Body Language of Invisible Lint Picker or Lint Picker
Cue: Invisible Lint Picker or Lint Picker
Synonym(s): Lint Picker (The), Picking Invisible Lint.
Description: When someone in mid-conversation breaks eye contact to remove lint, smooth clothing, apply lipstick and so forth.
In One Sentence: The invisible lint picker is a person who is showing nonverbal distain.
How To Use it: When you wish to send an insult that falls below the conscious radar; pick lint, especially lint that does not actually exist. Removing lint and other self-grooming gestures while listening to another speaks is an obvious insult.
Some moderate grooming in the presence of a date can indicate positive meaning, but should only include things like smoothing and adjusting clothing, fixing the hair, and so forth and not unsightly things like picking the finger nails. A good rule to follow is to avoid breaking eye contact as much as possible while grooming especially when the other person is speaking. This will result in a positive rather than a negative impression.
Context: a) General b) Dating
Verbal Translation: a) b) “I don’t like you and what you are saying so I’m going to act rude and remove fake lint from my body until you shut up.”
Variant: Pimples can be pinched, nose picking, cleaning under the nails, smoothing clothing, applying lipstick, glancing in a mirror. See Eye Aversion, Gaze Avoidance and Wandering Eyes.
Cue In Action: As Debbie was talking she noticed that Mary was much more attentive to her task of removing cat hair from her jacket than she was to her. Debbie got the message loud and clear, broke off the conversation early and carried on with her day.
Meaning and/or Motivation: a) A non-verbal displacement gesture indicating a difference of opinion, disapproval, dislike, contempt, and indifference or dismissiveness which is especially salient when lint is entirely absent indicating that the true purpose is to avoid eye contact. Removing invisible lint shows a critical listener through eye contact avoidance and distraction.
b) In dating, lint picking can sometimes indicate interest through preening to make one appear more attractive, and when done on someone else, is a form of affection. When grooming is a positive signal, it is mostly done in private, thus preparing the self to be viewed. When eye contact is visibly broken, it does however signal disinterest. When lint picking is a negative cue it can be compared to picking the nose, picking the nails or pinching pimples. They all show forms of distasteful grooming that should be done in privacy. Making others witness such grotesqueness is truly offensive and dehumanizing.
Cue Cluster: Lint picking is coupled with eye contact avoidance, overall distraction and a lack of agreement indicators.
Body Language Category: Amplifier, Arrogance or arrogant body language, Courtship display, Indicators of disinterest (IOD), Masked body language.
Resources:
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