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What Body Language Experts Can Actually Tell About You

What Body Language Experts Can Actually Tell About You

It says a lot more than what comes out of your mouth.

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

You might have seen TV shows like Lie To Me, where characters point out whether someone is telling porkies just by a flick of their eye or a shuffle in their chair. But how accurate are those assumptions?

This has been a new focus for politicians in recent elections and even when US President Donald Trump recently met his Russian equivalent, Vladimir Putin.

Donald Trump shakes hands with Vladimir Putin
Donald Trump shakes hands with Vladimir Putin

Credit: PA Images

But, seriously, while you might hold back from saying something during a conversation, your body might be doing the talking for you.

The study of body language looks into facial expressions, posture, gestures, handshakes and other movements.

Handshakes have been a huge focal point of experts watching President Trump meeting with other world leaders. They have been breaking down the nuances in how he 'pulls in the other person's hand to get a psychological advantage'.

Donald Trump hand shake
Donald Trump hand shake

Credit: PA

Body language educator and author Craig James Baxter says our first impression of a person is based on the movements we make. He reckons that actions like poor eye contact, standing too close or a limp handshake will leave a lasting impact on how we perceive that individual.

He's told LADbible: "You can decipher subtle body language expressions and movements, however there needs to be other similar body language signs seen within the context.

"A head scratch might just be an itchy head, but if it comes with pursed lips and an increased blinking rate it could be a sign of anxiety and stress.

"Repeated posture shifts in a chair could be a sign of not being physically comfortable or it could be an intentional display, wherein the person wishes to leave."

Baxter says that despite the face playing a huge part in showing what we're really thinking, our legs often tell a story better.

He says: "The face can be trained to show one expression when in fact you feel another emotion, but the legs reveal our intentions with frightening accuracy. Simply put, we move away from things we dislike and point or go near towards things we like."

Cricketers and their body language
Cricketers and their body language

What can you tell from these gents' body language? (Credit: PA)

Communications coach Nick Morgan agrees that the face doesn't always give everything away.

He's tells LADbible: "By the time we're adults most of us have learned to control our faces. So, we assume bland expressions of interest when we're actually bored silly.

"That's because we don't want to offend the other person. But we're much less adept at concealing our true feelings as indicated by our torsos. We lean toward things we like, agree with, find appealing, and away from things we dislike.

"Open body language, hands not clutched together, arms not protecting the torso, indicates liking, trust, and interest. Whereas closed body language can indicate the opposite. Along the same lines, open eyes indicate liking, narrowed eyes indicates suspicion or dislike."

A lot of people were paying close attention to what party leaders are doing with their bodies in the recent UK general election.

Baxter says that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn did not use many hand gestures to illustrate his points - which he says lacked 'impression management'. But, his body posture had been interpreted as stoic when compared with Conservative leader Theresa May.

Another hand gesture that politicians use is 'steepling', which I'm calling 'the Mr Burns look'. Baxter says that when candidates use this gesture, it's to 'appear to have the answers to the big political questions on immigration, education and economy'.

He adds: "The trouble is, overuse of this gesture makes you appear pompous and infallible."

Mr Burns using the steepling hand gesture
Mr Burns using the steepling hand gesture

Credit: Fox/The Simpsons

Nick Morgan says ordinary people are way more in tune with the body language of someone we know.

He adds: "The reason for this is that we know these people. We know the baseline of their behaviour. So, for example, if we know that someone is normally a twitchy, shifty-eyed kind of person, we don't automatically assume he's lying about eating the last bagel when they get shifty-eyed about it. That's their normal behaviour.

"Rather than the image in the media of the keen-eyed expert immediately spotting that 'Donald Trump is lying', the highest and best use of reading body language is with our friends, spouses, family members and colleagues.

"We're already good at it, it's largely done by our unconscious minds, and it tells us things like, 'I can see you're not happy today, what's the matter?'."

When it comes to telling lies, however, it's more about the way you say something.

Baxter says: "If you said to me, 'Craig have you ever done drugs?', and I said, 'I'd never do drugs' - I've given you a future tense denial, where the question relates to my entire life. Many liars do this as their way of hiding the truth.

"Tenses can reveal hidden information. Body language and lying are sadly inconsistent."

Not that I'm trying to teach you how to lie better, but at least now you might be able to decipher things from your mates if you're ever doubtful about what they're saying when it comes to picking up the tab at the bar.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: UK, US

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