Why do people assume a single body language cue tells the whole story?

[Summeroflove]

People who can read body language professionally know one cue alone means absolutely nothing. Hair playing is the most common which at times can signal attraction depending on what else she’s doing. It sometimes means, she doesn’t like you and is uncomfortable therefore nervous and is soothing herself.

It can mean she really likes you and is nervous. I don’t get why people get hung up on one single thing as if it means anything

[Sangita93]

In clinical psychology, we were taught to read body language of patients to judge whether they are telling truth or hiding something. It is a non-verbal communication and largely unconsciously expressed, originating from subconscious, instinctive, hardwired in to central nervous system making it more truthful indicator of the patients’ inner state than spoken words. That is why we believe that it can tell a whole story. While talking or answering questions, people use selected conscious words, the body usually reveals true feelings through subtle gestures, such as a small pause before answering, “blocking" behaviour, a specific facial expression, or a change in posture act as an "emotional soundtrack" behind spoken words. messages. Body language is largely involuntary and happens without thinking, making it harder to fake than expression. If a person is nervous or uncomfortable, their body will convey this, even if they say they are "fine", body language is honest in expressions. The Power of Misalignment: When spoken words conflict with nonverbal cues, it is always trustworthy to hear the body language over the spoken word. For instance, if someone says they are listening but their eyes are pointed toward the window or door, the eyes tell the true story of a desire to leave the place. Some specific nonverbal expressions, like a smile of happiness, a frown of sadness, or a scrunched nose of disgust are universal, meaning they carry the same meaning across cultures, round the world. Human species and most living things are evolved to instantly interpret certain cues to gauge safety or danger and trustworthiness just in a blink. Posture, gestures, and facial movements, account most for how a message is received, and what it really tells. Instead of focusing on a single cue, looking for several cues and interpreting them in context is more reliable for accurate interpretation or finding out the truth.

[Summeroflove]

Yeah absolutely and they also teach to look at everything and not get hung up on one single cue or another especially out of context

[MissSunshine2]

I think people read too much into social situations. Also, some people are autistic and can’t read social cues.

[William7489]

I think you’re correct in that people can read way too much into it. However, on smaller levels, it can be very Telling. For example, if you’re talking to somebody in a club or bar, you say something funny and the person lightly slaps you on the arm. That’s a very positive sign. At the end of a date when you have arrived at your dates house, you can watch their language and see how the date went. If they immediately go for the door and say good night, there’s not gonna be a second date. If they’re not reaching for the door, then they’re waiting for you to give him a good night kiss or at least talk some more. So it can be valuable, but it’s not proof positive.

[Summeroflove]

Yeah but it all depends on context

[NathanDavis]

because sometimes... it is "right"

maybe you didn't notice all other cues pointing in the same direction and that corroborate your "feeling" and you just noticed the most notorious one and then you just go with that, because it worked...

[spartan55]

There is a body language subreddit that is absolutely wild.
People don't seem understand what behavior clusters are...🙄

[Summeroflove]

Clusters correct. Same with lie detection. Just because someone’s eye moved doesn’t alone mean anything automatically it can mean many things

[WhitneySnow]

You’re right. You need multiple cues read together to get a coherent signal. And not all the cues are nonverbal.

[Hunter-40m]

Classic tendency of human being to get a result in a shor term without evaluating every clue carefully

[nomomrnice]

I do a lot of ball adjusting I wonder what that body language could be kicking as LMAO

[spartan55]

"he has an enhanced awareness of self" lol

[123459876]

Hopefully scratching my balls isn't a particular body language could be taken wrong. Lol