Body Language

Blog

Tuesday, 02 August 2016

Language Line

Like our face and eyes, head, our arms, legs and feet give some clear signs about our feelings.

The Arms and Hands

Our arms act as defensive barriers when we place them across our body so they usually indicate that we are feeling open when they are in an open position. We often say that people “talk with their hands” – meaning that they may wave their hands in the air whenever they talk. Hand gestures are used for emphasis, pointing, jabbing, and chopping actions to illustrate drawing, shaping, mimicking actions or sizing things in the air – this big/long/wide. Hand movements are more emphatic among the Latin, races of Italy, Spain, Greece and South America.

The Legs and Feet

Legs and feet are more difficult to control, consciously.  Maybe because we are too much focusing on our upper half! In sitting positions, open uncrossed legs generally indicate an open attitude, contrasting with crossed legs, which normally indicate a closed attitude or a degree of caution or uncertainty. However, for interviews open legs seem too laid back.

Leg signs, often used in conjunction with arm signals give strong messages, for example, arms and legs crossed, may indicate detachment, disinterest, rejection or nervousness.

Remember

Although body language can differ in different cultures, we use our body communicate with someone whose language we do not speak and with young children for whom (signing) is becoming increasingly recognised as an important form of communication.