![\"No](\"http:\/\/bodylanguageproject.com\/nonverbal-dictionary\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/No-pic.jpg\")
<\/a>Cue<\/strong>: Firm Handshake<\/p>\nSynonym(s)<\/strong>: N\/A<\/p>\n Description<\/strong>: A handshake that is neither too hard, nor too soft.<\/p>\n In One Sentence<\/strong>: A firm handshake is a universal signal of confidence.<\/p>\n How To Use it<\/strong>: A firm handshake should be a default condition for both men and women. Use a firm handshake especially when it is important that you are seen as competent such as in a business setting. When doing the firm handshake, make sure you are not overly aggressive, as firm does not mean that one needs to inflict pain. A proper firm handshake rarely goes unnoticed and is rewarded with a positive impression and the benefits that go along with it.<\/p>\n Context<\/strong>: General.<\/p>\n Verbal Translation<\/strong>: \u201cI show my confidence by shaking hands with just the right pressure, not too much to be overbearing and not too little to show weakness.\u201d<\/p>\n Variant<\/strong>: See Country Handshake (The)<\/a>, Cold Dead Wet Fish Handshake<\/a>, Double Gripper Politician Handshake or Double Hander (The)<\/a>, Short Grabber\/Finger Grabber Handshake<\/a>, Oddball Handshake<\/a>, Palm Up, Palm Down and Palm Even Handshakes, Stiff Arm And Thrust Forward Handshake<\/a>, Death Grip Handshake<\/a>, Wrench Forward Handshake<\/a>, Undershaker Handshake<\/a>, Wrist Hold Handshake<\/a>, Wrist Hold Handshake and Upper Arm Grip Handshake<\/a>, Limp Fish Handshake<\/a>, Teacup Handshake<\/a>, Arm Twister Handshake (The)<\/a>, Firm handshake<\/a>, Fist Bumping<\/a>.<\/p>\n Cue In Action<\/strong>: He was pleasantly surprised by the new recruit, she had a firm handshake unlike some of the others. This gave him confidence that she\u2019d do a good job.<\/p>\n Meaning and\/or Motivation<\/strong>: This is the best overall handshake as it does not appear overbearing or flaccid and weak. Positive attributes are given people who shake hands with appropriate force. When a handshake is too firm, it signals an overbearing attitude, or masks low confidence except when it is matched by a strong physique which might come from a larger athletic person.<\/p>\n Cue Cluster<\/strong>: The firm handshake is a stand-alone cue which has meaning in and of itself, however, we usually see other positive and dominant cues associated with the firm handshake.<\/p>\n Body Language Category<\/strong>: Authoritative body language, Confident body language, Dominant body language, Enthusiasm (nonverbal).<\/p>\n Resources: <\/strong><\/p>\n Astr\u00f6m, J ; Thorell, L H ; Holmlund, U ; D’Elia, G. Handshaking, personality, and psychopathology in psychiatric patients, a reliability and correlational study. Perceptual and motor skills 1993, Vol.77(3 Pt 2): 1171-86.<\/p>\n Chaplin William F.; Phillips Jeffrey B; Brown Jonathan D.; Clanton Nancy R.; Stein Jennifer L.; 2000. Handshaking, gender, personality, and first impressions Journal of personality and social psychology. 79(1): 110-117.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Dolcos, Sanda ; Sung, Keen ; Argo, Jennifer J ; Flor-Henry, Sophie ; Dolcos, Florin. The power of a handshake: neural correlates of evaluative judgments in observed social interactions. Journal of cognitive neuroscience. 2012 24(12): 2292-305.<\/p>\n Fisher, Jeffrey D.; Marvin Rytting; Richard Heslin. 1976. Hands Touching Hands: Affective and Evaluative Effects of an Interpersonal Touch. Sociometry, 39(4): 416-421. <\/p>\n Frumin, Idan; Ofer Perl; Yaara Endevelt-Shapira; Ami Eisen; Neetai Eshel; Iris Heller; Maya Shemesh; Aharon Ravia; Lee Sela; Anat Arzi and Noam Sobel. A Social Chemosignaling Function for Human Handshaking. eLife 2015. 4:e05154 Fisher, J; Rytting, M and Heslin, R. 1976. Hands touching hands: affective and evaluative effects on interpersonal touch, Sociometry 39: 416\u2013421.<\/p>\n Gueguen, Nicolas. Handshaking and Compliance With a Request \u2013 A Door-to-door Setting. Social Behavior and Personality. 2013. 41(10): 1585-1588. Greenbaum, Paul ; Rosenfeld, Howard. Varieties of touching in greetings: Sequential structure and sex-related differences. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. 1980. 5(1): 13-25.<\/p>\n Ghareeb, P.A. ; Bourlai, T. ; Dutton, W. ; McClellan, W.T. Reducing pathogen transmission in a hospital setting. Handshake verses fist bump: a pilot study. Journal of Hospital Infection. 2013. 85(4): 321-323.<\/p>\n Hiemstra, Kathleen M. Shake My Hand: Making the Right First Impression in Business With Nonverbal Communications.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included). Business Communication Quarterly. 1999. 62(4): 71.<\/p>\n Lipsitz, Rebecca (2000). “A Gripping Start.” In Scientific American (September), p. 32.<\/p>\n Morris, Desmond (1994). Bodytalk: The Meaning of Human Gestures (New York: Crown Publishers).<\/p>\n Stewart, Greg L. ; Dustin, Susan L. ; Barrick, Murray R. ; Darnold, Todd C. Zedeck, Sheldon (editor). Exploring the Handshake in Employment Interviews. Journal of Applied Psychology. 2008 93(5): 1139-1146.<\/p>\n Spezialetti, Brian D. Do’s and don’ts for winning the job interview. (laboratory technicians). Medical Laboratory Observer. 1995. 27(7): 51-53.<\/p>\n Sanda Dolcos; Keen Sung; Jennifer J. Argo; Sophie Flor-Henry and Florin Dolcos. The Power of a Handshake: Neural Correlates of Evaluative Judgments in Observed Social Interactions. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. 24; 12: 2292\u20132305. Wesson, David A. The handshake as non-verbal communication in business. (marketing technique). Marketing Intelligence & Planning. 1992. 10(9): 61(6).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Body Language of The Firm Handshake Cue: Firm Handshake Synonym(s): N\/A Description: A handshake that is neither too hard, nor too soft. In One Sentence: A firm handshake is a universal signal of confidence. How To Use it: A firm…<\/p>\n
\nDOI: http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.7554\/eLife.05154.
\nhttp:\/\/bodylanguageproject.com\/articles\/shake-hands-share-human-scent-curious-case-hand-sniffing-body-language\/<\/p>\n
\nhttp:\/\/bodylanguageproject.com\/articles\/handshakes-lead-compliance-study\/<\/p>\n
\nhttp:\/\/bodylanguageproject.com\/articles\/handshake-open-body-language-powerful-nonverbal-effect-brain\/<\/p>\n