they’re just quietly listening to the conversation at hand.

3) They keep an open stance

According to psychologist Dianne Grande Ph.D., an open stance consists of having one’s palms open, removing any objects that are between you and the other person, and positioning your arms in such a way that they’re not crossed.

This kind of stance is what nonverbal experts refer to as open, that is, it invites people in instead of keeping them out.

Since many introverts have pretty weak social batteries (that is, they drain quickly), they may unconsciously assume a closed stance when they’re around people in a gesture of self-protection, withdrawal, or self-soothing.

If an introvert fancies you, though…

That’s a different story.

Their arms may be crossed for others, but when they’re around you, their stance turns to open because they genuinely want to get to know you better.

Perhaps even more importantly, they want *you* to get to know *them*.

4) They laugh much more than usual

“A good sense of humor is sexually attractive as it expresses wisdom, creativity and other positive traits,” says psychologist Aaron Ben-Zeév Ph.D.

“Humor is perceived as one of the most important traits in a romantic partner. Research shows that those with a strong sense of humor are perceived as more attractive than intelligent people.”

As you can see, humor is absolutely essential when it comes to sexual and romantic attraction.

Therefore, it makes perfect sense that people who fancy you are going to laugh at your jokes even if they’re not that funny or try to make you laugh every five minutes in order to get in your good books.

This applies to introverts, too.

While introverts make for a pretty tough crowd when it comes to humor, they’ll make an exception for those they’re attracted to and express their interest through banter, shared inside jokes, and laughter.

5) They mirror your body language

Did you know that people are able to mirror others in order to build a connection, sometimes of the sexual and romantic kind?

It’s true.

As per Psychology Today, “A common form of body language is mirroring another person’s gestures and mannerisms; mirroring also includes mimicking another person’s speech patterns and even attitudes. This is a method of building rapport with others. We learn through imitating others, and it is mostly an unconscious action.”

I’ve actually seen this happen during my dates – over the course of the evening, the other person and I begin to take on the same mannerisms or mirror each other’s body language.

If they lean forward, I subconsciously do it, too.

If I put my hand over my mouth when I laugh, they will eventually pick up on it and mimic me.

Introverts aren’t immune to this sort of behavior, either. They will mirror you just as much as an extrovert would, although they may be less obvious about it.

6) They get flustered and nervous around you

Of course, not every introvert will be more open and giggly with those they fancy.

On the contrary, there are many introverts out there who will get so nervous around you that they’ll stumble over their words, get red in the face, and generally act like an awkward ball of nervous energy.

Personally, it often depends on who it is I like and whether their energy feels comfortable and welcoming.

If we’re on the same wavelength, I become more extroverted around them in order to signal my interest; if I’m attracted to them as much as intimidated by them, I will grow stiff, my laughter a bit forced and my words unnatural.

Thus the struggle of flirting with an introvert – you never know if they’re flirting because they like you or if they’re flirting because they feel comfortable around you due to their lack of sexual attraction.

Sigh.

I know, it’s a nightmare.

But just imagine how tired *we* are.

7) They pay careful attention when you talk

Many of the introverts I know are amazing listeners in all situations imaginable, but their listening skills get even better when sexual or romantic interest is thrown into the mix.

This isn’t all that surprising when you consider the fact that we all pay more attention to our loved ones than strangers.

Love makes our concentration grow in strength and duration, which is why we remember the little details our crush from work has mentioned about their family or side hustle.

If you’re hanging out with an introvert who pays careful attention to what you have to say – even though the topic itself is quite boring – it’s another sign they find you attractive.

Of course, it could also just mean they’re great listeners or want to be your friends. That’s why most of the signs on this list only make a difference when put together into one cohesive picture.

8) There’s sexual chemistry between you

Finally, I recommend you listen to your own gut.

What’s your intuition telling you? Is there sexual chemistry in the air – and if so, is it reciprocated?

Just because you fancy someone doesn’t mean they fancy you back, after all.

But if the introvert in question displays the signs described above, and if you can sense sexual chemistry to top it all off…

The odds are in your favor.

Isabella Chase

Isabella Chase, a New York City native, writes about the complexities of modern life and relationships. Her articles draw from her experiences navigating the vibrant and diverse social landscape of the city. Isabella’s insights are about finding harmony in the chaos and building strong, authentic connections in a fast-paced world.

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