The use and interpretation of tie signs in a public setting: Relationship and sex differences

This investigation increases our understanding of the uses of nonverbal tie signs in cross-sex friendships and dating relationships, and addresses the role that these displays play in the experience of these two relationships . Specifically, we (i) observed the behavior of cross-sex friends and dater s in college bars (study 1), (ii) asked individuals to assess the reasons w hy they used affection displays in college bars with either a friend of the opposite sex or a dating partner (study 2), and (iii) asked participants f or their perceptions of why their dating partner or cross-sex friend uses a ffection displays with them when at a college bar (study 3). We examined th e influence of sex and relationship type in each of these domains. The resu lts significantly extend past research on tie signs and cross-sex friendshi ps by incorporating observational data of tie signs with sender and receive r perceptions of the functions underlying these observed behaviors.