![]() If you want to really understand body language, then you should pay attention to the pupils. Fear: With fear, too, the eyes are pulled wide open – at the same time the pupils are wide, to take in all details of the threat.Depending on posture, eyebrows can be raised in amazement or can be pulled together in annoyance. Doubt: Your gaze is concentrated, but your eyes are restless, because the listener is wondering whether to believe you.Rage/anger: Your eyes are narrowed as are the eyebrows and a frown is visible.Surprise: Your eyes open up wide and eyebrows are raised.A totally unfocused, motionless stare is a sign that someone has retreated and is hung up in their thoughts. ![]() Disinterest: Your gaze wanders through the room and stops at different people and movements.But beware: If eye contact lasts too long others can quickly feel uncomfortable. Interest/curiosity: Your eyes are wide and calmly looking at the person you’re speaking to or the item you’re talking about, showing that you’re concentrated and taking in information.One look alone can signal interest, absence, affection, hate, distrust, curiosity, or fear, and all this can be read in a fraction of a second. It lets us communicate openly with strangers, signals friendliness, empathy, and joy, and is the perfect addition to a conversation.Įmotions are very much communicated through our eyes and emphasized through the mouth and other facial movements. One of the most important signals of all is smiling. In Europe, a thumbs up is usually a sign of approval – but in Australia it can be a terrible insult.įacial expression includes all movements that can be read in a person’s face. For all other gestures, its best to first inform yourself on its meaning within a given cultural context. A smile, for example, is understood as a sign of openness and friendliness almost everywhere. This applies especially to those more instinctively used facial expressions and gestures that are universally understood, as they connect with humans’ underlying emotions. On the other hand, it lets you communicate even if you don’t speak the same language. A significant discrepancy between someone’s words and body language will undoubtedly anger or annoy the person you’re speaking to.īut as already mentioned, you should be careful about consciously making use of body language in intercultural situations, because these signals don’t have the same meaning in different parts of the world. These examples show us that body language is something we are continuously looking to understand and that, often, it even reflects the attitude of someone more authentically than their words. Nothing is more confusing than a colleague that’s explaining how excited he is about an assignment with a blank look on his face, or a manager who restlessly scans the room while mumbling how fascinated he is by an idea. Body language tells listeners how important the topic is to the speaker, making it an essential criterion for credibility.īut it’s also in our direct private and professional environments that people are judged based on their body language. You’ll clearly see that not only the contents of the speech affect its success, but also if it is presented in a dynamic way. ![]() Just look at photos or video recordings of famous speeches. ![]() ![]() A certain hand gesture can have an entirely different meaning on another continent or in different cultural circles.īody language has a strong influence on how people come across and how statements are picked up on. But you should act with caution, as body language is always read within a cultural context. Typical examples of this include the raised index finger for “Attention!”, the thumbs up for approval, or open hands to cool down a situation or to appease emotional breakouts. We apply it in suitable situations, to send a certain message, or to underscore what we’re saying. This is language that we’re trained to understand and is conditioned by our cultural surrounding. We pick up on body language in passing, while we concentrate on what’s being said or while letting our mind do all the work.īut besides subconscious body language we also send out conscious body signals. That’s why we don’t like certain people at first glance or are instantly excited to see someone, without really being able to say why that is. And these signals can be read in the same subconscious way as they’re sent out. Exhaling impatiently, rolling your eyes, an offended pout – these signals give away our emotions, even if they only last for a fraction of a second. ![]()
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