“Body language is a very powerful tool. We had body language before we had speech, and apparently, 80 per cent of what you understand in a conversation is read through the body, not the words.” This is what English dancer and writer Deborah Bull believes. And she is absolutely right. Your body language gives a clue about your personality and your thoughts. It says a lot than what you can actually converse by literally speaking. It is called an unspoken way to communicate. Through our body language, we give and take enough signs about ourselves and other persons non-verbally.
Body language reading is of two types. The first one is decoding while the other is known as encoding. The former refers to your ability to understand people’s cues. This is your ability to interpret the other person’s personality, hidden emotions and information. However, the latter is your ability to send cues to others. Knowing and understanding different body signs help us use them to our advantage. It can help us enhance our awareness and avoid unwelcoming and negative people and situation. Here we tell you about a list of body languages and their psychological meaning.
Crossed arms
The arm folding position is basically understood as a way to put a barrier between yourself and someone you are talking to. It is also perceived as a posture that shows you are anxious, stubborn, distant and insecure. However, this actually means that you are quite focused on a particular task and have a problem-solving approach. According to a study in the field, when a group of people were asked to solve a difficult mathematics task, 30 per cent among them who crossed their arms were found to be keen to solve the problem compared to others who kept their hands on the table. This shows that a crossed arm posture helps you to stick to a difficult task till you get the answer. According to scientists, when you cross your hands, both your left and right parts of the brain works, increasing your cognitive function.
Eye contact
Eye contact tells that you are showing interest in whatever the other person is saying. However, continuously looking at him can also be a threatening sign. It can be perceived as an uncomfortable and overly aggressive eye lock. So, you should make sure that you shift your glance a bit almost every minute. Notably, 60 per cent of eye contact is considered to be the best way to interact. A less than 40 per cent glance can be sign of deceit.
Keeping legs spread while sitting
When you sit in this posture, you take more than the required space. This shows your dominant nature. By marking your territory, you show your power. This is a strict no-no posture especially when you are in an interview. Sitting with your legs wide open shows arrogance, sexual inclination and combativeness.
Crossed legs
This is also one of the body postures that shows dominance. When you sit either crossing your legs or by keeping your ankle over your knee, it is perceived as your wish to increase your power zone. Also known as ‘figure four’, this body language makes you look relaxed and stress-free. However, if you are sitting by crossing legs at the ankles, this is a sign of being uncertain, fearful or holding back. Usually, a crossed leg posture is observed more in men than in women.
Keeping hands on hips while standing
Also known as the ‘superman pose’, this posture shows how confident you are. It also seems to be an aggressive body language. What comes as threatening to people is your wide-open legs and pointed elbows. With this posture, you prevent people from coming near you by intimidating them. Even keeping one of your hands on your hips can give a negative signal to others. So, if you are in an interview, you are advised not to make a mistake of sitting in this posture.
Shaking hands first
It is a welcoming movement. When you reach out for a hand shake, it shows that you trust the other person. When you feel welcomed, then only you head towards someone. You would not like to connect to someone who is unwelcoming or when you feel dejected. In case you lend your hand for a shake, but the other person was not interested and showed a very casual and cold response, you won’t do it again.
Smiling frequently
When you feel like smiling or you actually smile, life seems beautiful. Mother Teresa once said, “Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.” And, it is actually true. According to science, smiling quite often gives a very positive sign to others. It speaks about your jolly and happy personality. If you are in a conversation with someone, laughing between the interactions shows that you will have a positive outcome out of that chat. Smiling while talking can potentially improve relationships. Notably, smiling and laughing frequently boost your immune system and help you fight against diseases and conditions effectively. It is said that laughing and making others laugh is found to be attractive by many.
Interlacing fingers
When you interlace your finger with another person, it shows that both of you are romantically involved. However, interlacing your own fingers shows that you are under stress and discontent with something. Experts in the field say that when we are tens or if something is troubling us, we tend to interlace our fingers by stiffening them.
