Body Language of The Fig Leaf Posture
Cue: Fig Leaf Posture (The)
Synonym(s): Fig Leaf Position, Loin Clothe Posture, Broken Zipper Posture.
Description: This posture occurs by placing one or both hands in front of the midsection.
In One Sentence: The fig leaf posture is a signal that one wishes to hide the genitals from exposure because one is feeling emotionally overexposed.
How To Use it: Use the fig leaf in front of an audience to provide more privacy and the feeling of security. A podium makes a nice replacement to the fig leaf as does holding sheets of paper or notes in a clipboard, which can be placed over the mid-section. As these items appear to have a legitimate function, they will not make it appear as though you are discomforted.
Context: General.
Verbal Translation: “I’m feeling overexposed and therefore uncomfortable so I’m going to block my private areas from view with my hands to preserve some of my modesty.”
Variant: The standing leg cross is another way people will try to hide their private areas and sometimes this posture is coupled with the fig leaf posture to show additional insecurity.
Cue In Action: a) Sally and Jim were new to the firm and decided to introduce themselves. While standing and conversing each interlocked their fingers and rested them over their private areas. b) While presenting, the candidate moved away from the podium and quickly coupled his hands together and rested them just below his belt. c) While listening in class, the student clasped his hands and rested them on his lap when the conversation moved to a topic that made him uncomfortable.
Meaning and/or Motivation: The fig leaf posture shows insecurity, shyness and lack of confidence and occurs when we find ourselves in novel environments or around people we aren’t familiar with.
We will often see this from less confident speakers who find themselves exposed to large audiences or when a presenter requires a participant (victim) to demonstrate a concept.
The fig leaf by either sex is a closed body position. It blocks the private mid section from view even when clothed. It takes its ‘fig leaf’ name from Adam and Eve’s traditionally portrayed posture in the Garden of Eden artwork where a leaf was used as a covering to provide privacy.
Modest men and women who find themselves accidentally disrobed will instinctively clasp their hands over their private areas. Naked women will split their attention from both breasts with one arm and hand, with the other hand over their genitals. Men will exclusively protect their genitals from view with both hands.
In real life however, we will rarely find ourselves nude and exposed in public, but our minds are still hardwired to harbour feelings of insecurity from overexposure. In day-to-day situations, women won’t be found covering their breasts by clasping them and men won’t grab their genitals a-la Micheal Jackson, but they will clasp both hands together either tightly by interlocking their fingers, or loosely with hand in hand and then casually placing them over their mid-section. Standing is the most obvious and common way that the fig leaf position shows itself, but it can also find its way in a seated position as the hands are rested on the lap.
Cue Cluster: The fig leaf is a stand alone posture and does not require additional cues for support, but we expect to see it clustered with leg crossing (usually at the ankle) and various pacifying behaviours such as self touching, stroking, blushing and nervousness.
Body Language Category: Barriers, Body cross, Blocking or Shielding, Clenching and gripping, Defensive, Embarrassment (nonverbal), Low confidence body language, Negative body language, Nervous body language, Protective reflexes, Shy nonverbal.
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