How To Read Body Language - Full Body Language Guide (Compilation)

Summary

This 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

00:00

🧍‍♂️ 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.

05:03

🚶‍♀️ 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.

10:05

🤲 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.

15:06

🤰 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.

20:09

🤲 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.

25:11

🤞 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.

30:12

🤷‍♂️ 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.

35:14

🤦‍♀️ 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.

Keywords

💡Body Language

Body language refers to the non-verbal cues, gestures, and movements that people unconsciously make, which can reveal their thoughts, emotions, and intentions. In the context of the video, body language is the central theme, as it discusses how understanding these cues can improve social interactions, relationships, and the ability to read others' comfort levels and intentions accurately.

💡Spatial Distancing

Spatial distancing is the concept of maintaining a certain physical distance from others based on cultural norms, personal preferences, and the nature of the relationship. The video explains different zones of personal space, such as public, social, personal, and intimate spaces, and how violations of these zones can cause discomfort, which is a key aspect of understanding body language in social settings.

💡Territorial Stances

Territorial stances are body language cues that individuals use to assert control or claim space as their own. The script describes how spreading legs apart can indicate high confidence and is often seen in authoritative figures. This concept is crucial for understanding dominance and self-assurance in body language.

💡Leg Movements

Leg movements, such as open or closed legs while sitting, are significant non-verbal indicators of a person's confidence or insecurity. The video uses leg movements as examples to illustrate how a person's current emotional state can be deduced from their posture and positioning of their legs.

💡Knee Clasp

Knee clasp is a body language cue that suggests high levels of stress or nervousness, often seen in situations like interviews or interrogations. The video mentions knee clasping as a sign of discomfort or a desire to leave, providing insight into a person's emotional state during interactions.

💡Foot Tapping

Foot tapping is a movement that can indicate impatience, anxiety, or simply a habit. The script explains how observing this behavior can give clues about a person's emotional state or their level of engagement in a situation.

💡Mirroring

Mirroring is the unconscious act of copying another person's body language, which can indicate comfort, rapport, or agreement. The video describes mirroring as a positive sign in social interactions, showing that two individuals are in sync with each other.

💡Dominance Displays

Dominance displays are body language cues used to assert power or authority. Examples from the script include 'arms a Kimbo' and 'genital framing,' which are used to appear bigger, stronger, or more in control. Understanding these displays can help in recognizing power dynamics in social situations.

💡Pacifying Behaviors

Pacifying behaviors are self-soothing actions people take to calm themselves down in stressful situations. The video lists several examples, such as leg rubbing and ankle scratching, which are used to provide comfort and reduce anxiety.

💡Positive Emotions

Positive emotions, such as excitement and joy, are conveyed through specific body language cues. The script mentions movements like jumping and bouncy feet as indicators of positive emotions, which can be important for recognizing happiness and satisfaction in others.

💡Negative Emotions

Negative emotions, such as fear, anxiety, and anger, are also reflected in body language. The video discusses cues like 'fetal position' and 'agitated legs and feet' as signs of distress or discomfort, which are essential for identifying when someone may need support or space.

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