1
Q
Degree of face and neck stroking
A
Degree of stress
2
Q
Covering of the neck dimple
A
Insecure, emotional discomfort, fear or concerns in real time
3
Q
Playing with a necklace
A
Insecure, emotional discomfort, fear or concerns in real time
4
Q
Soothing the neck with a gentle massage
A
Pacifying stress
5
Q
Stroking of the face
A
Pacifying stress
6
Q
Playing with hair
A
Pacifying stress
7
Q
Rubbing of the forehead
A
Struggling with something or undergoing slight to severe discomfort
8
Q
Neck touching or massaging
A
Stress, emotional discomfort, doubt or insecurity
9
Q
Cheek or face touching
A
Nervous, irritated or concerned
10
Q
Exhaling with puffed out cheeks
A
Release stress
11
Q
Men adjusting their ties
A
Dealing with insecurities or discomfort
12
Q
Men massaging or stroking their necks
A
Distress
13
Q
Brief touch of the neck
A
Anxiety or discomfort
14
Q
Excessive yawning
A
Pacifier
15
Q
Cleansing their palms on their laps
A
Pacifying stress
16
Q
Crossing their arms and rubbing their hands against their shoulders
A
Facing stressful circumstances
17
Q
Touching, rubbing or licking the lips
A
Pacifying stress
18
Q
Pulling or massaging the earlobe with thumb and forefinger
A
Pacifying stress
19
Q
Stroking the beard
A
Pacifying stress
20
Q
Whistling
A
Pacifying stress
21
Q
Talking to themselves
A
Pacifying stress
22
Q
Fast excessive talking
A
Pacifying stress
23
Q
Tapping a pencil
A
Pacifying stress
24
Q
Drumming of fingers
A
Pacifying stress
25
A man putting his fingers between his shirt collar and neck and pulling the fabric away from his skin
Pacifying stress (Ventilator)
26
woman ventilating the front of her blouse
Pacifying stress (Ventilator)
27
A woman tossing the back of her hair up in the air to ventilate her neck
Pacifying stress (Ventilator)
28
Happy feet
High confidence signal that a person feels he is getting what he wants or is in an advantageous position to gain something of value from another person or from something else in his environment
29
Moving feet and legs
May simply signify impatience
30
Turn toward something
Like or are agreeable with
31
Turn away from something
Don’t like or are disagreeable
32
Turns feet away
Sign of disengagement and a desire to be distanced from the current position
33
One foot points and turns away during a conversation
Sign the person has to leave, precisely in that direction (intention cue)
34
Clasping of the knees and shifting of weight on the feet
Intention cue that the person wants to get up and leave
35
Defy gravity by doing such things as rocking up and down on the balls of our feet, or walking with a bit of a bounce in our step
Excited about something or feel very positive about circumstances
36
Toes pointing upward
Good mood or thinking or hearing something positive
37
Starter's position
Intention cue that tells us the person is getting ready to do something physical, requiring foot movement (it could mean the individual intends to engage you further, is really interested or wants to leave)
38
Feet going from being together to being spread apart
Confident that the individual is becoming increasingly unhappy
39
Crossing legs
Feeling uncomfortable or shy
40
Crossing legs at ankles while standing
Feeling in control, comfortable or confident
41
Uncrossing legs
Feeling comfortable or confident
42
Crossing legs in such a way so that we tilt toward the person we favor
Feeling comfortable
43
Placing knee between oneself and another person
Defensive barrier
44
After a handshake the person remains in place
Comfortable at that distance
45
After a handshake the person takes a step back or turn slightly away
Needs more space or wants to be elsewhere
46
After a handshake the person takes a step closer
Feels comfortable and/or favorable toward you
47
Leg twitching and movement while seated
Is normal and indicative of lying
48
A foot suddenly begins to kick while seated
Discomfort
49
Seated and constantly wiggles or bounces his or her feet or leg(s) and suddenly stops
Experiencing stress, an emotional change or feels threatened in some way
50
Sudden interlocking of the legs while seated
Discomfort or insecurity
51
Seated and unlocking of ankles
Feeling comfortable
52
Sudden locking of ankles around the legs of a chair
Freeze response and is indicative of discomfort, anxiety or concern
53
Display of ventral sides and leaning towards a person
Favoring that person
54
Sudden crossing of the arms
Discomfort
55
Any blocking of the torso
Discomfort
56
A woman crossing her arms over her stomach just under the breasts
Shield her torso and comfort herself
57
A woman crossing one arm across her front and grab the opposite arm at the elbow
Shield her torso and comfort herself
58
A man reaching across the front of himself to play with his watch
Shield his torso and comfort himself
59
A man reaching over and adjust his shirt sleeve or play with his cuff links
Shield his torso and comfort himself
60
A man fixing his tie knot for longer than usual
Shield his torso and comfort himself
61
Splaying
Territorial display
62
Puffing of the chest
Indicator the person is showing dominance and is about to strike
63
Partial shoulder shrugs (one shoulder)
Lack of commitment or insecurity
64
Shoulder shrugs where both shoulders rise
Indicate lack of knowledge or doubt
65
Swinging arms affirmatively, such as while walking
Feels good or confident
66
Subconsciously restrains arms, seemingly unable to defy the weight of gravity
Insecure
67
Withdrawing arms
Upset or fearful
68
Arms come straight to our sides
Injured, threatened, abused or worried
69
Arms close across our chests
Injured, threatened, abused or worried
70
Children severely change or restrain their arm behavior around their parents or other adults
It should arouse your interest and promote further observation
71
Regal stance (arms behind the back)
Means don’t draw near
72
Claim more territory with their arms
Confident or high-status
73
Claiming as much territory as possible immediately upon sitting down, spreading their arms or their objects
Higher-status individuals
74
Sits at a table with elbows against waist and arms draped between legs
Weakness and low confidence
75
Arms akimbo with thumbs pointing to the back
Powerful territorial display that can be used to establish dominance or to communicate that there are issues
76
Arms akimbo with thumbs pointing forward
Inquisitive and less authoritarian
77
Interlaced hands behind the head
Comfort and dominance (usually the senior person at a meeting will pose or “hood” this way)
78
Arm spread behavior
Powerful limbic response employed to establish dominance and emphasize a person’s point of view
79
Fingertips planted spread apart on a surface
Significant territorial display of confidence and authority
80
Arms spread out over chairs
Feeling confident and comfortable
81
One of the best ways to establish rapport with someone
Touch the person on the arm somewhere between the elbow and the shoulder
82
Hiding left hand
Hiding something personal
83
Hiding right hand
Hiding something external
84
Finger pointing
One of the most offensive gestures a person can display
85
Self-preening when others are talking to you
Sign of dismissiveness
86
Nail biting
Insecurity or nervousness
87
Sweaty hands
Under stress
88
Shaking hands
Hear, see or think of something that has negative consequences or when highly excited
89
Steepling of hands, fingertip to fingertip
Powerful display of confidence
90
Hand-wringing
Stressed or concerned
91
Thumb sticking out of the pocket
High-confidence display
92
Subconscious thumbs pointing up
Indication of positive thoughts
93
Thumbs suddenly disappear
Emotions turn negative
94
Thumbs in the pocket
Low-status and low-confidence
95
Using the hands to frame the genitals
Dominance display
96
Stroking fingers across the palm
Pacify anxiety or nervousness
97
Rubbing our hands together
Pacify anxiety or nervousness
98
Fingers interlace to rub up and down
Pacify more serious concerns or anxiety
99
When the hands stop illustrating and emphasizing
Change in brain activity (perhaps because of a lack of commitment) and is cause for heightened awareness and assessment
100
Holding thumbs
Anxiety, doubt or worry or feeling threatened
101
Stiff thumb and/or hand
Won’t budge on position, wants to dominate
102
Head tilt
Comfortable, receptive and friendly
103
Dilated pupils
Comfort and emotionally attached
104
Squinting
Block objectionable things and things disliked (can be very brief - 1/8 of second - but in real time may reflect a negative thought or emotion)
105
Arched eyebrows
High confidence and positive feelings
106
Lowered eyebrows
Low confidence and negative feelings, a behavior that indicates weakness and insecurity
107
Eye blocking with the hands
Dislike what is just heard, saw or learned
108
Brief touch of the eyes during a conversation
Negative perception of what is being discussed
109
Delay in opening of the eyelids upon hearing information
Negative emotions or displeasure
110
Lengthy closure of the eyes
Negative emotions or displeasure
111
The eyelids compress tightly
Trying to block out totally some negative news or event
112
Eyes are relaxed and show little tension
Content
113
Flashbulb eyes
Excited to see someone or are full of positive emotions we just can’t hold back
114
Roving eyes
Disinterested or superior
115
Blink rate increases
Aroused, troubled, nervous or concerned
116
Eyelid flutter
Struggle either with our performance or with the delivery or acceptance of information
117
Looking askance at someone
Distrustful or unconvinced
118
Lips disappear
Stress or anxiety
119
Lips begin to disappear and tighten
Stress or anxiety
120
Lip compression
Stress or anxiety
121
Lips are full
Content
122
Lips disappear and the corners of the mouth turn down
Emotions and confidence are at a low point, while anxiety, stress and concerns are running high
123
Pursed lips
Disagreement with something or someone, or we are thinking of a possible alternative
124
Pursed lips
Disagreement with something or someone, or we are thinking of a possible alternative
125
Fleeting sneer
Disrespect or disdain
126
Tongue jutting
When people get caught doing something they shouldn’t, they screw up or they are getting away with something, it is very brief
127
Lip biting
Pacifier for stress and insecurity
128
Mouth touching
Pacifier for stress and insecurity
129
Lip licking
Pacifier for stress and insecurity
130
Object biting
Pacifier for stress and insecurity
131
Touch and/or lick their lips while pondering their options
Insecurity
132
Furrowed forehead
Discomfort or anxiety
133
Flaring of nostrils
Aroused and potent indicator of the intent to do something physical, not necessarily sexual
134
Crinkling nose
Dislike or disgust
135
Chin tucks in, forcing the nose down
Low confidence or concerned
136
Chin comes out and the nose is high
Comfort and confidence
137
Tapping or pressing between eyebrows
Forced recall
138
Scratching or rubbing top of head
Confusion
139
Rubbing eyes
Mental exhaustion or feeling over-burdened
140
Pinching, pulling, scratching or rubbing the nose
Feeling pressured or controlled
141
Fingertips touching temple
Mental saturation point
142
Covering the mouth while listening
Critical evaluation or disbelief of what is being said
143
Covering the mouth while talking
Fear of speaking, hiding something or shyness
144
Holding the chin
Feeling insecure or inferior
145
Pulling the skin on the throat
Concerns about expressing oneself
146
Pulling on lips
Greed
147
Pulling on the jowl
Concern about personal desirability
148
Rubbing behind ears
Fear of not being understood
149
Rubbing the back of the neck
Would rather not think about it right now
150
Cheeks tighten, blush or droop
Embarrassment, humiliation
Body Language
flashcards
Decks in class (2)
# Cards
