Category: Defensive body language

Amplifier, Confused body language, Defensive body language, Dislike (nonverbal), Distancing or moving away, Escape movements, Intention movements, Rejection body language

Body Language of Head Away

by Chris • October 22, 2014 • 0 Comments

Body Language of Head Away

Cue: Head Away

Synonym(s): Head Pulled Back, Head Turned Away, Tilting Head Away.

Description: When the head is moved away rather than toward a person. This may be away from a person, object or even an idea.

In One Sentence: Moving the head away is a signal that a person is trying to escape an idea or another person.

How To Use it: Use the direction of your head (head language) to show other people that you don’t like their ideas. This is a low risk body language cue because it avoids using potentially volatile words. By moving the head away, it tells others that you do not like what they have to say. This can work in business, dating and amongst friends.

Context: General.

Verbal Translation: a) “I don’t like what I’m hearing, but my feet can not be moved away, lest I seem rude, so instead my head will be doing the escaping by moving away to create more distance between me and the thing I don’t like.” b) “I think you are too close to me so I’m leaning back to create more space between the two of us.” c) “I hate you, but feel like I shouldn’t just bolt away so I’m creating a space buffer by titling my head away.” d) “You have bad breath.”

Variant: Can happen sharply as if being taken aback or gradually as if being encroached upon. Conversely the head can move toward or be bowed down submissively showing agreement. See Blading Body Language, Body Angling or Ventral Displays, Toe Pointing or Pointed Toe.

Cue In Action: While engaged in conversation Jill shirked and pulled her chin in and turned her head to the side. She disagreed with her friend’s strong political assertion.

Meaning and/or Motivation: The head will be moved away when there is disagreement but also when the person is not able or permitted to escape entirely from a situation. Thus, it shows a desire for more space. A person might move their head back when someone is speaking with them too closely and violating their personal space, they have bad breath, are speaking too loudly, or they don’t like them for personal reasons.

This is a form of body withdrawal similar to ventral denial, or orienting the shoulders away from things people dislike and toward things they like. When someone wants to exit, the head might look toward the door or to another person.

Cue Cluster: The cue might be accompanied by a grimace facial expression, eye and mouth constriction, torso denial, stepping backward if possible and palm up expression as if wanting a better explanation.

Body Language Category: Amplifier, Confused, Defensive, Dislike (nonverbal), Distancing or moving away, Escape movements, Intention movements, Rejection body language.

Resources:

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Closed body language, Defensive body language, Low confidence hand displays, Lying or deceptive body language, Nervous Body Language

Body Language of Hands In Pockets

by Chris • October 22, 2014 • 1 Comment

Body Language of Hands In Pockets

Cue: Hands In Pockets

Synonym(s): N/A

Description: When the hands are placed in the pockets.

In One Sentence: Having the hands in the pockets signals lack of confidence, overexposure, and the need for privacy.

How To Use it: Hiding the hands in the pockets can be used to create additional security when you feel uncomfortable. This is useful in front of large audiences. Jamming the hands in the pockets can provide them a safe place to hide which is especially welcome when feeling awkward.

That being said, it’s generally not advised to hold the hands in the pockets, but rather work on ways to be assertive enough to keep hands exposed despite feeling uncomfortable. The hands in pockets are often read as a negative posture.

Context: General.

Verbal Translation: “I’m thankful to have pockets because I’m insecure and really need to put my hands someplace lest I feel even more awkward.”

Variant: Hands are sometimes sat on so they are neatly tucked out of the way.

Cue In Action: Before presenting to the audience, the candidate stood left of stage with his hands in his pockets. A more presidential posture would have included hands to his sides.

Meaning and/or Motivation: A comfort and informal position, but also one that reveals insecurity and a lack of confidence and in more extreme cases even secretiveness as if a person has something to hide.

It is a convenient place to put hands that might otherwise need to find purpose when in awkward situations. Hiding the hands generally is seen as dishonest because the hands carry so much information. For example, the palms of the hands are flashed at a distance, a wave, to prove to others that we carry no weapon. At least this is its theorized origin. Hands that are shaking with fear or sweating from nervousness are often stuffed into pockets to be hidden from critical eyes.

Thus, when hands are jammed into pockets we subconsciously fear and worry that they might be carry something that might harm us. One thing is for certain, if we get pulled over by the police, the last place you should put your hands is in the pockets – keep them high where they can be seen!

Cue Cluster: Hands in pockets is not usually coupled by much else because they usually provide enough security that nothing additional is required. If someone is particularly awkward they might blush or bring their hands out of their pockets to pat the back of their head or neck or smooth their pants to dry them of their sweat. A person might also play with their cufflink or sleeve – a masked arm cross. The head may be bowed during extreme discomfort.

Body Language Category: Closed body language, Defensive, Low confidence body language, Low confidence hand displays, Lying or deceptive body language, Nervous body language.

Resources:

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Wu, Y. C., & Coulson, S.(2005).Meaningful gestures: Electrophysiological indices of iconic gesture comprehension. Psychophysiology, 42, 654–667.

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Xu,J., Gannon,P.J., Emmorey,K., Smith,J.F., & Braun,A.(2009). Symbolic gestures and spoken language are processed by a common neural system. Proceedings of the NationalAcademyofSciences, 106, 20664–20669.

Yuksel, Atila. Nonverbal Service Behavior and Customer’s Affective Assessment.
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Barriers, Blocking or Shielding, Body cross, Clenching and gripping, Closed body language, Defensive body language, Disengagement body language, Low confidence body language, Low confidence hand displays

Body Language of Hand Clasping

by Chris • October 22, 2014 • 0 Comments

Body Language of Hand Clasping

Cue: Hand Clasping

Synonym(s): Folded Hands, Clasping Hands, Self Clasping Hands, Hands Holding Hands, Clasping The Hands.

Description: Done by placing one hand inside the other, holding the hands together or cupping them together.

In One Sentence: Clasping the hands together is a signal of insecurity and represents a need to be pacified.

How To Use it: Clasp the hands together when you feel that you need to create a reassuring feeling. This can be done inconspicuously by placing the hands under the table on the lap. Clasping the hands on a desk is more visible, but generally goes unnoticed by people and is misread as proper, casual and in control. However, hands together, instead, is a way that most people create positive soothing feelings. When we hold our own hands, it simulate holding a parent’s or loved one’s hand and therefore creates an comforting feeling.

Context: General.

Verbal Translation: “I’m holding my hands together because I need to feel protected as if my Mom was holding my hand. While doing this, I’m not yet ready to participate in the discussion.”

Variant: See Fig Leaf Posture (The), Interlaced Fingers.

Cue In Action: During a business meeting, she held her hands on her lap cupped together. When she finally released her hands and added to the conversation, they knew she had finally welcomed the company strategy.

Meaning and/or Motivation: Clasping the hands together signifies a need for pacifying as it reminds us of our childhood when parents would have clasped the hand of their infant.

A person who uses the posture indicates shows doubt, low confidence, or that they are experiencing high stress. As tension escalates, the gesture will move from palm stroking into more rigorous interlaced finger stroking making the two a progression of intensity.

Alternatively, when the hands are unclasped it indicates that a person is ready to address the audience or someone else.

Cue Cluster: Clasped hands will show a reserved disposition. The person will lean back rather than toward, will be quiet and will be observing but not participating.

Body Language Category: Barriers, Body cross, Blocking or Shielding, Clenching and gripping, Closed body language, Defensive, Disengagement, Low confidence hand displays.

Resources:

Borenstein, Lynn. The development of friendship in childhood: A clinical conversation. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal. 1996. 13(3): 213-224.

Bodie, Grahamd. ; Villaume, Williama. Men and Women Holding Hands Revisited: Effects of Mutual Engagement and Hand Dominance on Attributions of Cross-Sex Handholding. Communication Research Reports. 2008. 25(4): 243-254.

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Hernandez-Reif, Maria ; Diego, Miguel ; Field, Tiffany. Preterm infants show reduced stress behaviors and activity after 5 days of massage therapy. Infant Behavior and Development. 2007. 30(4): 557-561.

Harrison, Lynda Law. The use of comforting touch and massage to reduce stress for preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. Newborn and Infant Nursing Reviews. 2001. 1(4): 235-241.

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Kochanska, G., Coy, K. C., & Murray, K. T. (2001). The development of self-regulation in the first four years of life. Child Development, 72, 1091–1111.

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Mohiyeddini, Changiz ; Semple, Stuart. Displacement behaviour regulates the experience of stress in men. Stress. 2013. 16(2): 163-171.

Mohiyeddini, C., Bauer, S., & Semple, S. (2013a). Displacement behaviour is associated with reduced stress levels among men but not women. PLoS One, 8, e56355.

Mohiyeddini, C., Bauer, S., & Semple, S. (2013b). Public self-consciousness moderates the link between displacement behaviour and experience of stress in women. Stress, 16, 384–392.

Navarro, Joe. 2008. What Every BODY is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent’s Guide to Speed-Reading People. William Morrow Paperbacks.

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Toronto, Ellen L.K. A clinician’s response to physical touch in the psychoanalytic setting. International Journal of Psychotherapy. 2002 7(1): 69-81.

Troisi A. 1999. Ethological research in clinical psychiatry: the study of nonverbal behaviour during interviews. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 23:905–913.

Troisi A. 2002. Displacement activities as a behavioral measure of stress in nonhuman primates and human subjects. Stress 5: 47–54.

Vannorsdall, Tracy ; Dahlquist, Lynnda ; Shroff Pendley, Jennifer ; Power, Thomas. The Relation Between Nonessential Touch and Children’s Distress During Lumbar Punctures. Children’s Health Care. 2004. 33(4): 299-315.

Williams, Trish ; Connolly, Jennifer ; Cribbie, Robert. Light and Heavy Heterosexual Activities of Young Canadian Adolescents: Normative Patterns and Differential Predictors.(Author abstract)(Report). Journal of Research on Adolescence. 2008. 18(1): 145(28).

Appease, Clenching and gripping, Closed facial gestures, Defensive body language, Dislike (nonverbal), Lying or deceptive body language, Masked emotions, Negative body language

Body Language of Grin, Smirk or Closed-Lip Grin

by Chris • October 22, 2014 • 4 Comments

Body Language of Grin, Smirk or Closed-Lip Grin

Cue: Grin, Smirk or Closed-Lip Grin

Synonym(s): Smirk, Closed-Lip Grin

Description: This is a smile done by keeping the mouth closed, teeth hidden, and curling up the corners of your lips.

In One Sentence: The grin is a type of smile that is mischievous.

How To Use it: Use the grin to signal that you are “up to no good.” This can work well in intimate relationships as a way to tease. Men can use this to good effect to create a ‘bad-boy’ type impression which can leave women guessing. This can help spark sexual interest.

Children can also use the grin to good effect against parents as it is often seen as playful and cheeky and not particularly troublesome.

One should avoid the grin when dealing with authoritative figures as these people, especially when under stress, may not take well to humour.

Context: General.

Verbal Translation: “I’m holding back information and not being totally open and honest which is why I’m not doing a full smile and exposing all my teeth.”

Variant: See Smiling, Fear Smile, Friendly Smile, Frown (the) or Downturned Smile, Honest Smile or Duchenne Smile, Jaw Drop Smile, Nervous Smile, Polite Smile (the), Uneven Smile Or Lopsided Smile, Upper Lip Smile, Artificial Smile or Fake Smile, Nervous Smile, Honest Smile or Duchenne Smile, Contempt Facial Expression.

Cue In Action: Dave set up a prank on his good buddy when he was away picking up lunch. When his buddy realized that his cubicle had been “redecorated,” Dave cracked his lips in a grin.

Meaning and/or Motivation: This smile indicates smugness, arrogance, or hiding of information or feelings.

It is a tight lipped smile with the addition of a degree self satisfaction for good measure.

The close lipped smile is a restraint and concealment smile commonly associated with politicians and those who are up to no good. Children are sometimes seen sporting this smile, as are people who are teasing or being playful. If someone is speaking, but holding a tight grin, you can be assured that they aren’t telling you everything.

Sometimes the smile is done to hide bad or yellow teeth. An honest smile bares the teeth.

Cue Cluster: The smirk has accompanying dominant body language such as head back, shoulders back, open postures along with dialogue riddle with exuberant pride.

Body Language Category: Appease, Clenching and gripping, Closed facial gestures, Defensive, Dislike (nonverbal), Lying or deceptive body language, Masked emotions, Negative body language.

Resources:

Abel, Ernest L. and Michael L. Kruger. Smile Intensity in Photographs Predicts Longevity. Psychological Science. 2010. 21(4): 542-544.
Seder, J. Patrick and Shigehiro Oishi. Intensity of Smiling in Facebook Photos Predicts Future Life Satisfaction. Social Psychological and Personality Science. 2012. 3(4): 407-413.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/facebook-smile-predicts-life-satisfaction/

Colonnesi, Cristina; Susan M. Bogels; Wieke de Vente and Mirjana Majdandzic. What Coy Smiles Say About Positive Shyness in Early Infancy. Infancy. 2013. 18(2): 202–220. ISSN: 1525-0008 print / 1532-7078 online
DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-7078.2012.00117.x
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/nonverbal-meaning-coy-smiles-infants/

Fairbairn, Catharine E.; Michael A. Sayette; Odd O. Aalen and Arnoldo Frigessi. Alcohol and Emotional Contagion: An Examination of the Spreading of Smiles in Male and Female Drinking Groups. Clinical Psychological Science. 2014. DOI: 2167702614548892
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/alcohol-social-lubricant-male-smiles/

Gosselin, Pierre; Reem Maassarani; Alastair Younger and Mélanie Perron. Children’s Deliberate Control of Facial Action Units Involved in Sad and Happy Expressions. Journal of Nonverbal Behaviour. 2011. 35:225–242. DOI 10.1007/s10919-011-0110-9.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/childrens-control-facial-actions-improve-age-create-accurate-emotional-expressions/

Gunnery, Sarah D.; Judith A. Hall and Mollie A. Ruben. The Deliberate Duchenne Smile: Individual Differences in Expressive Control. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. 2013. 37:29–41. DOI 10.1007/s10919-012-0139-4
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/can-probably-fake-honest-smile-deliberate-duchenne-smile/

Golle, Jessika; Fred W.; Mast and Janek S. Lobmaier. Something to Smile About: The Interrelationship Between Attractiveness and Emotional Expression. Cognition and Emotion, 2014. 28:2: 298-310. DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2013.817383.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/smiles-arent-just-cameras/

Guéguen, N. The Effect Of A Woman’s Smile On Men’s Courtship Behavior. Social Behavior and Personality. 2008. 36(9): 1233-1236.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/how-women-can-use-a-simple-smile-to-attract-men/

Guéguen, N., & Fischer-Lokou, J. (2004). Hitchhiker’s Smiles And Receipt Of Help. Psychological Reports. 94: 756-760.

Gueguen, Nicolas. Weather and Smiling Contagion: A Quasi Experiment With the Smiling Sunshine. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. 2013. 37:51–55. DOI 10.1007/s10919-012-0140-y
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/weather-smile-not-contagion-smile-linked-weather-conditions/

Hertenstein, Matthew J.; Carrie A. Hansel; Alissa M. Butts and Sarah N. Hile. Smile Intensity In Photographs Predicts Divorce Later In Life. Motiv Emot. 2009; 33:99-105
DOI 10.1007/s11031-009-9124-6
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/small-smiles-predicts-divorce/

Harker, L., & Keltner, D. (2001). Expressions Of Positive Emotion In Women’s College Yearbook Pictures And Their Relationship To Personality And Life Outcomes Across Adulthood. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 80(1), 112–124. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.80.1.112.

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Kalokerinos, Elise K. ; Greenaway, Katharine H. ; Pedder, David J. ; Margetts, Elise A. Desteno, David (editor). Don’t Grin When You Win: The Social Costs of Positive Emotion Expression in Performance Situations. Emotion. 2014. 14(1): 180-186.

Krumhuber, E., Manstead, A., & Kappas, A. Temporal Aspects of Facial Displays in Person and Expression Perception: The Effects of Smile Dynamics, Head-tilt, and Gender. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. 2007. 31(1), 39-56.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/slow-onset-smile-best/

Krause, Michael W. and Teh-Way David Chen. A Winning Smile? Smile Intensity, Physical Dominance, and Fighter Performance. Emotion. 2013. 13 (2): 270–279. DOI: 10.1037/a0030745
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/smile-lose-smile-intensity-predicts-fighting-ability

Krumhuber, Eva G.; Manstead and Antony S. R. Can Duchenne smiles be feigned? New evidence on felt and false smiles. Emotion. 2009. 9 (6): 807-820.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/can-fake-real-smile-practice/

Krumhuber, Eva; Antony S. R.; Manstead; and Arvid Kappas. Temporal Aspects of Facial Displays in Person and Expression Perception: The Effects of Smile Dynamics, Head-tilt, and Gender. Journal Nonverbal Behavior. 2007; 31: 39-56. DOI 10.1007/s10919-006-0019-x
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Samuele Centorrino, Elodie Djemai, Astrid Hopfensitz, Manfred Milinski, Paul Seabright. Honest Signaling in Trust Interactions: Smiles Rated as Genuine Induce Trust and Signal Higher Earning Opportunities. Evolution and Human Behavior DOI: dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2014.08.001.
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Walsh, D. G., & Hewitt, J. (1985). Giving Men The Come-On: Effect Of Eye Contact And Smiling In A Bar Environment. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 61, 873-874.

*No Photo, Defensive body language, Disengagement body language, Dislike (nonverbal), Inborn behaviours, Lying or deceptive body language, Nervous Body Language

Body Language of Frozen Hands or Frozen Feet Called Flash Frozen

by Chris • October 22, 2014 • 0 Comments

Body Language of Frozen Hands or Frozen Feet Called Flash Frozen

Cue: Frozen Hands or Frozen Feet

Synonym(s): Freeze, Flight or Fight Response, Hide In Plain Sight, Flash Frozen.

Description: Whenever the hands or feet suddenly cease moving.

In One Sentence: Hands that suddenly freeze indicate negative thoughts due to a fear response.

How To Use it: As frozen hands is a negative thought indicator you can use the signal to show that you are in distress by suddenly locking up. However, as this cue is subtle and requires a person to be conscious of your baseline amount of hand of foot movement, it is usually out of the normal awareness of most people. Thus, the cue is not something that is wildly applicable in signaling ‘honest’ emotions. That being said, if you find that you suddenly freeze and are unsure why, you can remind yourself that it’s likely that you are experiencing a fear response.

Context: General.

Verbal Translation: “I’m nervous, stressed, fearful or thinking of negative thoughts which is causing me to stop moving and hide in plain-sight.”

Variant: Ankle-Ankle Cross or Scissor Cross.

Cue In Action: a) Bill’s normal baseline was jittery, always kicking and bumping his feet and legs, but when the topic of his adultery came to subject, he stopped kicking and sat with his hands under his thighs, all but freezing stiff. b) Normally quite fluid with his gesticulation, his hands were placed in his pockets when discussing rocket science. Seems he was not such a know-it-all when rockets were involved. c) The negotiation was going well, that was until he found out that the assets he most coveted would not be included. He wrapped his legs around the chair and bit his lip. d) She suddenly locked her feet around the legs of the chair indicating discomfort and anxiety.

Meaning and/or Motivation: A nonverbal cue that usually involves a visceral response from the fright or flight system. This fear causes a person to freeze, either in whole, in extreme cases, or more minutely such as arm or leg freezes. The subconscious mind is telling a person to try to hide in plain sight by not moving. Breath rate can be reduced, eyes may cease looking about the room, and the body may take up a less expansive profile.

The fight or flight response is a bit a misnomer. It’s not actually how humans or other animals respond to stress and danger. Lazy by nature and especially cautious of injury, we have evolved the proclivity to handle situations in more appropriate ways. Most animals, humans included, will naturally sequence freeze, flight and fight in that order. Freezing is important to assess the situation, for how does one know what they are running from, and in what direction, if they don’t first identify the object of their fear?

Sudden cessation of gesticulation can indicate a freeze response due to being caught in a lie especially when the context warrants it. This is part of the flight or fight response as liars are trying to seem less noticeable. Movement attracts attention.

When hands or feet are usually busy according to a baseline, suddenly begin to slow, or become less expressive, it can signal a lack of enthusiasm or confidence for the topic, discomfort, fear, anxiety, or nervousness. While seated, the legs can also be locked behind the legs of a chair with essentially the same message being delivered except in this case it is a restraining-freeze-behaviour. When the legs are wrapped around the chair they can’t move, hence they are locked, and are also there precisely so they don’t move, and are hence frozen.

The ankle or scissor cross also shows reservation and self-restraint, due to withholding of a thought or emotion. When the ankles cross it is due to a subconscious freeze response due to a threat and the legs are entwined so as to restrict and restraint movement.

On the flip side, if feet suddenly freeze from a jitter, it indicates an emotional change has occurred and that a person is experiencing threat. Freezing, in this way, can happen as a result of being confronted with an embarrassing question or situation, or being the subject of a childhood tale that one is not particularly fond about.

Cue Cluster: Couple interlocked legs, which is a freeze response meant to reduce foot movement, with pacifying behaviours such as rubbing the thighs palm down, as if to dry them, and you’ve got a cluster signaling that a secret is being covered. If the feet are pulled under the chair, the message is even more exaggerated. The feet are saying exactly what the person is thinking, that he or she is closed and withdrawn from the conversation.

Body Language Category: Defensive, Disengagement, Dislike (nonverbal), Inborn behaviours, Lying or deceptive body language, Nervous body language.

Resources:

Arduino, P. J., & Gould, J. L. (1984). Is tonic immobility adaptive? Animal Behavior, 32, 921–923.

Bracha, H. S. (2004). Freeze, flight, fight, fright, faint: Adaptionist perspectives on the acute stress response
spectrum. CNS Spectrums, 9, 679–685.

Burgess, A. W., & Holmstrom, L. L. (1976). Coping behavior of the rape victim. American Journal of Psychiatry,
133, 413–418.

Cannon, W. B. (1929). Bodily changes in pain, hunger, fear and rage (2nd ed.). New York: Appleton, Century, Crofts.

Estes, Zachary Estes and Michelle Verges. Freeze or flee? Negative stimuli elicit selective responding. Cognition. 2008. 108(2): 557-565.

Fyer, M. R., Uy, J., Martinez, J., & Goetz, R. (1987). CO2 challenge of patients with panic disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 144, 1080–1082.

Galliano, G., Noble, L. M., Travis, L. A., & Puechl, C. (1993). Victim reactions during rape/sexual assault: A preliminary study of the immobility response and its correlates. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 8, 109–114.

Gallup, G. G. (1977). Tonic immobility: The role of fear and predation. Psychological Record, 27, 41–61.

Gillis, M. M., Haaga, D. A., & Ford, G. T. (1995). Normative values for the beck anxiety inventory, fear questionnaire, Penn state worry questionnaire, and social phobia and anxiety inventory. Psychological
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Gregersen, Tammy S. Nonverbal Cues: Clues to the Detection of Foreign Language Anxiety. Foreign Language Annals. 2005. 38(3): 388-400
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Heidt, J. M., Marx, B. P., & Forsyth, J. P. (2005). Tonic immobility and childhood sexual abuse: A preliminary report evaluating the sequela of rape-induced paralysis. Behavior Research and Therapy, 43, 1157–1171.

Kalin, N. H., Shelton, S. E., Rickman, M., & Davidson, R. J. (1998). Individual differences in freezing and
cortisol in infant and mother rhesus monkeys. Behavioral Neuroscience, 112, 251–254.

Karin Roelofs; Muriel A. Hagenaars; and John Stins. Facing Freeze: Social Threat Induces Bodily Freeze in Humans. Psychological Science. 2010 21(11): 1575-1581.
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Amplifier, Barriers, Blocking or Shielding, Body cross, Clenching and gripping, Closed body language, Crotch display, Defensive body language, Dislike (nonverbal), Doubt or disbelief body language, Negative body language

Body Language of The Figure Four Leg Clamp or Figure Four Leg Lock

by Chris • October 21, 2014 • 0 Comments

Body Language of The Figure Four Leg Clamp or Figure Four Leg Lock

Cue: Figure Four Leg Clamp or Figure Four Leg Lock

Synonym(s): Leg Clamp

Description: The figure four leg clamp is similar to the regular figure four leg cross where the ankle is pulled over the knee of the opposite leg forming the figure four position, except in this case, the arm grabs the ankle to lock it in place.

In One Sentence: The figure four leg clamp is a dominance display coupled with a locked leg indicating a rigid attitude.

How To Use it: Use the figure four to demonstrate dominance and lock your posture in place with your hand to show that you are a fortress that protects your own unique ideals. This posture is generally ill-advised, but can find its place when there is a struggle for power and you feel that your judgment is superior.

Context: General.

Verbal Translation: “I’m dominant so I’m crossing my legs to expose my genitals, but I’m also stubborn so I’m making a barrier with my forearm and locking this in place to show you just how serious I am about my opinions.”

Variant: See Figure Four Seating Position (The) or The Ankle-Knee Cross.

Cue In Action: The salesman knew he wasn’t getting anywhere with the client as soon as his client’s body language changed from the European leg cross to the figure four leg cross with his arm locking the cross in place. When he began the pitch, his posture as open, he was leaning in and asking questions, but when the final bill came due, he leaned back and crossed his ankle over his knee. When the taxes where added, he grabbed his ankle and scowled. It was clear that major roadblocks would have to be overcome if they were to sign a deal.

Meaning and/or Motivation: The figure four seating position can be closed off entirely by placing each hand on the shin so as to lock the leg in place. This posture indicates that someone is extremely stubborn and most likely apt to reject opinions of others.

The leg locker is also highly opinionated in most every way and may lead you into disagreement at every turn. If selling an idea or product, it might be best to drop the pitch altogether and seek more agreeable company unless you are comfortable using extreme tact, or are skilled at building relationships quickly.

Cue Cluster: The figure four hand lock is often coupled with negative facial expressions, scowls, or frowns.

Body Language Category: Amplifier, Barriers, Body cross, Blocking or Shielding, Clenching and gripping, Closed body language, Crotch display, Defensive, Dislike (nonverbal), Doubt or disbelief body language, Negative body language.

Resources:

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Briñol, P., Petty, R. E., & Wagner, B. (2009). Body posture effects on self-evaluation: A self-validation approach. European Journal of Social Psychology, 39, 1053–1064.

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Carney, Dana R.; Amy J.C. Cuddy; Andy J. Yap. Power Posing: Brief Nonverbal Displays Affect Neuroendocrine Levels and Risk Tolerance. Psychological Science, 2010; 21 (10): 1363-1368.

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

Body Language of The Fig Leaf Posture

by Chris • October 21, 2014 • 0 Comments

Body Language of The Fig Leaf Posture

Cue: Fig Leaf Posture (The)

Synonym(s): Fig Leaf Position, Loin Clothe Posture, Broken Zipper Posture.

Description: This posture occurs by placing one or both hands in front of the midsection.

In One Sentence: The fig leaf posture is a signal that one wishes to hide the genitals from exposure because one is feeling emotionally overexposed.

How To Use it: Use the fig leaf in front of an audience to provide more privacy and the feeling of security. A podium makes a nice replacement to the fig leaf as does holding sheets of paper or notes in a clipboard, which can be placed over the mid-section. As these items appear to have a legitimate function, they will not make it appear as though you are discomforted.

Context: General.

Verbal Translation: “I’m feeling overexposed and therefore uncomfortable so I’m going to block my private areas from view with my hands to preserve some of my modesty.”

Variant: The standing leg cross is another way people will try to hide their private areas and sometimes this posture is coupled with the fig leaf posture to show additional insecurity.

Cue In Action: a) Sally and Jim were new to the firm and decided to introduce themselves. While standing and conversing each interlocked their fingers and rested them over their private areas. b) While presenting, the candidate moved away from the podium and quickly coupled his hands together and rested them just below his belt. c) While listening in class, the student clasped his hands and rested them on his lap when the conversation moved to a topic that made him uncomfortable.

Meaning and/or Motivation: The fig leaf posture shows insecurity, shyness and lack of confidence and occurs when we find ourselves in novel environments or around people we aren’t familiar with.

We will often see this from less confident speakers who find themselves exposed to large audiences or when a presenter requires a participant (victim) to demonstrate a concept.

The fig leaf by either sex is a closed body position. It blocks the private mid section from view even when clothed. It takes its ‘fig leaf’ name from Adam and Eve’s traditionally portrayed posture in the Garden of Eden artwork where a leaf was used as a covering to provide privacy.

Modest men and women who find themselves accidentally disrobed will instinctively clasp their hands over their private areas. Naked women will split their attention from both breasts with one arm and hand, with the other hand over their genitals. Men will exclusively protect their genitals from view with both hands.

In real life however, we will rarely find ourselves nude and exposed in public, but our minds are still hardwired to harbour feelings of insecurity from overexposure. In day-to-day situations, women won’t be found covering their breasts by clasping them and men won’t grab their genitals a-la Micheal Jackson, but they will clasp both hands together either tightly by interlocking their fingers, or loosely with hand in hand and then casually placing them over their mid-section. Standing is the most obvious and common way that the fig leaf position shows itself, but it can also find its way in a seated position as the hands are rested on the lap.

Cue Cluster: The fig leaf is a stand alone posture and does not require additional cues for support, but we expect to see it clustered with leg crossing (usually at the ankle) and various pacifying behaviours such as self touching, stroking, blushing and nervousness.

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

Resources:

Arnette, S. L., & Pettijohn, T. F., II. (2012). The effects of posture on self-perceived leadership. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 3, 8–13.

Briñol, P., Petty, R. E., & Wagner, B. (2009). Body posture effects on self-evaluation: A self-validation approach. European Journal of Social Psychology, 39, 1053–1064.

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Carney, Dana R.; Amy J.C. Cuddy; Andy J. Yap. Power Posing: Brief Nonverbal Displays Affect Neuroendocrine Levels and Risk Tolerance. Psychological Science, 2010; 21 (10): 1363-1368.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/benefits-power-posing-high-stakes-performance/

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Auto contact or self touching, Barriers, Blocking or Shielding, Body cross, Body size reduction, Defensive body language, Low confidence body language, Negative body language, Nervous Body Language, Protective reflexes, Pseudo-infantile gestures, Shy nonverbal

Body Language of The Fetal Position

by Chris • October 21, 2014 • 0 Comments

Body Language of The Fetal Position

Cue: Fetal Position (The)

Synonym(s): Hugging The Knees, Pulling The Knees In, Balling Up.

Description: The knees are pulled into the body and hugged.

In One Sentence: Pulling the knees into the body is akin to the fetal position and is a protective posture signaling the need for emotional comfort.

How To Use it: Use this cue to signal that you are under distress and wish for others to offer care and support. Balling the body in this way can produce a smaller profile making the body feel like a smaller, less noticeable target. Hugging the knees also simulates the sensation of being hugged, thus activating the embodiment of being comforted. The sensation is not unlike being hugged by parents. Thus, the fetal position is a way we can self-sooth when parents or friends are not nearby.

Context: General.

Verbal Translation: “I need to feel the comfort of being held to remind me of the protection I felt in my mom’s womb or when she snuggled me, as I am suffering extreme discomfort and stress.”

Variant: See Bow and Body Bend, Crouching, Self-Hugging or The Double Arm Hug.

Cue In Action: a) She was alone for the first time at camp and hugged her knees while the other girls read scary books and fooled around. b) When she found out about a death in the family, she balled herself up on the couch and a grief filled expression came across her face.

Meaning and/or Motivation: It is a child-like posture because it reminds us of being protected by our mothers. It signifies grief, fear, timidity, shyness, discomfort and pain. The body shows that it needs to take on a smaller profile and seek comfort at the same time. As adults, we must provide comfort for ourselves so we are forced to use our own arms and legs to self-hug. With age, we learn that taking up the fetal position, like thumb sucking, is not an acceptable way of dealing with our insecurity so we drop the extreme form of the gesture in favour of more subtle cues.

In mild forms, it can be simply a posture one uses for comfort. When it appears in public it signifies that a person has an underlying motivation for pacifying and feels insecure. When done at home, can simply be a way to feel embraced and cared for.

While it might seem far-fetched to expect someone in your company to have this posture, it does occur although in more abbreviated adult acceptable ways. While at an informal party, for example, a woman might find herself hugging her knees at the end of a couch. To her, this feels comfortable, which is why she does it, but it reveals her true emotions.

The abbreviated form of this position, of course, and one that is more acceptable in public is to pull the limbs in closer to the body and across the centerline as in the “self hug”.

Cue Cluster: The fetal position is commonly associated with averted or wandering eyes, head turned away or down, being quiet, reading a book, wearing headphones or other ways to escape coupled with an expressionless, worry or pensive facial expression.

Body Language Category: Auto contact or self touching, Barriers, Body cross, Body size reduction, Blocking or Shielding, Defensive, Low confidence body language, Negative body language, Nervous body language, Pseudo-infantile gestures, Protective reflexes, Shy nonverbal.

Resources:

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*No Photo, Boredom body language, Closed facial gestures, Defensive body language, Disengagement body language, Distancing or moving away, Escape movements, Indicators of disinterest (IOD), Pensive displays

Body Language of Eyes Defocused or Eyes Unfocused

by Chris • October 21, 2014 • 0 Comments

Body Language of Eyes Defocused or Eyes Unfocused

Cue: Eyes Defocused or Eyes Unfocused

Synonym(s): Unfocused Eyes, Glazing Over.

Description: When the eyes are unmoving and stare blankly seemingly looking through people and things.

In One Sentence: Defocused eyes signals that a person is internalizing emotions and thoughts.

How To Use it: Use defocused eyes to escape and reflect. This can be useful when trying to free one’s self of particularly stressful situation or when one needs time to reflect. Permitting the eyes to lose their intensity is useful while in busy or congested areas of cities as it allows the mind to rest. When you find yourself daydreaming, go along with it, as this can help recharge the mind. Often, daydreaming produces unique ideas and solutions.

Defocused eyes can also be used to signal to presenters that they should improve their delivery.

Context: General.

Verbal Translation: “I’m dealing with something internally. My thoughts are focused and intense or contrarily, daydreaming, thus my eyes are relaxed and unfocused as I think inwardly rather than deal with the external world.”

Variant: Staring or The Evil Eye.

Cue In Action: She tried to get the little boy’s attention, but he stared blankly out the window. His mind had drifted off to an imaginary world of dinosaurs.

Meaning and/or Motivation: Indicates that attention is focused inward rather than outward.

Unfocused eyes can be as much the result of boredom as a desire to seek stimulation from inner thoughts and ideas, instead of what the real world has to offer. Other times, unfocused eyes are due to a need to escape for some time alone to reflect without external inputs. Additionally, people may escape particularly stressful situations through unfocused eyes as a method of coping stoically.

Cue Cluster: The head and body will remain still and be relaxed, the face will be open up and remain calm and blank. The body will seem to lose it’s flex and enter a sort of dormant or zombie state.

Body Language Category: Boredom, Closed facial gestures, Defensive, Disengagement, Distancing or moving away, Escape movements, Indicators of disinterest (IOD), Pensive displays.

Resources:

Carvajal, Fernando ; Rubio, Sandra ; Serrano, Juan ; Ríos-Lago, Marcos ; Alvarez-Linera, Juan ; Pacheco, Lara ; Martín, Pilar. Is a neutral expression also a neutral stimulus? A study with functional magnetic resonance. Experimental Brain Research, 2013. 228(4): 467-479.

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Heisel, Marnin ; Mongrain, Myriam. Facial Expressions and Ambivalence: Looking for Conflict in All the Right Faces. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. 2004. 28(1): 35-52.

Matsumoto, David ; Hwang, Hyisung C. Desteno, David (editor). Judgments of Subtle Facial Expressions of Emotion. Emotion. 2014. 14(2): 349-357.

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Rothman, Naomi B. Steering Sheep: How Expressed Emotional Ambivalence Elicits Dominance in Interdependent Decision Making Contexts. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes. 2011. 116: 66-82.
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Appease, Arrogance or arrogant body language, Authoritative body language, Body size reduction, Closed body language, Courtship display, Defensive body language, Disengagement body language, Dislike (nonverbal), Distancing or moving away, Embarrassment (nonverbal), Escape movements, Eye Language, Fearful body language, Indicator Of Sexual Interest (IOsI), Negative body language, Nervous Body Language, Nonthreatening body language, Power play, Readiness to submit postures, Rejection body language, Shy nonverbal, Submissive body language

Body Language of Eye Aversion, Gaze Avoidance and Wandering Eyes

by Chris • October 21, 2014 • 0 Comments

Body Language of Eye Aversion, Gaze Avoidance and Wandering Eyes

Cue: Eye Aversion and Wandering Eyes

Synonym(s): Eye Avoidance, Eye Withdrawal, Gaze Avoidance, Averting Eyes, Roving Eyes.

Description: When eyes avoid making contact with other eyes on purpose.

In One Sentence: Avoiding eye contact signals that a person wants to avoid being called upon or that they want to create an air of superiority.

How To Use it: Eye contact can be powerful especially when it is avoided. You can show your disdain for someone by simply ignoring their presence on purpose. Likewise, avoiding eye contact can have the effect of making you disappear as well. For example, if you want to avoid being called upon by the teacher or your boss, simply avert your eyes. This tells them that you’re not prepared to interact with them and nonverbally suggests that they move along and pick on someone else.

In a dating context, women should avoid eye contact with potential suitors they do not find agreeable. Even a small amount of eye contact can be seen to be an invitation to solicit especially when combined with a smile. Thus, if possible, keep eyes only for the types of men you wish would approach. This isn’t to say, however, that women should be unfriendly, but women should realize that with friendliness, comes the responsibility of having to acknowledge and interact. If you (accidentally) make eye contact, follow through with a polite verbal decline. Here is an example: “Hi, I’m sorry, I have to leave, I’m supposed to meet with someone.”

Context: General.

Verbal Translation: a) “I don’t want to cause any more problems for myself so I’m going to avoid making eye contact with other more dominant people so I don’t draw attention and provoke people into attacking.” b) “I’m superior to you and so I’m withdrawing my eye contact and affection, and pretending you are an object not worthy of my attention or acknowledgment.”

Variant: Many other variants in eye language exist. See Eye Language category.

Cue In Action: a) The pupil didn’t want to draw any more attention to himself after throwing the paper air plane so he ducked his head down and averted his eyes in shame. His teacher knew that he was embarrassed for what he had done so she went easier on him. b) They went to bed angry at each other and instead of talking it out the next morning; they avoided each other – pretending that they didn’t exist. c) The seducer had eyes for her, but she wasn’t game. Instead of acknowledging him, she chose to avert her eyes by looking at the ground instead.

Meaning and/or Motivation: The general meaning of eyes avoiding is to show submission or discomfort. Averting the eyes has two primary purposes. One is to avoid conflict and other to power play. Eye avoidance might mean defensiveness, submission, defeat, or negative feelings. It may be done to tease and allure.

People who avert their eyes might also do so because of uncomfortable feelings such as sadness, shame or embarrassment.

Eye aversion is used to prevent others from resorting to an attack response and prevents others from seeing us as a threat. Subordinates commonly avoid eye contact with dominant individuals to indicate submission and respect. Eyes might wander to avoid being reprimanded. Eyes that avoid can serve to “flee” from an encounter, a protective response, as a person subconsciously tries to make distance between himself and his aggressor.

This is the case even if an argument is minor – the eyes will withdraw first showing that a person does not wish to pursue the debate. Eyes can also avoid eye contact thus demonstrating submission. For example, a pupil will look away from his teacher to avoid reprimand. As such, avoidant eyes can be used to reduce conflict, and at the same time, search for possible escape routes to vacate the threat.

Alternatively, eyes can show other people that they aren’t worthy of being acknowledged. We see this when people act passive aggressive. They will avoid eye contact with another person at all costs. When women walk down the street, they will purposely avoid eye contact with men so as to avoid initiating conversation, and their nonverbal message says “I don’t see you as a person worthy of my gaze, so don’t bother me.”

Other times eye contact withdrawal is a way to tease and play such as the peek-a-boo game where the absence of eye contact is part of the allure and so is a signal of interest.

Cue Cluster: When eye aversion is linked to negative thoughts it will be coupled with head dropping, shoulders turned inward and down, cowering, slouching, arm withdrawal and other protective and shrinking body language

During a power play we will see signs of both dominance and apathy. For example, a person might ignore personal space by brushing up against the other person or bumping into them, orient their bodies away, talk over or around them. Likewise, they may purposely show affection to someone else thereby creating discomfort in another.

Body Language Category: Appease, Arrogance or arrogant body language, Anger, Authoritative body language, Body size reduction, Courtship displays, Closed body language, Defensive, Disengagement, Dislike (nonverbal), Distancing or moving away, Embarrassment (nonverbal), Escape movements, Eye Language, Fearful body language, Indicators of sexual interest (IOsI), Nervous body language, Negative body language, Nonthreatening body language, Power play, Rejection body language, Readiness to submit postures, Shy nonverbal, Submissive body language.

Resources:

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