Why are some people more infatuated w/ the attention they receive from someone, rather than the person hirself

When a person's self-image is being "built-up", they act in a certain way, and get affirmed in that behavior (they get positive attention). If someone is not getting this positive attention in the right place (parents/friends) or they're getting mixed signals (every type of behavior is given negative attention, no matter what the behavior is), then they start looking in places that will affirm them (make them feel good about themselves); often they don't care who gives them the attention, and when their identity is really desperate, they will act in any way possible to get attention. This is when you get people doing really stupid or destructive things to get attention, or (as you pointed out) wanting to flirt with people even though they have no feelings for the other.