Body Language of Head Away
Cue: Head Away
Synonym(s): Head Pulled Back, Head Turned Away, Tilting Head Away.
Description: When the head is moved away rather than toward a person. This may be away from a person, object or even an idea.
In One Sentence: Moving the head away is a signal that a person is trying to escape an idea or another person.
How To Use it: Use the direction of your head (head language) to show other people that you don’t like their ideas. This is a low risk body language cue because it avoids using potentially volatile words. By moving the head away, it tells others that you do not like what they have to say. This can work in business, dating and amongst friends.
Context: General.
Verbal Translation: a) “I don’t like what I’m hearing, but my feet can not be moved away, lest I seem rude, so instead my head will be doing the escaping by moving away to create more distance between me and the thing I don’t like.” b) “I think you are too close to me so I’m leaning back to create more space between the two of us.” c) “I hate you, but feel like I shouldn’t just bolt away so I’m creating a space buffer by titling my head away.” d) “You have bad breath.”
Variant: Can happen sharply as if being taken aback or gradually as if being encroached upon. Conversely the head can move toward or be bowed down submissively showing agreement. See Blading Body Language, Body Angling or Ventral Displays, Toe Pointing or Pointed Toe.
Cue In Action: While engaged in conversation Jill shirked and pulled her chin in and turned her head to the side. She disagreed with her friend’s strong political assertion.
Meaning and/or Motivation: The head will be moved away when there is disagreement but also when the person is not able or permitted to escape entirely from a situation. Thus, it shows a desire for more space. A person might move their head back when someone is speaking with them too closely and violating their personal space, they have bad breath, are speaking too loudly, or they don’t like them for personal reasons.
This is a form of body withdrawal similar to ventral denial, or orienting the shoulders away from things people dislike and toward things they like. When someone wants to exit, the head might look toward the door or to another person.
Cue Cluster: The cue might be accompanied by a grimace facial expression, eye and mouth constriction, torso denial, stepping backward if possible and palm up expression as if wanting a better explanation.
Body Language Category: Amplifier, Confused, Defensive, Dislike (nonverbal), Distancing or moving away, Escape movements, Intention movements, Rejection body language.
Resources:
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