Body Language Of Coffee Cup Barrier Or Handbag Barrier
Cue: Coffee Cup Barrier or Handbag Barrier
Synonym(s): Barriers, Drink Barrier, Blocking, Shields, Handbag Barrier, Placing Objects In Front, Hiding Behind Objects, Clutching A Jacket Over The Chest, Books Over The Chest, Hugging Books, Hugging A Jacket.
Description: While sitting or standing, a drink is held across the front of the body as if the arms were crossed.
In One Sentence: Blocking the body off with a barrier such as a cup of coffee is a way to partially block off the body from outside interference.
How To Use it: While is it generally advised to keep the body open to others, one can send a message of caution to others by holding a drink horizontally in front of the body to create a barrier. This will help you feel more comfortable by maintain separation.
In a dating context, the barrier can be used by women to show men that they are not willing to develop high intimacy. When a drink is not available, one can grasp the other wrist or play with a wrist band, watch, or for men, a cufflink.
These cues should be avoided when one wishes to appear confident, however.
Context: a) General b) Dating c) Business
Verbal Translation: “I’m using my drink or other object in a masked arm cross to give me protective feelings because I feel uneasy and exposed.”
Variant: Any object such as a purse, book, binder or papers, or jacket can be held against the chest to act as a protective devise. The cufflink or a wristwatch can also be played with to create another masked arm cross. See Masked Arm Cross.
Cue In Action: a) As Dave and Jim sat at dinner, they each held their glass on the opposite side and rested their arm across the table to maintain separation. b) While socializing with an attractive woman, he held his beer at chest level across the front of his body. c) When it came time to decide on the deal, she took a sip of her coffee and placed it back on the table. This time it was on the opposite side and she held her forearm across the table. He new she wasn’t going to come to a favourable decision.
Meaning and/or Motivation: Holding an object across the body is a way to cross the arms without actually crossing them. It is a way that people can appear to be open, but still find the security of cutting off the body from perceived attack. Holding a drink across the body as barrier is a closed body position, which is either unintentional and done out of habit, or is actually a signal indicating a negative thought.
Many times people will find drinks at social gatherings when first arriving. An alcoholic drink not only gives them more social confidence but also gives their hands something to do and more importantly it helps form a barrier across their chest, keeping people at a distance.
If the cue is done routinely, then it usually only indicates a mild need for security and protection afforded by a barrier. If it happens suddenly such as during a negotiation, it often indicates that a person has cooled to an idea and it will likely be met with rejection.
Cue Cluster: Watch for other negative or insecure body language such as touching the face, leaning away, feet pointed away, cowering, blushing, turning the torso away and so forth to decide just how much a person wishes to protect themselves.
Body Language Category: Barriers, Body cross, Masked body language, Negative body language, Closed body language, Security blankets.
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