by
Imed Bouchrika, Phd
Many situations in our day-to-day lives entail the use of nonverbal communication. According to Phutela (2015), nonverbal communication, such as body language and facial expressions, greatly affects social environments and the communication process.
To shed more light on the significance of nonverbal communication approaches, this article aims to provide a background of body language and typical common body language examples and their meanings. This article also digs deeper into the cases of impaired recognition of body language expressions, alongside the trends in body language research.
Nonverbal communication comprises a major part of the communication process. According to Tipper et al. (2015), in the course of everyday life, people pick up information about others’ thoughts and feelings through body posture, mannerisms, and gestures. In the 1970s, psychology professor Albert Mehrabian also suggested that during communication, the total impact of a message can be largely attributed to nonverbal communication (Pease & Pease, 2006).
Source: Psychology Today
The importance of body language as a form of nonverbal communication is also evident in the number of studies exploring the science behind body language and its perception. The following sections discuss a number of these studies to provide a background on body language and its mechanisms.
Body language is a type of nonverbal communication where physical behavior is used to convey information. As opposed to words, such physical behavior often includes facial expressions, gestures, body posture, eye movements, and touch. The scientific study of interpreting body language is referred to as kinesics.
According to Atkinson et al. (2004), the movement of the body or its parts has a substantial impact on the way humans communicate. For instance, the face and body can display emotional cues that regulate social behavior (De Gelder, 2004). Slaughter et al. (2004) also explained that reading and processing signals based on the positioning of body parts allow people to detect others’ intentions, motivations, and internal states.
Source: The Definitive Book of Body Language
Tipper et al. (2015) further explained that although there is extensive research into the brain systems involved in the perception of body movement, hand gestures, eye movements, and facial expressions, there is little understanding of how the brain understands or reads body language.
Processing body posture information involves more than visual perception and requires the use of abstract abilities (Tipper et al., 2005). As such, reading body language means not just recognizing socially relevant visual information but also attributing meaning to the information. Most of the process for nonverbal communication occurs below the level of conscious awareness (Body Language, n.d.). Barrett et al. (2007), for instance, concluded that observers can process emotional information without being aware of it.
There have also been studies that provide direct and indirect evidence for recognition or understanding of stimuli even in the absence of visual awareness, such as in blind patients reliably guessing the emotions conveyed by facial and bodily expressions presented in their blind field (de Gelder et al., 1999).
Various parts of the body can be used to indicate nonverbal signals in the communication process. Below are common body language examples and their interpretations.
Facial expressions form an integral part of body language, so much so that photographs of faces are the most common stimuli for studies of emotion perception (Atkinson, 2004). Atkinson further states that responses to facial expressions of emotion are highly consistent. In support of this finding, Ekman (2009) explains that certain facial expressions have a universal meaning.
For instance, a person typically smiles when he or she is happy, and their faces convey more energy in general. Meanwhile, the lack of a smile is usually taken as a sign of sadness. A person who is afraid will often have raised eyebrows and a taut brow, with a mouth that hangs slightly open (The Body Language of Fear, 2020).
According to a 2008 study by Todorov et al., slightly raised eyebrows and a small smile make up the most trustworthy facial expression.
According to Cherry (2019), taking note of eye movements during conversations is a natural and important part of communication. The scientific study of eye movement, eye behavior, gaze, and eye-related nonverbal communication is referred to as oculesics.
When a person looks directly into the eyes during a conversation, it indicates that he/she is paying attention and expressing interest in what the other person is saying. On the other hand, a person who frequently looks away and breaks eye contact during conversation indicates that he or she is distracted or uncomfortable. According to D’Agostino (2013), such behavior also signifies that the person is trying to conceal his or her true feelings or intentions.
Cherry (2019) also suggested that people blink more rapidly when they feel uncomfortable or distressed. On the other hand, infrequent blinking may indicate that the person is intentionally trying to control their eye movements (Marchak, 2013). On a more subtle note, pupil size can also convey certain emotions. For instance, Jiang et al. (2017) suggested that highly dilated eyes can indicate interest or even arousal.
In 2011, Cruz found that cultural differences are present in interpretations of eye behavior as body language. For instance, in the Anglo-Saxon culture, a lack of eye contact indicates a lack of confidence or truthfulness. In Latino culture, however, using direct, prolonged eye contact can be taken as a challenge or romantic interest.
Source: PLOS One
Designed byAside from smiling, people can also use their mouths to convey a number of emotions (Cherry, 2019). Pursed lips, for instance, can be an indicator of distaste or disapproval. Sometimes, people also bite their lips when they are worried or stressed. A downturned mouth can also be an indicator of sadness or disapproval.
Whole-body posture conveys affect-specific information (Atkinson et al., 2004). Characteristic body movements and postures indicate specific emotional states. This has long been recognized and exploited by actors, directors, and dramatists (Roth, 1990 cited in Atkinson et al., 2004).
According to research by Mondloch et al., (2013), body postures are more easily and accurately recognized when the emotion is compared to a different or neutral emotion. For instance, a person who feels angry would have a dominant posture that suggests approach, compared to a fearful person who would have an avoidant posture.
A number of studies have explored the implications of posture on body language. For instance, Vacharkulksemsuk (2016) explained that an open posture, with the trunk of the body kept open and exposed, indicates positive emotions of friendliness and willingness. Meanwhile, hiding the trunk of the body and keeping the arms and legs crossed can be an indicator of unfriendliness, anxiety, and hostility.
As another example, Cherry (2019) suggested that a person who sits up straight is focused and paying attention. Sitting with the upper body hunched forward, on the other hand, implies that the person is indifferent or bored.
The positioning of the arms and legs can also indicate emotions. For instance, crossed arms can indicate defensiveness or a desire for self-protection (Foley & Gentile, 2010). Standing with hands placed on the hips can also be an expression of aggressiveness or indicate that a person feels ready and in control. Crossed legs can also be an expression for a need for privacy and indicate a feeling of being closed off.
Gestures also make up a large part of nonverbal communication and, as such, have been extensively studied. According to Kurien (2010), gestures are movements made with body parts, including hands, arms, fingers, legs, and the head. For instance, crossed or folded arms can demonstrate insecurity and a lack of confidence.
Pease & Pease (2006) explain that certain gestures are considered to have a universal meaning. One such gesture is the shoulder shrug, which demonstrates a lack of understanding.
However, while there are gestures with universal meanings, culture dictates the meaning for a number of gestures. For instance, while it is acceptable to point using one’s index finger in certain cultures, this gesture of pointing is considered aggressive or offensive for people who share Hindu beliefs (Black, 2011).
In another example of cultural differences among hand gestures, the “thumbs up” gesture is acceptable in countries like Germany, France, South Africa, and the United States. However, the same gesture is insulting in Iran, Bangladesh, and Thailand, where it is the equivalent to showing the middle finger (Black, 2011).
Touch can also be used as a nonverbal means of communication. Haptics is the scientific study of touching and how it is used to communicate. For instance, meaning can be gleaned from the physical contact of handshakes, holding hands, and high fives (Haptics: The Use Of Touch In Communication, 2013). The meaning varies depending on the length of the touch and the location on the body where the touching takes place.
A 2006 study by Hertenstein et al. also found that people are able to accurately interpret distinct emotions from watching others communicate via touch.
According to Cherry (2019), the amount of physical space between individuals can also communicate information. Proxemics refers to the study of measurable distances between people as they interact with one another.
According to Edward T. Hall, who coined the term proxemics in 1966, there are four levels of social distance that can be observed in different social situations.
Although body language can be an involuntary phenomenon, this form of nonverbal communication is widely used today, especially by individuals pursuing careers in art. There have also been studies suggesting how to read body language, as well as documentation on the application and use of body language in different situations and environments.
For instance, according to Kellerman (1992), kinesic behavior is essential to second-language acquisition, particularly in achieving discourse and sociolinguistic competencies in the said language, as well as in performing linguistics jobs. Kellerman explains that a conscious ability to recognize and perform kinesic behavior is necessary for achieving fluency in a second language.
Kret & de Gelder (2013) also studied body language and its perception among violent offenders. The findings of the study indicate that violent offenders have difficulties processing congruences in emotions when aggressive stimuli are involved. Moreover, the study found that violent offenders have a possible bias towards aggressive body language.
Body language can also be a useful aid in a classroom management plan when used as nonlinguistic output for guiding students and paired with verbal methods. In 2014, Tai observed three ways body language affected teaching:
While body language can be useful, there are certain gestures that convey negative emotions in a given context (Negative Body Language: Examples & Signs, 2016). These gestures are best avoided by people who want to be more mindful of what their bodies are communicating with others. Below are some examples of these gestures.
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by Imed Bouchrika, Phd
by Imed Bouchrika, Phd
by Imed Bouchrika, Phd
