Category: Ownership gesture

Aggressive body language, Amplifier, Anger body language, Arrogance or arrogant body language, Boredom body language, Disengagement body language, Dislike (nonverbal), Dominant body language, Emotional body language, Indicator Of Sexual Interest (IOsI), Liking, Negative body language, Ownership gesture, Space invasion, Threat displays

Body Language of The Stare, Evil Eye or Unblinking Eye

by Chris • October 28, 2014 • 0 Comments

Body Language of The Stare, Evil Eye or Unblinking Eye

Cue: Staring or The Evil Eye.

Synonym(s): Stink Eye, Dead Man Gaze, Unflinching Stare, Stare, Gaze Fixation, Unblinking Eye, Eye Threat, Eye Darts, Prolonged Eye Contact, Unwavering Gaze, Power Star (the), Unflinching Stare.

Description: These are unblinking staring eyes filled with contempt. The evil eye is an offensive eye pattern where the eyes remain unblinking and threatening or leer at another person for an uncomfortable length of time. Regular gaze happens when the eyes travel around the face and body of someone we care about. Staring, on the other hand, is unmoving. The eyes are piercing and intense and seem to want to penetrate the eyes of another. An aggressive stare is even more intense and happens by narrowing the eyelids creating a deep focus.

In One Sentence: Staring for prolonged period of time is in effort to reduce a person to the status of an object.

How To Use it: Use staring when one wants to intimidate others. Staring harshly during aggression can belittle and degrade. When it is done in a sexual context, staring can diminish a person to a lesser status as an object.

In dating, men might view staring as being a compliment, however, if the feelings are not mutual, women will feel violated due to their perceived powerlessness. Therefore, men should only use staring (see Gazing adoringly) to support an existing emotional connection.

Use staring when one is prepared for the negative outcome. As a signal of dominance, the cue is unmistakable.

Context: a) General b) Dating.

Verbal Translation: “I’m using inappropriately long and violating eye contact in order to pierce through your exterior in order to threaten and intimidate.”

Variant: See Gazing Adoringly for a more welcome version of The Stare. Also see Eye Avoidance.

Cue In Action: a) Mark was in a stupor and accidentally bumped into a girl. He didn’t know it but she was the girlfriend of the muscle-bound man who immediately threw eye darts in his direction, unflinching and steady. Mark quickly averted his eyes because he knew it wasn’t a fight for him. Despite looking away, he still felt the piercing stare against his body

b) A particularly attractive girl made her way through a crowd, you could see men turn their heads, but one man made the mistake of looking for too long as he followed her through the crowd. She didn’t like the look of him and stared right back. He smiled, but she didn’t reciprocate; only a deadpan face looked back. He quickly averted his eyes.

Meaning and/or Motivation: Staring is built on the assumption that eyes can damage from prolonged looking. It is as if the eyes are able to assault when eye contact is done for too long and without permission. This violates the “moral looking time”, or the unwritten code of conduct we all obey regarding proper eye contact. As a result, it produces negative feelings in others.

a) In most animal species unwavering gaze is used to display dominance and aggression. However, this is only so when it happens between members of the same species. When it happens across species it indicates that a prey has been centered out and the stalk has begun.

Research shows us that a steady stare of more than ten seconds creates anxiety and discomfort especially in subordinates making it a dominant signal especially when this includes direct eye-to-eye contact. When done by two equally dominant individuals it can lead to feelings of aggression and in extreme cases, even produce physical altercations.

b) Eye assault happens when men appear to undress women. In turn, women might appear to give “dirty looks.” We call this “eyeball assault.” Assault is a matter of length and type. Lingering stares of unbroken eye contact is the high of eyeball assault. Eyeball assault, therefore, violates the “moral looking time.” This is an unofficial, but salient length of time by which eye contact (to the body or eyes directly) is permitted and accepted as normal.

When eye contact is welcome, it evolves into gazing which leads to arousal (See Gazing). Sometimes legitimate liking is present and staring is an indication, but it still remains inappropriate and an assault as it is defined by unwavering and an unwanted violation of privacy. Staring can also indicate boredom or disengagement, but only when it is not directed at a person or target (i.e. staring off into space.)

Cue Cluster: Staring eyes are coupled with expressionless or angry faces. The head usually is fixed unless the target is moving.

Body Language Category: Amplifier, Arrogance or arrogant body language, Aggressive body language, Anger body language, Boredom body language, Disengagement body language, Dislike (nonverbal), Dominant body language, Emotional body language, Indicators of sexual interest (IOsI), Liking, Negative body language, Ownership gestures, Space invasion, Threat displays.

Resources:

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Arrogance or arrogant body language, Dominant body language, Ownership gesture, Territorial displays

Body Language of Ownership Gestures

by Chris • October 27, 2014 • 0 Comments

Body Language of Ownership Gestures

Cue: Ownership Gestures.

Synonym(s): Placing The Foot On An Object, Feet On The Desk, Placing A Bag or Jacket On A Chair, Propping The Feet Up, Leaning Against A Car or Other Object.

Description: Putting possessions or parts of the body on objects.

In One Sentence: Putting any part of the body on an object (or person) signals ownership and ability or desire to control it.

How To Use it: To reserve a seat, place your jacket or bag on it – that much is simple. However, tossing the arm over the chair next to you is a way to increase your territory through an expansive posture. This shows others that you have special rights to take up more space than normal. If a person is sitting in that chair, you own and control a part of them too.

To show your pride for a car, place your foot up on the bumper or lean against it. To show your desire to control someone else, do the same on their car.

At a friend’s house, show your relaxed attitude and high comfort by placing your feet on the coffee table. This gesture will be read as dominance and ownership.

Use ownership gestures when you want to show other people that you control things or people and that you are dominant enough to state your claim.

Context: General.

Verbal Translation: a) “I own this so I have the right to put parts of my body on them and control how they are used.”

Variant: See Touching or Increase In Touching for a similar gesture which claims ownership of people through touch rather than objects. Also See Leaning Against The Wall.

Cue In Action: a) He was proud of his new car and stood with his foot on the rear bumper showing off his new possession. b) The boss tossed his feet up on the desk, leaned back and interlocked his hands behind his head. c) While watching television after a long day, he propped his feet up on the coffee table. d) He reserved a seat for himself and his date at the cinema by leaving his jacket on one seat and his bag on another.

Meaning and/or Motivation: People often show that they own things by touching them.

Placing objects such as jackets and brief cases on a seat can hold it and delineate temporary ownership while in public. People will prop their foot up on a desk or the bumper of a car to show that they possess and control it.

Alternatively, people will use objects as a crutch when they feel exposed. 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: This is a stand alone cue and requires no additional cues to have meaning. Watch for the level of comfort one has while performing the ownership gesture to decide if a person is using touch to help improve his feelings of insecurity, or claim ownership, thus showing dominance.

Body Language Category: Arrogance or arrogant body language, Dominant body language, Ownership gesture, Territorial displays.

Resources:

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*No Photo, Barriers, Courtship display, Indicators of disinterest (IOD), Liking, Orienting reflex or orienting response, Ownership gesture, Seating arrangements

Body Language of Loving Circle Leg Cross

by Chris • October 24, 2014 • 0 Comments

Body Language of Loving Circle Leg Cross

Cue: Loving Circle Leg Cross

Synonym(s): N/A

Description: When lovers, family members, or associates sit on a couch or in chairs close together, and orient their legs toward each other forming a closed loop. The arms can sometimes meet over the backs for the couch. This gives the impression of a system that is closed off from others.

In One Sentence: The loving circle signals the desire to be close and create an intimate area at the exclusion of others.

How To Use it: Use the loving circle to show partners that you are focused wholly on them and don’t want other people to interfere or distract from what is being cultivated between the two of you. This can work between family members, but is best done between intimate couples. Close friends can also use the loving circle to be totally immerse in each others presence. When viewed by other people it signals the desire not to be interrupted so this can work to repel unwanted outside conversations.

Context: a) General b) Dating.

Verbal Translation: “We agree and are close. We are so united that we are forming our bodies into a barrier preventing others from penetrating our social circle.”

Variant: See Leg Crossing and Leg Crossing Direction.

Cue In Action: a) The husband and his wife sat on the sofa with their legs crossed toward one another in a sea of unfamiliar people at a social gathering. They used their bodies to protect themselves from the unfamiliar. Their daughter snuggled up in between them. b) A young couple grew more intimate as the night wore on. Near the middle of the night, they had formed a loving circle by crossing their legs toward one another coupled with hand-in-hand over the back of the sofa.

Meaning and/or Motivation: The loving circle can happen within families, with close friends, associates and between and amongst the sexes. It signifies agreement, unity and commonality.

The legs and arms create a closed barrier which prevents other people from getting close or breaking into the conversation. When lovers perform this posture they signify intimacy and a desire for privacy and isolation from outside intruders.

Cue Cluster: Often the loving circle includes leaning in, eye contact, and touching.

Body Language Category: Barriers, Courtship displays, Indicator of interest (IoI), Liking, Orienting reflex or orienting response (a), Ownership gestures, Seating arrangements.

Resources:

Aiello, J. 1977. A further look at equilibrium theory. Visual interaction as a function of
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Astrom, Jan. Introductory greeting behavior: a laboratory investigation of approaching and closing salutation phases. Perceptual and Motor Skills. 1994. 79(2): 863(35).

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Baxter, James C. ; Rozelle, Richard M. Lanzetta, John T. (editor). Nonverbal expression as a function of crowding during a simulated police-citizen encounter. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1975. 32(1): 40-54.

Boucher, Michael L. Holzberg, Jules D. (editor). Effect of seating distance on interpersonal attraction in an interview situation. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 1972 38(1): 15-19.

Cook, Mark. 1970. Experiments on orientation and proxemics. Human Relations 23 (1): 61-76.

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

Coutts, Larrym. ; Ledden, Maribeth. Nonverbal Compensatory Reactions to Changes in Interpersonal Proximity. The Journal of Social Psychology. 1977 102(2): 283-290.

DeSteno, D.; Breazeal, C.; Frank, R. H.; Pizarro, D.; Baumann, J.; Dickens, L, and Lee, J. Detecting the Trustworthiness of Novel Partners in Economic Exchange. Psychological Science. 2012. 23, 1549-1556.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/use-body-language-cues-create-trust

Doody, John ; Bull, Peter. Asperger’s Syndrome and the Decoding of Boredom, Interest, and Disagreement from Body Posture. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. 2011. 35(2): 87-100.

Dowell, Nia M. and Jeffrey S. Berman. Therapist Nonverbal Behavior and Perceptions of Empathy, Alliance, and Treatment Credibility. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration. 2013. 23(2): 158-165. DOI: 10.1037/a0031421. http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/lean-make-eye-contact-create-impressions-empathy-leaning-body-language-creates-greater-credibility

Felipe, N. Interpersonal distance and small group interaction. Cornell Journal of Social Relations, 1966, 1, 59-64.

Felipe, N. Connotations of seating arrangements. Cornell Journal of Social Relations, 1967, 2, 37-44.

Fretz, Bruce R. Counselor Nonverbal Behaviors and Client Evaluations. Journal of Counseling Psychology. 1979. 26(4): 304-11.

Genthner, Robert W. ; Moughan, James Osipow, Samuel H. (editor). Introverts’ and extraverts’ responses to nonverbal attending behavior. Journal of Counseling Psychology. 1977. 24(2): 144-146.

Girard, Jeffrey M.; Jeffrey F. Cohna; Mohammad H.Mahoor S.; Mohammad Mavadati;
Zakia Hammal; and Dean P. Rosenwalda. Nonverbal Social Withdrawal In Depression: Evidence From Manual And Automatic Analyses. Image and Vision Computing. 2013.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/body-language-signals-withdrawal-depression/

Gregersen, Tammy S. Nonverbal Cues: Clues to the Detection of Foreign Language Anxiety. Foreign Language Annals. 2005. 38(3): 388-400
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/what-anxious-learners-can-tell-us-about-anxious-body-language-how-to-read-nonverbal-behavior/

Gifford, Robert ; O’Connor, Brian. Nonverbal intimacy: Clarifying the role of seating distance and orientation. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. 1986 10(4): 207-214.

Gardin, Hershel ; Kaplan, Kalman J. ; Firestone, Ira J. ; Cowan, Gloria A. Lanzetta, John T. (editor). Proxemic effects on cooperation, attitude, and approach-avoidance in a Prisoner’s Dilemma game. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1973. 27(1): 13-18.

Haase, Richard F. ; Dimattia, Dominic J. Berdie, Ralph F. (editor). Proxemic behavior: Counselor, administrator, and client preference for seating arrangement in dyadic interaction. Journal of Counseling Psychology. 1970 17(4): 319-325.

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

Hall, Judith ; LeBeau, Lavonia ; Reinoso, Jeannette ; Thayer, Frank. Status, Gender, and Nonverbal Behavior in Candid and Posed Photographs: A Study of Conversations Between University Employees. Sex Roles. 2001 44(11): 677-692.

Hietanen, Jari. Social attention orienting integrates visual information from head and body orientation. Psychological Research.2002 66(3): 174-179.

Jenkins, R., Beaver, J.D., & Calder, A.J. (2006). I thought you were looking at me: Direction-specific aftereffects in gaze perception. Psychological Science, 17, 506–513.

Katza, Carmit; Irit Hershkowitz; Lindsay C. Malloya; Michael E. Lamba; Armita Atabakia and Sabine Spindlera. Non-Verbal Behavior of Children Who Disclose or do not Disclose Child Abuse in Investigative Interviews. Child Abuse & Neglect. 2012. 36: 12-20.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/reading-nonverbal-behaviour-child-abuse-cases-encourage-children-divulge-information-truth-telling

Kahlbaugh, Patricia ; Haviland, Jeannette. Nonverbal communication between parents and adolescents: A study of approach and avoidance behaviors. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. 1994 18(1): 91-113.

Kenner, Andrew N. ; Katsimaglis, George. Gender differences in proxemics: taxi-seat choice. Psychological Reports. 1993 72(2): 625(2).

Langton, S. R. H. (2000). The mutual influence of gaze and head orientation in the analysis of social attention direction. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 53A, 825–845.

Mehrabian, Albert Holzberg, Jules D. (editor). Inference of Attitudes From the Posture, Orientation and Distance of a Communicator. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 1968. 32(3): 296-308.

Mehrabian, Albert Deese, James (editor). Significance of posture and position in the communication of attitude and status relationships. Psychological Bulletin. 1969. 71(5): 359-372.

Mehrabian, A., Friar, J., 1969. Encoding of attitude by a seated communicator via posture and position cues. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 33: 330–336.

Mackinnon, Sean P. ; Jordan, Christian H. ; Wilson, Anne E. Birds of a feather sit together: Physical similarity predicts seating choice. Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin. 2011 37(7): 879(14).

Pinar, Rukiye ; Ataalkin, Sıddıka ; Watson, Roger. The effect of crossing legs on blood pressure in hypertensive patients. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 2010. 19(9-10): 1284-1288.

Remland, Martins. ; Jones, Tricias. ; Brinkman, Heidi. Interpersonal Distance, Body Orientation, and Touch: Effects of Culture, Gender, and Age. The Journal of Social Psychology. 1995 135(3): 281-297.

Scherer, S. E., & Schiff, M. R. Perceived intimacy, physical distance, and eye contact. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1973, 36, 835-841.

Scott, J. A. Comfort and seating distance in living rooms: The relationship of interactants and topic of conversation. Environment and Behavior, 1984, 16, 35-54.

Sommer, R. Studies in personal space. Sociometry, 1959, 22,247-260.

Sommer, R. The distance for comfortable conversation: A further study. Sociometry, 1962, 25, 111-116.

Sommer, R. Personal space: The behavioral basis of design. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 1969.

Trout, Deborah ; Rosenfeld, Howard. The effect of postural lean and body congruence on the judgment of psychotherapeutic rapport. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. 1980. 4(3): 176-190.

Underwood, M. K.. Glares of Contempt, Eye Rolls of Disgust and Turning Away to Exclude: Non-Verbal Forms of Social Aggression among Girls. Feminism & Psychology. 2004 14(3): 371-375.

Willis, F. 1966. Initial speaking distance as a function of the speaker’s relationship.
Psychonomic Science. 5: 221-222.

Weiss, M., & Keys, C. The influence of proxemic variables on dyadic interaction between peers. Paper presented at the meeting of the American Psychological Association; Chicago, 1975, August.

*No Photo, Friendship touching or friendly touching, Intimate touching, Open body language, Ownership gesture, Rapport or rapport building, Readiness to submit postures, Submissive body language

Body Language of The Head Touch (by others)

by Chris • October 23, 2014 • 0 Comments

Body Language of The Head Touch (by others)

Cue: Head Touch (by others)

Synonym(s): Touching Someone’s Head, Hair Ruffle, Kissing The Head.

Description: When one person touches the head of another person.

In One Sentence: Touching the head of another is a sign of dominance.

How To Use it: Touch the head of others when you believe that you have a strong bond with them and want to maintain or solidify this relationship. Never touch the head of a person you feel does not trust you as this will produce suspicion or even contempt. Intimate couples can, and should, freely touch each other and part of this involves touching and stroking areas of the face and head. A dad can playfully ruffle his son’s hair to show that they are bonded together. It is also an expression of the father’s dominance over the son.

Context: General.

Verbal Translation: “I am more dominant than you permitting me to touch your vulnerable head. You heed my dominance and are willing to trust that I will not harm you.”

Variant: The hair might be ruffled, the head patted, or the head kissed. See Guiding Body Language.

Cue In Action: a) After returning form work, he found his son playing quietly with a video game. He snuck up behind and kissed him on the head and ruffled his hair to show his affection. b) The Pope made the sign of the cross on her forehead. c) After a long day at work, he massaged her head to show affection. d) After scoring a goal, the hockey players patted each other on top of their head.

Meaning and/or Motivation: The head is a very personal and vulnerable area of the body. Allowing others to touch the head is reserved for close relatives and intimate partners. Thus, head touching is a sign of a deep bond and trust between two people.

A Dad might ruffle his son’s hair or a wife might massage her husbands head to demonstrate affection. Kissing the head is a way a mom shows her daughter that she cares and is willing to protect her.

A subordinate employee would never touch the head of his boss but leaders of religious organizations will frequently touch the heads of their congregation.

Cue Cluster: The head touch is a cue that does not require additional cues for support.

Body Language Category: Friendship touching or friendly touching, Intimate touching, Open body language, Ownership gesture, Rapport or rapport building, Readiness to submit postures, Submissive body language.

Resources:

Bohm. 1997. Effects of interpersonal touch, degree of justification, and sex of participant on compliance with a request. The Journal of social psychology. 137: 460-469.

Debrot, Anik ; Schoebi, Dominik ; Perrez, Meinrad ; Horn, Andrea B. Touch as an interpersonal emotion regulation process in couples’ daily lives: the mediating role of psychological intimacy. Personality & social psychology bulletin. 2013. 9(10): 1373-85.

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

Guéguen, N. (2007). Courtship compliance: The effect of touch on women’s behavior. Social Influence, 2, 81-97.

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

Larsen, Knuds. ; Leroux, Jeff. A study of same sex touching attitudes: Scale development and personality predictors. Journal of Sex Research. 1984. 20(3): 264-278.

Lee Ann Renninger, T. Joel Wade, Karl Grammer. Getting that female glance: Patterns and consequences of male nonverbal behavior in courtship contexts. Evolution and Human Behavior. 2004; 25: 416–431.

Maclaren, Kym. Touching matters: Embodiments of intimacy. Emotion, Space and Society. 2014. 13: 95-102.

Madden, Myron. Meaningful pastoral intimacy. Pastoral Psychology. 1976. 25(1): 34-38.

Moszkowski, Robin J. ; Stack, Dale M. ; Chiarella, Sabrina S. Infant touch with gaze and affective behaviors during mother–infant still-face interactions: Co-occurrence and functions of touch. Infant Behavior and Development. 2009. 32(4): 392-403.

Maclaren, Kym. Touching matters: Embodiments of intimacy. Emotion, Space and Society. 2014. 13: 95-102.

Peck, J., & Shu, S. B. (2009). The effect of mere touch on perceived ownership. Journal of Consumer Research, 36(Oct), 434–447.

Paulsell, Shari ; Goldman, Morton. The Effect of Touching Different Body Areas on Prosocial Behavior. The Journal of Social Psychology. 1984. 122(2): 269-273.

Tracy, R. L., & Ainsworth, M. D. S. (1981). Maternal affectionate behavior and infant-mother attachment patterns. Child Development, 52, 1341-1343.

Takeuchi, Mika ; Miyaoka, Hitoshi ; Tomoda, Atsuko ; Suzuki, Masao ; Liu, Qingbo ; Kitamura, Toshinori. The Effect of Interpersonal Touch During Childhood on Adult Attachment and Depression: A Neglected Area of Family and Developmental Psychology? Journal of Child and Family Studies. 2010. 19(1): 109-117.

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

Willis, Frank N. , Jr. ; Dodds, Rebecca A. Age, relationship, and touch initiation. The Journal of Social Psychology. 1998. 138(1). 115(9).

Courtship display, Indicator Of Sexual Interest (IOsI), Liking, Ownership gesture, Preening body language

Body Language of Grooming and Preening

by Chris • October 22, 2014 • 0 Comments

Body Language of Grooming and Preening

Cue: Grooming and Preening.

Synonym(s): Preening.

Description: A gesture that aims to make the self or someone else more presentable. It includes removing lint or pet hair, fixing a tag from a shirt, smoothing clothing, adjusting a shirt collar, fixing the hair, applying makeup, checking a mirror, and so forth.

In One Sentence: Grooming other people is a way to bond and when done on the self, is a way to make yourself presentable.

How To Use it: Use grooming of yourself to show other people that you are in good health and care about how you are presented. This is important in every facet of one’s life from intimate relationships to job settings.

In dating as well as between friends and relatives, grooming is a welcome form of caring and demonstration of respect. To show people you care, remove lint, smooth clothing, adjusting a tie, notify them of stains on clothing or food on their face and so forth. Some debate exists as to whether we should risk the embarrassment by helping people self-groom, however, it is usually well received. Think of grooming as a way to help people avoid extra embarrassment. At the same time, grooming shows people that you are looking out for them.

The gesture is particularly important in a dating context since it shows the opposite sex that you really care about them. Men and women can both groom each other to show intimacy.

Context: a) General b) Dating.

Verbal Translation: a) “I’m fixing my body up so I seem more attractive and presentable because I want others to view me in a positive light.” b) “I’m fixing your body, by grooming you, because I care about you and how you look and how you feel.”

Variant: See Invisible Lint Picker or Lint Picker.

Cue In Action: a) She pardoned herself from the conversation and reapplied make-up as the rain had washed most of it off. b) He straightened his tie and buttoned up his jacket before giving her a hug and kiss. c) Mom went over to her son and brushed him off. He had leaves all over the back of his shirt.

Meaning and/or Motivation: Grooming and preening says that a person is keeping their outward appearance clean and presentable to show the world that they are in good mental health and, or, a good mate. It tells others that they care about how they are viewed by others and that they are social and amicable.

Preening and grooming can also be one on other people. In this case, it means that a person really cares about someone else and that they want to bond by keeping them healthy. This is an evolutionary throwback to removing bugs as monkeys do today. Preening someone else is a way to form a strong bond between two people. A mother might groom her son and a wife might groom her husband. The context will define its meaning.

When grooming is not required or done to excess in front of another person, it signals distain. Such is the case with removing imaginary lint or picking the fingernails. These are all forms of grooming that should be done in private. If they are done in front of people while avoiding eye contact, and opting out of the conversation, it sends a strong message of disrespect.

Cue Cluster: The cue cluster in which preening appears will depend on its intent. When it is designed to improve outward appearance, then eye contact will continue, a person will continue to pay attention or they will excuse themselves in order to preen. When someone wishes to use grooming in a way as to be dismissive, they will break eye contact, while feigning agreement indicators, or conversely, not even pretend to care about what the other person is saying. Other sexual cues will be present in a dating context to indicate that grooming is sexual in nature.

Body Language Category: Courtship displays, Indicators of sexual interest (IOsI), Liking, Ownership gestures, Preening.

Resources:

Cantor, Michael B. ; Smith, Stephen E. ; Bryan, Bonita R. Induced bad habits: Adjunctive ingestion and grooming in human subjects. Appetite. 1982. 3(1): 1-12.

Curtis, V., & Biran, A. (2001). Dirt, disgust, and disease: Is hygiene in our genes? Perspectives in biology
and medicine, 44(1), 17–31.

de Waal, F. (1997). The chimpanzee’s service economy: Food for grooming. Evolution & Human Behavior, 18, 375–386.

Dunbar, R. (1996). Grooming, gossip and the evolution of language. London: Faber and Faber.

Givens D. The nonverbal basis of attraction: Flirtation, courtship, and seduction. Psychiatry. 1978. 41: 346.

Hosey, Geoffrey ; Thompson, Robin. Grooming and touching behaviour in captive ring-tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta L.). Primates. 1985. 26(1): 95-98.

Hazan, C., & Shaver, P. (1987). Romantic love conceptualized as an attachment process. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 511–524.

Ingmanson, E. Cultural transmission of a communicative gesture in a captive group of bonobos (Pan paniscus).(Abstract). American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 2002. 117(4): 88(1).

Kinzey, W., & Wright, P. (1982). Grooming behavior in the titi monkey, Callicebus torquatos. American Journal of Primatology, 3, 267–275.

Nelson, Holly ; Geher, Glenn. Mutual Grooming in Human Dyadic Relationships: An Ethological Perspective. Current Psychology. 2007. 26(2): 121-140.

Rempel, J., Holmes, J., & Zanna, M. (1985). Trust in close relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 49, 95–112.

Shimooka, Yukiko ; Nakagawa, Naofumi. Functions of an unreported “rocking-embrace” gesture between female Japanese Macaques ( Macaca fuscata ) in Kinkazan Island, Japan. Primates. 2014. 55(2): 327-335.

Thompson, Kristin. Grooming the Naked Ape: Do Perceptions of Disease and Aggression Vulnerability Influence Grooming Behaviour in Humans? A Comparative Ethological Perspective. Current Psychology. 2010. 29(4): 288-296.

Wachtmeister, C. (2001). Display in monogamous pairs: A review of empirical data and evolutionary explanations. Animal Behaviour, 61(5), 861–868.

Wilkinson, G. S. (1986). Social grooming in the common vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus. Animal Behaviour, 34(6), 1880–1889.

Aggressive body language, Anger body language, Arrogance or arrogant body language, Authoritative body language, Barriers, Dominant body language, Hostile body language, Ownership gesture, Power play, Space invasion, Territorial displays, Threat displays

Body Language of Cornering and Blocking

by Chris • October 20, 2014 • 0 Comments

Body Language of Cornering and Blocking

Cue: Cornering and Blocking

Synonym(s): Door Frame Proper (The), Doorway Intimidator (The), Blocking Someone In, Hand Against The Doorway, Blocking Someone In, Preventing Someone From Leaving, Cornering Someone.

Description: The act of eliminating exits by preventing people from leaving or moving about freely. Leaning against the doorway to prevent someone from exiting or cornering someone so they can’t leave are examples. Cornering can be done with the arms, legs, tables and so forth.

In One Sentence: Blocking the exits such that people can not escape is a signal that one wishes to control and dominant a person.

How To Use it: It is generally not advised to corner and block other people as it will usually cause others to feel controlled.

One exceptions exist. Here, men can use the cornering tactic on women in a dating context to arouse. However, this should only be done under conditions where trust has been built. When done properly, cornering, such as by moving a girl into a controlled situation including for example, the corner of a room, against a countertop, table, desk, and so forth, can create sexual excitement through dominance. One should be careful to heed any verbal or nonverbal signals of disapproval, as if done against another’s wishes, will result in sexual harassment charges.

Bullies often use cornering tactics to control other people. However, I can not advise such tactics. In the right context, though, as mentioned, cornering can produce desirable sexual excitement – in fact, sexual intercourse physically requires cornering.

Blocking, on the other hand, can be used to nonverbally demarcate territory. When unwanted solicitors arrive at my door, I usually prop myself against the door jam so they understand that I am not prepared to welcome them inside. Arms and legs can be used to create boundaries and private space for which you do not want others to enter.

Context: a) Dating b) Business c) General

Verbal Translation: “I’m going to stop you from exiting the situation with my body until I’m through with you.” “I’m trying to intimidate you by blocking you in.”

Variant: See Encroaching.

Cue In Action: a) She wasn’t happy and wanted to leave but he wrapped each arm around her and pinned her against the bar so she couldn’t leave. a) In effort to seduce her, he worked her into the corner and began to make out with her. His use of force turned her on.

b) Another door-to-door salesman had just solicited him at the house. To prevent this salesman from entering, he propped himself up against the jam of the front door.

c) She was set to confront her husband about his work around the house. She cornered him while he was sitting at his desk with her arms akimbo in the doorway. She used the posture to make it clear that she was prepared to barricade his exit.

Meaning and/or Motivation: The intention of the “doorway intimidator” is to control the situation through dominance. This person will habitually corner a subject and then subject them to confrontation and intimidation.

In some cases, those who corner have sexual interests. They wish to corner in effort to seduce, but the primary motive is to prevent escape and then subject them to a high level dominance.

a) A common mistake done especially by men in dating situations whereby they cut off exit points and block women. It signals aggression, dominance and a desire to control if it’s unwanted. If it is welcomed and she finds him attractive, blocking can excite her and build intimacy through closeness and dominance.

b) In business and other general context, blocking and cornering is an exercise in control and dominance. However, when people become cornered, they become nervous or aggressive due to the fight or flight response. While dominance is achieved in the short-term, the long-term results can be toxic and produce undesirable results. This person is trying to prevent escape while they espouse their thoughts upon others. It is a high confrontation posture because it traps people.

Cue Cluster: Cornering is accompanied by an invasion of space, head lowered in a judgment posture, arms pointing, physical touching, sometimes aggressive and loud or forceful voices, encroaching on space liberally, use of the index fingers to point while speaking, and holding the arms akimbo when not propped against the exit.

Body Language Category: Arrogance or arrogant body language, Aggressive body language, Anger, Authoritative body language, Barriers, Dominant body language, Hostile body language, Ownership gestures, Power play, Space invasion, Territorial displays, 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

Argyle, M., & Dean, I. Eye contact, distance and affiliation. Sociometry, 1965, 28, 289-304.

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

Cook, M. Experiments on orientation and proxemics. Human Relations, 1970, 23, 61-67.

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

Coutts, Larrym. ; Ledden, Maribeth. Nonverbal Compensatory Reactions to Changes in Interpersonal Proximity. The Journal of Social Psychology. 1977 102(2): 283-290.

Felipe, N. Interpersonal distance and small group interaction. Cornell Journal of Social Relations, 1966, 1, 59-64.

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.

Johnson, Richard R. and Jasmine L. Aaron. Adults’ Beliefs Regarding Nonverbal Cues Predictive of Violence. Criminal Justice and Behavior. 2013. 40 (8): 881-894. DOI: 10.1177/0093854813475347.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/wanna-fight-nonverbal-cues-believed-indicate-violence/

Kenner, Andrew N. ; Katsimaglis, George. Gender differences in proxemics: taxi-seat choice. Psychological Reports. 1993 72(2): 625(2).

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. Environment and Behavior. 2013. 45(6): 737-760.

Scherer, S. E., & Schiff, M. R. Perceived intimacy, physical distance, and eye contact. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1973, 36, 835-841.

Scott, J. A. Comfort and seating distance in living rooms: The relationship of interactants and topic of conversation. Environment and Behavior, 1984, 16, 35-54.

Sommer, R. Studies in personal space. Sociometry, 1959, 22,247-260.

Sommer, R. The distance for comfortable conversation: A further study. Sociometry, 1962, 25, 111-116.

Sommer, R. Personal space: The behavioral basis of design. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 1969.

Weiss, M., & Keys, C. The influence of proxemic variables on dyadic interaction between peers. Paper presented at the meeting of the American Psychological Association; Chicago, 1975, August.

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.

Courtship display, Enthusiasm (nonverbal), Indicator Of Sexual Interest (IOsI), Ownership gesture, Power play, Space invasion, Threat displays

Body Language of Bottom Slapping or Bottom Pinching

by Chris • October 18, 2014 • 0 Comments

Body Language of Bottom Slapping or Bottom Pinching

Cue: Bottom Pinching

Synonym(s): Ass Slap, Bum Slap, Bum Pinch, Buttock Clasping

Description: A quick tap on the rear end of another person.

In One Sentence: The bottom slap is a cheeky way to show sexual intimacy or camaraderie.

How To Use it: Use the bottom slap to show your wife that you find her attractive. Women can also use the bottom slap on men they find sexually interesting. The bottom slap is also effective to build trust and companionship between men and women. Therefore, it is useful in a sporting context to build team spirit and create bonds.

Slapping someone on the bum when it is unwelcome can serve to make them uncomfortable and is therefore a power play and an assertion of dominance. This is ill advised as it can result in charges of sexual harassment.

Context: a) Dating b) General.

Verbal Translation: a) “I find you sexually attractive and am paying you an overt compliment.” a) “I own that ass and I’m touching it because I can and you are subordinate to me so you can’t object.” b) “Nice goal you scored there, now we can bond over it with an ass slap in celebration, way to go.”

Variant: Buttock clasping is a sexual display of affection usually done during copulation or while dancing. It is a firm grasping of the rear end. The rear end can be pinched rather than slapped which is universally sexual in nature.

The pinch takes on three forms and has been an Italian “pastime:” the pizzicato which is a quick tweak with the thumb and middle finger, the vivace which is more vigorous and uses several fingers and done more than once and the sostenuto which is prolonged and heavy handed with a rotation.

Cue In Action: a) A man slapped the waitress on the bum as she walked by – it was unwelcomed and was met with an ice cold glare. a) As her husband walked by without a towel after his shower his wife slapped him on the cheeks. b) After scoring a point in volleyball, the two female athletes slapped each other on the butts during a quick embrace.

Meaning and/or Motivation: Usually done by a man on a woman between husband and wife (or vice versa) or dating partners in sexually permissive cultures. At times done to strangers or between people not in a romantic relationship and therefore unwanted and considered sexual assault. It is often done between members of a sports team for bonding.

In a dating context, the bottom slap indicates ownership through touching and sends a sexual signal of interest. At times an ass slap can be seen as a threat display, aggressive in nature and even predatory if unwelcome such as between coworkers in a business setting.

In a sporting context, the bottom slap is to build team spirit and show solidarity and camaraderie. The intent of the bottom pinch or slap is not nearly as important as the feelings attached to it by the recipient and if unwelcome, is a signal of aggression and a threat display, but if welcomed, is a sign of affection and solidarity.

Cue Cluster: a) Usually combined with a cheeky or coy grin and lustful eye contact. When it is unwanted the smile might be more of a smirk with eyes cast toward the person in an objectifying fashion. b) During bonding in sports it is accompanied by other celebration such as arms up postures, excited facial expressions, and loud voices of celebration.

Body Language Category: Courtship display, Enthusiasm (nonverbal), Indicators of sexual interest (IOsI), Liking, Ownership gestures, Power play, Space invasion, Threat displays.

Resources:

Argo, J. J., Dahl, D. W., & Morales, A. C. (2006). Consumer contamination: How consumers react to products touched by others. Journal of Marketing, 70(April), 81–94.
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.

Bailenson, J.N. & Yee, N. (in press). Virtual interpersonal touch: Haptic interaction and copresence in collaborative virtual environments. International Journal of Multimedia Tools and Applications.

Bohm. 1997. Effects of interpersonal touch, degree of justification, and sex of participant on compliance with a request. The Journal of social psychology. 137: 460-469.

Curtis, Yvette ; Eddy, Lisabeth ; Ashdown, Brien K. ; Feder, Holly ; Lower, Timothy. Prelude to a coitus: Sexual initiation cues among heterosexual married couples. Sexual and Relationship Therapy. 2012. 27(4): 322-334.

Crusco, A. and C. Wetzel. 1984. The midas touch: the effects of interpersonal touch on restaurant tipping, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 10: 512–517.

Feldman, R., Singer, M.,& Zagoory, O. (2010). Touch attenuates infants’ physiological reactivity to stress. Developmental Science, 13(2), 271–278.

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

Fromme, Donald ; Jaynes, William ; Taylor, Deborah ; Hanold, Elaine ; Daniell, Jennifer ; Rountree, J. ; Fromme, Marie. Nonverbal behavior and attitudes toward touch. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. 1989. 13(1): 3-14.

Greer, Arlettee. ; Buss, Davidm. Tactics for promoting sexual encounters. Journal of Sex Research. 1994. 31(3): 185-201.

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

Gurevitch, Z. D. The Embrace: On the Element of Non-Distance in Human Relations. The Sociological Quarterly. 1990. 31(2): 187-201.

Guéguen, N. (2007). Courtship compliance: The effect of touch on women’s behavior. Social Influence, 2, 81-97.

Guéguen, N and C. Jacob 2006, Touch and consumer behavior: A new experimental evidence in a field setting, International Journal of Management 23: 24–33.

Gueguen, N. (2001a). Toucher et soumission a` une requeˆte: Re´plications expe´rimentales en situation naturelle et e´valuation de l’impact du statut. Revue Internationale de Psychologie Sociale. 2001(a). 14(3):113-158.

Gue´guen, N. (2001b). L’effet d’influence du toucher sur le comportement du consommateur: 2 illustrations expe´rimentales en exte´rieur. Direction et Gestion: La Revue des Sciences de Gestion. 2001(b). 190–191, 123–132.

Gue´guen, N., & Jacob, C. The effect of touch on tipping: An evaluation in a French’s bar. International Journal of Hospitality Management. 2005. 24(2): 295-299.
Gueguen, Nicolas; Celine Jacob; Gaelle Boulbry. The Effect of Touch on Compliance With a Restaurant’s Employee Suggestion. Hospitality Management. 2007. 26: 1019-1023.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/touching-leads-compliance-study/

Gueguen, Nicolas; Sebastien Meineri and Virginie Charles-Sire. Improving Medication Adherence by Using Practitioner Nonverbal Techniques: A Field Experiment on the Effect of Touch. Journal of Behavioral Medice. 2010. 33:466–473
DOI 10.1007/s10865-010-9277-5
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/touching-boosts-compliance-improving-medical-compliance-using-nonverbal-communication/

Hertenstein, Matthew J; Keltner, Dacher; App, Betsy; Bulleit, Brittany A; Jaskolka, Ariane R 2006. Touch Communicates Distinct Emotions. Emotion. 6(3): 528-533

Hosey, Geoffrey ; Thompson, Robin. Grooming and touching behaviour in captive ring-tailed lemurs ( Lemur catta L.). Primates. 1985. 26(1): 95-98.

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

Kaufman, D. and J. Mahoney. 1999 The effect of waitresses’ touch on alcohol consumption in dyads, The Journal of Social Psychology 139: 261–267.

Krishna, A., & Morrin, M. (2008). Does touch affect taste? The perceptual transfer of product container haptic cues. Journal of Consumer Research, 34(6), 807–818.

Kneidinger, L. M.; Maple, T. L.; Tross, S. A. 2001. Touching behavior in sport: functional components, analysis of sex differences, and ethological considerations. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 25(1): 43-62.

Kleinke, C. Compliance to Requests Made by Gazing and Touching Experimenters in Field Settings. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. 1977. 13: 218–223.

Lastovicka, J. L., & Sirianni, N. J. (2011). Truly, madly, deeply: Consumers in the throes of material possession love. Journal of Consumer Research, 38(2), 323–341.

Lynn et al., 1998 M. Lynn, J.M. Le and D. Sherwyn. 1998. Reach out and touch your customers, Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quaterly 39: 60-65

Maclaren, Kym. Touching matters: Embodiments of intimacy. Emotion, Space and Society. 2014. 13: 95-102.

Nannberg, J., & Hansen, C. Post-compliance touch: An incentive for task performance. The Journal of Social Psychology. 1994.134, 301–307.

Peck, J., & Shu, S. B. (2009). The effect of mere touch on perceived ownership. Journal of Consumer Research, 36(Oct), 434–447.

Peck, J., & Wiggins, J. (2006). It just feels good: Consumers’ affective response to touch and its influence on persuasion. Journal of Marketing, 70(Oct), 56–69.

Remland, M. S. and T. S. Jones 1995. Interpersonal Distance, Body Orientation, and Touch: Effects of Culture, Gender, and Age. Journal of Social Psychology 135(3): 281-297.

R. Stephen and R. Zweigenhaft. 1986. The effect on tipping of a waitress touching male and female customers. The Journal of Social Psychology 126 pp. 141–142.

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Smith, D. E., Gier, J. A., & Willis, F. N. 1982. Interpersonal touch and compliance with a marketing request. Basic and Applied Social Psychology. 3: 35-38.

Thompson, Erin H. and James A. Hampton. The Effect of Relationship Status on Communicating Emotions Through Touch,. Cognition and Emotion. 2011. 25(2): 295-306. DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2010.492957.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/using-touch-convey-emotion

Williams. 1993. Effects of Mutual Gaze and Touch on Attraction, Mood, and Cardiovascular Reactivity Source: Journal of Research in Personality. 27(2): 170-183.

Willis, F. N., & Hamm, H. K. 1980. The use of interpersonal touch in securing compliance. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. 5: 49-55.

Comfort body language, Courtship display, Indicator Of Sexual Interest (IOsI), Ownership gesture, Rapport or rapport building

Body Language of The Arm Over The Shoulder

by Chris • October 17, 2014 • 0 Comments

Body Language of The Arm Over The Shoulder

Cue: Arm Over The Shoulder.

Synonym(s): Shoulder Embrace.

Description: The arm is tossed over the shoulder of a friend, relative, business partner, or a date.

In One Sentence: The hand over the shoulder of another is a display of ownership.

How To Use it: Use this cue to signal dominance, control and ownership of another person. The signal can also be used to demonstrate friendship, intimacy or camaraderie. Toss your arm over another person to build friendships and trust through connectivity. Usually touching between people is reserved for high ranking people against low ranking people, or people of the same rank, so be careful how you use touching in relationships. An arm over the shoulder is particularly risky as it uses a palm down hand orientation which is dominant coupled with weight placed over the shoulders of another which is to metaphorically “push someone down.” If this is tolerated, you can assume that they are willing to “bear the weight of your friendship.” Thus, the arm over the shoulder can test friendships and desire for submission at the same time. You may experiment with this in dating (man tossing arm over the shoulder of a woman) or to test rank between friends. High ranking people will be able to use this signal with more liberty than low ranking people.

Context: a) Friendly b) Business c) Courtship

Verbal Translation: “I like you as a friend and buddy.”

Variant: A hand might be placed on the forearm, hand, or shoulder of another, to show less intimacy but still connectivity. Elderly ladies will do this when trying to connect with younger people as they work to maintain their attention.

Variant: See Hip Embrace, Full Body Hug.

Cue In Action: a) Dad and his son were joking around together. He threw his arm over his shoulder and pulled him in for a quick hug. b) An arm is tossed over the shoulder with a quick squeeze as business partners meet over beer. c) Intimate couples walk shoulder to shoulder.

Meaning and/or Motivation: The arm over the shoulder is a friendly type gesture signifying camaraderie, but also some low level of intimacy depending on the context.

The shoulder embrace might occur between adult men, or between a mother and her child, and is therefore non-sexual, non-intimate in nature.

Cue Cluster: N/A

Body Language Category: Comfort body language, Courtship display, Indicators of sexual interest (IOsI), Ownership gesture, Rapport or rapport building.

Resources:

Argo, J. J., Dahl, D. W., & Morales, A. C. (2006). Consumer contamination: How consumers react to products touched by others. Journal of Marketing, 70(April), 81–94.

Bohm. 1997. Effects of interpersonal touch, degree of justification, and sex of participant on compliance with a request. The Journal of social psychology. 137: 460-469.

Dickinson, Amy. Block That Hug: The rules on touching children have changed for parents who volunteer as coaches or tutors.(Personal Time/Your Family)(Brief Article). Time. 2000. 155(14): 142.

Feldman, R., Singer, M.,& Zagoory, O. (2010). Touch attenuates infants’ physiological reactivity to stress. Developmental Science, 13(2), 271–278.

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

Floyd, Kory. All Touches are not Created Equal: Effects of Form and Duration on Observers’ Interpretations of an Embrace. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. 1999. 23(4): 283-299.

Golden, Deborah. Hugging the Teacher: Reading Bodily Practice in an Israeli Kindergarten. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice. 2004. 10(4): 395-407.

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

Gurevitch, Z. D. The Embrace: On the Element of Non-Distance in Human Relations. The Sociological Quarterly. 1990. 31(2): 187-201.

Gulledge, Andrewk. ; Gulledge, Michelleh. ; Stahmannn, Robertf. Romantic Physical Affection Types and Relationship Satisfaction. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 2003, Vol.31(4), p.233-242

Guéguen, N. (2007). Courtship compliance: The effect of touch on women’s behavior. Social Influence, 2, 81-97.

Gurevitch, Z. D. The Embrace: On the Element of Non-Distance in Human Relations. The Sociological Quarterly. 1990. 31(2): 187-201.

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

Hansen, Jacqueline. The Truth about Teaching and Touching. Childhood Education. 2007. 83(3): 158-162.

Heino, William J. Perfect Timing for Parental Hugs.(to comfort children following medical treatment)(Brief Article). Consultant. 2000. 40(13): 2173.

Hadi, Rhonda ; Valenzuela, Ana. A meaningful embrace: Contingent effects of embodied cues of affection. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 2014, Vol.24(4), pp.520-532.

Hadi, R., and Valenzuela, A., A meaningful embrace: Contingent effects of embodied cues of affection. Journal of Consumer Psychology. 2014.
http://bodylanguageproject.com/articles/whats-in-a-nonverbal-object-caress/