The Body Language of Body Raising or Body Elevating
Cue: Body Raising
Synonym(s): Body Elevating, Raising The Body, Standing Tall, Erect Body Posture.
Description: Any action that raises the body in relation to others.
In One Sentence: Body raising is a way to appear more dominant and authoritative.
How To Use it: Use body raising when you want to show that you are in command of a situation. A stage is a good example of the power of raising the body. Make-shift stages in life include the front stoop of a house. To intimidate solicitors simple take on a higher body position by raising one step higher. When friends appear at your front stoop, you may wish to “level the playing field” by taking on the same step height. When gaining a height advantage is not as easily manipulated (you are short, they are tall) taking on a seated position will help create a more even level. Likewise, standing over taller people as they sit has the same effect. Whatever the case, use height to create the illusion of dominance.
Context: a) General b) Dating, c) Business
Verbal Translation: a) c) “I’m raising my body in effort to be viewed as a threat and source of authority so you listen and obey me.” b) “I’m raising my body so you see me as more attractive.”
Variant: Variants include an increase in relative height by overall body and posture, the head raised high for example, standing up from a seated position, or forcing other people to sit. See Body Lowering for opposite cue.
Cue In Action: a) Instead of asking his suspect to get out of the car, the officer, kept him in the car and peered down at him from his standing position to maintain his position of authority. b) Because he was short, he would always be sure to approach women seated rather than standing to appear more dominant.
Meaning and/or Motivation: A technique whereby a person takes a higher position relative to another to show that they wish to dominate. Status and dominance are closely related to the relative height of a person. This is why people are naturally seen as leaders when they are taller rather than when they are shorter.
Height can be artificially raised with high heels or special footwear for men, by using situation specific features such as staircases, using chairs which are taller or elevated platforms. We habitually see judges high on their bench so as to command authority over their court.
Cue Cluster: Body raising is usually associated with other dominant cues such as head held high, an upright posture, expansive movements of the arms and legs such as arms akimbo, genital framing in the cowboy pose, strong eye contact, leaning in so as to intimidate and so forth.
Body Language Category: High confidence body language, Threat displays, Dominant body language, Expansive movements, Gravity defying body language, Indicators of sexual interest (IOsI), Leadership body language, Open body language, Power play, Authoritative body language.
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