Body Language of The Cold Shoulder
Cue: Cold Shoulder
Synonym(s): N/A
Description: Turning away from someone is the cold shoulder.
In One Sentence: Turning away from another person signifies that one is diverging away from them and/or their ideas.
How To Use it: Turn the cold shoulder when you want to tell others that you disagree with them. The cold shoulder can be used in relationships to show that you are not willing to follow the same path. To use the cold shoulder make sure that it is done quickly and in immediate conjunction with whatever idea sparked the disapproval.
Context: General.
Verbal Translation: “I don’t like what you saying or doing and so I’m going to turn my body away in disgust.”
Variant: See Blading Body Language, Body Angling or Ventral Displays.
Cue In Action: When Jane found out that the other girls were invited to a sleep over and she wasn’t, she quickly turned her body away and sulked.
Meaning and/or Motivation: The cold shoulder indicates aloofness, indifference and dismissal. It creates a barrier and separation between two people. People will turn the cold shoulder when they have disagreement with others and want to block them off from communication.
Its historical origins are believed to be a reference to the serving of an inferior cut of meat to undesirable guests. The cold shoulder of mutton versus more fanciful meal of roast and fixings.
Cue Cluster: The cold shoulder can be amplified with a downturned mouth, a quick glance with a look of disdain and create feelings of scorn and derision.
Body Language Category: Anger, Barriers, Body pointing, Blading, Closed body language, Disengagement, Dislike (nonverbal), Distancing or moving away, Escape movements, Negative body language, Orienting reflex or orienting response, Protective reflexes.
Resources:
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