What Is Push-Pull? Scientists' vs. Seducers' Definitions

The push-pull of Edward C. Tolman is very different from push-pull as seducers understand it. But what makes these two push-pulls so discrete? And can they be combined?

The early days of seduction saw a lot of concepts from psychology introduced to the art of bedding women. Approach solicitations (we call them ‘approach invitations’), compliance, indicators of interest, sexual market value, token resistance, the concept of the alpha male of a group, and many others come directly from the psychological literature.

One concept that is well-established in seduction is that of push-pull. Every veteran seducer is familiar with it – and every veteran seducer swears by it as a powerful technique.

Yet the way seducers define push-pull today has evolved away from its origins in psychology.

In fact, the modern seduction version of ‘push-pull’ and the psychology version of ‘push-pull’ are now more like distant cousins than anything else.

What was the original concept of push-pull, is it still useful in any way for seduction – and how did the way seducers use and define push-pull change?