Throughout the course of dating history, men have always been seen as the initiators of a courtship – where men are the ones who actively pursue women. And yes, these days, gender roles have evolved dramatically, it’s still a pretty dominant trend to have men be the ones who chase after women.

There are also a lot of very empowered women nowadays who aren’t afraid of going after the men that they’re interested in. However, men are still typically the ones who put all the wheels in motion when it comes to establishing a relationship.

Usually, men have to do whatever they can to make themselves stand out just to gain your attention – and then they have to turn on their charms to keep you interested. And if they do things right, you might eventually find yourself feeling weak in the knees for them.

Perhaps you’ve been unfortunate enough to be in a relationship that you deeply regret ever getting into in the first place. You look back and you ask yourself, “why did I ever end up falling for that guy?”, but you can’t seem to find a real answer. Sometimes, you think that there is just no rhyme or reason to falling in love – and maybe you’re right. But what if you’re only made to think that way? What if he was systematically putting the moves on you without you even knowing it?

Like many other wonders in life, we can always try to find the answers through science. And science tells us that there are just too many possible reasons as to why two people can become attracted to one another.

However, there are some general traits and characteristics that some people have which are universally accepted to be attractive – whether we realize it or not. And there are some men who are aware of this, and they use this knowledge to their advantage. They are the tricks of the trade – and they are primarily responsible for getting women to fall for them even when all logic seemingly dictates otherwise.

1. He acts hot and cold to mix stir up some drama.

He’s going to shower you with compliments and laments every now and then – but then he goes around and ignores you for a bit. It’s a common technique. He’s doing this to let you know that he’s interested in you, but that he’s not willing to do all the work alone.

2. He won’t text you immediately to see how much you like him.

He wants to see if you’re going to budge. He’s testing just how much he has to work for your attention. He wants to check your level of desperation with regards to him.

3. He deliberately engages in talks with other girls just to make him come off as a hot commodity.

It’s a common practice. You’ve probably done it on some guys in the past as well. He deliberately tries to make you jealous by making you feel that you have competition.

4. He will subtly point out your flaws in a joking manner just to keep your ego in check.

He is going to fluff you up by flirting with you and running errands for you. But then when you start to feel a little comfortable, he’s going to bring you down with a good old reality check.

5. He low-key showcases his skills as an independent man.

He will show you that he’s the type of guy who is able to take care of you – a guy who knows how to live a strong and independent life that one can be proud of. It’s part of our primal nature to want to attach ourselves to someone who can provide for us.

6. He lives a life outside of his relations with you.

He does this just to let you know that not all of his time is going to be dedicated to you. He isn’t going to want to come off as too needy or codependent.

7. He exudes utmost confidence.

The smartest men always know that confidence is key. And he is always going to turn his confidence engine on whenever you’re around. He will want to convince you that he really is a guy who is worthy of your attention.

8. He showcases his passion for something that is special to him.

He wants to show you that he is a man who is capable of depth – a man who can really grow to become passionate about something. These men know that passion is one of the most attractive things you can find in another person.

9. He puts his charm and his wits on display to make you laugh.

And of course, he wants to make you laugh. He wants to make you feel like you can always feel comfortable and happy around him.

10. He touches you in just the right manner and at the right time.

Never underestimate the power of the physical touch. A smart man knows that if he touches you too much, he might come across as too forward; and if he doesn’t touch you enough, he will come off as cold and distant.