Understanding body language

Explanations > Understanding body language

Reading body language | The misreading trap | The control trap | So what?

Body language is the non-verbal movements we make as a part of how we communicate, from waving hands to involuntary twitching of facial muscles.

• Uses of non-verbal communication: How non-verbal communication is used.
• Reading non-verbals: Basics of non-verbal communication.
• Mehrabian's communication study: 7% words, 38% tone, 55% body language?

• Haptic communication: Communicating by touch.

• Kinesic communication: Communicating by body movement.
• Proxemic communication: Communicating by body positioning.
• Gesture types: Emblems and more.
• Tells: Unconscious signals.

So what?

Watch other people and learn to read their body language, but beware of falling into the traps of reading individual gestures stand-alone. Thus, for example, you can tell little from looking at a photograph (you can guess, but you will need more data to be sure).

Also be very wary about trying to control your own body language too much. It is better to work from the inside.

See also

Non-Verbal Behavior, Liars, Using Body Language