The Hidden Meaning of Arm Withdrawal or Leg Withdrawal Body Language
Cue: Arm Withdrawal or Leg Withdrawal
Synonym(s): Distancing, Pulling Arms or Legs In, Drawing Arms Or Legs In, Flexation Withdrawal.
Description: When the arms are suddenly pulled inward toward the body rather than away in order to create more distance between oneself and another. There will be times that distancing behaviours are not terribly dramatic.
In One Sentence: Drawing the arms or legs inward shows that a person is not engaged in another person or the topic, and at times, even withdrawn from a person or their ideas.
How To Use it: Pull the arms and legs away from people and their ideas when you wish to demonstrate disagreement. By coupling arm withdrawal in close or even immediate connection to specific spoken words you will tell others that you disagree with them nonverbally. This can be useful in any context including between friends, colleagues or lovers.
Context: General.
Verbal Translation: “I disagree and want to get away but that would be too overt or prohibited at the moment, so I’m just going to do by pull my arms or legs away to make me feel like I’m escaping.”
Variant: See Blading Body Language, Body Angling or Ventral Displays.
Cue In Action: During a meeting over coffee, everything was fine until Dave told a sexist joke at which point Jill pull her arms onto her side of the table in disgust and turned her head away.
Meaning and/or Motivation: Arm and leg withdrawal indicates a lack of agreement or a difference of opinion. It can also indicate stress and anxiety. Even just a few inches of withdrawal can tell us that ideas and the people that voice them are diverging. When the legs or arms are suddenly withdrawn it can be a good indicator that what has been said is offensive or disagreeable to the other party.
When the feet or legs of couples are pulled in rather than neutral or extended toward each other, it can signal that the relationship isn’t going well.
Cue Cluster: Arm withdrawal is often coupled with leaning away, facing away, torso and feet turned toward an exit, disgusted or bored facial expression and postures.
Body Language Category: Stressful body language, Disengagement, Dislike (nonverbal), Escape movements.
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