How To Read Body Language - Full Body Language Guide (Compilation)
Summary
TLDRThis guide delves into the nuances of body language, crucial for enhancing social interactions and relationships. It covers spatial distancing, territorial stances, and various gestures that indicate confidence, discomfort, or deception. From leg movements to facial expressions, it provides insights into reading personal space, stress signals, and confidence cues, drawn from Joe Navaro's 'Dictionary of Body Language,' empowering viewers to improve their social skills.
Takeaways
- 😌 **Spatial Distancing**: Personal space is crucial and varies based on culture, personal preference, and relationships. Violations of this space can lead to discomfort.
- 🦵 **Territorial Stances**: Using legs to claim territory can signal confidence, often seen in positions of power like police officers and military personnel.
- 🚶♂️ **Walking Behaviors**: The way someone walks can reveal their confidence or intentions, with exaggerated hip or shoulder movements indicating different emotions.
- 🛋️ **Sitting Postures**: The space between one's legs while sitting can indicate confidence levels, with open legs showing more confidence and closed legs indicating insecurity.
- 🔒 **Ankles Locking**: Sudden locking of ankles in a formal setting can be a sign of restraint or discomfort, often related to controversial topics.
- 🤲 **Knee Clasp**: This gesture, especially while leaning back, is a sign of high stress and nervousness, often seen in interviews and interrogations.
- 🚶♀️ **Foot Movements**: Various foot movements like jumping, dragging feet, or foot tapping can indicate a range of emotions from joy to impatience.
- 🤝 **Touch Dynamics**: Higher status individuals often touch lower status individuals more, indicating social hierarchy and comfort levels in relationships.
- 🤔 **Thinking Gestures**: Actions like massaging the collar bone or pressing on the solar plexus can indicate vulnerability or a need for self-soothing.
- 🤗 **Hugging**: Hugging is a universal sign of closeness and positive emotions, often used in greetings or farewells, with variations indicating the depth of the relationship.
Q & A
What is the significance of spatial distancing in body language?
-Spatial distancing is crucial as it reflects a person's need for personal space, which can indicate discomfort when violated. The range of personal space varies based on culture, personal preference, and the relationship between individuals.
How do different spatial zones indicate comfort levels with strangers and acquaintances?
-Public spaces, ranging from 12 to 25 feet apart, are the average comfort zone for complete strangers, while social spaces, ranging from 4 to 12 feet apart, are for acquaintances.
What does the positioning of a person's legs indicate about their confidence level?
-The further apart a person's feet are, the higher the level of confidence they have in themselves, often seen in people with positions of power like police officers and military personnel.
Why might someone angle their body to the side during a conversation?
-Angling the body to the side during a conversation can reduce feelings of confrontation and make the speaker feel more at ease, leading to better reception by the other party.
What does it mean when someone locks their ankles while sitting in a formal setting?
-Ankle locking in a formal setting usually indicates restraint or discomfort, possibly due to hesitance to speak up or because of the discussion of controversial topics.
How can the position of a person's legs while sitting in public reflect their confidence?
-Open legs while sitting in public indicate more confidence, while closed legs suggest insecurity or discomfort.
What is the meaning of leg draping and what does it signify about a person's comfort level?
-Leg draping, where a person hangs their leg over objects or even other people, is often used by those who feel extremely confident and comfortable in their environment.
What does it imply when someone's feet suddenly stop moving?
-Frozen feet, when someone's feet suddenly stop moving, is usually a freeze response indicating fear or feeling threatened.
How can the direction of a person's feet indicate their level of comfort or interest?
-Feet pointing towards someone can indicate attraction or interest, while feet turning away can signal discomfort or a desire to leave the interaction.
What is the purpose of touching one's collar bone area and what does it reveal about a person's emotional state?
-Massaging the collar bone area is often done when someone feels vulnerable or stressed, as it provides a sense of security and helps to calm them down.
What does it mean when someone's belly area is turned towards another person during interaction?
-Turning the belly area towards another person during interaction is a sign that the individual is feeling comfortable or interested in the person they are interacting with.
Outlines
🧍♂️ Spatial Distancing and Territorial Stances
This paragraph discusses the importance of personal space and how it varies based on culture, personal preference, and relationships. It outlines different zones such as public, social, personal, and intimate spaces, and how they are perceived in social interactions. The paragraph also covers territorial stances, where people use their legs to claim territory, and how this can be a sign of confidence, especially in authoritative figures. It further explains how encroaching on someone's personal space can lead to discomfort and potentially be used as a tactic to intimidate.
🚶♀️ Walking Behaviors and Seating Positions
This section delves into the body language cues conveyed through walking behaviors and sitting positions. It explains how exaggerated hip movements can signal sex appeal, while shoulder movements might indicate confidence. The space between one's legs while sitting is highlighted as a sign of confidence or insecurity, with open legs suggesting more confidence. The paragraph also touches on sudden changes in spacing, ankle locking as a sign of restraint, and various leg positions like leg draping, leg rubbing, and leg shaking, each conveying different emotional states.
🤲 Upper Body Gestures and Defensive Positions
This paragraph explores various upper body gestures and their meanings. It starts with the palm on chest gesture, which can indicate sincerity or deception depending on the force and finger positioning. The collar bone massage and hand raking of the chest are discussed as signs of vulnerability or stress. The paragraph also covers behaviors like pulling clothing to ventilate, playing with clothing, and leaning away as indicators of discomfort or disagreement. It concludes with descriptions of mirroring, rigid sitting, and the ejection seed effect, all of which convey different levels of comfort and stress.
🤰 Belly Movements and Hip Actions
This section focuses on belly movements and hip actions as indicators of emotional states. It mentions how pregnant women might cover their belly when feeling threatened and how hip shifting can be a sign of boredom or stress. The paragraph also discusses hip rubbing and rocking as pacifying movements or signs of nervousness. It highlights the 'hips out' stance as a way to grab attention and 'genital framing' as a dominance display. The paragraph concludes with a discussion on the significance of touch in determining social hierarchy and relationships.
🤲 Hand Gestures and Object Interaction
This paragraph examines hand gestures and how they can convey confidence, submission, or stress. It starts with the hand steepling gesture, often seen as a sign of confidence, and moves on to the palms up gesture, which can indicate a desire to be accepted or believed. The paragraph also covers hand movement restrictions, which might suggest lying or shyness, and hand ringing, a sign of negative emotions. It concludes with a discussion on surrogate touching and object placement, explaining how these actions can reveal a person's emotional state or intentions.
🤞 Finger Gestures and Arm Positions
This section delves into the subtleties of finger gestures and arm positions. It discusses the 'okay' sign and its varying meanings across cultures, the 'thumb' gesture used by politicians, and the reluctance to touch with palms, which might indicate underlying issues. The paragraph also covers the significance of raising one shoulder, holding shoulders high, and shoulder shrugging as signs of confidence or lack thereof. It concludes with a discussion on arm crossing, which can indicate self-hugging, protection, self-restraint, or dislike.
🤷♂️ Shoulder and Elbow Movements
This paragraph focuses on shoulder and elbow movements as non-verbal cues. It explains how shoulder rubbing can be a stress-relief behavior, while shoulder widening can make someone appear more confident and powerful. The paragraph also discusses the 'please why not' movement, bowing as a sign of respect, and how hugging is a universal sign of closeness. It concludes with a discussion on arm positioning, such as arms against the body, arms elevated, and arms held behind the back, each conveying different emotional states.
🤦♀️ Body Language and Emotional States
This final paragraph emphasizes the importance of body language in conveying emotional states. It discusses how people might expose their armpits as a sign of comfort or romantic interest, and how goosebumps or standing hairs can indicate fear or sickness. The paragraph also highlights excessive sweating as a potential sign of stress or deception. It concludes with a recommendation to practice reading body language by watching videos without text, focusing on the actors' emotional cues.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Body Language
💡Spatial Distancing
💡Territorial Stances
💡Leg Movements
💡Knee Clasp
💡Foot Tapping
💡Mirroring
💡Dominance Displays
💡Pacifying Behaviors
💡Positive Emotions
💡Negative Emotions
Highlights
Understanding spatial distancing is crucial for personal comfort and varies based on culture, personal preference, and relationship.
Public spaces of 12 to 25 ft are the average comfort zone for strangers, while intimate spaces under 1 ft are reserved for partners.
Territorial stances, such as feet positioning, can indicate confidence levels and are often seen in authoritative figures.
Invading personal space can lead to discomfort and is sometimes used as a tactic to intimidate.
Approaching others at a slight angle in conversations can reduce confrontational feelings.
Walking behaviors, such as exaggerated hip or shoulder movements, can convey confidence or intent.
Leg positions while sitting can indicate confidence or insecurity, with open legs signifying more confidence.
Ankles locking in formal settings can be a sign of restraint or discomfort.
Knee clasping while leaning back is often seen in stressful situations like interviews.
Crossing legs can create a barrier and is a defensive position indicating discomfort.
Leg draping is a sign of extreme confidence and comfort in one's environment.
Leg shaking is often a sign of restlessness or anxiety, but can also be a habitual behavior.
Jumping is a universal sign of joy and is often seen in response to positive news or achievements.
Foot dragging can indicate impatience or nervousness in a seated position.
Ankle scratching is a pacifying movement often seen in high-stress situations.
Frozen feet or sudden stops in foot movement can be a response to fear or feeling threatened.
Foot turning away or towards an exit can signal discomfort or a desire to leave a situation.
Toe pointing inward may indicate shyness or vulnerability, while pointing up can signify positive emotions.
Bouncy feet are associated with strong positive emotions like excitement or sudden joy.
Foot tapping can indicate impatience, a habit, or a response to music.
Pacing is often a sign of deep thought or dealing with a very stressful situation.
Legs and feet moving non-stop can be a sign of serious distress, such as shock or a panic attack.
Deep breaths taken rapidly can indicate stress, fear, or anger, depending on the context.
Shallow breaths taken rapidly are often a sign of fear or anxiety.
Pressing on the solar plexus can have a pacifying effect and is used to gauge stress levels.
Placing a palm on the chest can indicate sincerity, but the force and position can differ between honest and deceptive individuals.
Massaging the collarbone area can provide a sense of security and help calm down in stressful situations.
Playing with clothing can be a pacifying behavior or a sign of nervousness.
Leaning away during a conversation can indicate disagreement or discomfort.
Mirroring body language, especially with the torso, can suggest comfort and agreement.
Rigid sitting or a statue-like pose can indicate fear or a freeze response.
Slouching can show a lack of care or interest in what is being said.
Doubling over can indicate emotional turmoil or a response to bad news.
The fetal position is a sign of extreme negative emotions and is used to cope with stress.
Hip shifting or rubbing can indicate stress, boredom, or tiredness.
Genital framing is a dominance display used to appear bigger and stronger.
Higher status individuals tend to touch lower status individuals more often, indicating social hierarchy.
Hand gestures like hand steepling can indicate confidence and are often seen in positions of power.
Palms up is a gesture used to show acceptance or belief, commonly seen in public speaking.
Palms down with a downward movement can indicate conviction or honesty.
Restricting hand movements can be a sign of lying, shyness, or anxiety.
Interlacing fingers with thumbs up can indicate high confidence, similar to hand steepling.
Thumbs touching and twirling can be a pacifying behavior used when feeling anxious or stressed.
Finger closeness or closing gaps between fingers can indicate fear or concern.
Holding onto furniture can be a sign of doubt or insecurity, especially when declaring something.
Clinging behavior, like holding onto clothing, can indicate a need for security and comfort.
Pointing with a finger can be perceived as aggressive or accusatory, whereas using an open hand is more respectful.
Massaging a closed fist can indicate extreme worry or stress, often seen in high-stakes situations.
Interlacing fingers and pushing palms can be a stress-relief gesture, often seen after traumatic experiences.
Hand on leg with elbow out can be a sign of high confidence and a territorial display.
Namaste is a formal greeting showing respect, commonly used in South Asian countries.
Transcripts
welcome to the ultimate body language
guide being able to read body language
is crucial when it comes to making you
friends and deepening your existing
relationships so I've decided to create
this series where we go over hundreds of
movements with real live actors to help
you improve your social skills all of
this information is taken directly from
the dictionary of Body Language by Joe
Navaro please support him and his work
by checking out his book with that being
said let's begin spatial distancing
everyone has a need for personal space
if this space is violated by someone who
is not of the appropriate Comfort level
you will be able to see signs of
discomfort the range of this space
depends on the culture personal
preference and also the relationship
between the people within the space
public spaces which range from 12 to 25
ft apart is the average comfort zone for
complete strangers social spaces which
range from 4 to 12 ft apart is for
acquaintances personal spaces which
range from 1 to 4 ft is for close
friends and family members and finally
intimate spaces which is anything under
one foot is something that people feel
comfortable sharing with their Partners
territorial stances we use our legs to
claim territory this opens ourselves up
to being challenged which is why the
further apart the feet the higher the
levels of confidence this person will
have in themselves often seen in people
with positions of power like police
officers and Military territorial
challenge getting too close into
someone's personal space without the
proper amount of report leads to
feelings of discomfort sometimes this is
purposely done in order to intimidate
and provoke the other individual which
is why you will often see this being
used before a fight angling to the side
face-to-face conversations can create a
feeling of Confrontation which is why
most socially Adept individuals will
approach and talk to others at a slight
angle doing this allows you to be better
received by the other party walking
behaviors you can tell a lot from the
way someone walks some people will
purposely walk and exaggerate the
movement of their hips to increase sex
appeal While others will have
exaggerated movements in their shoulders
to show confidence legs sitting the
space between one's legs while they are
sitting in public gives an accurate
representation of how confident they are
currently feeling open legs means more
confidence while closed legs is a sign
of insecurity beyond the lookout for
sudden changes in spacing as that will
show you what's really happening within
them and also keep in mind that in some
places is keeping your legs close
together while sitting can just be
proper social etiquette ankles locking
when people suddenly lock their feet in
a formal setting this is usually a sign
of restraint they might feel hesitant to
say something or they might be feeling
uncomfortable this often happens when
something controversial is brought up
ankles locking a around chair some
people do this all the time but if You
observe someone suddenly doing this
during an interaction this is usually a
powerful indicator that something is
very wrong this can also be a freeze
response which refers to the fight
flight freeze responses that we all have
when confronted with fear knee clasp
while leaning back often seen during
interviews and interrogations this is a
sign of high levels of stress and
nervousness knee clasping while leaning
forward this is a clear signal that
someone is looking to leave try not to
do this when interacting with other
people that you want to build rapport
with cross in leg to create a barrier
this is a defensive position it is a
sign that someone is uncomfortable you
must observe which leg is being used to
create the barrier if it is the leg
closer to you then it is a clear sign
that you may be the one causing this
reaction leg draping this is when you
hang your leg over other objects
including chairs tables and sometimes
other people often used by people who
feel extremely confident and comfortable
in the current environment leg rubbing
this is when we rub the upper part of
our thighs with our hands this is a
pacifying behavior that is used to calm
ourselves down in high stress situations
knee rubbing slightly different from leg
rubbing as you are rubbing or scratching
the spot above your knee instead of the
upper thigh this can either be a sign of
excitement or it can be a pacifying
behavior like leg rubbing leg shaking
people will often shake their legs and
ankles when they are feeling restless or
anxious but it's also very important to
note that many people do this out of
habit knee hugging this is often used by
kids and teenagers to comfort themselves
it can be used to deal with negative
emotions but it can also be used simply
as a comfortable way to sit standing
with legs crossing this is a sign that
someone feels comfortable with their
current environment if you see someone
uncross their legs from this position
this is usually a sign that they
suddenly feel less comfortable even if
it's only slightly leg kicking while
sitting usually used to shake off
discomfort while sitting can occur with
just one or both legs the more intense
the level of discomfort the more intense
the kicking jumping when someone jumps
outside of a sport setting it is almost
always a sign of Joy it means that they
are feeling extremely happy often seen
when accomplishing something great or
hearing amazing news dragging feet this
is often used while sitting this is a
sign that someone is feeling impatient
it is sometimes used when people feel
nervous ankle scratching similar to leg
and knee rubbing ankle scratching is a
pacifying movement used to comfort
yourself this is often seen in high
stress situations Frozen feet this is
when someone's feet suddenly stops
moving this is usually a freeze response
that we use when we are scared or feel
threatened foot withdrawing when you
notice someone suddenly doing this it is
almost always a sign that they are
feeling more uncomfortable something has
just happened that triggered this
movement playing footsies people will
bump into the feet of those they are
attracted to if it happens just once it
may be an accident but if it happens
multiple times in a short period of time
it is usually a sign of Interest foot
turning away when someone turns a single
foot away from the person they are
talking to this is a sign that they are
getting ready or want to leave this
might mean that they are starting to
become more and more uncomfortable with
the situation both feet turning away if
both feet are turned towards the nearest
exit or away from someone they are
interacting with this is a clear sign
that they dislike this person or
something about the interaction they are
currently having toes pointed inward
when someone makes this movement it is
usually because they are starting to
feel shy or vulnerable toes pointing up
this movement just like jumping falls
under the category of gravity defying
movements which are usually a sign that
someone is currently feeling positive
emotions bouncy feet this is a movement
that people make when they experience
strong positive emotions such as
excitement or intense sudden Joy poker
players who get amazing hands will often
be seen making this movement foot
tapping this can mean many things for
example it might just mean someone is
tapping along with some music others
have a habit of doing this to Simply
pass the time similar to leg shaking and
finally this is also SE seen when we are
becoming impatient pacing when someone
walks back and forth this is usually a
sign that they're thinking extremely
hard about something or that they are
dealing with a very stressful situation
feet pointing towards someone people
unconsciously move towards things that
they desire if someone is sitting or
standing stationary with someone that
they have a crush on you'll notice that
their feet will Point towards that
person leg Tantrums this is when someone
makes large erratic mov movements with
their feet it is usually a sign of
extreme anger and frustration foot stops
this is usually done in one or two stops
this is a sign that someone is extremely
irritated it is often done loudly to get
the attention of someone it's basically
like saying hey you're pissing me off
toe wiggling this is usually a sign that
someone is feeling positive emotions but
it is also used by some people to Simply
pass the time shoe dangling this is
something that women do more often than
men and it is usually a sign of extreme
Comfort this may also be seen on dates
when feeling attracted to the other
person agitated legs and feet when
someone's legs and feet are moving
non-stop rapidly and uncontrollably it
might be a sign that something is
seriously wrong it could be drugs shock
after witnessing something traumatic or
even a panic attack if you do not see
them calming down then it might be best
to call for help deep breath rapid
breathing the this is when someone takes
large breath rapidly this is usually a
sign of stress fear or even anger
however this depends on the situation if
your friend just finished a set at the
gym it would be normal to see him or her
breathe like this shallow breath rapid
breathing on the other hand if someone
is taking shallow breaths rapidly it is
usually a sign of fear or anxiety the
more shallow the breathing the more
anxiety this person is currently feeling
if you see someone doing this you can
instruct them to take large breaths
slowly this will help calm them down
pressing on solar plexus this is when
someone presses on the solar plexus with
their fingers this area is filled with
many nerves and creates a pacifying
effect when pressed on you can gauge how
stressed out someone is by how hard
they're pushing on this area Palm on
chest this is when someone places their
Palm on their chest this is used to show
that they are feeling sincere about what
they're saying however Joe Navaro makes
a note that both the honest and
deceptive will use this honest people
will tend to do this with more force
with their fingers wide apart while
deceptive people will do this less
forcefully and with the fingertips
touching instead of the entire Palm
collar bone massage this is when someone
massages the collar bone area on the
opposite side of their body with their
hand this is often done when someone
feels vulnerable or stressed as the hand
being drawn across the chest provides a
sense of security massaging the collar
bone area also helps calm you down hand
raking of chest this is when you go back
and forth on the upper area of your
chest with your hand in a rake like
position where the fingers are curled up
like a rake this is a very good
indicator of anxiety it is often seen
during a panic attack pulling clothing
to ventilate this is when someone pulls
on their clothing to move the air
trapped underneath this is usually done
when someone feels hot which could be
because of the weather but it could also
be a sign that something is wrong when
something suddenly happens that causes
us to feel stressed our body temperature
tends to rise quickly in these
situations we might try to ventilate in
order to relieve the stress and cool
ourselves down body chill now it's
important to note that some people
actually get colder during stressful
situations this happens because the
blood that usually goes to the skin is
redirected towards the muscles instead
playing with clothing this is when
someone plays on their zipper or the
strings on their clothing near the
midsection of their body this is a
pacifying behavior often used when
things are tense or when someone feels
nervous it is also seen when someone is
simply bored leaning away this is when
you're interacting with another person
and they lean away from you during the
conversation if you are sitting very
close to this person this movement can
be very subtle this is usually a sign of
disagreement and is often seen during
talk shows where someone says something
that the other person does not agree
with sitting back this is when someone
pushes their chair back while sitting
and leans back away from the others at
the table this movement is often seen
when someone needs to think about
something if this happens during a group
discussion it can mean that this person
wants to sit out of the conversation for
a bit and think it could also be a sign
that they don't support what is
currently being discussed in the
conversation you will have to look at
their facial expressions to try and
gauge this sitting forward this is when
someone leans forward while sitting down
during an interaction this is usually an
indicator that they are ready to to
agree on something that they've made up
their mind and that they are ready to
move forward however you need to be
careful with this sign during your own
interactions if you lean forward too
much or too early on this can often be
taken as a sign that you are too
invested or too eager it makes you seem
a bit desperate which can be extremely
detrimental when it comes to
negotiations and even dating belly away
the belly area is one of the most
vulnerable places which is why we will
often turn this area away away from
someone if they are making us feel
uncomfortable if you see someone doing
this it can be a sign that they disagree
with what's being said belly towards on
the other hand when we like someone we
will turn our belly area towards them
this is usually a sign that someone is
feeling comfortable or interested in the
person they're interacting with if
you're interacting with a stranger you
can tell if you are building Rapport by
observing whether or not they move their
belly area towards you as time goes on
if it's been like 30 minutes and the
belly area is is still facing away from
you this is usually a sign that they
want you to leave belly covering this is
when someone covers their belly area
with an object it could be a bag a
pillow or even their hand this is
usually done when someone feels scared
or vulnerable mirroring this is when
someone mirrors the body language of the
person they are interacting with most of
the time mirroring is done unconsciously
using the Torso area you will often see
people leaning the same way this is
usually a sign that both individuals
feel comfortable with each other it can
also suggest that they are in agreement
with what's being said rigid sitting
this is when someone sits upright and
barely moves sort of like a statue this
is a freeze response where the person is
so afraid that they can't even move
often seen during interrogations and
interviews ejection seed effect this is
when someone sits in a chair and grips
onto the armrest tightly as if they were
about to be ejected out of a fighter jet
this is also a free response and is a
sign that this person is extremely
scared slouching this is when someone
intentionally slouches more while
interacting with another it is often
used to show others that they don't
really care about what's being said you
should avoid this in formal settings
doubling over this is when someone bends
over at the waist while sitting or
standing as if they were experiencing
stomach pain this is a sign that this
person is currently experiencing a lot
of emotional turmoil often seen when
someone receives extremely bad news
fetal position this is when someone
brings their knees up to their chest and
curls up into a ball either sitting up
or laying down this is a sign that the
person is currently experiencing extreme
negative emotions and is used to help
deal with the stress belly movements
pregnant if a pregnant woman feels
threatened or scared she will
instinctively cover her belly instead of
covering her throat in order to protect
the fetus pregnant women will also rub
their belly as a way to deal with
discomfort scientists have even found
that doing so releases oxytocin also
known as the love hormone which serves
as a pacifying movement hip shifting
this is when someone Wiggles their butt
usually done while sitting this is often
used while feeling bored or stressed out
it could also be a sign that they are
simply tired of sitting for so long
according to Joe Navaro this movement is
often seen during debates when a
participant gets too emotional and is
used to calm themselves down hip rubbing
this is when someone rubs the side of
their hips up and down this is you
usually a sign that they're feeling
nervous it's a pacifying movement but
they could also simply be dealing with
some sweaty hands hip rocking this is
when someone rocks back and forth while
sitting this is usually a sign that the
person is experiencing severe stress
such as a death of a loved one hip sway
on the other hand if the hips are being
moved left to right instead of back and
forth this is usually a sign of boredom
apparently this movement replicates the
feeling of being rocked as a baby so
it's very soothing for many of us hips
out this is when someone stands with one
leg slightly bent which makes their butt
look bigger this movement is used by
both men and women and it's used as a
way to grab attention often seen in the
courting process genital framing this is
when someone places their thumbs inside
their pants or belt to create a frame
around their crotch this is a dominance
display mostly used by men to appear
bigger stronger and tougher it's also
used to grab attention genit covering
this is when someone covers their
genitals with their hands this movement
is often used when one feels anxious
it's a way to protect your vulnerable
area touch and Status higher status
people tend to touch lower status people
more often as compared to the other way
around for example your boss is more
likely to tap your shoulder as compared
to you tapping his you can use this to
figure out the social hierarchy in any
given situation touch and relationships
if someone is touching another and also
getting touched back this is a sign of
high levels of comfort between the two
people this is usually seen amongst
family best friends and couples if all
of a sudden you notice that two people
are no longer touching back and forth
this is usually a sign that something is
wrong within the relationship hands on
hips with thumbs back also known as arms
a Kimbo this is a dominance display
something often used by military drill
instructors and other people in
positions of authority this means that
the person is ready and alert they have
something they like to say or they have
an issue in mind according to Joe Navaro
an airline assistant once told him that
customers who display this Body Language
sign while waiting in line almost always
have some sort of complaint territorial
hand display this is when someone takes
up a lot of space on a table or desk
with their hands this is usually a form
of intimidation and can often be seen
when people fight with the cashier at
the store the angrier the person is the
more space they'll take up pushing away
from table this is when someone suddenly
extends their arm and pushes their body
away from the table or counter that they
are sitting at this is a very clear
indicator that this person disagrees
with what's being said or feels
threatened the quicker this happens the
stronger the emotions they are feeling
playing with objects this is when
someone plays around with something
using their hands it can be almost any
object including things like phones
jewelry and even pens this form of body
language is known as a pacifier meaning
that it helps people relieve stress
although it is often used to pass time
surrogate touching technically this is
all Al when someone plays with objects
in their hands however depending on the
context of the situation it could mean
something totally different you see when
someone wants to physically be intimate
with the person that they're currently
with they will often transfer those
wishes onto an object nearby you might
find them stroking a cup or playing with
their pen in a sort of seductive manner
while they're with the person that they
like in these cases this form of body
language is a form of flirting object
placement people who surround themselves
with objects are claiming the space as
territory object placement can also tell
you how someone feels about you if
someone is feeling good they will often
clear away any objects that are between
you and them on the other hand if things
are bad if they don't enjoy interacting
with you they will often move objects so
that it creates a barrier distancing
from objects this is another form of
object placement if someone is moving
something away from them like a bowl of
chips at the dinner table it's usually a
sign that they have negative feelings
towards that object in this case they
might be on a diet according to to Joe
Navaro he's often observed criminals
pushing away pieces of evidence such as
photos once they realize that it's them
in the photo hand steepling this is when
someone places the fingertips of their
hands together like those evil villains
you see in movies this is a sign of
confidence and is most commonly seen by
those in power there are modified
versions of the steeple where the hands
are interlaced or bent and still
touching this Body Language sign is
often used to show others that you have
full belief in what you are saying Paul
Palms up this is when someone speaks
with their palms up often seen in TED
Talks this is used by people who want to
be accepted or believed it's basically a
wave saying my hands are clean I got
nothing up my sleeves I am at your
command this can also be used to
demonstrate humility Palms down this is
when someone makes a downward movement
with their palms facing down this is
usually done on a table but it is also
sometimes seen in the air and it's
usually done when someone is declaring
something with conviction such as I did
not do it the strong longer the movement
the more likely they are being honest
with what they are saying hand movement
restriction Studies have found that when
people lie they will use their hands and
arms less as they're trying to seem less
suspicious however this is also seen
with people who are simply shy or
anxious which is why it's always
important to be on the lookout for
sudden changes if someone who usually
moves their arms a lot suddenly stops
moving while making a claim the chances
of them having doubts about what they
are saying are much higher as compared
to someone who does move their hands
much to begin with hand ringing this is
when someone rubs or squeezes parts of
their hands sort of like how you would
ring a towel dry this is a sign of
negative emotions such as anxiety doubt
or stress finger holding this is when
you hold your own finger usually in
front of you this is a sign that someone
is feeling a bit insecure as it is a
pacifying movement designed to comfort
us jittery hands this is when someone's
hands are shaking this could be because
they are feeling extremely excited or
stressed such as right after traumatic
moment but it could also indicate that
they have some sort of disorder it could
be drugs or some severe disease hand
thrust to face this is when someone
shoves the palm of their hand close to
someone's face sort of like saying talk
to my hand this is basically a way of
saying stop no and is also used when
trying to insult someone self-touching
while answering this is when someone
uses their hands to make any of the
pacifying movements while answering a
question they could be using their hands
to stroke their other hand arms or even
legs all of which are usually signs that
they are not that confident in their
answer interlace fingers with thumbs up
this is when someone's hands are laced
together with their thumb pointing up
this usually indicates high levels of
confidence very similar to that of the
hand steepling movement that we covered
earlier interlace fingers with thumbs
down on the other hand if they are in
the same position but their thumbs are
pointing down this is usually an
indicator that they are not as confident
or that they are currently feeling some
negative emotions you can actually
observe people's thumbs going up and
down during interactions which can give
you some insight on how they are
currently feeling or how much confidence
they currently have in what they are
saying thumbs touching when the hands
are together and the person is playing
around with their dumbs whether it's
using one to massage the other or by
having them twirl around each other in
circles this is a pacifying behavior
that is often used when people are
feeling a bit anxious or stressed out it
is also used as a way to pass time while
waiting for something finger closeness
when someone feels scared or concerned
they will instinctively bring their
fingers closer together closing the gaps
that naturally exist between fingers
sometimes they will even close their
hands into a fist this is a natural
response to any perceived threat our
body wants to reduce the chances of
injury to any of our fingers if we were
to get into a fight it's also common to
see people hiding their thumbs under
their fingers just like how dogs tuck
their ears down when scared thumb
distance on the other hand this rule
applies the other way around especially
when when it comes to the thumb the more
distance there is between the thumb and
the other fingers the more confident
someone is currently feeling holding on
to Furniture this is when someone uses
their hands to hold on to any piece of
furniture whether it be the edge of a
table or even the armrest of a chair
this is actually a sign of doubt and
insecurity especially if they are
declaring something Joe Navaro reports
seeing this sign quite often when
someone is forced to say something that
they don't want to say clinging this is
often seen in kids who will cling onto
the clothing of Rel relatives to feel
more secure and comfortable this
behavior is also seen in adults usually
with other soft objects like blankets
pillows stuffed animals Etc in these
cases it's also used for Comfort finger
pointing most people don't enjoy having
a finger pointed at them because it's
usually used when accusing someone of
something bad if you want to address
someone it's better to use your entire
hand with your palms up to point at them
finger jabbing now if you see a person
pointing at someone and then jabbing
this finger towards them back and forth
this is usually a sign of a huge problem
and that a fight is about to happen nail
biting this is a pacifying behavior used
to relieve stress it's usually seen in
people who are insecure the more extreme
the nail biting the higher the levels of
stress this person is currently feeling
finger tapping this is when someone Taps
on a table or their leg in a repetitive
motion this is usually a sign of
impatience they might be waiting for
someone to show up or they might be
waiting for someone to finish speaking
so that they can speak hands in pocket
this is usually done out of comfort
however it is important to note that
this can make you seem more suspicious
and will tend to cause people to trust
you less massaging closed fist this is
when one hand is closed in a fist and
the other hand is used to massage it
this is usually seen when someone is
extremely worried often seen in poker
players and stock traders who are about
to lose a lot of money speaker's fist
this is when someone makes a fist and
moves it like a hammer while speaking
this is usually a sign that this person
has a lot of pent up emotions that they
are trying to express or that they are
feeling a lot of energy in the words
that they are saying TP finger rub this
is when someone interlaces their fingers
and then rubs the fingers back and forth
against each other this is a sign that
something is very wrong or that someone
is extremely stressed much more so than
the other body language signs that we've
covered in this video interlace fingers
Palms pushing this is when someone
interlaces their fingers and then pushes
the palm of their hand into any of the
following directions they could be
pushing it away to crack their Knuckles
they could be pushing it up to their
face or they could be pushing it
straight down to their crotch this is
usually a way for people to relieve
stress it is often seen after traumatic
experiences pining this is any sort of
body language movement that you make to
fix yourself such as adjusting your tie
moving your bracelet fixing your shirt
fixing your hair or even reapplying
lipstick we do this when we're in a
social situation with people that we
want to impress hair printing is
especially common when we are interested
in someone nearby we will often move our
hair to increase the chances of getting
noticed by our romantic interest Joe
Navaro brings up an interesting fun fact
here when attorneys pull on their jacket
to make it look cleaner as the jury
enters the room they are perceived as
more likable this just goes to show that
even the smallest details when it comes
to First Impressions matter a lot
dismissive pring this is another form of
pring that is actually used to dismiss
and disrespect the person you are in
interacting with for example when a
child is cleaning their nails or picking
lint off of their t-shirt while their
parent is lecturing them about something
you definitely should not do this when
you're having a serious conversation
with anyone hand on leg with elbow out
this is when someone is sitting down
with their hand on their leg but with
their elbow jutting out this is usually
a sign of high levels of confidence it
is a territorial display often used to
claim up more space nail flicking this
is when someone starts to curl the
fingers on one of their hand hands and
flick their nails against their thumb
this is usually done when someone is
nervous or stressed you should be
careful if you often do this because
this movement and sound can be perceived
as annoying for others Namaste this is
when someone places their palms together
in front of their chest with their
elbows out and makes a slight bowing
movement this is often seen in South
Asian countries like India Nepal and
Thailand this is used as a formal
greeting and to show tremendous amounts
of respect for someone handholding as a
child we tend to to hold hands with our
parents and Playmates as we grow up this
movement is usually reserved for
Intimate Relationships family and
sometimes the closest of friends the
more often a couple holds hands the more
intimate and serious the relationship
tends to be you can also observe who the
dominant person in a relationship is by
looking at whose hands is on top okay
sign this is when you hold the tip of
your index finger and thumb to create a
circle or an okay sign in the US this
means okay yes or that things are fine
however in the Mediterranean this sign
is actually used to emphasize certain
points while speaking politicians thumb
this is when you extend your arm and
press your thumb against your curled
index finger on the same hand this
movement is most commonly seen in the US
by politicians and it is used to drive
in a point during a speech reluctance to
touch with palm this is when someone
touches another person close to them
with their fingers instead of their Ms
it's usually an indicator of underlying
issues if a parent is seen doing this
with their child it could mean that they
don't really care about this child this
goes for couples as well happy couples
will often touch each other using their
palms while couples that have issues
will tend to avoid this raising one
shoulder this is when someone raises one
of their shoulders slightly higher to
their ear if this occurs while this
person is answering a question this is
usually a sign that this individual
lacks confidence in what they are saying
if this occurs during business
negotiations it is usually an indication
that you have room to negotiate in
regards to the price or the terms
shoulder interest this is when someone
slowly raises one of their shoulders
while slightly tilting their head and
making direct eye contact all at the
same time this is a sign that this
person is interested in whatever is in
front of them they might be interested
in the topic at hand or they might like
the person they are talking to holding
shoulders high this is when someone
raises both of their shoulders and keeps
them high for an extended period of time
this is often called the turtle effect
cuz it makes their head scrunch down
like a turtle this is a clear sign that
this person lacks confidence almost as
if they are trying to hide shoulder
shrug this is when someone raises both
their shoulders quickly only to drop
them back down this movement indicates
that this person does not know the
answer to a question or a problem the
faster this movement is done the more
likely they really don't know shoulder
rubbing this is when someone uses one of
their hands to reach across to their
shoulder on the other side of their body
to rub or Scrat CCH it they might also
push against this area and drag their
pressed hand to the midsection of their
chest over and over again this is often
seen during stressful situations like
interviews and is used to help relieve
stress shoulders widening The Wider
someone's shoulders are the more
confident and Powerful they seem people
will often stand up straight and widen
their shoulders in the presence of
someone that they like or before doing
something of importance this is also why
suits and military uniforms have
shoulder pads as it creates an illusion
of wider shoulders please why not this
is when someone raises both of their
shoulders with the Palms facing up and
their head slightly bent this is called
the please why not movement because it
is most commonly used while begging this
is often seen in children who are trying
to plead with their parents and in
athletes when they are speaking with the
referee bowing this is whenever someone
lowers their shoulders forward to bow it
doesn't have to be a full 90° bow as
even slight bows have significance this
movement is a sign of respect and is
very common in Asian countries hugging
hugging is a universal sign of closeness
cooperation and positive emotions it is
often used as a way to greet or say
farewell to someone when observing two
people hugging it's best to look at
their facial expressions to see how they
truly feel about each other arms against
body hands flexed this is when someone
presses their arms against their body
while bending their hands so that the
wrist forms an almost 90° angle this is
a sign that this person is extremely
excited about something but is trying to
contain their excitement this movement
is often accompanied by a rise in the
shoulder and also positive facial
expressions arms elevated when people
feel extreme positive emotions they will
often raise their arms higher might see
someone jump out of a chair with their
arms up after hearing that they got the
job or after seeing their favorite
sports team win a match arms held behind
back this is when someone holds both of
their hands behind their back while
standing this is most often seen in
royalty like kings and queens this is a
sign that this person wants space it's
usually not a good idea to do this in
Social settings as it will make you seem
distant and and less approachable arms
stiffening this is when someone keeps
their arms at their sides like a robot
with barely any movement this is almost
always a sign that this person is
experiencing negative emotions such as
fear or extreme nervousness exposing
armpits there are several movements that
will quickly expose your armpit such as
scratching the back of your head or
placing your arm on the chair next to
you any movement that does this is
usually a sign of comfort and
potentially even romantic interest if
anything happens that makes someone feel
uncomfort they will immediately cover
their armpits arm Crossing self hugging
now according to jonaro we cross our
arms for a wide variety of reasons it's
not always because we dislike something
that's being said one of the most common
reasons is self hugging which is
something people often do while waiting
in line this form of arm Crossing makes
us feel more comfortable arm Crossing
protection another reason why we cross
our arms is for protection when we feel
threatened or nervous we instinctively
want to cover the Belly air area the
easiest way to see if someone is
crossing their arms for protection is to
look at their face and also how tense
their arms are arm Crossing
self-restraint people often cross their
arms to help restrain themselves while
dealing with strong negative emotions
take for example someone who is just
informed that they missed their flight
the best way to spot this form of arm
Crossing is by paying close attention to
facial expressions and also the tone of
voice arm Crossing dislike sometimes
people cross their arms because they
dislike whatever or or whoever is in
front of them the best way to spot this
is by looking at their feet and belly to
see if they are being turned away from
the person they are interacting with arm
Crossing massaging other times people
will cross their arms and start
massaging one of their arms with the
hand of the other arm this is usually a
sign that they are worried or stressed
out as this movement is a pacifying
movement used to help calm us down arm
Crossing holding wrist this is when
someone crosses their arms halfway and
grabs the upper part of the wrist using
one of their hands on the opposite arm
this is usually seen when people are
confronted with negative information
such as an interviewee who is asked a
difficult question or even a poker
player who gets a weak hand arm
spreading this is when someone spreads
their arms over objects around them such
as chairs tables and even other people
this is a territorial display which
suggests confidence and high status
however you will often see people
withdrawing their arms taking up less
space when a higher status person walks
into the room elbows widening this is
whenever someone bends their elbows to
take up more space they could be doing
arms a Kimbo or putting their elbows
above their head while saying something
this movement is a territorial sign that
shows high levels of confidence it can
also be used to emphasize certain things
we are saying elbows narrowing on the
other hand when we reduce the amount of
space that our elbows take up this is
usually a sign of insecurity and a lack
of confidence elbows interlocking this
is when someone interlocks their arms
with another using their elbows this is
often seen while two people are walking
or sitting down and is usually a sign
that they are having a private
conversation this also suggests that
these two people are extremely
comfortable with each other wrist
exposure the wrist is one of the most
vulnerable places in our body which is
why we will often cover it by having it
face down we tend to only expose the
underside of our wrist to people that we
are comfortable with goosebumps this is
when the area around each of our pores
bulges out a little bit this often
happens when someone is feeling cold as
it helps the body warm up ever so
slightly it can also be a sign that this
person is feeling sick or scared
standing hairs this is when the hairs on
your body stand up now of course this
doesn't happen to the hair on the top of
your head those are too heavy this
usually happens at the arms and neck
area instead with the much smaller
lighter hairs if you can spot this in
another person it is a clear sign that
this person is extremely scared
excessive sweating people who are under
stress tend to sweat more two of the
most common areas for sweat is in the
armpits and around the neck area if you
spot this happening outside of physical
activity or an extremely hot day it can
be a sign that this person may be hiding
something border patrol officers will
often look for this when determining
which individuals to stop and inspect
now in order to practice your body
language reading skills I recommend you
to rewatch this video while covering the
text with the audio turned off and see
if you can tell how the actors are
feeling to make sure you internalize
everything you've learned so far besides
that guys stay tuned
for
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