This document provides an overview of body language and how to interpret it. It discusses what body language is, why it is important to learn, and different gestures and their potential meanings. Specific gestures covered include yawning, scratching the head, mouth covering, eye contact, hand signals, finger movements, facial expressions, handshakes, sitting positions, walking styles, and arm positions. Positive and negative body language traits are identified. The document emphasizes reading body language in combination with words and not jumping to conclusions based on single gestures. It aims to help readers improve their interpersonal skills by better understanding body language.

1. Body Language II
Advanced
Dr.V. Veera Balaji Kumar
Soft skills Trainer
Cygmax institute of management studies

2. Body language in communication
What is body language?
Body language is the communication of
personal feeling, emotion, attitudes and
thoughts through body movements.
In other words it is the way people
unconsciously show their private thoughts
and emotions through body movements.

3. Why learn body language ?
• Our ability to use body language in a positive
way and to read other people's minds through
their body language can boost our
interpersonal skill.
• and can be a powerful tool to our overall
personality development

4. Reading others like a Book
• Suggesting Interest
• Indications that they're more open to agree
with you
• Indications that they are thinking
• Indications that they are frustrated/ dismayed
• Indications whether they Are Action-Oriented

5. Reading a person contd…
• Indications that they are defensive/hiding
something
• Indications of boredom
• Signals conveying excitement or interest
• Signals exhibiting confidence/authority/power
• Signals of anger/resistance

6. Reading a person contd…
• Signals of nervousness/tension
• Signals made when they are
doubting/suspecting you
• Signals made when they need reassurance
• Indications of pride
• To know when they are lying

7. Gesture
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Yawning
Tuning up the nose
Crossing the legs above the knee
Sitting on the wedge of the chair
Scratching the head
Crossing the arms at the chest
Biting the lower lip
Tapping the foot
Clenching the hands
Rubbing the eyes
Placing hands on the hips
Pointing the index finger

8. Yawning
Yawning is a response to a wide variety of
response to a wide variety of stimuli, including
sleepiness, awakening hunger, boredom,
nervousness and inter cranial diseases.
There are several causes of yawning:
Psychological, including boredom, drowsiness,
fatigue, separation
hormonal, due to the actions of ACTH and
MSH;
neurological, as a result of various brain
pathologies,
psychiatric, for example, schizophrenia,
psychosis, depression and withdrawal; general
pathologies, including ear disorders, gastric
and biliary disorders and motion sickness;
drug overdose such as naloxone, valproate,
imipramine, clomipramine, serotonin, and
phenobarbitol; and
drug withdrawal, from heroin, morphine,
lefetamine, methadone and pentazocin.

9. Scratching the head
Indications That They Are Frustrated/
Dismayed
This gesture clearly indicates that the person is
frustrated by some loss or disappointed.

10. Mouth covering
• He may be lying
• He may be unsure of
what he is saying
• He may want to suppress
a feeling
• It is just a habit and
doesn’t mean anything

11. Arms
• Cross or folded arms
• Arm gripping
• Arms behind the
back
Hiding something they don’t want others to
find out

12. Eye contact
Eye contact shows our self confidence
and any of our personality traits.
o Types of looking
Direct look
The sidelong glance
 The concentrated gaze
 The blank stare
 Blinking

13. Hand  signals
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Limp hands
Relaxed hands
Restless hands
Clenched hands

14. Finger
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 movements
Pointing the index finger
Steeling
Thump gesture
Cracking of knuckles

15. BODY LANGUAGE - II
Different gestures and postures
Our face is the most expressive part of our body. There
Six universal facial expressions are
HAPPINESS, SADNESS, SURPRISE,
FEAR, ANGER AND DISTRUST.
Each of this expression is accompanied with a
combination of recognizable mouth and hand gestures

16. The
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face
Smiling and frowning are the two major facial expressions.
Different types of facial expressions
Indicate our respect for others
Reflect our interest in someone or something
Transit out positive attitude about people and things
Convey our ambition as professionals
Express our compassion for our co-worker, family and
friends.
• Reveal the kind of personality we possess.

17. Which is which ?

18. Which smile is genuine ?

19. Disgust

20. Distress / Pain / Suffering

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Putting object in the mouth (under pressure, taking his time, wants more
information)
Touching the lip (relieve anxiety, boredom, excitement, fear, horror or
uncertainty)
Scratching the neck (psychological discomfort, )
Rubbing the eye (doubtful or telling lie)
Rubbing the nose (hiding the truth)
Putting the hand on the cheek (Deep thinking, attention / interest)
Stroking the chin (during decision making & evaluating process)
Head in hand (despair / loss / prolonged thinking / boredom)
Hands behind the head (Feeling confident / superior about something)
“associated with professionals”
Hands on hips (Readiness / ability to do a job) “associated with achiever”

22. Handshakes (gesture of welcome)
Three main attitudes depending on
the approach.
• Dominance
• Submission
• Equality

23. Styles of hand shake
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Firm hand shakes
Glove hand shakes
The knuckle grinder hand shakes
The stiff arm hand shakes
The arm pull hand shakes
The double handed handshakes
The grasp

24. Double handshake

25. How to shake hands
• Shake hands
firmly
• Never hold
longer than few
seconds
• Wipe your hands
so that they are
not moist

26. Gestures to be avoided
• Pointing at others
• Touching others to emphasize a
point
• Being too familiar
• Invading people’s personal space

27. Styles of sitting
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The Lincolnesque position - Sitting in a chair with both feet planted firmly
on the floor and apart, and arms resting flat on the arm of the chair
signifies a open mind
Sitting on the edge of the chair - Compromise, co-operate, agree or
accept
Leg over the arm of the chair - Relaxed, open, co-operative and informal
Straddling the chair - Dominance or aggression
Rocking or swinging in the chair - Full control of the situation and
confident that situation will favor him
Fidgeting - Move restlessly
Upper body - Show of self confidence
Lower body - It sends a message of I don’t want to be here.
CORRECT POSTURE - It is important to lean slightly towards a person in
order to show that one is interested and involved

28. Crossing the legs above the knee
Indicate
Defensiveness

29. The Boss (Bore) and his victim

30. The buyer and the seller

31. Sitting on edge of chair leaning forward :
Eagerness

32. Superiority feeling

33. Indifference or Casual approach
• Can be seen as a
mark of disrespect.
• Dominance or
aggression
• Arrogant attitude
(sometime)

34. STRADDLING A CHAIR
Shows that a person is feeling safe, and is self confident. Can also show leadership.

35. Arms firmly gripping the chair crossed legs and
stiff face.

36. Lincolnesque position
Signifies a open mind

37. Walking styles
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ARM SWINGING - Goal oriented and on a definite mission
HANDS IN A POCKET - Critical and secretive, they often criticize others
HANDS ON HIPS - Move without wasting time. Use sufficient means to
fulfill their goals in their shortest possible time.
MEDITATIVE WALK - Thinking about some problem may walk at a slow
pace with their heads down and hands clasped behind their back
CONFIDENCE WALK - The person walked with their chin raised, arms
swindling wildly, legs a bit stiff and the pace somewhat deliberate this
style gives off confidence.
LEADERSHIP WALK - They walk with deliberate steps, clearly showing
that they ate headed towards specific goal
PACING - Walking with measured steps targeting the goal,
SWAGGER - Exaggerated Arm swinging style of walking

39. Arms behind the back
Contemplation

40. HANDS ON HIPS
Move without wasting
time.
Use sufficient means to
fulfill their goals in their
shortest possible time.

41. MEDITATIVE WALK - Thinking about some problem
may walk at a slow pace with their heads down and
hands clasped behind their back

42. STRUT: to walk somewhere with big steps in a
proud way
CONFIDENCE WALK The person walked
with their chin raised,
arms swindling wildly,
legs a bit stiff and the
pace somewhat
deliberate this style
gives off confidence

43. BODY LANGUAGE to be interpreted as
positive and genuine
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Most important to be NATURAL – Always stand erect and walk with
shoulders back and stomach in making people to recognize selfconfidence, awareness and enthusiasm.
NON-VERBAL behaviors to be avoided. If you do not wish to show lack of
self confidence, such as
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Hunching the shoulders
Slouching in a chair
Leaning forward with the head resting on
one of the hands
Constantly shifting position while sitting
or standing

44. Positive and Negative Traits
Positive Traits
 Arms relaxed – Sign of openness
 Gesturing warmly / talking with hands - shows involvement
in the conversation and openness to the other person
 Good eye contact – shows interest
 Leaning closer – shows interests are up and barriers are down
 Nodding agreement – show there are no barriers to
communication
 Smiling / adding humor – signals a warm personal
relationship.

45. Negative Traits
 Arms behind the head / leaning back - shows
desire for control and power
 Arms folded in front – creates barrier and
shows resistance to conversation
 Blank stares / flipping through literature
without reading – shows distraction
 Fidgeting or moving restlessly in the chair –
shows boredom, nervousness / impatience

46. Negative Traits
 Hand on face / leaning on elbow with chin in hand /
Yawning / Chewing gum – shows boredom
 Trying to interrupt the speaker by opening the
mouth to speak – shows impatience
 Leaning away – avoiding moving closer is very
negative
 Shaking the legs – shows restlessness
 Sitting with an arm dropped along the back of the
chair – shows defensive

47. To Convey Positive Messages
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Avoid closed gestures
Avoid fidgeting or letting your eyes wander
Maintain eye contact
Maintain good posture
Nod agreement and occasionally express it
verbally to reinforce the nods
• Smile

48. To Convey Positive Messages
• Keep your fingers and hands away from your
mouth while speaking and listening to others
• Do not tap your fingers on the table / any
surface
• Start and end your day with positive attitudes
• Display confidence and enthusiasm in your
movement gestures and postures
• Rise to great people when they enter the
room. It show that you have good manners

49. Don't Jump to Conclusions
• Be aware of the body language, but also
combine your observations with the spoken
words to get more hints regarding the inner
feelings of another.
• Constantly touching the mouth may indicate
lying, although the real reason might just be
that the mouth is itching
• Judgment based more than two gestures can
be dependable