Body Language of Twitching
Cue: Twitching.
Synonym(s): Flinching, Nervous Twitch.
Description: A sudden short burst of movement.
In One Sentence: Twitching signals nervousness or is simply a response to an underlying neurological condition.
How To Use it: Twitching is not well received by others as it indicates one is not able to properly control one’s body. Therefore, where possible, one should avoid or suppress the signal.
Context: General.
Verbal Translation: a) “I’m twitching because I have an underlying neurological condition.” b) “I’m suddenly twitching because something has triggered a stress response.”
Variant: See Jerky Movements.
Cue In Action: a) He habitually twitched and jerked his legs and arms – it was normal for him and most learned to just ignore it. b) When she suggested that he shovel the driveway, his arm twitched. It was a sign that he wasn’t interested in clearing it again for the third time that day.
Meaning and/or Motivation: Sometimes referred as a nervous twitch, a sudden short burst of movement or flinch can be due to a variety of reasons.
Twitching can be due to sudden or sustained stress, but more often than not, it is due to a random firing of neurons, or underlying medial disease and therefore has no meaning at all.
When it is due to stress, it is likely person specific meaning they have a tendency to twitch when under stress. When twitching happens suddenly, it can refer back to a trigger due to stress and is therefore laden with meaning and significance.
Often, when twitching occurs regularly, it is a signal that it is simply idiosyncratic and has no meaning at all. Therefore, a body language reader must establish an underlying baseline before reading twitching for meaning.
Cue Cluster: Twitching is a relatively difficult cue to read unless it’s been established as a baseline indicator. Look for other cues to indicate stress such as excessive perspiration, touching the face or neck, scratching, pulling at the ears, smoothing out clothing and so forth.
Body Language Category: Arousal, Autonomic signal, Idiosyncratic body language, Leaked or involuntary body language, Microgestures, Nervous body language, Stressful body language.
Resources:
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Dale, Russell C. Post-streptococcal autoimmune disorders of the central nervous system. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology. 2005. 47(11): 785-791.
Everly, Jr., G. S. & Lating, J. M. (2002). A clinical guide to the treatment of the human stress response (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers
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Huflejt-Łukasik M, Czarnota-Bojarska J (2006) Short Communication: Selffocused attention and self-monitoring influence on health and coping with stress. Stress Health 22: 153–59.
Katza, Carmit; Irit Hershkowitz; Lindsay C. Malloya; Michael E. Lamba; Armita Atabakia and Sabine Spindlera. Non-Verbal Behavior of Children Who Disclose or do not Disclose Child Abuse in Investigative Interviews. Child Abuse & Neglect. 2012. 36: 12-20.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/reading-nonverbal-behaviour-child-abuse-cases-encourage-children-divulge-information-truth-telling
Varley, C K ; Vincent, J ; Varley, P ; Calderon, R Emergence of tics in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder treated with stimulant medications. Comprehensive psychiatry. 2001. 42(3): 228-33.