Body Language of Office Artifacts or Office Props
Cue: Office Artifacts
Synonym(s): Office Props, Personal Artifacts, House Decoration, Decoration (of Space).
Description: Office artifacts include any objects that take up space in the place of work including photographs, plaques, trophies, certificates, memorabilia, piles of paper, books, and so forth.
In One Sentence: Office artifacts are ways that people express their personalities and values.
How To Use it: Upon entering an office, it is known the objects and decoration they contain, will make an impression. Presumably, this is understood by most people. Therefore, you should take care that your office is accurately reflecting the impression you wish to make.
Use the decoration and props in your office to create whatever impression you seek. Those whom wish to be taken as scholarly, for example, should decorate their office with books and diplomas. If one wishes to be seen as a family man, the office should have photographs of family and crafts made by kids. To be seen as worldly, the office should be decorated with various exotic props from around the world.
Context: a) General b) Business.
Verbal Translation: “My space is an extension of myself. I decorate it in a way that reflects my thoughts and beliefs.”
Variant: People also decorate their bodies with fashion and art including tattoos. Clothing, like office artifacts are extensions of the body and things people actively choose in order to reflect their personal thoughts and beliefs. Personal artifacts include fancy or expensive vehicles, or cheap ones, as well as large expansive houses, or bachelor pads. The things we keep in our company reflect how we think and what we value. See Adornments and Bodifications (personal decoration).
Cue In Action: a) Her house was a marvel of exquisite art, furniture and statues. She had excellent taste and could appreciate the riches of life. b) To appear intelligent, the lawyer stood in front of a full library of encyclopedia during his television commercial. He promised to extract large sums of money due to injury claims.
Meaning and/or Motivation: Office artifacts can be used to display status such as the use of trophies, plaques, certificates or interests such as model cars, sports memorabilia or pictures hung on walls such a nature or fishing adventures.
Lawyers are usually portrayed in front of a large library of books which is a nonverbal signal of the mountain of knowledge that “backs them.” When the President makes an important announcement he habitually stands next to the flag or at his desk surrounded by books to appear more trustworthy and intelligent.
Houses that contain family images show others that they are close knit, while a bachelor pad which is more or less un-kept shows that its owner is carefree. Our houses and what they contain reflect our values.
Cue Cluster: Depending on the context, cues will appear either dominant or submissive. For example, a student might appear submissive if the contents of his dorm room are modest if he finds that an attractive girl has noticed. A doctor will act smug should he find that you have noticed his certificates and diplomas.
Body Language Category: Adornments, Arrogance or arrogant body language, Power play.
Resources:
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Burroughs, J. W., Drews, D. R., & Hallman, W. K. (1991). Predicting personality from personal possessions: A self-presentational analysis. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 6, 147–163.
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http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/judging-book-shelf-use-office-bedroom-nonverbals-predict-peoples-personality/
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