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Gestures and Body Movements

Page 104

On the television show Lie to Me, the character Dr. Cal Lightman claims to be able to “read” nonverbal behaviors—“body language”—to detect when someone is lying. But the way you move your body is not a language at all: for example, shaking your leg while you’re sitting has no specific, consistently understood definition. Such behavior is called kinesics—the aspects of gestures and body movements that send nonverbal messages. When Eva turns her body to include Jane in a conversation, or Rodney walks into an interview standing tall to project confidence, for example, you are witnessing kinesic behaviors. And research shows that we’re fairly good at deciphering others’ emotions from their gestures and movements (Montepare, Koff, Zaitchik, & Alberet, 1999).

There are five main categories of body movements that convey meaning (Ekman & Friesen, 1969):

Emblems have a direct verbal translation in a particular group or culture. They substitute for verbal messages. During his inauguration parade, Barack Obama greeted the marching band from his old high school with a shaka sign—a pinkie and thumb salute that is a common form of greeting in Hawaii. Though it has no direct translation, the shaka sign is widely regarded as a representation of the Hawaiian “aloha spirit.” Depending on context, it can be interpreted as hello, good-bye, praise, or a call to “hang loose.” Emblems don’t always translate from one culture to another.
Illustrators reinforce verbal messages and help visually explain what is being said. Holding your hands two feet apart while saying, “The fish was this big!” is an illustrator. Illustrators can also be used to increase influence in relationships, as when we emphasize our words with pointing or sketching a thought in the air (Dunbar & Burgoon, 2005).
Regulators help us manage our interactions. Raising your hand and lifting your head, for example, indicate that you want to speak. Raising your eyebrows usually indicates you want information from others (Flecha-García, 2010).
Adaptors satisfy some physical or psychological need, such as rubbing your eyes when you’re tired or twisting your hair when you’re nervous or bored. Adaptors are not conscious behaviors; they are used to reduce bodily tension, often in response to heightened emotional stimulation. They may be more frequent when someone is stressed, impatient, or bored and are often interpreted as indicators of negative feelings (Goss & O’Hair, 1988).
Affect displays are nonverbal behaviors that convey feelings, moods, and reactions. They are often unintentional, reflecting the sender’s emotions: slumping in a chair may indicate fatigue or boredom; a fist thrust high in the air indicates joy when your team scores a touchdown. That’s not to say they’re always unintentional, though: you may purposely set your jaw and hit your fist on the table to indicate your anger or frustration.