5 Interesting Facts About Your Body Language
Did you know that body language can say more than words? Not only does the mouth send the messages and information we want to express, but also our gestures, our posture, and even our movements.
Knowing more about body language helps to unmask someone who is lying, to get what we want, or to prevent gestures from betraying our thoughts to others.
According to a recent study, 55% of the messages we send in the act of communication come from the body. This means that only 45% of the messages transmitted are made through words, without taking into account the intonation we use when speaking. Nonverbal language is extremely important and we use it all the time, even if we don’t realize it.
These findings were made by psychologists who were recognizing their patients’ reactions during consultations, and by company human resources interviewers when recruiting employees.
5 important discoveries about body language
Below we list the conclusions that have emerged from much research over the years. This way, you will be able to know what each gesture or movement that your interlocutor makes means.
1. By shrugging, the person means they don’t know anything about something
Children also use this gesture to demonstrate that something doesn’t really matter. It’s a pretty universal sign, lifting both shoulders to ear level when asked something we don’t know. The response may be accompanied by three other movements: palms-up hands, raised eyebrows, and drooping lower lip.
2. Showing your palms demonstrates honesty
This is a very old sign and the reason is very simple: it demonstrates that there is no hidden object in the hands, and this means that there is no intention to harm or injure the other. For example, when someone has to give evidence at a trial, they place their right hand on the Bible (or other religious book) and raise their left hand, showing the palm of their hand to the judge, lawyers, and the public in attendance. This gesture is also associated with loyalty, submission and honesty.
It can also mean “I have nothing to do with it”. To express this, the person raises both hands at shoulder or head height. “It wasn’t me” is the phrase that can accompany this action.
3. Pointing the finger can demonstrate accusation or dominance
Remember when you were a child and did something nasty? His mother probably raised her index finger showing her displeasure, pointing out her mistake in the situation. Growing up, we often find ourselves repeating this gesture in couple discussions.
Pointing with the index finger closing the rest of the hand can indicate dominance. It’s a gesture that puts us on a lower level than the person doing it, we feel diminished and subdued. In the unconscious, this gesture evokes negative feelings and aggression, even for those who practice it. This is because the accusation gesture almost always precedes a verbal attack.
4. Wrinkled eyes are synonymous with a real smile
“Smile for the camera,” someone says when taking a picture. Did you notice that right after someone says this, people’s gestures start to look “fake”? Of course, because we were suddenly “forced” to demonstrate happiness for the camera. This is not to say that we were wrong, but the pose is not authentic. Candid shots are always the best, especially when no one notices they’re being photographed.
When someone actually laughs, their eyes crinkle. If the person pretends, only the lips will move.
5. Eye contact always shows interest (but this is not always positive)
It is often believed that when we look someone in the eye it is because there is a special interest in the person, and this is partly true. Of course, because it all depends on the circumstance. If, for example, when walking down the street a stranger stares at you, this can provoke fear and turn into a feeling of threat, but if someone stares at you and it makes you nervous, there may be a special feeling about it. to the person in question.
On the other hand, some studies reveal that if someone looks directly at you for an extended period of time, it is possibly because that someone is lying. Another sign of lying is not blinking and being very quiet. With this gesture, the person is berating himself for not telling the truth.
Pay attention to these body language cues!
