Body Language

A Framework for Understanding
1. Like any other species, we are dominated by biological rules that control our actions, reactions, body language and gestures. 2. The fascinating thing is that the human animal is rarely aware of his postures, movements and gestures that can tell one story while his voice may be telling another.
Gesture cluster
Like any other language, body language consists of words, sentences and punctuation. Each gesture is like a single word and a word may have several different meanings. It is only when you put the word into a sentence with other words that you can fully understand its meaning. Gestures come in sentences and invariably tell the truth about a persons feelings or attitudes.
Cultural misinterpretation of gestures can produce embarrassing results and that a persons cultural background should always be considered before jumping to conclusions about his or her body language or gestures.
Research shows that non-verbal signals carry about five times as much impact as the verbal channel and that, when the two are incongruent, people rely on the nonverbal message; the verbal content may be disregarded.
For example:
We often see a high ranking politician standing behind a lectern with his arms tightly folded across his chest (defensive) and chin down (critical or hostile), while telling his audience how receptive and open he is to the ideas of young people.
Observation of gesture clusters and congruence of the verbal and non-verbal channels are the keys to accurate interpretation of body language.
Most of the basic communication gestures are the same all over the world.
When people are happy they smile; when they are sad or angry they frown or scowl. The evolutionary origin of some gestures can be traced to our primitive animal past. Baring the teeth is derived from the act of attacking and is still used by modern man in the form of a sneer.
The shoulder shrug is also a good example of a universal gesture that is used to show that a person does not know or understand what you are talking about.
Nodding the head is almost universally used to indicate yes or affirmation. Shaking the head from side to side to indicate no or negation is also universal
Intimate Zone (6 to 18 inches) 1. far the most important as it is this zone that a person guards as if it were his own property. 2. Only those who are emotionally close to that person are permitted to enter it.
Personal Zone (18 to 48 inches) 1. This is the distance that we stand from others at cocktail parties, office parties, social functions and friendly gatherings.
Social Zone (4 to 12 feet) 1. We stand at this distance from strangers, people we may not know very well.
Public Zone (over 3.6 metres or 12 feet) 1. Whenever we address a large group of people, this is the comfortable distance at which we choose to stand.
man has his own personal portable air bubble that he carries around with him and its size is dependent on the density of the population in the place where he grew up.
Appropriate distance for just casual chatting
The womans space is being encroached upon so shes getting uncomfortable and is sending negative signals.
Palm gestures
The open palm has been associated with truth, honesty, allegiance and submission.
One of the most valuable ways of discovering whether someone is being open and honest or not is to look for palm displays. In day-to-day encounters, people use two basic palm positions. 1. The first has the palm facing upwards and is characteristic of the beggar asking for money or food. 2. The second has the palm facing down as if it is holding down or restraining.
Let me be completely honest with you!
Submissive palm position

It is used as a submissive, non-threatening gesture, reminiscent of the pleading gesture.
Dominant palm position

When the palm is turned to face downwards, you will have immediate authority. The person to whom you have directed the request feels that he has been given an order.
Aggressive palm position

The pointed finger is one of the most irritating gestures that a person can use while speaking, particularly when it beats time to the speakers words.
Shaking hands
Shaking hands is a relic of the caveman era. Whenever cavemen met, they would hold their arms in the air with their palms exposed to show that no weapons were being held or concealed.
1.Taking the control 2.Giving the control 3.Equals
Rubbing the palms together

a way in which people non-verbally communicate positive expectation
Thumb and Finger Rub

Rubbing the thumb against the fingertips or against the index finger is commonly used as a money expectancy gesture.
Hands clenched together

a frustration gesture, signalling that the person was holding back a negative attitude.
Gripping hands, arms and wrists

Super confident gesture
It also allows the person to expose his vulnerable stomach, heart and throat regions to others in an unconscious act of fearlessness.
The upper arm grip

a signal of frustration and an attempt at selfcontrol. Interestingly, the further the hand is moved up the back, the more angry the person has become.
The mouth guard

If the person who is speaking uses this gesture, it indicates that he is telling a lie. If, however, he covers his mouth while you are speaking, it indicates that he feels you are lying!
This gesture continues to be used throughout the individuals lifetime, usually varying only in the speed at which it is done.
1. Child is lying 2. An adolescent is lying 3. An adult is lying
The same gesture has changed with age.
Nose touching
In essence, it is a sophisticated, disguised version of the mouth guard gesture.
as the negative thought enters the mind, the subconscious instructs the hand to cover the mouth, but, at the last moment, in an attempt to appear less obvious, the hand pulls away from the face and a quick nose touch gesture is the result.
The eye rub

this gesture is the brains attempt to block out the deceit, doubt or lie that it sees or to avoid having to look at the face of the person to whom he is telling the lie.
Men usually rub their eyes vigorously and if the lie is a big one they will often look away, normally towards the floor.
Women use a small, gentle rubbing motion just below the eye
The ear rub
This is the sophisticated adult version of the hands-over-both-ears gesture used by the young child.
Bending the entire ear forward to cover the earhole is a signal that the person has heard enough or may want to speak.
Standard Arm-Cross Gesture

Both arms are folded together across the chest as an attempt to hide from an unfavourable situation.
Most people will take an arms folded position when they disagree with what they are hearing.
Remember: As long as this gesture remains, the negative attitude remains.
The Standard Leg-Cross Position

crossed legs are a signal that a negative or defensive attitude may exist.
When the crossed legs gesture is combined with crossed arms, the person has withdrawn from the conversation.
GAZE
only when you see eye to eye with another person that a real basis for communication can be established
The Business Gaze

By keeping your gaze directed at this area, you create a serious atmosphere and the other person senses that you mean business. Provided that your gaze does not drop below the level of the other persons eyes, you are able to maintain control of the interaction.
The Social Gaze

during social encounters the gazers eyes also look in a triangular area on the other persons face, in this case between the eyes and the mouth.
The Intimate Gaze

The gaze is across the eyes and below the chin to other parts of the persons body.
Head Positions
Neutral head position
The first is with the head up and is the position taken by the person who has a neutral attitude about what he is hearing. The head usually remains still and may occasionally give small nods.
Interested Head Position

When the head tilts to one side it shows that interest has developed
Disapproving Head Position

When the head is down, it signals that the attitude is negative and even judgmental

Body Language

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A Framework for Understanding

Appropriate distance for just casual chatting

Let me be completely honest with you!

Submissive palm position

Dominant palm position

Aggressive palm position

1.Taking the control 2.Giving the control 3.Equals

Rubbing the palms together

Thumb and Finger Rub

Hands clenched together

Gripping hands, arms and wrists

The upper arm grip

The mouth guard

In essence, it is a sophisticated, disguised version of the mouth guard gesture.

The eye rub

The ear rub

Standard Arm-Cross Gesture

Remember: As long as this gesture remains, the negative attitude remains.

The Standard Leg-Cross Position

The Business Gaze

The Social Gaze

The Intimate Gaze

Interested Head Position

Disapproving Head Position

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