Body Language

Understanding Body Language

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 Non-verbal communication

It is the way people:

•Reinforce the spoken word

•Replace the spoken word

•Use their bodies to make visual signals

•Their voices to make oral but non-verbal signals

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 Non-verbal examples

• sign language: gestures

• action language: movements

• object language: pictures,

clothes, etc

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Importance of non-verbal communication

Verbal: 7%

Body Language: 55%

Voice tone: 38%

If words contradict the tone of voice or body language which

one do people believe?

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Proxemics: Science of territoriality

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When people enter an elevator…
1.One or two
lean against the walls of the elevator
2. Three or four
occupy a corner
3.five or six
all turn to face the door
get taller and thinner
hands and purses and briefcases are used
to create a barrier

Why?
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Proxemics: Ideal distance

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Intimate Distance: 0-18 inches

Situations: Giving comfort or aid,

whispering, conversing with close
friends and family, with spouse.

We are easily stimulated in this

distance, but often easily
uncomfortable when any one intrudes
this.

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Personal Distance: 18 inches-4 feet
Situations: Talking with friends or
business associates, instructing in a
sport, other students in class.

We’re mostly in this distance while

interacting with people with work or
deal with frequently.

If you decrease this distance people

feel uncomfortable, but if you
increase it people feel rejected.

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Social Distance: 4 ft - 12 ft

Situations: Discussing
impersonal or business
matters with someone in
authority, taking part in a
group discussion.

Generally, people in this zone

do not engage in physical
contact with each other.

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Public Distance: 12 ft - 25 ft

Situations: Public speaking,

teaching a class, leading a rally,
fans in the stands at a game,
people waiting in a lobby, etc.

Mostly with strangers we do not

want to interact with.

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Proxemics: Tips

Standing too close is interpreted as being

pushy or overbearing, standing too close may
also be interpreted as unwelcome advances
and may have consequences.

If you find someone trying to move

away from you or creating physical barriers,

take a step back. You may be encroaching
upon someone’s personal space.

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Haptics

• Study of touch as nonverbal

communication

• At office, it could mean

• Handshake
• A pat on shoulder
• Pat on the back
• Holding hand or arm

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Haptics: Handshake

Looks familiar?

Share some ‘interesting’

handshakes you have
experienced.

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Haptics: Handshake
• Before extending your hand,
introduce yourself. Extending your
hand should be part of an
introduction, not a replacement for
using your voice

• Extending your hand without a voice

greeting may make you appear
nervous or overly aggressive

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 Haptics: Handshake
• Pump your hand 2 or 3 times
• Shake your arm from your elbow
• If you shake from the shoulder, using
your upper arm instead of just your
forearm, you risk jolting the other
person
Shake hands
from elbow • Use the appropriate grip – not limp
and not so strong that it becomes
painful
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 Haptics: Handshake

• A business handshake is brief, firm and friendly

• Holding on for more than three or four seconds

can make other people feel uncomfortable

• Extend handshake with palm perpendicular to

the floor and your thumb up

• Give their hand a gentle squeeze,

Remember to
smile and make simultaneously giving it 2 or 3 shake of 3/4 inch
eye contact

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Haptics: Handshake
• An uncomfortable handshake is
remembered negatively for a long time

• Imagine you are opening a door handle and

use about the same level of grip in your
handshake

• A ‘dead fish’ or limp handshake will project

you as person with low confidence

• A ‘lady’s finger’ handshake is not okay in

business, even for ladies. It should be
reserved for some social occasions only
Haptics: Handshake

It is always better in business introductions to

use only one hand – your right hand

The intention of the double-handed handshake

is to show sincerity, trust or depth of feeling
towards the receiver

The use of two hands with strangers is seen as

intrusive, and too personal. A two-handed
shake is called the “politician’s shake,”
because it appears artificially friendly when
used on people you barely know.
 Haptics: Handshake
• Don’t offer wet or sweaty palms for a handshake

• If you shake hands with someone who has

sweaty palms, do not immediately wipe your
hands on your clothing, handkerchief, or tissue

• This will embarrass the other person, who might

be aware they have sweaty palms

• You can discretely wipe them on something after

you are out of site, and wash them later

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Haptics: Palm positions

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Haptics: Double handshakes

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Haptics: Handshake

In order to avoid creating an awkward

moment, your shake should end before
the oral introduction exchange does.
Without conversation taking place
during the entire handshake, it becomes
too intimate, and can feel more like
hand holding.
 Haptics: Handshake
• Never offer your hand , at any time in such a way, that makes
the other person feel inconvenienced or uncomfortable, e.g.
other person’s hands are full and a handshake would require
them to shift items from one hand to another, or to have to
put things down

• With someone of higher status (let them approach you or

make the first gesture)

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Kinesics

The study of posture,

movement, gestures & facial
expression

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Kinesics: facial expression

Birdwhistle (1970):

The face is capable of

conveying 250,000 expressions

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 Kinesics: facial expression
ANGER FEAR DISGUST

Identify the
7 universal
expressions…

SURPRISE JOY SADNESS CONTEMPT

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Expressions: do’s & don’ts

#1 Smile is the most effective, non-expensive

and under-utilized resource to appear
approachable

#2 Many unknowingly have a frown on their

face, especially due to constant ‘self-talk’ - be
cautious

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Kinesics: gestures & postures

• Eyes, hands, head and

various combinations of it
communicates something

• Groups of gestures & postures

• Head
• Face
• Hands
• Feet
• Sitting
• Standing

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Gestures & postures: Feedback

• Neutral: Taken by the person who has a

Neutral neutral attitude about what he is
hearing. The head usually remains still
and may occasionally give small nods
• Interested: When the head tilts to one
side it shows interest has developed.
Interested
• Disapproval: When the head is down, it
signals that the attitude is negative and
even judgmental. Action needs to be
taken to change his head position.
Disapproval

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 Gestures & postures: Defensiveness

• Crossed arms signify defensiveness,

nervousness, being closed
Standard arm cross Partial arm cross • People may cross arms fully
partially or disguise it. e.g. fiddle
with watch, cufflink, bracelet, purse
• Crossing arms with closed fist
additionally shows defensiveness
Disguised barrier Disguised barrier
with hostility
• Crossing arms with thumbs-up
shows defensiveness and coolness

Arm cross with fist Arm cross with thumbs

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 Gestures & postures: Frustration
• One hand gripping the other behind
Hand-gripping-hands
the back is a superiority gesture. British
and other loyalty, school principals,
army and police personnel, etc are
seen demonstrating this
Hand-gripping-wrist • This is also the frustration gesture and
an attempt at self-control. It is as if one
hand is holding the other to prevent it
from striking out. Higher the hand
moves in holding the other, greater is
Hand-gripping-upper arm
the frustration or anger

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Gestures & postures: Anticipation

Rubbing the palms together is a

way in which people non-verbally
communicate positive expectation

Rubbing Palms

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 Gestures & postures: Frustration

Hands clenched in • This is a frustration gesture,

raised position signalling that the person was
holding back a negative attitude.
The gesture has three main
positions
Hands clenched in
middle position

• The person would be more

difficult to handle when the hands
are held high, than he would be
with the person whom hands
resting on the desk position
Hands clenched in
lower position
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Gestures & postures: Confidence
• This gesture shows confidence and
superiority

• Used frequently in manager-

Raised steeple
(while talking) subordinate interactions and while
giving instructions

• Raised steeple is normally used when

the person is talking
Lowered steeple
(while listening)

• Lowered steeple is normally used

when the person is listening
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 Gestures & postures: Deception
• The mouth, eyes and ear touch gestures
are indications of ‘say no evil’, ‘see no
evil’ and ‘hear no evil’ , used when a lie
is being told
Mouth Guard Nose Touch
• When the speaker uses this, it indicates
he is being untruthful
• When the listener uses this, it means he
does not believe the speaker
• The nose touch is a sophisticated
Eye Rub Ear Rub
version of the mouth guard
• ‘Neck scratch’ is a signal of doubt and
uncertainty – the person does not agree
Neck Scratch with you
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 Gestures & postures: Evaluation
• Closed hand on the cheeks with
index finger pointed upwards shows
interest
• As the interest goes down the head
Interested Negative begins to rest on the hands showing
Evaluation thoughts
boredom
• Thumb supporting the chin with
fingers pointing upwards shows
Boredom negative thoughts (often
accompanied by eye rub)
Chin Stroking
• Chin stroking shows the person is
Evaluation trying to take a decision
Gesture

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 Gestures & postures: Leg-cross
Standard
• The standard leg cross is a common
Leg Cross posture for sitting for men and
women across Europe
• The leg lock is more common
among men from U.S. This is not
Leg Lock acceptable in Arab countries as
Position
pointing of feet is an insult
• Leg lock with arms is a competitive
and argumentative position shown
by a person not willing to budge
• Ankle to ankle cross is a polite and
demure manner for women to sit
Leg Lock Ankle to
Position Ankle Cross
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 Oculesics: Eye contact
• Eye contact is equated to honesty and
confidence

• In some cultures eye contact with

elders and superiors may not be okay

• During ‘eye-contact’ the gaze moves in

the ‘zone of social gaze’

• Looking at someone intently in the

Zone of power gaze ‘zone of power gaze’ is intimidating
Zone of social gaze

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