Body Language of Palm Up, Palm Down and Palm Even Handshakes
Cue: Palm Up, Palm Down and Palm Even Handshakes
Synonym(s): N/A
Description: a) A handshake where the hand is presented with the palm up. b) A handshake where the hand is presented palm down. c) The hand is presented palm even, vertical.
In One Sentence: Palm orientation, up, down, or even, indicates submission, dominance and equality, respectively.
How To Use it: Use the type of handshake for the type of relationship you would like to create. Use palm even when you want to create an equal relationship, palm down to show your dominance over someone, and palm up to show you wish to submit. For example, women can offer their hand palm up to men they find interesting whereas a domineering boss could offer his hand palm down to keep his employees in their place.
Context: General.
Verbal Translation: a) “I’m offering my palm up because I want to be lead or be taken care of and want to be in the lower submissive position.” b) “I want to be in the upper palm position so I can dominate other people and be in control of them.” c) “I’m presenting my palm vertically to show that I neither want to dominant nor be submissive.”
Variant: See Country Handshake (The), Cold Dead Wet Fish Handshake, Double Gripper Politician Handshake or Double Hander (The), Short Grabber/Finger Grabber Handshake, Oddball Handshake, Palm Up, Palm Down and Palm Even Handshakes, Stiff Arm And Thrust Forward Handshake, Death Grip Handshake, Wrench Forward Handshake, Undershaker Handshake, Wrist Hold Handshake, Wrist Hold Handshake and Upper Arm Grip Handshake, Limp Fish Handshake, Teacup Handshake, Arm Twister Handshake (The), Firm handshake, Fist Bumping.
Cue In Action: a) b) A cute boy came up to her and introduced himself. He extended his hand to shake hers while introducing himself. She instinctively put her hand out palm up as if she was ready to hold his hand and submit to him. b) The boss extended his hand out to his employee – always palm down forcing his employees to take on a palm up orientation in order to complete the handshake. c) They met palms vertical showing that neither wished to display dominance, nor submission.
Meaning and/or Motivation: a) When someone presents their hand palm up “offered” as a handshake they wish to be, or appear, submissive. They want to be on the bottom and be dominated or be lead by other people. We will usually see women or feminine men offer a hand in this way. It usually appears as if they desire their hand to be held rather than shook. When men do this but don’t wish to appear submissive it leads to lack of credibility.
b) When someone presents their hand palm down during a handshake, they wish to dominate. They want to have their hand on top, to be on top, and force the other person into a palm up orientation. Sometimes people will try to maneuver their way to a top down position by twisting.
c) When the palm is vertical, then the person doesn’t want to dominate or be submissive.
Cue Cluster: The palm up and palm down handshake will be accompanied by submissive and dominant body language respectively.
Body Language Category: Dominant body language, Submissive body language, Social touching.
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