1. Beyond Words . . . Understanding and Interpreting Body Language

2. Introduction
Humans pride themselves on their seemingly unique ability to verbalize feelings and ideas.
While the mouth tells one story, gestures and posture may tell a different story.

3. Taking Gestures Out of Context
Gestures should be observed in clusters to provide a more accurate picture of person being observed
Each gesture is like a sentence
The sum total of postures and gestures relate a non-verbal story

4. “Gut Feelings”
When intuition tells you that certain people are not being straightforward even though they sound logical & appropriate
This “intuition” or gut feeling results from subconscious ability to read another person’s body language

5. Evolution and Refinement of Inherent Gestures
Behavioral scientists have found that some basic communication gestures are universal and believed to be inherent
Examples are: smiling, shrugging, nodding
Children tend to exaggerate these gestures making their body language easy to read
(See Fig. 1)

6. When children are small and tell a lie, their hands fly over their mouth.
Fig. 1

7. A teenager might “refine” this inherent gesture by simply bringing tips of fingers to the mouth
This gesture is inherent and continues to be used throughout a lifetime in more refined and varied forms.
Fig. 2

8. An adult may bring the little finger to edge of mouth.
Sometimes adults will refrain from using hands and bite lower lip, purse lips, or skew mouth from side to side.
Fig 3

9. The Palm Historically, an open palm has signified honesty, truth, allegiance, and submission.

10. Two Basic Palm Positions:
Open palm in upward position- gesture signifies appeal or request to others
Open palm facing outward or downward-a gesture that indicates desire to stop or hold something down; signal of restraint
(Fig. 4 & Fig. 5)

11. An Appeal or Request to Others
Fig. 4

12. A Desire to Stop or Hold Something Down
Fig. 5

13. Palms-up Expresses Submission
Fig. 6

14. Palms-down Expresses Authority
Fig. 7

15. Closed Palm With Extended Finger
Fig. 8
Expresses Assertiveness

16. Handshakes
Three basic attitudes are transmitted through the handshake:
Dominance
Submission
Equality

17. Dominance is shown by turning hand so that palm is facing down during the handshake.
Fig. 9

18. Submission is shown by turning hand so that palm is facing upwards during the handshake
Fig. 10

19. Equality is shown by turning palm so that it faces neither up nor downwards.
Fig. 11

20. Hybrid Handshakes

21. The “Glove” Handshake Fig. 12
-Demonstrated by initiator clasping both hands around the recipient’s hand.
-It is intended to give impression of companionship and warmth.
-Sometimes referred to as “politician’s handshake”.
Fig. 12

22. Knuckle Cruncher Handshake
-The hallmark of aggressive handshake whereby one or both participators firmly squeeze offered hand.
-Sometimes referred to as the “Texas Vice”.
-Thought to be due to socialization process which encourages boys to demonstrate their assertive, powerful, “manly” attributes.
Fig. 14

23. “Dead Fish” Handshake Fig. 15 -The hallmark of passive handshakes.
-Carries negative connotations and generally considered to demonstrate weak, apathetic, or submissive individual.
-Traditionally an acceptable handshake for women.
Fig. 15

24. Fingertip Clasp
-Occurs when one party stops short of grasping other participant’s palm and instead clasps his/her fingers.
-Sometimes happens when one party “misses his/her mark due to lack of confidence or nervousness.
-Other times, this technique is used when people want to maintain spatial distance and less intimacy.
Fig. 16

25. Straight-Arm Extension Handshake
-Initiator of this handshake will offer a straight, extended arm in greeting.
-Primary purpose is to maintain distance and formality.
-Sometimes people from rural areas who are used to keeping their distance will use this handshake.
Fig. 17

26. Fingers & Hand To Face, Head, & Neck

27. Finger(s) to Mouth Under pressure or Insecure
Fig. 27
-A signal that he/she is under pressure or feeling insecure.

28. Hand to Chin & Cheek Indifference/Boredom Gesture
Fig. 28
-Resting jaw and cheek against hand as though to support weight of head.
-The more assistance from the hand, the greater degree of boredom.

29. Gesture of Interest Fig. 30
-If the hand is closed and resting on cheek with index finger extended towards temple (and not used as head support), this indicates interest.
-Men tend to hold their head in a vertical position, whereas women tend to tilt their head when using this gesture.

30. Forming a Decision Gesture
-One hand moves to lower jaw and begins chin-stroking.
Fig. 31

31. Deceit Gestures Hand to Mouth, Ear, or Eye Hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil . . .

32. The Mouth Guard Gesture Exaggerating, lying or disbelief
Fig. 32
-When an individual’s hand covers mouth (partially or entirely).
-A signal that he/she is exaggerating or lying.
-If, however, someone covers his/her mouth while you are speaking, it indicates that listener doesn’t believe you!

33. The Nose Touch Gesture Lying
Fig. 33
-A modified version of mouth guard gesture.
-May be physiological reason for this gesture: researchers determined that lying can cause sensitive nerve endings at base of nose to tingle and itch.

34. Lowering or Rubbing the Eye Guilty or Deceiving others
Fig. 34
-A subconscious gesture that is used when a person is intentionally trying to deceive others.
-Whereas a teenager will obviously look down at his/her feet when trying to deceive, an adult might rub the corner of his/her eye which allows a break in eye contact.

35. The Ear Rub Perplexed or Doubtful
-A subconscious gesture that indicated the individual is perplexed about what he/she is hearing.
Fig. 35

36. Hand to Neck: Back Neck Rub –Frustration or Anger
Fig. 36
Has a couple of meanings:
-Sometimes people who are lying will rub back of neck while looking down and avoiding your gaze.
-Other times this gesture is a signal of frustration or anger (“pain in the neck”).

37. Hands Behind Head Superiority or Relaxed
-Clasped hands behind head is an indication that the individual is relaxed.
-If individual is also leaning back and has chin lifted, this indicates feeling of superiority or smugness.
Fig. 37

38. Language of the Arms

39. Folded Arms Response to cold or defensive or insecure
-A common posture whereby an individual will casually fold arms across the chest.
-Posture may be in response to the cold.
-More often, this posture signifies a defensive or insecure attitude.
-If both hands are tucked under armpits, this generally signifies a response to the cold.
Fig. 38

40. Folded Arms With Clenched Fists Defensive or Hostile
Fig. 39
-The clenched fists indicate defensive and hostile feelings.
-This posture might also be accompanied by clamped jaw and flushed face.

41. Arm Gripping Insecurity or Fear
This variation of arm folding usually indicates insecurity and fear
Fig. 40

42. Single Arm Cross Insecurity
Fig. 41
-Subtle version of full arm cross.
-Generally signals insecurity.

43. Language of the Hair, Head, and Face

44. Hair Twisting Nervous Distraction
Fig. 49
-This is generally a sign of nervous distraction.
-A variation of this is the twisting of a neck chain.

45. Head Tilt Interested Fig. 50
-A slight tilt of the head to one side indicates interest on that individual’s part.
-Seems to be an inherent gesture and is not limited to the human species.
-Women tend to use the head tilt gesture more than men do.
-Oftentimes, when women use this posturing in the presence of a man, it is an indication that she finds him attractive.
Fig. 50

46. Backward Head Tilt Superiority
-This gesture generally indicates a perceived superiority and (sometimes) contempt for people he/she is interacting with.
-This gesture probably gave rise to sayings like, “looking down his nose” (at someone), or “she has her nose in the air”.
Fig. 51

47. Lifted Eyebrow Unbelievable/Disapproval
Fig. 52
-When one eyebrow lifts while the other remains in the natural position, it signals skepticism.

48. Raised Eyebrows Greeting Behavior/Flirting
Fig. 53
This gesture can indicate a couple of things:
-rapid lift of both eyebrows and widening of the eyes is most often an unconscious display of greeting behavior.
-can also represent a flirting gesture; different from greeting behavior in that the raised eyebrow position is sustained slightly longer (or gesture might be accompanied by a sideways glance).

49. Wide-Eyes Surprised Fig. 54
-If this gesture is accompanied by blinking, it indicates innocence (if eyes still maintain eye contact).
-Wide eyes are also an indication of surprise.
Fig. 54

50. Nose Flare Agitated or Angry
Fig. 55
-An indication of agitation or indignation (which might border on anger).

51. Skewed Mouth Sarcasm Fig. 56
-A distorted version of the smile that indicates sarcasm.

52. Language of the Legs and Feet

53. Foot Tapping or Wagging Nervousness or Impatient
-Repetitive tapping or wagging of the foot is an indication of impatience, boredom, or nervousness.
-The redundant foot movements are said to reflect a latent desire to run away.
Fig. 47