I don’t know, but if you find out let me know.
Based off my recent experience, I would have to define it as “not hooking up at the drop of a hat”. or is that just actually being hard to get? maybe there is a difference.
Based on my experience when I was a young teenager, it can certainly be a consious game, and is usually done in a very obvious manner. When I was a teen I had to chase a couple of girls quite hard a couple of times before I finally got them, but in these situations it was obvious that both parties were only interested in casual sex.
If it happens when trying to develop a proper long term relationship with someone, I would say it’s more a subconscious doubt.
When I think some more about my personal situation, and what happened to me last night, I think that what is happening is that she is interested in me and likes me, but, she has known me for so long, that it is simply easier for her to say no. She could go out with me, we could get on well together, we could maybe even end up married, but to get there, we will need to turn a lot of heads, raise a lot of eyebrows, and therefore, it is easier just to not go down that path.
In about an hour I will arrive at work, and my co workers are going to all gather roung and ask me how I got on with her. When they ask me, I am simply going to tell them that she told me no. Claiming that a girl is playing hard to get can certainly be a little ego protection at times, but in this case, for me it is a genuine doubt.