- Srijita Pathak
7 Extra-ordinary Psychological tips to understand body language of people
Updated: Aug 2, 2020
Human beings are considered to be the most complex species on earth. Various studies and methods by various world-famous psychologists have been used in order to deduce the human mind.
Body language becomes one such component of human nature, which helps to analyze an individual’s mindset and demeanor.
Body language is a type of a nonverbal communication in which physical behaviors, as opposed to words, are used to express or convey the information. Such behavior includes facial expressions, body posture, gestures, eye movement, touch and the use of space.
Body language is also one of the major components used by behavior analysts as a part of their studies.
Study the Eyes
Eye behavior can be very telling. When communicating with someone, pay attention to whether he or she makes direct eye contact or looks away. Inability to make direct eye contact can indicate boredom, disinterest, or even deceit.
If a person looks down, on the other hand, it often indicates nervousness or submissiveness. A person’s blinking rate can also speak volumes about what is going on internally. Blinking rate increases when people are thinking more or are stressed.
Pay attention to proximity
Proximity is the distance between you and the other person. Standing or sitting in close proximity to someone is perhaps one of the best indicators of rapport.
On the other hand, if someone backs up or moves away when you move in closer, this could be a sign that the connection is not mutual. You can tell a lot about the type of relationship two people have just by observing the proximity between them.
See if the other person is mirroring you
Mirroring involves mimicking the other person’s body language. When interacting with someone, check to see if the person mirrors your behavior.
If someone mimics your body language, this is a very good sign that he or she is trying to establish a rapport with you.
Observe the head movement
The speed at which a person nods their head when you are speaking indicates their patience – or lack of. Fast nodding indicates the person has heard enough and wants you to finish speaking or give him or her a turn to speak.
People also point with the head or face at people they are interested in or share an affinity with.
Look at the other person’s feet
A part of the body where people often “leak” important nonverbal cues is the feet.
The reason people unintentionally communicate nonverbal messages through their feet is because they are usually so focused on controlling their facial expressions and upper body positioning that important clues are revealed via the feet.
Watch for hand signals
Like the feet, the hands leak important nonverbal cues when looking a body language. This is an important tip when reading body language so pay close attention to this next part.
Unconscious pointing indicated by hand gestures can also speak volumes. For example, if two people are talking and one person holds a pad of paper in front of him or her, this is considered a blocking act in nonverbal communication.
Examine the position of the arms
Think of a person’s arms as the doorway to the body and the self. If a person crosses their arms while interacting with you, it is usually seen as a defensive, blocking gesture.
When someone places their hands on their hips it is typically used to exert dominance and is used by men more often than women.
The above tips can help you in getting an insight about an Individual’s overall nature, but it is not necessarily full-proof. It helps develop a better understanding of people.
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