Body Language of Slouching
Cue: Slouching.
Synonym(s): Body Sag.
Description: The head droops, shoulders hunch, feet are turned inward and the face often shows signs of depression or sadness.
In One Sentence: Slouching is a sign of social withdrawal and/or submission.
How To Use it: Slouching can be used to show dominance when used in the proper context. For example, when high status is already secured, slouching down backwards in a chair can boost the perception even further. Slouching, in the context, show that one is not at risk from a metaphorically attack and does not need to carry an engaged and ready body posture.
When a low ranking person slouches in full view of a higher ranking person, this can show willingness to defy authority. For example, should a rebellious teenager wish to instigate a confrontation, he or she simply needs to slouch as he or she engages in verbal combat. Slouching says, “I don’t care about your attempt at authority, I stand for my own ideas.”
Children can show their distain for the ideas of their parents by slouching forward in defeat. This plays on the emotions of their parents because they see that their decisions have created a sense of powerlessness. The parents, therefore, may think twice about continuing in eliciting submissiveness. Therefore, slouching can be used to manipulate more powerful people by nonverbally signaling defeat.
Context: General.
Verbal Translation: “I’m bored, disinterested, depressed or tired. As a result my body is going limp and losing its tone.”
Variant: N/A.
Cue In Action: a) He was a typical teenager, slouching in his chair without a care for authority. b) After a long day at work, the day-labourer slouched down on the sofa with a cold beer. c) He was going through a tough time in his life and he would often sag into a deep depression, slumped over with an expressionless face.
Meaning and/or Motivation: Taking on a relaxed position and postures when around others, such as slumping in your chair can be a way to increase your status. However, slouching independent of other dominant cues indicates submission – sometimes extreme submission to the world at large, especially when it is persistent across context. Slouching shows others that life gets us down and we have trouble coping with the difficulties it presents us. Slouching shows others an overall withdrawal.
Children often use slouching and pouting to show that they are upset and disappointed. Slouching also presents when people are bored or disinterested. People will be found slouching or sitting low in their seats perhaps awkwardly.
We should be careful about reading emotionally into slouching, because sometimes it just means someone is taking a break or is exhausted.
Cue Cluster: When slouching has emotional meaning, it is usually accompanied by fidgeting, putting hands in pockets, crossing arms, wringing the hands, talking with a hand hiding the mouth, and touching or scratching the face or neck without purpose, the eyes often are blank and the face is expressionless.
Body Language Category: Amplifier, Boredom body language, Comfort body language, Disengagement body language, Indicators of disinterest (IOD), Low confidence body language, Negative body language, Nonthreatening body language, Readiness to submit postures.
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