Body Language

M. Unni Krishnan
Corporate and Industry
Relations
Coimbatore
What is Body Language :

▣ Body language refers to the fact that when people communicate, the
meanings, feelings, emotions and attitudes that are conveyed are
often transmitted, not by the words that are used, but by a multitude of
gestures, postures facial expressions and eye moments, as well as the
speed and intonation of the voice. Body language actually includes
more than body movements and non verbal communications; it also
includes “verbal” elements such as grunts and sighs.
▣ Research has suggested that about ten percent of communication is
from the words that are used, 20 percent is from the tone and speed of
voice and the remaining 60 percent is from the physical postures,
gestures and facial expressions.
 Pre Quiz

How do you generally interpret the following:

1. When someone gives you a very broad smile…..
2. When someone shouts and points their fingers
3. A slumped posture with eyes looking down
4. When someone cups their ears towards you
Why Body Language is important :

▣ Body language enables people to relate to each other

▣ It enables people to become better communicators
▣ Body language aids in presenting oneself more positively
▣ Body language helps in forging stronger relationship
▣ Body language is more loud and can exhibit transparency
▣ Body language allows us to interpret at the intuitive level itself.
 Important elements of Body
Language:

The study of Body Language has evolved into several areas, we can
classify them under four major ones
1. Kinesics : This is the study of body movements – hand movements,
head nods, shift in gaze and facial expressions, and especially how
they are used when you are speaking. It looks how this body language
is used to communicate to display mental and emotional states.
2. Proxemics : This is the study of personal territory and space the
distance between people when they are talking or doing things
together.
3. Haptics : This is the study of touch, it looks how touch takes place
during conversations, the effect of touching and being touched.

4. Paralanguage : This refers to the nonverbal accompaniments of

conversations how the voice is used to accompany speech. The
modulation of voice can give a intuition of the personality.

We shall try to understand each of the above individually and in a

combination how they impact our non verbal communication.
Kinesics
▣ The study and interpretation of non-verbal communication of any part
of the body or the body as a whole is known as Kinesics. The use of
the following, in isolation or in combination is what we mean as
Kinesics.
▣ Leg
▣ Palm
▣ Hand and arm
▣ Face, in particular the eyes
PALM :
Throughout history, open
palm has been associated with
truth and honesty

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Palm Up and Palm Down:

The palm up considered to

be a submissive non threatening
gesture while the palm down
gesture is a symbol of authority
and dominance.

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Shaking Hands:

▣ Handshaking originated through showing the palms as a signal that

the person was not carrying a weapon. Today, handshakes are an
indication of welcome and trust when people meet and of thank when
they leave.

▣ Handshake often communicates a whole lot about one’s personality

and so the finer aspects of it are to be taken care.

▣ The position of the grip also provides clues to status and intentions.
 A handshake can transmit any of the three basic
attitude, these are dominance, submission and
equality.

▣ Dominance is transmitted by turning the

hand so that the palm faces down.
▣ When hands are shook with the palms
remaining in the vertical position as each
person transmits a feeling of respect and
rapport to the other. Equality is
established and a moderate grip exists,
that is what we call as “shake hands like a
man”
▣ Submission on the other hand is to offer
the hands with the palm facing upward,
this is when the receiver allows to give
the control or command.
Points to remember

▣ It is usually the person in a higher position of authority or age, who

should be extending the hand first.

▣ Good eye contact with a smiling eyes indicate a genuine pleasure in

the greeting.

▣ The pumping of the handshake should last just about two to five
seconds.

▣ It should be ensured that the hands are dry and not damped
 Some of the other usually seen
handshakes are….

1. Dead Fish Handshake: When the extended hand is cold and passive
2. Knuckle Crushing Handshake: This is when there is dominance and
aggressiveness.
3. Fingertip Grab Handshake: The user just grabs the fingers as a
formality exhibiting lack of confidence.
4. Politician Handshake: The glove handshake when both the hands are
used to clasp the right hand of the other person as if encasing it in a
glove, usually to depict honesty and sincerity.
Pointed Finger:
This gesture is a symbolic
club with which the listener is
beaten into submission, hence
considered to be offensive.
Hand and Arm Gestures:
▣ Rubbing the Palms together : This gesture is when people non-
verbally communicate a positive expectation.
▣ Thumb and finger Rub: It is often used as a money expectancy
gesture where the thumb is rubbed against the fingertips or against the
index finger.
▣ Hands Clenched Together: Clenching of hands is a gesture showing
frustration and hostile attitude.
▣ Steepling Hands: This gesture is often used as a positive gesture by
people who are confident and have a superior attitude.

▣ Gripping Hands, Arms and Wrists: When people walk with one palm
gripping the other hand behind the back while walking it exhibits a
gesture of authority.
▣ Thumb Display: Thumbs are used to display dominance, superiority or
even aggressiveness, thumb gestures are secondary gestures, a
supportive part of a gesture cluster. Thumb can also be used as a
signal of ridicule or disrespect.
‘’
“Face is the index of the
mind”, our face is a crucial
part of our identity and
personality. Human beings
have the most expressive
faces.
The Face:
Expressions: There are two types of expressions, slow or sustained
expressions and micro expressions. A smile or a frown is a sustained
expressions, micro expressions last only a quarter of a second, but
do reveal the true emotions behind the surface expressions.

Smile facts: Smiling shows that you are warm friendly and
approachable. Smiles can be open and wide, or closed and tight.
Real smile always start from the eyes, while fake ones are made only
with mouth.
‘’
Leonard da Vinci said
“Eyes are the mirror to the
soul”, their power as a
means of communication is
known to all of us beyond
words.

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The Eyes:
When people process information, the movement of their eyes provides
clues to the internal body states they are accessing.
▣ Upward movements indicate accessing visual information such as
pictures. Eyes looking straight ahead and defocused into the distance
also indicate visualisation.
▣ Lateral movements indicate accessing auditory information such as
words and sounds.
▣ Downward movements indicate accessing feelings and emotions or
internal dialogue.
The Head:
Heads talk. They are highly expressive. People who are talking together
move their heads as part of their interaction. The orientation of your head
when looking at people can have a marked effect upon their interpretation
of people’s behaviour.
▣ Conversational Heads – the head is what we usually look during
conversations, heads are effective communicators of our moods and
feelings
▣ Head Nod – The most universal head movement of nonverbal
communication is the nod signalling understanding, acceptance and
approval.
Other head movements:

▣ Other head movements Includes –

▣ Tilts of the head – greeting gesture
▣ Lowering the head – submissive gesture
▣ Shaking the head from side to side – sign of reluctance
▣ Tossing the head – indicating disdain
▣ Head swirls – reaction on seeing someone attractive
▣ Head can be moved front and back - to symbolise as a beckon.
The Leg:
▣ Crossing your legs at the ankles while seated is known as the "ankle
lock." This body language or nonverbal communication could mean
you're holding back, uncertain, or fearful, making it common in
interview situations.
▣ And ladies, if you want to appeal to a man, cross your legs at the
knees
▣ Standing with hands on your hip, is considered to be an aggressive
pose and more often gives an intimidating vibe.
It may be noted that both the arms and the legs can be used to indicate a
open body language or as barriers in non-verbal communications.
 Some common Non-Verbal Behaviour
and their interpretation
▣ Non Verbal Behaviour ▣ Interpretation
▣ Walking with Brisk, erect walk ▣ Confidence
▣ Standing with hands on hips ▣ Readiness, aggression
▣ Sitting with legs crossed, foot kicking slightly ▣ Boredom
▣ Sitting with legs apart ▣ Open, relaxed
▣ Arms crossed on chest ▣ Defensiveness
▣ Hands in pockets, shoulders hunched ▣ Dejection
▣ Hand to cheek ▣ Evaluation, thinking
▣ Touching, slightly rubbing nose ▣ Rejection, doubt, lying
▣ Rubbing the eye ▣ Doubt, disbelief
▣ Hands clasped behind back ▣ Anger, frustration, apprehension
▣ Locked ankles ▣ Apprehension
▣ Heads resting in hand, eyes downcast ▣ Boredom
▣ Rubbing hands ▣ Anticipation
 ▣ Non Verbal Behaviour ▣ Interpretation
▣ Sitting with hands clasped behind head, legs crossed ▣ Confidence, superiority
▣ Open palm ▣ Sincerity, openness, innocence
▣ Pinching bridge of nose, eyes closed ▣ Negative evaluation
▣ Tapping or drumming fingers ▣ Impatience
▣ Steepling fingers ▣ Interest, determination, authoritative attitude
▣ Patting/fondling hair ▣ Lack of self confidence, insecurity
▣ Tilted head ▣ Interest
▣ Stroking chin ▣ Trying to make a decision
▣ Looking down, face turned away ▣ Disbelief
▣ Biting nails ▣ Insecurity, nervousness
▣ Pulling or tugging at ear ▣ Indecision
Proxemics:

Space speaks. Just as countries have borders and territory, humans

have personal space with rules about who can enter it. There are different
rules for private and public space and varies with culture too.

The body language we use reflects this, and it depends on where

we are and our feelings of ownership towards a particular space. The rules
of territory for human beings are basically three
▣ Home Zone: This is for family or people you invite in. This is further
sub divided into intimate zone and personal zone. In the intimate zone
area, people are just one to one and a half feet in distance between
one another and are actually touching or able to touch each other. In
the personal zone it is one and a half to four feet and are able to shake
hands and are not more than a arm’s length from each other.

▣ The Social Zone: This runs from four feet to ten feet, it is used in every
day encounters like in social or professional atmosphere.
▣ The Public Zone: The public zone extends from ten feet outwards, as
in public places like a park.

Invading personal space is a intimidating act. There are several number of

personal, social, physical and cultural factors that can make us change
our zones.
Each of these factors can play a role and there may
be several influences at work at the same time

▣ AGE: Children and adults have very different boundaries. The size of the
zones increases up until you become a teenager.
▣ GENDER: Women tend to allow people to come closer to them than
men. But when there is an implied threat, women keep a greater
distance
▣ PERSONALITY: You personality modifies your need for space.
Extroverts tend not to need much space as does an introvert.
▣ HEIGHT, WEIGHT AND PHYSICAL DIFFERENCES: Tall and heavy
men often tend to keep slightly greater distance so as not to appear
over-dominant or overpowering.
▣ STATUS: The higher the status the more the space you will take up.
▣ FOCUS OF THE CONVERSATION: Watch someone tell a secret, they
tend to automatically move closer to the other person.
▣ THE CONTEXT OF INTERACTION: The amount of noise, light,
temperature and how much of space is available also influences the
distance.
▣ ATTRACTION AND SIMILARITY: People with similar personality tend to
stand closer.
Haptics:
▣ Touching is a deliberate bodily contact between two people. The
experience of being touched by another person, even accidentally can
provoke positive or negative emotions, it can send an message about
attraction, sympathy, approval or relative power. Touching can lead us
to like someone else but only if it feels natural.
▣ In a relationship between two people the person who has more power
and status can touch the person with lower status, but not vice versa.
A spontaneous touch is often received positively.
▣ People are most likely to touch each other when they want to express
support and sympathy.
▣ Self Touch is a revelation of anxiety and tense, self touch is a means
of comforting and consoling oneself and is done unconsciously.
Paralanguage:
▣ Paralanguage refers to non-lexical components of speech such as
pitch, tone, intonation, volume, pauses, etc.
▣ Paralanguage though non-verbal is conveyed through the mouth.
▣ Paralanguage may be expressed either consciously or unconsciously.
In paralanguage, non-verbal components of speech such as speech
speed, pitch of voice, tone, volume, modulation, inflection, accent and
accentuation are observed to understand the emotions conveyed
through them.
▣ Silences, pauses, and breaks in speech, as well as respiratory aspects
of speech like gasps and sighs, are also studied under paralanguage.
These features also help us to determine the feelings and emotions of
a person. For example, gasps may be an indication of shock, disgust
or disbelief.
SCENARIO – Assignment

▣ Let us look at a everyday office behaviour. A subordinate knocks on

the boss’s office door and is asked to enter. But what is the real
meaning of this behaviour? If we observe this scene carefully we may
identify how the boss subtly uses body language to accentuate his
authority and keep the subordinate in their place.
▣ At the end of each of the series of action, you are to mention what has
been your observation of that action in terms of your interpretation of
the non verbal communication.
▣ Action 1: The subordinate knocks on the boss’s door. The boss makes
the person wait for a quarter of a minute before saying “come in”
▣ Action 2: The subordinate opens the door and walks into the boss’s
office – in body language terms the boss’s territory. The subordinate
may well walk slowly forward clasping both hands together in front of
themselves waist level.
▣ Action 3: The boss does not look up to see who it is but keeps writing
or using his computer.
▣ Action 4: About half way between the door and the boss’s desk the
boss looks up and tells the subordinate to go back and either close the
office door or leave it open.
▣ Action 5: The boss again looks down and continues to make the
subordinate wait until he is ready.

Finally, the boss looks up unsmiling and just says, ‘Yes?’ or ‘So! What do
you want?’
▣ Now let us interpret the nonverbal communication for academic
understanding
▣ Action 1. Hidden message: I am the boss and you can wait until I am
ready, because you are less important than me. The words “come in”
are also said with impatience or annoyance, the message is clear: “ I
am the boss and I do not like to be disturbed”
▣ Action 2. This hand clasping is a common gesture when people enter
other people’s territory; it is a mild defensive gesture. In some cases,
men in particular will use one hand to cuff off the other hand, this
again is the same defence mechanism when entering other people’s
territory.
▣ Action 3. I am the boss, if you knock on my door you must be
unimportant.
▣ Action 4. I am the boss and can tell you to do trivial things.
▣ Action 5. What I am doing is more important than you.
▣ By now the poor subordinate has probably forgotten what they came in
for, or is nervous wreck; they actually ‘feel’ like a subordinate, the boss
has made his or her point.
▣ If we merely wrote down the words used, they would seldom indicate
the subtle aspect of the boss / subordinate relationship. We may well
have the embryonic signs of bullying but none which would stand up in
an industrial tribunal.
▣ Scenes like this are acted out everyday in organisational life; gesture,
posture, pauses, tone of voice, eye movement and head movement
are used to keep people in their place.
▣ BODY LANGUAGE IS VERY POLITICAL!
Thanks!
All the Best!!!

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