Body Language of Touch Reduction
Cue: Touch Reduction.
Synonym(s): Reduced Touching.
Description: Touching between two people is either stopped abruptly or stopped gradually over time.
In One Sentence: Touch reduction indicates a difference of opinion or anxiety.
How To Use it: When you wish to send the signal that you disapprove, create space between you and the person you object to. This can easily be done through touch reduction, especially if it is done suddenly. Reducing touch is especially potent between couples and family members, as touching is usually much more frequent in these close associations. During a disagreement, pulling the hands inward and away from your partner tells them that you want them to change their stance on matters. Reducing or eliminating touching is the nonverbal signal for emotional withdrawal. Therefore, the signal is considered an honest marker for your thoughts and feelings.
Context: a) General b) Dating.
Verbal Translation: “I’m not in agreement with you. I’m putting up and maintaining space between the both of us serving to demonstrate nonverbally our differences of opinion.”
Variant: See Arm Withdrawal or Leg Withdrawal, Touching or Increase In Touching.
Cue In Action: a) Mom wanted her son to stop being so rambunctious, but he wouldn’t listen. Then the inevitable happened – he fell and skinned his knee. Ordinarily she would comfort him immediately, but she refused. She displayed her disapproval nonverbally. b) Instead of sitting tightly together on the same side of the sofa and snuggle as they usually would, the couple sat at opposite ends. They had a tiff and didn’t want to be close to one another.
Meaning and/or Motivation: It should be noted that ‘touch reduction’ is also a sudden change in ‘touch frequency.’ Couples have even been shown to draw away from each other when they are generally unhappy with their relationship.
Touch reduction is usually accompanied with stressful situations therefore signaling anxiety. We may see touch reduction during intense interrogation and may accompany compelling or damning information.
Closeness can also be useful when assessing someone because it will invoke distancing desires. When talking with a spouse or child, sit as close to them as you are accustomed to. Then take up serious matters. If someone is hiding something, they will usually push away or even stand up looking for ways to exit or change the subject. Holding the hand of a child can be particularly useful when discussing matters of dishonesty. If they wish to exit the discussion, they will try to tug their hand away [note: trying to withdraw is not a signal of culpability, but it is a signal of anxiety through a desire for distance].
Liars rarely touch others when they lie to them as this is a natural part of the fight or flight response. During intense interactions the subconscious mind does not respond well to intimacy caused by touching. This can prove helpful in intimate relationships, with family members or children since touching is a normal part of everyday life. Any form of touch reduction can signal that a person is at odds with another and that they might be hiding something.
If touch isn’t normal, for example, between strangers or acquaintances, then measuring touch reduction won’t be possible. In this case, look for distancing behaviours instead such as arm withdrawal or leaning away, especially in the torso, as these are also forms of distancing.
Cue Cluster: Touch reduction is usually accompanied by leaning away, ventral denial, head back or away, eyes averted, reduction in movement or freezing behaviour, reduction in verbal communication and so forth.
Body Language Category: Amplifier, Anger body language, Disengagement body language, Dislike (nonverbal), Disapproval cues, Distancing or moving away, Emotional body language, Indicators of disinterest (IOD).
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