Body Language of Finger Moving Up The Chin
Cue: Finger Moving Up The Chin
Synonym(s): Thumb Under The Chin Index Finger To The Cheek, Palm Under The Chin Fingers On The Cheek.
Description: a) The index finger is moved up the outside of the cheek from the jaw line toward the temples. b) The palm may also rest under the chin with the remaining fingers on the cheek. c) The thumb rests under the chin and the index finger lies against the cheek.
In One Sentence: When the finger seems to move up the chin to the side of the face it says that a person is thoughtfully evaluating.
How To Use it: Use this while being presented important information to show that you are paying it consideration. This is helpful at business meetings as well as in other presentations. The speaker will see you as being thoughtful, mindful, and objective. The cue can also buy you time with a seller as they will see, through nonverbal channels, that you are considering the information. It may also show that they need to sweeten the deal with additional perks to sway your opinion.
Context: General.
Verbal Translation: “I’m evaluating, so I’m connecting the wisdom from my chin (my beard) to the thoughts in my mind with my index finger.
Variant: Related to Chin Stroking and Hand To Cheek. One may also tapping a pen against the chin and or rub the temple.
Cue In Action: The associate rested his chin lightly on his hand so we knew he was evaluating. The outcome turned sour as the meeting dragged on and problems arose with the projector. Once things were resolved, he was in a full bore with his hand fully supporting his chin. After a short recess, we were about to make a deal and the associate put his hand back on his chin, but this time his index finger ran up the side of his face. We immediately stopped the presentation and waited for him to decide.
Meaning and/or Motivation: When the hands touch the face and interest is present, the index and thumb will form an “L” shape and the chin is placed in the crux of the “L” but is not supported by it. Conversely, with genuine interest, the hand will barely touch the side of the face. In this case, the hand curls and the knuckles gently rests against the side of the face, and in other cases, the hand remains open with the finger tips of the index and middle finger gently resting on the cheek.
As the listener becomes bored or tired, the hand will bear more and more of the weight and the body will seem to slump completely over the hand and be supported by it. As boredom sets in, the thumb will move under the chin to help the person hold their head even further, or the chin will seem to compress into the palm.
Cue Cluster: Stroking the chin, flared nostrils, pinching the bridge of the nose and rubbing the back of the neck all indicate that thought is being placed and outcomes weighed.
Body Language Category: Attentive, Evaluative, Pensive displays.
Resources:
Almerigogna, Jehanne ; Ost, James ; Akehurst, Lucy ; Fluck, Mike. How Interviewers’ Nonverbal Behaviors Can Affect Children’s Perceptions and Suggestibility. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. 2008. 100(1): 17-39.
Doody, John ; Bull, Peter. Asperger’s Syndrome and the Decoding of Boredom, Interest, and Disagreement from Body Posture. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. 2011. 35(2): 87-100.
Kirkland, Rena A. ; Peterson, Eric ; Baker, Crystal A. ; Miller, Stephanie ; Pulos, Steven. Meta-analysis reveals adult female superiority in “Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test”.(Report). North American Journal of Psychology. 2013. 15(1): 12.
Navarro, Joe. 2008. What Every BODY is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent’s Guide to Speed-Reading People. William Morrow Paperbacks.
Pease, Barbara and Allan Pease. 2006. The Definitive Book of Body Language Hardcover. Bantam.