Category: Defensive body language

*No Photo, Defensive body language, Dislike (nonverbal), Distancing or moving away, Escape movements, Indicators of disinterest (IOD), Intention movements, Negative body language, Rejection body language, Social touching, Suspicious body language

Body Language of The Undershaker Handshake

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Body Language of The Undershaker Handshake

No picCue: Undershaker Handshake (The)

Synonym(s): Shortshaker Handshake (The)

Description: This handshake is so quick, it’s actually offensive. It lasts merely seconds where the hand is quickly grabbed then released or tossed aside. Sometimes it even lacks any pumping action at all.

In One Sentence: The undershaker is person who covets their own personal space and wants to keep their distance as much as possible.

How To Use it: When you dislike someone, you may try to keep physical contact brief to tell them that it makes you uncomfortable. A quick shake followed by moving backwards, eyes averted, says that you are not willing to interact with them or give them the time of day.

Context: General.

Verbal Translation: “I don’t like what you are selling and I feel like you are trying to take advantage of me so I’m going to drop your hand as quickly as possible so I can get on with my own agenda.”

Variant: See Country Handshake (The), Cold Dead Wet Fish Handshake, Double Gripper Politician Handshake or Double Hander (The), Short Grabber/Finger Grabber Handshake, Oddball Handshake, Palm Up, Palm Down and Palm Even Handshakes, Stiff Arm And Thrust Forward Handshake, Death Grip Handshake, Wrench Forward Handshake, Undershaker Handshake, Wrist Hold Handshake, Wrist Hold Handshake and Upper Arm Grip Handshake, Limp Fish Handshake, Teacup Handshake, Arm Twister Handshake (The), Firm handshake, Fist Bumping.

Cue In Action: The door-to-door salesman managed to make his way inside the house with a slick sales pitch, but the more the homeowner learned the more he disliked the idea. He didn’t know how to get out of the deal as he had already agreed to a sample. When finalizing, the salesman put his hand out to shake and being polite the homeowner did, but he released after just one pump and tossed the shady salesman’s hand aside abruptly.

Meaning and/or Motivation: Someone who shakes hands like this is showing indifference and suspicion.

It is common when someone feels that you are trying to sell them something they aren’t at all interested in buying, or trying to get them to do something they aren’t willing to do.

Other times they are trying to signal that you are intruding on their ground and that no agreement will be made. It’s probably best to respect their wishes, as their initial impression shows that you have come on far too strong.

Other times the undershaker is demonstrating his high need for personal space or lives in a location where physical contact isn’t normal.

Cue Cluster: Some who uses the undershaker handshake will give clues that he does not want to be there. He will turn his head and torso away, move his feet toward the door, will keep his head nods brief, if he nods at all, will take a step back and will only feign listening. This person wants to leave.

Body Language Category: Defensive, Dislike (nonverbal), Distancing or moving away, Escape movements, Indicators of disinterest (IOD), Intention movements, Negative body language, Rejection body language, Suspicious body language, Social touching.

Resources:

Aström, J ; Thorell, L H ; Holmlund, U ; D’Elia, G. Handshaking, personality, and psychopathology in psychiatric patients, a reliability and correlational study. Perceptual and motor skills 1993, Vol.77(3 Pt 2): 1171-86.

Beaulieu, Catherine. Intercultural Study of Personal Space: A Case Study. Journal of Applied Social Psychology. 2004 34(4):794-805.

Chaplin William F.; Phillips Jeffrey B; Brown Jonathan D.; Clanton Nancy R.; Stein Jennifer L.; 2000. Handshaking, gender, personality, and first impressions Journal of personality and social psychology. 79(1): 110-117.

Dolcos, Sanda ; Sung, Keen ; Argo, Jennifer J ; Flor-Henry, Sophie ; Dolcos, Florin. The power of a handshake: neural correlates of evaluative judgments in observed social interactions. Journal of cognitive neuroscience. 2012 24(12): 2292-305.

Dolphin, Carol Zinner. Beyond hall: Variables in the use of personal space in intercultural transactions. Howard Journal of Communications. 1988. 1(1): 23-38.

Fisher, J; Rytting, M and Heslin, R. 1976. Hands touching hands: affective and evaluative effects on interpersonal touch, Sociometry 39: 416–421.

Frumin, Idan; Ofer Perl; Yaara Endevelt-Shapira; Ami Eisen; Neetai Eshel; Iris Heller; Maya Shemesh; Aharon Ravia; Lee Sela; Anat Arzi and Noam Sobel. A Social Chemosignaling Function for Human Handshaking. eLife 2015. 4:e05154
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.05154.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/shake-hands-share-human-scent-curious-case-hand-sniffing-body-language/

Greenberg, Carl I. ; Firestone, Ira J. Greenwald, Anthony G. (editor). Compensatory responses to crowding: Effects of personal space intrusion and privacy reduction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1977. 35(9): 637-644.

Graziano, Michael S.A. and Cooke, Dylan F. Parieto-frontal interactions, personal space, and defensive behavior. Neuropsychologia. 2006. 44(6): 845-859.

Gueguen, Nicolas. Handshaking and Compliance With a Request – A Door-to-door Setting. Social Behavior and Personality. 2013. 41(10): 1585-1588.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/handshakes-lead-compliance-study/

Greenbaum, Paul ; Rosenfeld, Howard. Varieties of touching in greetings: Sequential structure and sex-related differences. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. 1980. 5(1): 13-25.

Holt, Daphne J ; Cassidy, Brittany S ; Yue, Xiaomin ; Rauch, Scott L ; Boeke, Emily A ; Nasr, Shahin ; Tootell, Roger B H ; Coombs, Garth. Neural correlates of personal space intrusion. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience. 2014. 34(12): 4123-34.

Hiemstra, Kathleen M. Shake My Hand: Making the Right First Impression in Business With Nonverbal Communications.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included). Business Communication Quarterly. 1999. 62(4): 71.

Jeffrey D. Fisher; Marvin Rytting; Richard Heslin. 1976. Hands Touching Hands: Affective and Evaluative Effects of an Interpersonal Touch. Sociometry, 39(4): 416-421.
Okken, Vanessa ; Van Rompay, Thomas ; Pruyn, Ad. Room to Move: On Spatial Constraints and Self-Disclosure During Intimate Conversations. Environment and Behavior. 2013. 45(6): 737-760.

Lipsitz, Rebecca (2000). “A Gripping Start.” In Scientific American (September), p. 32.

Morris, Desmond (1994). Bodytalk: The Meaning of Human Gestures (New York: Crown Publishers).

Mcelroy, James C. ; Morrow, Paula C. Personal space, personal appearance, and personal selling. Psychological Reports. 1994 74(2): 425(2).

Mcgurk, Barry J. ; Davis, John D. ; Grehan, John. Assaultive behavior personality and personal space. Aggressive Behavior. 1981. 7(4): 317-324.

Pease, Barbara and Allan Pease. 2006. The Definitive Book of Body Language Hardcover. Bantam.

Sanda Dolcos; Keen Sung; Jennifer J. Argo; Sophie Flor-Henry and Florin Dolcos. The Power of a Handshake: Neural Correlates of Evaluative Judgments in Observed Social Interactions. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. 24; 12: 2292–2305.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/handshake-open-body-language-powerful-nonverbal-effect-brain/

Stewart, Greg L. ; Dustin, Susan L. ; Barrick, Murray R. ; Darnold, Todd C. Zedeck, Sheldon (editor). Exploring the Handshake in Employment Interviews. Journal of Applied Psychology. 2008. 93(5): 1139-1146.

Spezialetti, Brian D. Do’s and don’ts for winning the job interview. (laboratory technicians). Medical Laboratory Observer. 1995. 27(7): 51-53.

Wesson, David A. The handshake as non-verbal communication in business. (marketing technique). Marketing Intelligence & Planning. 1992. 10(9): 61(6).

Werner, Carol ; Brown, Barbara ; Damron, Gary Steiner, Ivan D. (editor). Territorial marking in a game arcade. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1981. 41(6): 1094-1104.

*No Photo, Defensive body language, Disengagement body language, Distancing or moving away, Escape movements, Low confidence body language, Low confidence hand displays, Nonthreatening body language, Readiness to submit postures, Shy nonverbal, Social touching, Space invasion

Body Language of The Teacup Handshake

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Body Language of The Teacup Handshake

No picCue: Teacup Handshake (The)

Synonym(s): N/A

Description: In the teacup handshake, the palm is cupped such that it makes no contact with the other palm.

In One Sentence: The teacup handshake is an indication that one wants to preserve their distance.

How To Use it: This handshake is not advised as it is perceived in a negative light.

Context: General.

Verbal Translation: “I’m not ready to fully bond with you which is why my palm isn’t going to touch yours fully. This is my way of protecting my intimacy from other people.”

Variant: See Country Handshake (The), Cold Dead Wet Fish Handshake, Double Gripper Politician Handshake or Double Hander (The), Short Grabber/Finger Grabber Handshake, Oddball Handshake, Palm Up, Palm Down and Palm Even Handshakes, Stiff Arm And Thrust Forward Handshake, Death Grip Handshake, Wrench Forward Handshake, Undershaker Handshake, Wrist Hold Handshake, Wrist Hold Handshake and Upper Arm Grip Handshake, Limp Fish Handshake, Teacup Handshake, Arm Twister Handshake (The), Firm handshake, Fist Bumping.

Cue In Action: Dave noticed an attractive women was about to miss the elevator so he used his foot to keep the door open for her. She thanked him quietly. Dave commented about the weather and then put his hand out and introduced himself. She barely looked up at his eyes and shook his hand palm cupped. She was shy, but Dave was intrigued.

Meaning and/or Motivation: Someone that shakes hands like this is either shy or insecure, doesn’t want to fully bond or is trying to hide something.

These people might take more time to open up and fully reveal their true selves to others. Someone that uses the teacup handshake likely doesn’t want to shake hands at all, but is complying because it’s customary to do so. Take your time with them and give them lots space to open up and instead of bantering on endlessly give them an open platform to express themselves.

Cue Cluster: Expect someone to keep their distance, keep their bodies hunched up, be off to the side in quiet areas, use a soft voice and make infrequent eye contact.

Body Language Category: Defensive body language, Disengagement body language, Distancing or moving away, Escape movements, Low confidence body language, Low confidence hand displays, Nonthreatening body language, Readiness to submit postures, Shy nonverbal, Space invasion, Social touching.

Resources:

Aström, J ; Thorell, L H ; Holmlund, U ; D’Elia, G. Handshaking, personality, and psychopathology in psychiatric patients, a reliability and correlational study. Perceptual and motor skills 1993, Vol.77(3 Pt 2): 1171-86.

Beaulieu, Catherine. Intercultural Study of Personal Space: A Case Study. Journal of Applied Social Psychology. 2004 34(4):794-805.

Chaplin William F.; Phillips Jeffrey B; Brown Jonathan D.; Clanton Nancy R.; Stein Jennifer L.; 2000. Handshaking, gender, personality, and first impressions Journal of personality and social psychology. 79(1): 110-117.

Dolcos, Sanda ; Sung, Keen ; Argo, Jennifer J ; Flor-Henry, Sophie ; Dolcos, Florin. The power of a handshake: neural correlates of evaluative judgments in observed social interactions. Journal of cognitive neuroscience. 2012 24(12): 2292-305.

Dolphin, Carol Zinner. Beyond hall: Variables in the use of personal space in intercultural transactions. Howard Journal of Communications. 1988. 1(1): 23-38.

Frumin, Idan; Ofer Perl; Yaara Endevelt-Shapira; Ami Eisen; Neetai Eshel; Iris Heller; Maya Shemesh; Aharon Ravia; Lee Sela; Anat Arzi and Noam Sobel. A Social Chemosignaling Function for Human Handshaking. eLife 2015. 4:e05154
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/shake-hands-share-human-scent-curious-case-hand-sniffing-body-language/

Fisher, J; Rytting, M and Heslin, R. 1976. Hands touching hands: affective and evaluative effects on interpersonal touch, Sociometry 39: 416–421.

Gueguen, Nicolas. Handshaking and Compliance With a Request – A Door-to-door Setting. Social Behavior and Personality. 2013. 41(10): 1585-1588.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/handshakes-lead-compliance-study/

Greenbaum, Paul ; Rosenfeld, Howard. Varieties of touching in greetings: Sequential structure and sex-related differences. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. 1980. 5(1): 13-25.

Greenberg, Carl I. ; Firestone, Ira J. Greenwald, Anthony G. (editor). Compensatory responses to crowding: Effects of personal space intrusion and privacy reduction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1977. 35(9): 637-644.

Graziano, Michael S.A. and Cooke, Dylan F. Parieto-frontal interactions, personal space, and defensive behavior. Neuropsychologia. 2006. 44(6): 845-859.

Holt, Daphne J ; Cassidy, Brittany S ; Yue, Xiaomin ; Rauch, Scott L ; Boeke, Emily A ; Nasr, Shahin ; Tootell, Roger B H ; Coombs, Garth. Neural correlates of personal space intrusion. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience. 2014. 34(12): 4123-34.

Hiemstra, Kathleen M. Shake My Hand: Making the Right First Impression in Business With Nonverbal Communications.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included). Business Communication Quarterly. 1999. 62(4): 71.

Jeffrey D. Fisher; Marvin Rytting; Richard Heslin. 1976. Hands Touching Hands: Affective and Evaluative Effects of an Interpersonal Touch. Sociometry, 39(4): 416-421.

Lipsitz, Rebecca (2000). “A Gripping Start.” In Scientific American (September), p. 32.

Morris, Desmond (1994). Bodytalk: The Meaning of Human Gestures (New York: Crown Publishers).

Mcelroy, James C. ; Morrow, Paula C. Personal space, personal appearance, and personal selling. Psychological Reports. 1994 74(2): 425(2).

Mcgurk, Barry J. ; Davis, John D. ; Grehan, John. Assaultive behavior personality and personal space. Aggressive Behavior. 1981. 7(4): 317-324.

Newman, Robert C. ; Pollack, Donald Holzberg, Jules D. (editor). Proxemics in deviant adolescents. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 1973 40(1): 6-8.

Okken, Vanessa ; Van Rompay, Thomas ; Pruyn, Ad. Room to Move: On Spatial Constraints and Self-Disclosure During Intimate Conversations. Environment and Behavior. 2013. 45(6): 737-760.

Pease, Barbara and Allan Pease. 2006. The Definitive Book of Body Language Hardcover. Bantam.

Sanda Dolcos; Keen Sung; Jennifer J. Argo; Sophie Flor-Henry and Florin Dolcos. The Power of a Handshake: Neural Correlates of Evaluative Judgments in Observed Social Interactions. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. 24; 12: 2292–2305.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/handshake-open-body-language-powerful-nonverbal-effect-brain/

Stewart, Greg L. ; Dustin, Susan L. ; Barrick, Murray R. ; Darnold, Todd C. Zedeck, Sheldon (editor). Exploring the Handshake in Employment Interviews. Journal of Applied Psychology. 2008. 93(5): 1139-1146.

Spezialetti, Brian D. Do’s and don’ts for winning the job interview. (laboratory technicians). Medical Laboratory Observer. 1995. 27(7): 51-53.

Wesson, David A. The handshake as non-verbal communication in business. (marketing technique). Marketing Intelligence & Planning. 1992. 10(9): 61(6).

Werner, Carol ; Brown, Barbara ; Damron, Gary Steiner, Ivan D. (editor). Territorial marking in a game arcade. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1981. 41(6): 1094-1104.

*No Photo, Aggressive body language, Authoritative body language, Defensive body language, Dislike (nonverbal), Distancing or moving away, Dominant body language, Escape movements, Guiding body language, Hostile body language, Power play, Social touching, Space invasion, Stubborn body language, Threat displays

Body Language of Stiff Arm and Thrust Forward Handshake

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Body Language of Stiff Arm and Thrust Forward Handshake

No picCue: Stiff Arm and Thrust Forward Handshake

Synonym(s): N/A

Description: The stiff arm thrust forward happens when someone grabs your hand then pushes you backwards putting you off balance.

In One Sentence: The stiff arm thrust forward handshake is usually done by a person who wants to maintain their personal space and is not afraid to say so.

How To Use it: Use the stiff arm thrust forward handshake when you want to keep a person out of your personal space. The signal will help you express your desire for more space and to show them not to encroach on you. This sort of handshake is mostly suited to those who desire more than average level of personal space such as those living in the country.

Context: General.

Verbal Translation: “I need more space than you do and I’m not afraid to move you out of my personal space bubble by pushing you away.”

Variant: See Country Handshake (The), Cold Dead Wet Fish Handshake, Double Gripper Politician Handshake or Double Hander (The), Short Grabber/Finger Grabber Handshake, Oddball Handshake, Palm Up, Palm Down and Palm Even Handshakes, Stiff Arm And Thrust Forward Handshake, Death Grip Handshake, Wrench Forward Handshake, Undershaker Handshake, Wrist Hold Handshake, Wrist Hold Handshake and Upper Arm Grip Handshake, Limp Fish Handshake, Teacup Handshake, Arm Twister Handshake (The), Firm handshake, Fist Bumping.

Cue In Action: It was rare for the two salesman to be in the same office together as it was the busy season and both were aggressively campaigning to grow into new sectors. When they shook hands it was clear that one of them didn’t condone the others aggressive tactics. He made a point of going over and saying his peace. When he shook hands – he squeezed firmly and pushed him back and away, making it clear that he was overstepping his boundaries.

Meaning and/or Motivation: It’s a common occurrence for those trying to maintain their distance. Take for example a “city slicker” and a “country farmer” who meet for the first time. The farmer might accept the handshake even though a wave would be more appropriate for their comfort and to keep his space will push his arm forward shoving the city slicker back.

This sort of handshake can happen anytime a person requires more space than their partner and this isn’t always people from the country.

Cue Cluster: Expect the stiff arm handshake to be coupled with authoritative or aggressive body language such as arms akimbo or the cowboy stance, expressionless or stern facial expressions, moving to quieter locations out of the way and a reserved demeanor unless provoked.

Body Language Category: Aggressive body language, Authoritative body language, Defensive , Dislike (nonverbal), Distancing or moving away, Dominant body language, Escape movements, Guiding body language, Hostile body language, Power play, Space invasion, Stubborn or stubbornness, Social touching, Threat displays.

Resources:

Aranguren, Martin. “Nonverbal interaction patterns in the Delhi Metro: interrogative looks and play-faces in the management of interpersonal distance.” Interaction Studies. 2016. 16(1) forthcoming.

Aranguren, Martin and Stephane Tonnelat. Emotional Transactions in the Paris Subway: Combining Naturalistic Videotaping, Objective Facial Coding and Sequential Analysis in the Study of Nonverbal Emotional Behavior. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. 2014. 38:495–521. DOI 10.1007/s10919-014-0193-1
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/seriously-stop-touching-use-nonverbal-signaling-manage-unwanted-touching-busy-public

Aström, J ; Thorell, L H ; Holmlund, U ; D’Elia, G. Handshaking, personality, and psychopathology in psychiatric patients, a reliability and correlational study. Perceptual and motor skills 1993, Vol.77(3 Pt 2): 1171-86.

Beaulieu, Catherine. Intercultural Study of Personal Space: A Case Study. Journal of Applied Social Psychology. 2004 34(4):794-805.

Chaplin William F.; Phillips Jeffrey B; Brown Jonathan D.; Clanton Nancy R.; Stein Jennifer L.; 2000. Handshaking, gender, personality, and first impressions Journal of personality and social psychology. 79(1): 110-117.

Dolcos, Sanda ; Sung, Keen ; Argo, Jennifer J ; Flor-Henry, Sophie ; Dolcos, Florin. The power of a handshake: neural correlates of evaluative judgments in observed social interactions. Journal of cognitive neuroscience. 2012 24(12): 2292-305.

Dolphin, Carol Zinner. Beyond hall: Variables in the use of personal space in intercultural transactions. Howard Journal of Communications. 1988. 1(1): 23-38.

Fisher, J; Rytting, M and Heslin, R. 1976. Hands touching hands: affective and evaluative effects on interpersonal touch, Sociometry 39: 416–421.

Frumin, Idan; Ofer Perl; Yaara Endevelt-Shapira; Ami Eisen; Neetai Eshel; Iris Heller; Maya Shemesh; Aharon Ravia; Lee Sela; Anat Arzi and Noam Sobel. A Social Chemosignaling Function for Human Handshaking. eLife 2015. 4:e05154
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.05154.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/shake-hands-share-human-scent-curious-case-hand-sniffing-body-language/

Greenbaum, Paul ; Rosenfeld, Howard. Varieties of touching in greetings: Sequential structure and sex-related differences. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. 1980. 5(1): 13-25.

Gueguen, Nicolas. Handshaking and Compliance With a Request – A Door-to-door Setting. Social Behavior and Personality. 2013. 41(10): 1585-1588.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/handshakes-lead-compliance-study/

Greenberg, Carl I. ; Firestone, Ira J. Greenwald, Anthony G. (editor). Compensatory responses to crowding: Effects of personal space intrusion and privacy reduction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1977. 35(9): 637-644.

Graziano, Michael S.A. and Cooke, Dylan F. Parieto-frontal interactions, personal space, and defensive behavior. Neuropsychologia. 2006. 44(6): 845-859.

Holt, Daphne J ; Cassidy, Brittany S ; Yue, Xiaomin ; Rauch, Scott L ; Boeke, Emily A ; Nasr, Shahin ; Tootell, Roger B H ; Coombs, Garth. Neural correlates of personal space intrusion. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience. 2014. 34(12): 4123-34.

Hiemstra, Kathleen M. Shake My Hand: Making the Right First Impression in Business With Nonverbal Communications.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included). Business Communication Quarterly. 1999. 62(4): 71.

Jeffrey D. Fisher; Marvin Rytting; Richard Heslin. 1976. Hands Touching Hands: Affective and Evaluative Effects of an Interpersonal Touch. Sociometry, 39(4): 416-421.

Lipsitz, Rebecca (2000). “A Gripping Start.” In Scientific American (September), p. 32.

Morris, Desmond (1994). Bodytalk: The Meaning of Human Gestures (New York: Crown Publishers).

Mcelroy, James C. ; Morrow, Paula C. Personal space, personal appearance, and personal selling. Psychological Reports. 1994 74(2): 425(2).

Mcgurk, Barry J. ; Davis, John D. ; Grehan, John. Assaultive behavior personality and personal space. Aggressive Behavior. 1981. 7(4): 317-324.

Newman, Robert C. ; Pollack, Donald Holzberg, Jules D. (editor). Proxemics in deviant adolescents. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 1973 40(1): 6-8.

Okken, Vanessa ; Van Rompay, Thomas ; Pruyn, Ad. Room to Move: On Spatial Constraints and Self-Disclosure During Intimate Conversations. Environment and Behavior. 2013. 45(6): 737-760.

Pease, Barbara and Allan Pease. 2006. The Definitive Book of Body Language Hardcover. Bantam.

Sanda Dolcos; Keen Sung; Jennifer J. Argo; Sophie Flor-Henry and Florin Dolcos. The Power of a Handshake: Neural Correlates of Evaluative Judgments in Observed Social Interactions. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. 24; 12: 2292–2305.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/handshake-open-body-language-powerful-nonverbal-effect-brain/

Stewart, Greg L. ; Dustin, Susan L. ; Barrick, Murray R. ; Darnold, Todd C. Zedeck, Sheldon (editor). Exploring the Handshake in Employment Interviews. Journal of Applied Psychology. 2008. 93(5): 1139-1146.

Spezialetti, Brian D. Do’s and don’ts for winning the job interview. (laboratory technicians). Medical Laboratory Observer. 1995. 27(7): 51-53.

Wesson, David A. The handshake as non-verbal communication in business. (marketing technique). Marketing Intelligence & Planning. 1992. 10(9): 61(6).

Werner, Carol ; Brown, Barbara ; Damron, Gary Steiner, Ivan D. (editor). Territorial marking in a game arcade. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1981. 41(6): 1094-1104.

Authoritative body language, Barriers, Closed body language, Defensive body language, Distancing or moving away, Escape movements, Fearful body language, Protective reflexes, Rejection body language

Body Language of Stiff Arm and Curved Arm

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Body Language of Stiff Arm and Curved Arm

BodyLanguageProjectCom - Stiff Arm and Curved Arm 1Cue: Stiff Arm and Curved Arm

Synonym(s): Arm Out Posture, Arm Blocking

Description: a) happens by thrusting the arm forward and away from the body with the palm face vertical in a “stop” type signal. b) Done by thrusting the elbow outward facing down or horizontally.

In One Sentence: The stiff arm is a body language cue which signals the desire to maintain separation and space through the creation of a barrier.

How To Use it: Use the stiff arm in dating to show men or women that you don’t want to create intimacy. The arm raised is useful when we don’t want others to come any closer. Sports athletes habitually use the stiff arm to protect themselves from collisions. Football players, like any other person whom is being encroached upon, should use the stiff arm in order to avoid unwanted proximity.

Context: a) General b) Dating and General

Verbal Translation: a) “I’m going to show you my palm power by flashing it at you to get you to stop what you are doing right now.” b) “I don’t like you getting close to me so I’m going to preserve my space and stop you from entering my space.”

Variant: See other palm powerful gestures, like Palm Up Display or The Rogatory Posture and Palm Down Displays or Palm Power.

Cue In Action: a) The kids were acting up once again so Mary put her palm up and in a firm voice yelled “Stop it right now.” b) He awkwardly approached a girl in the elevator and she instinctively raised her arm, arm bent and put her forearm to her side to maintain space – the offer was not welcome.

Meaning and/or Motivation: a) A defensive arm distancing posture done in order to indicate to another person that they have overstepped boundaries and it’s time to stop. c) An arm distancing posture defensive in nature meant to reclaim and defend personal space.

Cue Cluster: a) Accompanied by leaning forward, head down and loud voice. b) Accompanied by head leaning back, wide eyes and grimacing or angry facial expression.

Body Language Category: Barriers, Closed body language, Authoritative body language, Defensive body language, Distancing or moving away, Escape movements, Fearful body language, Protective reflexes, Rejection body language.

Resources:

Astrom, Jan. Introductory greeting behavior: a laboratory investigation of approaching and closing salutation phases. Perceptual and Motor Skills. 1994. 79(2): 863(35).

Beaulieu, Catherine. Intercultural Study of Personal Space: A Case Study. Journal of Applied Social Psychology. 2004 34(4):794-805.

Chance RMA (1962) An interpretation of some agonistic postures: the role of “cut-off” acts and postures. Symp Zool Soc Lond 8: 71–89.

Cacioppo, J. T., Priester, J. R., & Berntson, G. G. (1993). Rudimentary determinants of attitudes: II. Arm flexion and extension have differential effects on attitudes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 65, 5–17.

Dolphin, Carol Zinner. Beyond hall: Variables in the use of personal space in intercultural transactions. Howard Journal of Communications. 1988. 1(1): 23-38.

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

Freedman, Norbert ; Blass, Thomas ; Rifkin, Arthur ; Quitkin, Frederic Lanzetta, John T. (editor). Body movements and the verbal encoding of aggressive affect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1973. 26(1): 72-85.

Fo¨rster, J. (2004). How body feedback influences consumer’s evaluation of products. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 14, 415–425.

Friedman, R. S., & Fo¨rster, J. (2000). The effects of approach and avoidance motor actions on the elements of creative insight. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 79, 477–492.

Graziano, Michael S.A. and Cooke, Dylan F. Parieto-frontal interactions, personal space, and defensive behavior. Neuropsychologia. 2006. 44(6): 845-859.

Greenberg, Carl I. ; Firestone, Ira J. Greenwald, Anthony G. (editor). Compensatory responses to crowding: Effects of personal space intrusion and privacy reduction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1977. 35(9): 637-644.

Gunderson, Virginia M. ; Lockard, Joan S. Human postural signals as intention movements to depart: African data. Animal Behaviour. 1980 28(3): 966-967.

Harrigan, Jinni ; Oxman, Thomas ; Rosenthal, Robert. Rapport expressed through nonverbal behavior. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. 1985 9(2): 95-110.

Harrigan J. and Rosenthal R. Physicians’ head and body positions as determinants of perceived rapport. J. appl. Sot. Psychol. 13, 496, 1983.

Holt, Daphne J ; Cassidy, Brittany S ; Yue, Xiaomin ; Rauch, Scott L ; Boeke, Emily A ; Nasr, Shahin ; Tootell, Roger B H ; Coombs, Garth. Neural correlates of personal space intrusion. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience. 2014. 34(12): 4123-34.

Laird, J. D., Wagener, J. J., Halal, M., & Szegda, M. (1982). Remembering what you feel: Effects of emotion on memory. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 42, 646–657.

Mcelroy, James C. ; Morrow, Paula C. Personal space, personal appearance, and personal selling. Psychological Reports. 1994 74(2): 425(2).

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Appease, Closed body language, Courtship display, Defensive body language, Disengagement body language, Embarrassment (nonverbal), Escape movements, Fearful body language, Intention movements, Nonthreatening body language, Palm power, Protective reflexes, Readiness to submit postures, Submissive body language, Universal gestures

Body Language of Shoulder Shrugs or Shoulder Rise

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Body Language of Shoulder Shrugs or Shoulder Rise

BodyLanguageProjectCom - Shoulder Shrugs or Shoulder Rise 3Cue: Shoulder Shrugs or Shoulder Rise.

Synonym(s): Shrugs, Ducking, Hunched Shoulders, Turtling, Head Ducking.

Description: The shoulder shrug posture happens as the head seems to sink inside the shoulders, however, what is really happening is that the shoulders are slowly being raised so the neck disappears taking the head with it. It is as if the head is being swallowed by the shoulders. Shrugs can appear as micro-movements barely perceivable or as full on shrugs where the shoulders nearly touch the ears.

In One Sentence: Shoulder shrugs indicate lack of knowledge and ultimately submission.

How To Use it: Shrug the shoulders when you don’t know the answer to a problem or you wish to show submission. Shoulder shrugs can be used to show others that you accept defeat when it is coupled with a lowered head. Therefore, you may consider using it when pleading for forgiveness.

In dating, women can use the shoulder shrug to take on a smaller profile in order to create the impression of submissiveness and therefore elicit a protective and caring partner. Children and men can also do the same. When submission occurs, it produces a sympathetic response when it is seen by an empathetic viewer.

Context: General.

Verbal Translation: a) “My shoulders raise for a nano-second showing that I don’t know the answer.” b) “My head pulls down to my shoulders, palms up as a shield, eyebrows raised with my head tilted shows that I’m drawing inward and don’t want to get involved – so leave me out of this.” c) “I’m sorry I don’t know the answer and I’m shrugging to show others that I’m not a threat and wish not to provoke. In other words, I’m sorry I don’t know, but please go easy on me. I’m not a target, I’m submissive.”

Variant: Shrugs contain key elements such as hunched shoulders where the shoulders are raised and lowered, hands twisted into the palms up position (one or both hands), lowered mouth corners (while hands and head remain still), raised eyebrows (which shows astonishment, indifference, and bewilderment). Each variant, independent of one another, can carry the meaning of the shrug.

See Uneven Shoulder Shrugs and Palm Up Displays or The Rogatory Posture.

Cue In Action: a) The teacher called on Dave but he didn’t know the answer because he hadn’t read the report. His shoulders flinched upward, barely raising, as he froze like a deer in the headlights. b) There was a mess in the staff room and the boss had made a point of rounding up the culprits to get the job done. She invited them to step forward, but in unison the staff raised their shoulders as if they were not to blame and didn’t want to help fix the mess. c) After cussing her out without giving her time to explain, he felt it was his duty to offer a box of treats and flowers. He lowered his head, turned his palms up and shrugged his shoulders. He didn’t need to say anything. She understood he felt sorry for what he had done.

Meaning and/or Motivation: A universal expression of doubt and uncertainty. Shoulder shrugs can signify apology, disbelief, ignorance, indifference (lack of interest), helplessness, resignation, discomfort, low self-confidence, insecurity, weakness or powerlessness and shame. Many negative emotions are expressed through shoulder shrugs.

A shrug can also mean that you don’t know the answer, that you don’t want to get involved, or imply submissive apology.

Shoulder shrugs in a business context are usually found when someone is centered out on their poor performance. The origin of the “head turtle” is to protect it from harm. For example, when people hear a very loud bang, they will quickly pull their heads inward and down, and tuck in their chins. However, when it is done out of shame, it happens more slowly and deliberately so as to draw even less attention.

Shrugging is also done when people want to appear less significant so they go overlooked and are ignored rather than called on. In business, the head duck will occur when subordinates meet with superiors as they try to stand out less and look less significant or when employees wish to be overlooked during status reports at a boardroom meeting. It might also happen in class when the professor is calling on students who don’t have the answers, or when athletes have to walk back in shame to their dressing rooms after losing an important match.

The shoulders hunching up with palms up indicate a desire to hold a more narrow and protective posture hence it is submissive like a turtle going up in its shell.

The shoulder shrug can also appear in a dating situation where women appear meek and submissive. Shrugging is a childlike posture and happens when a woman let’s her guard down. It is often subtle and occurs subconsciously as a small raise of the shoulders and sometimes is accompanied by an eyebrow flash. Other times it is more pronounced and the head lowers or bows in unison. In this case, the shrug may be held for some time.

Cue Cluster: Shrugs often appear coupled with cowering, eyebrows lifted, palms up, head lowered, head bowed, eyes cast upward and widened, frowning or downturned smiles.

Body Language Category: Appease, Courtship displays, Closed body language, Defensive, Disengagement body language, Embarrassment (nonverbal), Escape movements, Fearful body language, Intention movements, Nonthreatening body language, Palm power, Protective reflexes, Readiness to submit postures, Submissive body language, Universal gestures.

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Amplifier, Appease, Barriers, Blocking or Shielding, Body cross, Body size reduction, Clenching and gripping, Closed body language, Comfort body language, Defensive body language, Emotional body language, Low confidence body language, Nervous Body Language, Protective reflexes, Pseudo-infantile gestures, Submissive body language

Body Language Of Self-Hugging or The Double Arm Hug

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Body Language Of Self-Hugging or The Double Arm Hug

BodyLanguageProjectCom - Self Hugging or The Double Arm Hug 1 BodyLanguageProjectCom - Self Hugging or The Double Arm Hug 3Cue: Self-Hugging or The Double Arm Hug.

Synonym(s): Self-Administered Hug, Double Arm Hug, Hugging The Self.

Description: Self-hugging can be done by grabbing both arms across the body, in extreme cases to each shoulder, or by clasping one arm onto the arm, elbow or shoulder on the opposite side (Partial Arm Cross or Incomplete Arm Cross). At times, the hands will pacify by rubbing the shoulders.

In One Sentence: Self hugging is a cue signaling the desire to be comforted.

How To Use it: Self hugging replaces the need for the comfort of another. Thus, it is to be used when one does not wish to rely on the care of others, but when one still wishes to receive a caring touch. The cue is generally perceived in a negative light so should be used only in instances when one is not concerned with appearing vulnerable. Self-hugging in a business meeting, for example, is ill advised. However, hugging the self is perfectly acceptable in the privacy of your own home, or when surrounded by close friends or family where we are generally permitted to show our softer side.

Context: General.

Verbal Translation: “I’m awkward and self conscious so I’m wrapping myself up in a self embrace to provide comfort and care as my parents provided to me in my youth.”

Variant: See Partial Arm Cross or Incomplete Arm Cross, Fetal Position (The), Self-Stroking or Auto Contact, Hand Gripping Upper Arm or Wrist Behind Back.

Cue In Action: It was the first time away from her parents at camp and most of the other girls were getting along fine and seemed to know each other from last year. Autumn was left by herself in line and looked awkwardly at the others while wrapping her arms around herself in a self hug. She was reminded of the care she got from her parents.

Meaning and/or Motivation: Hugging one’s self is both defensive and a closed body position. People who hold this posture exclaim that they are cold, but in reality, the cold sensation stems from feeling awkward, timid, self conscious, or distress. Self-hugs, done in this way, remind us of the care and comfort we received from mom and dad, and when found in adulthood, indicate a need for reassurance.

In adulthood, self-hugging is found when we’re insecure, self-conscious, afraid or defensive, generally. Because it’s generally not appropriate to show vulnerability to others and seek support from other’s we instead hug ourselves discreetly. The astute body language reader will notice this signal and step in to help make the carrier of the signal feel better.

Cue Cluster: Watch for submissive cues to accompany the self-hug such as head lowered or bowed, eyes up-cast, shoulders hunched over and toes pointed inward.

Body Language Category: Amplifier, Appease, Barriers, Body cross, Body size reduction, Blocking or Shielding, Comfort body language, Clenching and gripping, Closed body language, Defensive body language, Emotional body language, Low confidence body language, Nervous body language, Pseudo-infantile gestures, Pacifying body language, Protective reflexes, Submissive body language.

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Barriers, Blocking or Shielding, Body cross, Clenching and gripping, Closed body language, Defensive body language, Embarrassment (nonverbal), Low confidence body language, Nervous Body Language, Shy nonverbal

Body Language of Partial Arm Cross or Incomplete Arm Cross

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Body Language of Partial Arm Cross or Incomplete Arm Cross

BodyLanguageProjectCom - Partial Arm Cross or Incomplete Arm Cross 4 BodyLanguageProjectCom - Partial Arm Cross or Incomplete Arm Cross 1 BodyLanguageProjectCom - Partial Arm Cross or Incomplete Arm Cross 2 Cue: Partial Arm Cross or Incomplete Arm Cross

Synonym(s): Incomplete Arm Cross, Elbow Grab, Shoulder Grab, Hand to Elbow, Hand to Shoulder, Half-Hug.

Description: Where one arm crosses over the body to clasp the other arm or elbow. It can also happen by reaching across to grab the opposite shoulder.

In One Sentence: A partial arm cross is a sign of insecurity.

How To Use it: Use this gesture to create comfort where escape is impractical. Unlike a full arm cross which tells others that you are not ready to receive additional information, a partial arm cross can be used to tell others that you are not totally at ease. This can be used to signal to others the desire to be protected.

Context: General.

Verbal Translation: “I’m feeling awkward and insecure. I need to feel protected so I’m going to reach across my body making a shield and cut off access while also feeling like mom or dad is holding me and protecting me.”

Variant: See Arm Crossing.

Cue In Action: Her mom brought her to a busy mall where they met up with friends. A particularly cute boy was also there with his family and they began to chat. Her mom was busy looking at clothing and she was left by herself. She enjoyed talking with him, but felt awkward which was evident because she grabber her elbow across her body tightly.

Meaning and/or Motivation: Reaching across the body and grabbing the opposite elbow or shoulder is mainly a female posture. While the double arm hug is a defensive postures, the partial arm cross is a subtle posture that indicates fear, timidity, shyness and lack of self confidence. Both are barrier type postures which protect the core of the body like a shield to signals to others that we don’t wish for them to come close.

The origins of the partial arm cross likely stems from the comfort felt by a child who’s hand was held or who’s shoulder was grasped by a parent when in novel situations. The posture feels natural and comfortable when in fearful situations because it provides the sensation of being hugged and protected, like having our hand held.

Women are the most common users of this posture. While men can be seen in the partial arm cross, although it is much more rare. It may have to do with trying not to appear as timid or that men simply experience the emotions far less. Men will use other postures such as the fig leaf posture or play with the cufflink or watch instead. They may also seek other displacement activities to help self sooth.

Cue Cluster: Expect to see other gestures like child-like swaying, biting the lower lip or inside of the cheek, blushing, touching the face when fingers are not crossed, shortness of breath, eyes fixated, worried or wandering to seek an exit, feet and torso pointed away.

Body Language Category: Barriers, Body cross, Blocking or Shielding, Clenching and gripping, Closed body language, Defensive body language, Embarrassment (nonverbal), Low confidence body language, Nervous body language, Shy nonverbal.

Resources:

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Adaptors, Amplifier, Barriers, Blocking or Shielding, Body cross, Body pointing, Closed body language, Defensive body language, Idiosyncratic body language, Indicator of interest (IoI), Intention movements, Undivided attention (nonverbal)

Body Language of Leg Crossing and Leg Crossing Direction

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Body Language of Leg Crossing and Leg Crossing Direction

BodyLanguageProjectCom - Leg Crossing and Leg Crossing Direction 2 BodyLanguageProjectCom - Leg Crossing and Leg Crossing Direction 1Cue: Leg Crossing and Leg Crossing Direction.

Synonym(s): Crossing The Legs, Thigh-Thigh Cross.

Description: A proper sitting posture where one leg crosses over the knee of the other leg.

In One Sentence: Leg crossing is a closed body posture demonstrating the desire to protect privacy.

How To Use it: Women should make it a habit to cross the legs regardless of the type of attire they wear, but especially so if they are wearing short skirts or dresses or are trying to appear feminine. Our current culture affords women the liberty to comport themselves however they see fit, however, this does speak directly toward our values. In other words, if women wish to be perceived as “lady-like” and feminine, rather than masculine (the current default), crossing the legs is an apt nonverbal display.

Men also benefit from crossing the legs, much like women. When men cross their legs rather than splay them open, they appear more proper and sophisticated, not to mention respectful.

As always, one must use body language to create the results that are most desired.

Context: a) General, b) Dating.

Verbal Translation: “I’m somewhat reserved so I’m closing off my body and aiming my legs toward someone I like or away from someone I dislike.”

Variant: Sometimes people are not physically able or comfortable crossing their legs in more than one direction or crossing them at all. If a person habitually crosses their legs in one direction, their tendons and muscles will stretch and conform to suite that direction best. This then inhibits them from crossing in another direction because they feel less comfortable doing so. Therefore, we should be careful to watch for adjoining cues, the context, and a person’s baseline before drawing definitive causal conclusions with respect to leg cross direction.

See European Leg Cross and Figure Four Seating Position (The) or The Ankle-Knee Cross and Leg Twine.

Cue In Action: a) While the two girls chatted, each had their legs crossed toward each other as if cutting out all others from the conversation. b) Dave and his new girlfriend sat chatting on the sofa when a younger more attractive girl sat down next to Dave. Subconsciously Dave began to lean toward her, shifted his body over and even crossed his legs in her direction rather than toward his girlfriend.

Meaning and/or Motivation: The legs crossed toward something or someone indicates attraction in that direction. In other words, the legs are propelled in the direction in which we think. Couples that have a strong relationship will usually cross their legs toward each other. Enemies will usually cross away, context permitting of course. Lovers sitting on a couch together with their legs crossed toward each other, bodies leaning inward, with their arms meeting over the back of the couch are said to be in a “loving circle.”

Be cautious about reading the meaning of leg cross with respect to direction as there is no solid evidence that people habitually cross their legs toward or away from people they like and don’t like respectively.

Having the legs crossed is often a signal of a closed attitude as the leg crosses over the mid-point of the body. Compare legs crossed to having the legs opened or legs cross in the figure four posture. Legs open is more open and more dominant. However, women who wear skirts should cross their legs so as not to appear overtly sexual.

Leg crossing is often motivated by the desire to increase comfort and therefore simply a natural posture in a person’s repertoire. However, if a postural change occurs suddenly and due to a particular stimulus, we should pay particular attention. The legs may have been drawn in the direction of the attractive stimulus – be it a person or event.

Similar to the leg twine, a thigh-thigh cross is a tight version of leg crossing where the thigh is brought up really high and the legs pressed tightly together. This can signal a closed attitude and restrained emotion. It might also signify a desire to pacify by pressing the genitals tightly together. It is more commonly found in women, but particularly salient when done by men. If a bounce is present, it might indicate a desire for pacifying through sexual self-stimulation.

Cue Cluster: When the legs are crossed toward another person expect to see bodies leaning in, shoulders and head turned toward and good eye contact. The opposite is found when the legs are crossed away. If they are not, then we can assume that the leg cross is more due to comfort or that a person is splitting attention between two equally attractive stimulus.

Body Language Category: Adaptors, Amplifier, Barriers, Body cross, Body pointing, Blocking or Shielding, Closed body language, Defensive body language, Idiosyncratic body language, Indicator of interest (IoI), Intention movements, Undivided attention (nonverbal).

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Barriers, Blocking or Shielding, Defensive body language, Security blankets, Stressful body language

Body Language of Leaning Against The Wall

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Body Language of Leaning Against The Wall

BodyLanguageProjectCom - Leaning Against The Wall 2Cue: Leaning Against The Wall.

Synonym(s): Leaning Against A Chair, Leaning Against A Podium, Holding A Chair With Both Hands, Propping Up Against The Wall.

Description: Leaning against the wall with the shoulder or hand, or placing the hands on the back of the chair with it in front of the body. This cue is also replicated by leaning against a podium, or a car, grasping a hand rail, resting the hand of the edge of a countertop or any other way to gain support from the environment that serves no direct purpose.

In One Sentence: Leaning against the wall demonstrates that one is in need of extra support because one can not stand independently.

How To Use it: Leaning against the wall, when done in a casual way, can signal positive impressions and a relaxed attitude. However, if one wishes to create a dominant impression, one should not rely on other objects for support.

Leaning against the wall, or a bar top can be used as a crutch to activate memories of being held up. In an of itself, this will make one feel more at ease and secure. This is useful in novel environments or any other environment that creates discomfort. Thus, leaning against the wall is helpful as a security blanket and lends emotional “support.”

Context: General.

Verbal Translation: “I’m feeling insecure and lack the self confidence needed to stand under my own weight and balance, so I’m using the wall or chair as a crutch for stability and security.”

Variant: See Coffee Cup Barrier or Handbag Barrier, Ownership Gestures.

Cue In Action: a) They were ready to depart, so he quickly put his jacket on and stood up. Most of the rest in his party were slow to their feet so he awkwardly stood waiting in the middle of the restaurant. He pulled his chair in close to his body and put both hands on the back of the chair propping himself up. b) While speaking to a lovely lady, he braced himself against the wall with his shoulder. c) As they stood speaking with one another he reached out and placed his hand on the handrail for support.

Meaning and/or Motivation: Placing the hands on objects to support shows that a person feels insecure or lacks self confidence. A person will use the wall, table, chair, podium, railing, bar top or any object to provide stability and comfort. The object is turned into a crutch that provides a “security blanket” when people feel overexposed.

Leaning against the podium while presenting, a shoulder against the wall in an unfamiliar room, or two hands on the chair in a crowded room, are a few ways we convey uneasiness and discomfort. The objects help ground us and produce a strong wide base when our confidence fails us.

Cue Cluster: Often, this cue stands by itself because the object provides enough protection to keep a person from feeling insecure. One might watch for a person’s reliance on crutches to verify his level of insecurity. If a person holds a chair that is lower than normal, he may hunch up protecting his torso indicating additional insecurity.

Body Language Category: Barriers, Blocking or Shielding, Defensive body language, Security blankets, Stressful body language.

Resources:

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*No Photo, Auto contact or self touching, Barriers, Blocking or Shielding, Closed body language, Defensive body language, Escape movements, Low confidence body language, Pacifying body language, Protective reflexes

Body Language of Head Clasping or Head Cradling

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Body Language of Head Clasping or Head Cradling

No picCue: Head Clasping or Head Cradling

Synonym(s): Hands Clasping The Head, Head Cradling, Cradling The Head.

Description: Occurs as the hands come up and cup the back of the neck or head. The hand can lightly brush the back of the head. The hands may also come to the back of the neck as if being cradled.

In One Sentence: Clasping the head signals deep despair and high stress.

How To Use it: Clasping the back of the head is a way to manage bad feelings as it reminds us of being cradled by our parents. Use the gesture when you are experiencing high stress and discomfort. Others may see your emotional pain and come to your rescue and help you overcome hardship. While displaying weakness is generally not advised, it can serve a useful purpose in gaining sympathy from others which may come in handy if grief should become overwhelming.

Context: General.

Verbal Translation: “I’m feeling pain and discomfort either emotional or due to physical pain and so I’m using my hands as a helmet to protect my head from harm.”

Variant: See Hooding or The Catapult, Hand Behind Head or Head Pacifying.

Cue In Action: a) Imagine a sports athlete with his hands clasped behind his head in deep despair after missing an important penalty kick. We see the opposite in people who are happy – they are upright with a bounce in their step. b) His hands came up to the back of his head and stroked his hair due to high stress.

Meaning and/or Motivation: The head cradle provides comfort and security while the head clasp provides a shielding sensation like wearing a metaphorical helmet that protects us from emotional injury. We see head clasping when we have made a big mistake or are contemplating a serious decision.

This is also childhood throwback to where our Mom’s would have cradled or pet the back of our heads during times of distress, discomfort or pain during high stakes moments. The hands on the head in adulthood remind us of the protective feelings we would have received.

Cue Cluster: The chin usually comes down and the body becomes loose, limp and slouches, a sports athlete might drop to his knees clasp his head and look to the heavens praying.

Body Language Category: Auto contact or self touching, Barriers, Blocking or Shielding, Closed body language, Defensive, Escape movements, Low confidence body language, Pacifying, Protective reflexes, Stressful body language.

Resources:

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