The nonverbal behavior patterns and perceptions of males and females were investigated. Undergraduate students (N=36 men and N=30 women) viewed a series of high-contrast slides portraying two actors standing side by side. Half of the subjects saw slides depicting the person on the left touching the shoulder of the person on the right, while control subjects saw slides depicting no touch between the actors. Within each condition, subjects viewed all four possible combinations of male-female pairs. Subjects were asked to rate both actors on three primary dimensions of status/dominance, instrumentality/assertiveness, and warmth/expressiveness, as well as on sexual desire present. Results indicated that: (1) the toucher was seen as higher on each of the dimensions than the receiver; (2) male-male pairs were rated higher on status/dominance than any pair including a woman; and (3) cross-sex pairs were perceived as indicating more sexual desire than were same-sex pairs. (Author/HLM)