Body Language of Wink
Cue: Wink.
Synonym(s): N/A.
Description: One eye closes for a split second while the other remains open.
In One Sentence: The wink is a way for people to share in a joke or to signal sexual interest.
How To Use it: To let people in on the joke nonverbally, simply wink one eye. The cue is best used following a joke which may or may not be obvious to the audience.
In dating, a wink can be used by men or women to signal covert sexual interest.
Context: a) General b) Dating.
Verbal Translation: a) “I’m winking to show you that we’re sharing a joke together.” b) “I’m winking at you to show you that you and I have a sexual energy.”
Variant: See Extended Blink or Double Wink.
Cue In Action: a) Dad winked at his son when Mom discovered that an extra piece of cake was missing. When Mom was out, Dad and son stole an extra a piece. They were both in on the joke. b) From across the bar, he winked at his wife showing her that he thought she was sexy in her new dress.
Meaning and/or Motivation: Winking is a gesture that usually signals that something cheeky is going on between two people who are “in on the joke.”
The wink is a “tie signal” meaning it is delivered from one person specifically toward another person who in on the secret, or joke. The wink is a long distance whisper because it conveys specific meaning quietly and it may or may not be noticed by other people.
At times, the wink has sexual or intimate connotations. Normally, men or overt women will perform this gesture to the opposite sex as a sexual invitation or during flirting. It becomes particularly salient when accompanied by a click of the tongue. A wink often carries more significance than touching such as from a handshake, hug or even a kiss on the cheek.
In 2007 George Bush attempted to recover from a gaffe with a wink, when accidentally suggesting that the Queen had been visiting the U.S. since 1776 making her out to be over 200 years old! The wink was only met with a frosty stare that only a disapproving mother could replicate.
Cue Cluster: The context will outline the purpose of the wink, be it sexual or general in origination.
Body Language Category: Courtship displays, Indicators of sexual interest (IOsI), Rapport or rapport building, Tie signals.
Resources:
Axtell, Roger E. Gestures: The Do’s and Taboos of Body Language Around the World. 1997. Wiley.
Kotlyar, Igor and Dan Ariely. The Effect of Nonverbal Cues on Relationship Formation.
Computers in Human Behavior. 2013. 29:544-551.
Birdwhistell, R. L. (1970). Kinesics and context: Essays on body motion communication. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Feldman, S. S. (1959). Mannerisms of speech and gestures in everyday life. New York: International Universities Press, Inc.
Gregersen, Tammy S. Nonverbal Cues: Clues to the Detection of Foreign Language Anxiety. Foreign Language Annals. 2005. 38(3): 388-400
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/what-anxious-learners-can-tell-us-about-anxious-body-language-how-to-read-nonverbal-behavior/
Lindsey, A. Elizabeth ; Vigil, Valerie. The interpretation and evaluation of winking in stranger dyads. Communication Research Reports. 1999. 16(3): 256-265.
Morris, D. (1985). Bodywatching: A field guide to the human species. New York:Crowh Publishers, Inc.