Is a Man Who “Tests the Waters” Just a Player?
Search for “men who test the waters,” and you’ll see comments like: “Avoid those guys.” “They’re a waste of time.” “They never change.” Of course, there’s truth in that. But Reunior views it a little differently. We look at the psychological structure hidden behind such behavior. Why does he keep repeating the same pattern? Understanding that reason reveals the true nature of the relationship and its potential for recovery.
Humans Ultimately Respond to “Value”
The human brain unconsciously evaluates the value of others. At Reunior, we call this PRV (Perceived Relational Value). When we perceive someone as more valuable than ourselves, we are naturally drawn to them. When the opposite happens, attraction fades. This isn’t a matter of taste—it’s an instinctive response shaped through human evolution.
A Man Who “Tests You” Is in the Curiosity Stage
Reunior’s PSS (Perceived Significance Spectrum) categorizes emotional flow like this:
Disgust → Disregard → Indifference → Curiosity → Affection → Love → Obsession.
Most “testing” behavior occurs in the curiosity stage. He’s neither completely indifferent nor already in love. He’s exploring your value, wondering, “What kind of person is she?” At this point, what matters isn’t the fact that he reached out—it’s the emotional position from which that contact originated. He’s still inside the process of value assessment.
Emotion (PSS) Moves According to Value Perception (PRV)
Relationships ultimately move based on how each person perceives the other’s value. Human emotions react faster than logic. And value perception operates even before those emotions arise. A man who “tests the waters” is still uncertain. He’s currently measuring your value.
So what matters right now isn’t his tone or how often he contacts you, but what kind of PRV you’re showing. The more emotionally you react, the lower your PSS falls. The more relaxed and self-assured you appear, the higher your PSS rises. In the end, relationship recovery isn’t an emotional battle—it’s a process of recalibrating value perception.
Conclusion — Make His Mind Perceive Your Value as Higher
Whether it’s a breakup or an ongoing relationship, the human brain is constantly calculating: “Who holds greater value?” The way to change that calculation isn’t through emotion, but through the direction of your actions.
Reunior summarizes it this way: “When PSS changes, PRV moves.” In other words, when you change the direction of your actions, the emotional position changes along with it. The moment you leave the impression in his mind that “She might be more valuable than I thought,” he begins to feel drawn to you again.
