Learning body language gestures can be a very effective social skill.  Some people can naturally determine others body language and some can’t, but with a little practice it will become relatively easy.

Body Language Gestures by Body Part

1.     Pay attention to stance.  The more distance between you, the less they care about you and your situation.  If a person is standing in a similar position as you are, this can also be a sign that they are interested in you.  To check this out, change your body position often, if they change theirs as well, they are mirroring you and are showing concern for you.

2.    If you observe a person’s head movements, you will notice a tilted head is either a sign of sympathy or, if smiling, flirtation.  A lowered head will most likely indicate that they are hiding something or they may be shy or timid; though in some other cultures it may indicate respect.  A cocked head may mean that they are either confused or challenging you.  This will depend upon the various body language gestures such as the movements of the eye, eyebrow and mouth.

3.    Look into their eyes for body language cues.  If they frequently look to the side, it will either indicate that they are nervous, distracted by something or lying.  Someone glancing down at the floor most likely indicates that they are shy and meek.  While looking into a person’s eyes, check out their pupils.  If they are dilated, the person is interested in you and what you are talking about.  Keep in mind that in some cultures, it is believed to be a sign of disrespect when you look someone directly in the eyes.

4.    People who cross their arms are sometimes simply closing themselves off from any social interaction.  Some cross their arms out of habit when they are cold or don’t know what to do with their arms, but others are demonstrating that they are uncomfortable in their current situation.  If they have crossed arms while their feet are more than shoulder width apart, this is representative of an authority figure.   In addition, if a person puts their arms behind their head or neck, they are either a laid back person or they are agreeing with what is being said.

5.    Placing your hands on your hips signifies impatience.  If the hands are clenched, it demonstrates a feeling of nervousness, anger or hostility.  There are many other common body language gestures that indicate a variety of feelings.  Pushing the hair back is one that means they are grooming, which is very common if they like you.  If they constantly push up their glasses, this could indicate they are in disagreement with what is being said.  When you see someone narrow their eyes while lowering their eyebrows, it means they are making a desperate attempt to understand what is happening; this is oftentimes a skeptical look.

6.    Body language gestures are often demonstrated through a person’s feet.  For instance, a sudden quick movement of the foot is a sign of impatience, nervousness or intimidation.   Sitting with your ankles crossed is a sign of relaxation and comfort.  In addition, whatever holds a person’s interest is usually the direction that many will turn their feet.

You should keep in mind that everyone has their own unique body language gestures.  Therefore, you shouldn’t form an opinion based exclusively on them, although many do.  No matter what activities you engage in, people are seeing your non-verbal communications.  This begins from the moment you walk out your front door.  You are conveying a message regardless of what you are doing, whether it is walking, sitting or standing.  For this reason, it is important to develop effective body language gestures as well as to strengthen our communicative signals.

There are many different types of eye movements that are possible from looking up and down to prolonged eye contact. Negotiators, psychologists and other researchers have been able to match different types of eye movements to different types of inner emotions or feelings. By being able to learn more about eye movements, researchers have been able to get a better understanding about human psychology, and movements. While these body language eye movement signals may not be true for everyone, they have been known as reliable signs of different emotions.

Lateral eye movement has been associated with shiftiness as it expresses the person’s inner desire to escape or leave the area. If not, it is also seen as a method for a person to scan the room in order to ensure that no one else is listening in on the conversation.

Eye Glances & Eye Gazes

Glances and gazes can also indicate different types of desires. For example, a quick glance at the door could indicate an inner desire to leave the room while gazing at a person can be a form of affection or admiration. Since there are many different types of gazes and glances, it is important to be able to pay close attention to a person’s specific eye movement throughout the whole conversation in order to get a good grasp of the small glances that they may be making.

Eye Contact

Eye contact between two individuals could also hint different types of expressions. In fact, eye contact is one of the most important body language eye signals that are available as it is able to connect two people that are in a conversation in a non-verbal way. Generally speaking, eye contact is used to signify acknowledgement and interest. It is a sign of personal connection which is why there is a huge emphasis placed on eye contact during communication in order to better convey emotions and feelings.

By learning the different body language eye movements that are available, it becomes a lot easier to identify all of the different emotions that a person may be attempting to convey. It helps move the conversation forward, and is definitely a crucial and important aspect in communication.

Lie Spotters Are Not Created Equal

True. Recent studies have shown that an average person has about a 54% chance of catching deception. That’s it. A tad above the flipping of a coin. But a seasoned pro, having received proper education in the field of lie spotting, can reach about 85-90% accuracy in spotting liars.

A LOT of myths and inaccurate information is out there, so I thought it would be time to settle some debates and debunk some myths about catching liars.

This Is No Pinocchio Effect

True. If you’ve ever heard that this gesture, or that facial expression, or that display is a sure sign of a lie, you’ve been misinformed. No studies have ever shown that there is one single thing that we do that is 100% indicative of a lie. Nope. Nada. Niet. In essence, there is no Pinocchio effect. It simply does not exist. Most of the myths out there, as we’ll see below are signs of stress and discomfort, but not signs of lies per say.

“A Liar Will Not Look You In The Eye”

False. This is probably the biggest myth out there. And because it’s so well known that liars will often look you straight in the eyes because of this. Denying eye contact is often a sign of discomfort, and one could say that when we lie in a high stakes situation, we are very likely to feel some kind of discomfort, but to say that a person that does not look you in the eye is lying, is false.

“A Liar Will Cover His Mouth”

False. Sure, your kids might do this when they lie to you. But a person covering their mouth is not necessarily lying. The mouth cover action is actually a sign of discomfort and can be related to stress. When we are uncomfortable, we often tend to close ourselves (we cross our arms, grab our opposing shoulders or wrists). It’s a way to protect ourselves from imminent attacks. And when we are experiencing a higher level of stress, we will resort to some kind of auto-massage, like rubbing the chin or our lips with our fingers. So when you see someone suddenly cover his mouth and start rubbing his chin, it’s probably a sign he’s uncomfortable. Now, that said, of course when we lie and we can get into trouble if we get caught, we will probably show some kind of stress and discomfort. But the hand to mouth gesture on it’s own is not a sure sign of a lie.

“Micro Expressions Are Signs Of Lies”

False. If Lie To Me‘s Cal Lightman can do it, everyone can right? Well no, wrong. Micro Expressions are not signs of lying. They are quick flashes in time of a felt, repressed emotion. In other words, they reveal how we feel. Now, if your boss tells you he’s very happy with your work, and flashes a micro-expression of disgust and contempt, you might be in trouble, but the micro expression is not a lying signal. It’s rather the fact that there is a discrepancy between the spoken words and non-verbals that can tell us there is something being hidden from us.

So please be careful when you try to some lie spotting, In for yourself from reliable sources, or else you might be totally misinformed.

* To become a true lie spotter, you can check out my video course on spotting deception and lies here.

By being able to take note of somebody’s body language, communication becomes a lot easier and effective. Generally speaking, human beings are wired to send and interpret signals that are shown through body language subconsciously; however, by being able to take in the signals consciously and look for certain body language, some people are able to communicate more effectively with others as they are able to track and progress how the communication is going, and how the other person is feeling. By being able to keep the atmosphere of the conversation in a relaxed and happy state, some people are able to better interact with others, and able to make others feel better.

90% of the Communication

Many researchers have claimed that body language and other non-verbal methods of communication comprise of over 90% of the communication that we do. This is why communication through the phone or even through email may not be as effective as both parties are unable to detect the body language that is being sent off by the other person. This can lead to misunderstandings and a tense environment if the tone of the context is being translated incorrectly.

Body language comprises of a person’s ability to express their emotions through different types of signalling; this will include emotions like joy, amusement, excitement, guilt, pride, relief, shame and more. Those who are wondering what is body language will find that it is anything that has to do with physical movement and posture of the human being. This will include any hand movements, eye movements, and even the way that a person is sitting as the body is able to convey different types of emotions. At times, when people are not saying what they mean, body language is a good indication of their true feelings and emotions.

Learn Body Language

By being able to learn and decipher body language, we are at an advantage when communicating with others as we are able to detect and understand subtle changes in their emotions. By learning body language, we are able to gauge how the conversation is going, and we are able to make subtle changes that will compensate for any problems that may be occurring as well. Excellent communicators and negotiators that are able to get a message across will pay special attention to the body language coming from everyone in order to maintain a balanced conversation.

Body Language & Lying

Body language has been known to make up over 50% of our conversations which is the reason why when learning how to catch a liar, it is important to also learn how to decipher body language. There are many different types of body language signals that have been associated with lying, and while they are not entirely guaranteed signals, many researchers studying psychology and kinesics, the study of body movement, will claim that they are quite reliable. In fact, most of these signals are looked for during interrogations, and many successful negotiators and communicators take special note of these signals when attempting to work out different kinks in contracts and problems.

Types Of Deception Signals

In order to learn how to catch a liar, it is important to first learn about the different types of body language signals that are available. This will include learning about their basic body language when relaxed and content. By being able to make comparisons between different environments, it is easier to detect subtle changes in body language signals. Not all body language signals are easy to detect, and it will require a lot of observation in order to master the skills of learning how to catch a liar.

For one, liars are generally unwilling to open up and want to leave. Their body will generally be in a blocking position meaning that it is blocked off from the accuser. The body language of a liar will generally be facing away or “closed”. This will include taking up less space and placing “blockages” in between the accuser and the one being questioned. Crossing their arms can be a huge signal of discontent.

Facial expressions will also change severely. Those who are lying tend to have a lapse in their facial expression duration with their speech. At times, what they are saying may not match what their facial expression is conveying.

Out of all of the different body language signals on how to catch a liar, eye movement is generally the easiest method of being able to tell. Our eyes are known as windows to our souls and most people who are lying will tend to have lateral eye movements indicating a sign of unease. They will normally glace at the doors or other types of exits, and will be uncomfortable in maintaining eye contact with the questioner. They may look constantly right as they are attempting to imagine different scenarios.

Body language is an essential cue in catching liars, and those who are learning how to catch a liar will want to place special emphasis on the body language that is being sent out. By learning more about the different body language signals that are out there, understanding the emotions behind verbal speech becomes a lot easier.

Body language And Childhood

There are many different types of body language signals, and human beings are designed to be able to subconsciously interpret and send off signals from birth or through their childhood; however, be consciously taking note of the body language signals that are being sent from other people, it becomes a lot easier to cater to their needs and learn more about their inner emotions. Successful communicators, negotiators, and researchers are those who have mastered the skills of understanding body language signals in order to communicate with other people.

Depending on the person’s attitude towards you, there will be different types of body language signals that are being sent off. Those who feel open and comfortable will generally open up their body towards you, and be able to better provide you with the type of affection and physical connection that is needed in a conversation. They are facing towards you indicating that their attention is focused on you, and they will generally have their arms at their side instead of crossed. By opening up their body to you, they are trying to send out signals of approval and acknowledgement.

However, those who are uncomfortable with your presence or uncomfortable or unhappy talking to you will normally shy their bodies away. These body language signals are known as blocking as they are attempting to block themselves from you. This will include crossing their arms, facing away from you, or moving their body away from you. By showing a lack of affection through their body language, they are subconsciously trying to convey the image of disinterest.

Emotions Through Body Language

Body language signals can also be used to identify the emotions of those close to you. By having a huge exposure to their standard behavior and actions, it is possible to identify subtle changes in the body language to better understand their inner emotions and feelings. This can include any type of physical movement from hand movement to facial movement to eye movement. By taking note of the facial features and expressions of a person, it becomes easy understanding the emotions behind their speech. It is an even better indication of their inner emotions in comparison to their speech as body language signals are generally harder to control and is done subconsciously. Verbal speech can be altered by a person’s consciousness.

There are many different types of body language signals, and by keeping note of the type of body language that a person is displaying, it becomes a lot easier learning about their emotions, and their feelings. Successful communication is done through body language, and it is an essential component in communication.

Lead author, Dr. Trevor Dodds maintains, “this research demonstrates that virtual reality technology can help us gain a greater understanding of the role of body gestures in communication. We show that body gestures carry extra information when communicating the meaning of words. Additionally, with virtual reality technology we have learned that body gestures from both the speaker and listener contribute to the successful communication of the meaning of words. These findings are also important for the development of virtual environments, with applications including medical training, urban planning, entertainment and telecommunication.”

Read Full Article

1. When shaking hands, look directly into the other person’s eyes.

2. Smile.

3. Stand when being introduced to someone and when extending your hand.

4. Make sure your right hand is free to shake hands. Always shift any briefcases, papers, beverages or cell phones to your left hand before you begin the greeting so you handshaking hand is ready for action.

5. Keep your body squared off to the other person – facing him or her fully.

6. Make sure you have palm-to-palm contact and that the web of you hand touches the web of the other person’s. Research with salespeople indicates that if customers don’t get this full palm contact, they wonder what the other person is hiding. If so, they may remain uncomfortable for the rest of the interaction and less likely to purchase.

Read Full Article