Empirical testing
A couple of books have come to my awareness. I’ve not read either one, but I’m amused by their existence.
The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists is essentially an instruction book for guys on how to become a pickup artist and get any girl that you want.
The Rules: Time-tested Secrets for Capturing the Heart of Mr. Right is essentially and instruction book for women on how to snare a man into marriage.
The researcher in me wants to take 20 or so Rules Girls and 20 or so Game Guys and throw them into a bar, then take notes to see which manipulative system wins.