"He/she was so mean to you, because he/she might like you"

I don't think it's a female or male type response. I think it's an individual response. Some times people live in families where affections are expressed very openly, those people then are more likely to have a better and more effective way of expressing themselves to others. Then lets look at the other end, if a person grows up in an environment where little or no affections are shown then how will this person respond to emotions? Probably not very well, that person may "act out" as one could say. If a persons' in a household where hostility is in the place of showing warth, kindness and affection, this person could be prone to showing their feelings in a negative way that appears to be more unaffectionate, harsh, or even brutal. In order to understand that person you would have to explore their life style and family dynamics the things that are not always apparent from your own external view.

Actually its not mean but let me say its called possesiveness.It applies to both guys and gals.If you really like someone its human tendency to feel possessive about them.. So if we do anything that he/she doesn't like then without hesitating they scold us for doing that,they criticize us for being late not looking handsome etc etc.. This is all because they think u r theirs and they have a right to do so... Its called possessiveness. Nothing more than that

Whether it is aimed at a guy or a girl I find it difficult to accept that meanness is one's special way of showing one's like for another person.I would rather not be subject to such great 'likes'.

No idea. I would for sure be mean back or ignore if someone is mean to me. I wouldn't like them. It's weird though, why would a person be mean to someone he/she likes? Getting attention, well of course they will get it and not getting the heart, so what's the point?

yeah, this is not universal. somehow this is true since i also do that to someone i really like. it is not only to catch attention, but to connect emotionally. being mean usually is what people notice and remember. one separates from the others who are so good or cool. then after being mean, i withdraw from the girl. then she will say that she misses me. i think it is effective. try the trick.

I would like to add to the person before me. Sometimes a person becomes unsure or uncertain about the feelings that he/she has. The person finds it difficult to express his/her feelings which may have little or nothing to do with his/her upbringing. Added to this is a possible fear of rejection. There is an inner turmoil, which manifests in a form of violent or aggressive behaviour. Two real cases involving my friends. In the first case they were in secondary school. The boy appeared to be stoic, able to control his emotions. One day while jogging and passing the girl he fancied he simply punched her on the right shoulder, and kept on running. She cried, because she thought he hated her. In the second case they were in the same class in a higher institute of education. On the first day they got to know each other they started throwing barbs at each other. They are now happily married to each other.