The Art of Reading Body Language

[tonicandgin]

Have you ever wondered if someone liked or disliked you? Did you ever interact with someone and think it went well but for some reason they avoid you at all costs? It's hard enough to read the genuinity of facial expressions, but one thing that may tip you off between spiteful politeness and sincere enjoyment of your company is on the ability to read body language. Here are a few common examples:

1. Get Lost

The perfect friendly face, cherubic smile and bright twinkle in the eyes, who can resist such charm? Take a closer look at their posture... stiff and agitated, body angled away from you. Their back is towards you, they clearly don't want to talk to you but are much too polite to tell you straight up. If you listen closely enough, their voice might be just a tad higher in pitch than their normal voice.

2. Mirror

Common in flirty behavior, it's like a subconcious game of "monkey see, monkey do". You lean forward they do too, you angle your body towards them and they angle their's towards you. They clearly feel comfortable and maybe even like you.

3. The Open Arms or Legs

Very relaxed posture. Person is laid back arms at their sides, legs sprawled out. They are clearly approachable. Sometimes when a person is facing you while speaking to you and their legs are spread they are VERY comfortable around you. If they are drunk and sprawled out it may not mean they are actually comfortable with you as their gaurd is down.

4. The Turtle

The turtle or closed off posture arms crossed, legs crossed, and hunched over indicates anxiety and nervousness or an attempt to stay out of eyesight. They are uncomfortable, and if they are talking to you, like scared turtles, they crunch into their own bodies.

5. Wandering Eyes

They are bored with whatever you have to say or your presence is really not at all interesting. You're so boring that even the wall or their own shoes is worth their attention more than you. Or maybe you're just a conversation hogger... if you notice that it's probably a good idea to talk to someone else rather than demand their attention with a "I'm talking to you!" Trust me, they're not listening to you even if you force them to make eye contact with you.

These are some basic body languages that most people no matter how simple it is seem to miss and figured I would remind some people. If I missed any feel free to add some in the comments below :)

[Jean-Marie_Céline]

Beautiful myTake, sorry I came up late but I really enjoyed reading it.
You perfectly detailed some of the most enigmatic and less knows postures and body attitudes.

Naturally there's an infinity of combinations and attitudes that can make up for an almost infinite array of meanings.
Good writing, keep up the good job!

[Jean-Marie_Céline]

I wrote this anonymously for a mistake.

[tonicandgin]

Thanks for coming out :)

[Jean-Marie_Céline]

Thanks for MHO!

[AlexanderBrunnrgaard]

This is generally true and useful as a guide. But there are many girls who get closed off because they're shy, but still fancy a guy, or close off for other reasons, that's what makes it so hard to discern.

[Iwant2kno]

Great mytake, I would agree with the majority of them. Certainly body language tells more than words! 😊

[crazy8000]

Hope you know that crossed legs where one leg is lying on top of the other upper leg is called the closed light house. and when someone also has their hands on the leg lying on top is called the locked light house.
Both is a sign that the person is closed for any business and the locked one is a reinforced version.

The arm crossing can mean a lot of different thing's there you also must see how they are crossed to get a more accurate reading.
Also very easy to misinterpret since a lot of humans have a habit to have them crossed without meaning anything since it's comfortable habit.

You need at least 2 cues to get a clue what someone is saying indirectly and more than twice as many cues to geta a decent reading. and many of them have multiple meanings depending on circumstances.
You have half/quarter/micro ticks even part of micro ticks.
You even have those with their own set of cues that means something else compared to the majority.
Have those that some calls sloth machine's to make you not to be able to read them.

[Girther10]

What’s important about this mytake, is to know there is all kinds of communication going on between any two people, besides just verbal. Non verbal communication comes in many ways, and the most common is body language. Understanding all communication is paramount to living a good life.
I find most interesting the different ways cultures express body language, and non verbal communication. In some cultures, it’s considered to be overkill when you say “goodbye” as you walk out the door. It’s not needed, clearly you’re leaving, so why are you telling me? Just go. Those kinds of minor things are interesting to me.
Well written, @tonicandgin

[Cammy137]

I think it's important to mention that you need to have some degree of a baseline prior to making conclusions about people based on body language. You also have to take the environment/situation into consideration as well. For example, 'The Turtle' can easily happen when someone is cold, rather than indicating any specific attitudes.

[Robertcw]

I always just read emotions via subconscious facial expressions more than deliberate actions like these.

You can tell what people are thinking regardless of what they want to communicate if you are good at reading faces.

In that way, all you need to do is look at their face to see if they are receptive or not.

I never thought any of that was deliberate.

Actually striking an intentional pose seems like too much work. I know lots of people do that, but I don’t really do that. I just parade around without thinking about any sort of way of presenting myself. I allow myself to react to the moment.

[Phanta]

Body language is way more complicated than what you have made it out to be. Just going by what you typed here would by utterly insufficient to read people. It really takes expertise.

[tonicandgin]

It's not hard to tell when they are not completely relaxed

[Soft4u]

Great myTake thank you, it's all true if we pay attention to other people during a conversation.
One I hated, I went out with a guy about 6 weeks, there were times when out with other people him and I could be having an intimate conversation, when all of the sudden he would say something to someone else, at times in a loud voice, that would make me feel like he wasn't hearing a word I said. He had my complete attention, I sure didn't have his. lol

[spunkygiraffe]

Body language is so important, but I'm rubbish at interpreting it well, it's not like I don't try, but it doesn't come naturally to me I guess! Great take, by the way, I really enjoyed reading it!

[Anonymous]

From a more credible source.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jwUXV4QaTw

[tonicandgin]

normal people aren't spies though

[Opinion Owner]

It's not about being a spy. it's about reading body language - correctly.

[tonicandgin]

in this sense this is trying to bring awareness to annoyance nd discomfort.

[Secret6620]

Omfg I am the crunched up turtle!!! Awesome mytake🐢🐢🐢

[DamonR330]

I am actually really good at reading body language and seeing when someone is lying. I am also really good at hiding my own body language.

[Logorithim]

Good explanations. Have seen this body language numerous times.

[John_Doesnt]

Some girls can tell you everything they're thinking without saying a word:

[anon1903]

Basic psychology points most of the psychology students, manipulators, charmers and hopefully all adults know but great job, buddy. The trick is to play it subtle, you might come off as a creep if you mirror someone in a obvious manner.

[katita]

Is hard for me to believe in the accuracy of this, as a model who is constantly asked to fake joy, sex attraction on all that bs I can’t rely on this

[tonicandgin]

All the time or when posing?

[SexyAshh]

I come off as “get lost”, but im very much the mirror and wandering eye after that lol

[bloom6654]

nice now i could use these and read some body language

[JamesBoradil03]

its easy to read a middle finger. thats all i have to say

[Gedaria]

Yes , once you get the hang of it , people don't need to say anything. There body speaks volumes...

[sadassad]

This actually helps because I am the worst at reading people feelings and even more at reading their body language