INTRODUCTION

Body language is a type of a nonverbal communication in which physical behaviours, as

opposed to words, are used to express or convey the information. Such behaviour
includes facial expressions, body posture, gestures, eye movement, touch and the use of
space. Body language exists in both animals and humans, but this article focuses on
interpretations of human body language. It is also known as kinesics.

Body language must not be confused with sign language, as sign languages are
full languages like spoken languages and have their own complex grammar systems, as well
as being able to exhibit the fundamental properties that exist in all languages. 1 Body
language, on the other hand, does not have a grammar system and must be interpreted
broadly, instead of having an absolute meaning corresponding with a certain movement, so it
is not a language like sign language2, and is simply termed as a "language" due to popular
culture.

In a society, there are agreed-upon interpretations of particular behaviour. Interpretations may

vary from country to country, or culture to culture. On this note, there is controversy on
whether body language is universal. Body language, a subset of nonverbal communication,
complements verbal communication in social interaction. In fact some researchers conclude
that nonverbal communication accounts for the majority of information transmitted during
interpersonal interactions3. It helps to establish the relationship between two people and
regulates interaction, but can be ambiguous.

Body language isn’t always as clear as spoken language, but how it's interpreted can play a
big role in how someone relates to and interacts with others. It's a silent orchestra: Micro-
expressions (brief displays of emotion that an individual tries to conceal), hand gestures, and
posture register in the human brain almost immediately—even when someone is not
consciously aware of them.

These moments of recognition, however brief, can have long-lasting repercussions for how an
individual interprets others’ motivation, mood, and openness, as well as how their own inner
self is perceived. Unfortunately, certain mental health disorders—particularly neuro

1
The signs of language.MA-Harvard University Press
2
The dictionary of anthropology.Illinois:Blackwell Publishing
3
Body language dictionary.New York. 19 May 2014

1
developmental disorders like autism—may make it more challenging to notice and respond to
the messages conveyed by body language.

An old adage says “Actions speak louder than words". Our body posture, along with its
movements and placement of different body parts, play an important role in letting out our
feelings and emotions, even if we don’t display the emotions voluntarily.

A positive body language helps the person to be more assertive and assists in putting his or
her opinion forward more easily than the others. Positive body language is liked by other
people and hence, the person carrying a positive body language gets more attention and favor
in any discussion.

2
 MAIN INGREDIENTS OF BODY LANGUAGE

GESTURE

Gestures are movements made with body parts (example hands, arms, fingers, head, legs) and
they may be voluntary or involuntary4. Arm gestures can be interpreted in several ways. In a
discussion, when one stands, sits or even walks with folded arms, it is normally not a
welcoming gesture. It could mean that they have a closed mind and are most likely unwilling
to listen to the speaker's viewpoint. Another type of arm gesture also includes an arm crossed
over the other, demonstrating insecurity and a lack of confidence.

According to Barbara Pease and Allan Pease, authors of The Definitive Book of Body
Language, everybody does shoulder shrug. The shrug is a good example of a universal
gesture that is used to show that a person doesn't understand what you are saying. "It's a
multiple gesture that has three main parts," they continue. "Exposed palms to show nothing is
being concealed in the hands, hunched shoulders to protect the throat from attack, and raised
brow, which is a universal, submissive greeting.5

Hand gestures often signify the state of well-being of the person making them. Relaxed hands
indicate confidence and self-assurance, while clenched hands may be interpreted as signs of
stress or anger. If a person is wringing their hands, this demonstrates nervousness and
anxiety.

Finger gestures are also commonly used to exemplify one's speech as well as denote the state
of well-being of the person making them. In certain cultures, pointing using one's index
finger is deemed acceptable. However, pointing at a person may be viewed as aggressive in
other cultures – for example, people who share Hindu beliefs consider finger pointing
offensive. Instead, they point with their thumbs. Likewise, the thumbs up gesture could show
"OK" or "good" in countries like the United States, France and Germany. But this same
gesture is insulting in other countries like Iran, Bangladesh and Thailand, where it is the
equivalent of showing the middle finger in the US. In most cultures the Head Nod is used to
signify 'Yes' or agreement. It's a stunted form of bowing – the person symbolically goes to
bow but stops short, resulting in a nod. Bowing is a submissive gesture so the Head Nod
shows we are going along with the other person's point of view. Research conducted with

4
US Journal of soft skills .1 March 2010.
5
^businessinsider

3
people who were born deaf and blind shows that they also use this gesture to signify 'Yes', so
it appears to be an inborn gesture of submission.

Handshakes

Handshakes are regular greeting rituals and commonly done on meeting, greeting, offering
congratulations or after the completion of an agreement. They usually indicate the level of
confidence and emotion level in people. Studies have also categorized several handshake
styles6, e.g. the finger squeeze, the bone crusher (shaking hands too strongly), the limp fish
(shaking hands too weakly), etc. Handshakes are popular in the United States and are
appropriate for use between men and women. However, in Muslim cultures, men may not
shake hands or touch women in any way and vice versa. Likewise, in Hindu cultures, Hindu
men may never shake hands with women. Instead, they greet women by placing their hands
as if praying.

A firm, friendly handshake has long been recommended in the business world as a way to
make a good first impression, and the greeting is thought to date to ancient times as a way of
showing a stranger you had no weapons.

Breathing

Body language related to breathing and patterns of breathing can be indicative of a person's
mood and state of mind; because of this, the relationship between body language and
breathing is often considered in contexts such as business meetings and presentations.
Generally, deeper breathing which uses the diaphragm and abdomen more is interpreted as
conveying a relaxed and confident impression; by contrast, shallow, excessively rapid
breathing is often interpreted as conveying a more nervous or anxious impression.[15]

Some business advisers, such as those who promote neuro-linguistic programming,

recommend mirroring a person's breathing pattern in order to convey an impression of mutual
understanding.

Different physical movements

Covering one's mouth suggests suppression of feeling and perhaps uncertainty. This could
also mean that they are thinking hard and may be unsure of what to say next. [5] What you
communicate through your body language and nonverbal signals affects how others see you,
how well they like and respect you, and whether or not they trust you.

6
Black Roxie (2011).Journal of hand therapy.

4
Unfortunately, many people send confusing or negative nonverbal signals without even
knowing it. When this happens, both connection and trust are damaged.

TYPES OF GESTURES

Emblems
Emblems are specific gestures with specific meaning that are consciously used and
consciously understood. They are used as substitutes for words and are close to sign
language than everyday body language.

For example, holding up the hand with all fingers closed in except the index and second
finger, which are spread apart, can mean 'V for victory' or 'peace' (if the palm is away from
the body) or a rather rude dismissal if the palm is towards the body.

Iconic gestures
Iconic gestures or illustrators are closely related to speech, illustrating what is being said,
painting with the hands, for example when a person illustrates a physical item by using the
hands to show how big or small it is. Iconic gestures are different from other gestures in
that they are used to show physical, concrete items.

Iconic gestures are useful as they add detail to the mental image that the person is trying
convey. They also show the first person or second person viewpoint that the person is
taking.

The timing of iconic gestures in synchronization with speech can show you whether they
are unconscious or are being deliberately added for conscious effect. In an unconscious
usage, the preparation for the gesture will start before the words are said, whilst in
conscious usage there is a small lag between words and gesture (which can make the
speaker appear manipulative).

Metaphoric gestures
When using metaphoric gestures, a concept is being explained. Gestures are in three-
dimensional space and are used to shape and idea being explained, either with specific
shapes such as finger pinches and physical shaping, or more general waving of hands that
symbolizes the complexity of what is being explained.

Regulators
Regulators are used to control turn-taking in conversation, for example in the way that as a
person completes what they are saying, they may drop their arms, whilst a person wanting
to speak may raise an arm as if to grasp the way forward.

5
Affect displays
Gestures can also be used to display emotion, from tightening of a fist to the many forms of
self-touching and holding the self. Covering or rubbing eyes, ears or mouth can say 'I do
not want to see/hear/say this'. Holding hands or the whole body can indicate anxiety as the
person literally holds themself. Self-preening can show a desire to be liked and can indicate
desire of another.

Beat gestures
Beat gestures are just that, rhythmic beating of a finger, hand or arm. They can be as short
as a single beat or as long as needed to make a particular point.

Beating and repetition plays to primitive feelings of basic patterning, and can vary in sense
according to the context. A beat is a staccato strike that creates emphasis and grabs attention.
A short and single beat can mark an important point in a conversation, whilst repeated beats
can hammer home a critical concept.

6
 POSTURE

In humans, posture can provide a significant amount of important information

through nonverbal communication. Psychological studies have also demonstrated the effects
of body posture on emotions.7 This research can be traced back to Charles Darwin's studies of
emotion and movement in humans and animals.Currently, many studies have shown that
certain patterns of body movements are indicative of specific emotions. Researchers studied
sign language and found that even non-sign language users can determine emotions from
only hand movements. Another example is the fact that anger is characterized by forward
whole body movement.8

In a proper body posture , the head is raised, the shirt may be unbuttoned at the neck, a bag
is held on the shoulder or at the side. Open posture is often perceived as communicating a
friendly and positive attitude. In an open posture the feet are spread and the head is straight.
The palms are up and the hands and fingers are spread. Due to this friendly demeanor,
research suggests that participants view counselors who use an open posture as more capable
of providing guidance.

Proper inclination of body is important and orientation of body is important. During

conversation, a person may lean slightly toward another person or tilt slightly away from
him/her. This behavior is usually unconscious. An inclination towards can be an expression
of sympathy and acceptance. Inclining away can signal dislike, disapproval, or a desire to end
the conversation. Different inclinations of the head may carry similar meaningsUsually
people talk directed toward each other, but not squarely face to face, which can be indicative
of a confrontational stance. In conversation, the participants' bodies are usually turned toward
each other at an angle. When a person ignores someone else, they tend to ignore or avoid
contact by showing the other person their side or back.

Mood influences muscle tone, energy level, and one's internal sense of well-being. Thus,
body posture can reveal a person's current state of mind. Anger, sadness, and disgust are by
far the most recognized body postures that are indicative of emotions.

A person under Stress will have a greater amount of muscle tension and shallow
breathing.The well being of a person keeps his spine straight and head raised. Malaise affects
posture with a sense of tiredness and head bows down. Confidence affects posture with an
uprighteousness of ones body.

7
Journal of non verbal behaviour US(1999)
8
The arts in psychotherapy .Garry Poole (1993)

7
Good posture helps us stand, walk, sit, and lie in positions that place the least strain on
supporting muscles and ligaments during movement and weight-bearing activities. Correct
posture:

(1) Helps us keep bones and joints in correct alignment so that our muscles are used
correctly, decreasing the abnormal wearing of joint surfaces that could result in
degenerative arthritis and joint pain.
(2) Reduces the stress on the ligaments holding the spinal joints together, minimizing the
likelihood of injury.
(3) Allows muscles to work more efficiently, allowing the body to use less energy and,
therefore, preventing muscle fatigue.
(4) Helps prevent muscle strain, overuse disorders, and even back and muscular pain.

To maintain proper posture, you need to have adequate muscle flexibility and strength,
normal joint motion in the spine and other body regions, as well as efficient postural
muscles that are balanced on both sides of the spine. In addition, you must recognize your
postural habits at home and in the workplace and work to correct them, if necessary.

As stated, the study of postures can give a vast amount of information about emotions and
self-perceptions. The study of posture has also proven beneficial in other fields.
Professional counselors, who were the participants, had to view recorded interactions of
counselors and clients and determine the emotions of the client.[24] Researchers found that
relying only on verbal communication to determine the emotions of the client resulted in
an accuracy of only 66%. High levels of empathy could be misconstrued without the
matching positive nonverbal communication. In similar studies it was noted that the arms
and legs were the most important bodily factors in signalling low levels of
empathy. Further, researchers suggested that counselors should not only be trained in
verbal communication but also in nonverbal communication.9
Kyphosis,Flatback,Swayback(Lordosis),Forward head or back etc. are different types
of postures.

9
Hasse,Richard F.Journal of counseling psychology.417-424.

8
 FACIAL EXPRESSION
Facial expression is integral when expressing emotions through the body. Combinations
of eyes, eyebrow, lips, nose, and cheek movements help form different moods of an
individual (example happy, sad, depressed, angry, etc.).

A few studies show that facial expression and bodily expression (body language) are
congruent when interpreting emotions10. Behavioural experiments have also shown that
recognition of facial expression is influenced by perceived bodily expression. This means that
the brain processes the other's facial and bodily expressions simultaneously. Subjects in these
studies showed accuracy in judging emotions based on facial expression. This is because the
face and the body are normally seen together in their natural proportions and
the emotional signals from the face and body are well integrated.

For example, a lack of crinkles around the eyes suggests a potentially fake smile. At one
point, researchers believed that making a genuine smile was nearly impossible to do on
command. When you're smiling joyfully, they crinkle. When you're faking it, they don't. If
someone's trying to look happy but really isn't, you won't see the wrinkles. More recently, a
study from North eastern University researchers found that people could do a pretty good job
of faking a Duchenne smile, even when they weren't feeling especially happy.

Besides, the body language of the eye has several implications. For instance, the research
approved that, the person has no control over of his pupils, and the pupils expanded when
someone interested in the other person, or looking at something. “ As an indicator, check a
friend's pupil size when you're talking to them about something interesting, then change the
subject to something less interesting and watch their pupils contract!”11

Normally, one's eyes need to instinctively blink at around 6-10 times per minute, but merely
looking at a person or object the viewer finds "attractive" can slow this rate down. “can be a
good indicator that a person is attracted to the person they're talking to.

Facial expression is used in sign languages to convey specific meanings. In American Sign
Language (ASL), for instance, raised eyebrows combined with a slightly forward head tilt
indicate that what is being signed is a yes/no question. Lowered eyebrows are used for wh-

10
Francsco(23 july 2013)Do bodily expressions complete with facial expressions?
11
www.psychologistworld.com. Retrived 2019-01-17

9
word questions. Facial expression is also used in sign languages to show adverbs and
adjectives such as distance or size: an open mouth, squinted eyes, and tilted back head
indicate something far while the mouth pulled to one side and the cheek held toward the
shoulder indicate something close, and puffed cheeks mean very large. It can also show the
manner in which something is done, such as carelessly or routinely.12 Some of these
expressions, also called non-manual signs, are used similarly in different sign languages
while others are different from one language to another. 13

Happiness is characterized by a facial expression that causes someone to raise the corners of
their mouth upwards. Disgust is characterized by a facial expression that causes someone to
raise their upper lip, wrinkle their nose bridge, and raise their cheeks. Anger is characterized
by a facial expression that causes someone to lower their brows, press their lips together
firmly, and bulge their eyes. When experiencing fear, it is said to cause a person to raise their
brows, open their mouth slightly, and open their eyes in a manner that is wider than normal.
Surprise is characterized by a facial expression that causes someone to arch their brows,
open their eyes widely, and drop their jaw. Sadness is characterized by a facial expression
that causes someone to lower the corners of their mouth, and raise the inner portion of their
brows.Facial expressions can have a positive as well as negative impact.

Facial expressions are important parts of how we communicate and how we develop
impressions of the people around us. In “The Expression of Emotion in Man and
Animals,” Charles Darwin proposed that facial expressions evolved to quickly communicate
emotional states important to social survival. He hypothesized that certain facial expressions
are innate, and therefore universally expressed and recognized across all cultures.

People from both cultures showed the same facial expressions for six “basic” emotions
(anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness and surprise) and were able to recognize their
meaning in others. This is strong evidence that certain emotions are evolutionarily based. In
the decades since, research has continued to support Darwin’s hypothesis: for instance,
showing that congenitally blind people display the same spontaneous expressions as sighted
people. Indeed, facial expression may be one of the only universal languages.

12
Denis Cokely 1980.American sign language.MD:T J Publishers
13
Linguistic sign language.cambridge university press (2013)

10
 VOICE MODULATION

Particular tones of voice are linked with particular types of body language. For example, if
someone’s tone of voice conveys the impression that they are happy, then their body
language will ordinarily convey a similar impression.14 One of the reasons for this is that
when a person’s mood changes so does their breathing pattern. This influences their body
language, and also their intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) which is a direct influence on, and
discernible in, their tone of voice. For example, if a person is feeling confident, then their
breathing pattern will deepen, their IAP will increase, and their tone of voice will sound fuller
and stronger. If they are feeling anxious, their breathing will become too shallow, their IAP
will decrease, and their voice will sound thinner and weaker. Thus, based upon a person’s
mood being reflected in their breathing pattern- which is a fundamental influencing factor to
both tone of voice and body language- their tone of voice will tend to convey the same sense
of mood as their body language, and vice versa. Notably, hands-free devices which use a
digital voice, such as Amazon.com’s Alexa, tend to omit or limit the sound of IAP from the
digital voice. The voice therefore lacks a human-like fullness of tone and sounds more
robotic.

Certain body postures can significantly influence the tone of voice. For instance, if someone
is speaking whilst sitting in a chair with a hunched back, then this obstructs the breathing
system, including the throat, and may muffle the tone of voice and convey the impression of
being de energised, unhappy or bored. Whereas if they were sitting up straight, this would
allow the breathing system to be unobstructed, the throat to be open, and the tone of voice to
be clearer, more energetic and focused15.

Good verbal communication skills of the employees of an organization foster excellent

business relationships with other organizations, customers, suppliers, etc. Good verbal
communication at the workplace is critical to the companies with a workforce from a
diverse background. It helps reduce the barriers produced because of cultural and
language differences. Many multinational companies arrange training to inculcate
effective communication skills in their employees which prove very beneficial in the long
run. Effective verbal communication between employer and employee also increases job
satisfaction level. Employees feel secure when they are communicated effectively.

14
https://bodylanguageuniversity.com
15
Psychological books.Los Angeles.Retrived October 23.2018.

11
 Receiving the right and updated information from their superiors boost their confidence
and productivity. Excellent verbal communication skills increase the ability of the
individuals to share ideas, thoughts and concerns with each other.

Voice also helps us in changing our attitude. A person may alter their body language in
order to alter the attitude they convey; this may in turn influence the rapport they have
with another person. Whether a formal or informal attitude is conveyed may influence the
other person's response. For instance, if an interviewer conveys a formal attitude then this
gives a more business like impression, which may encourage the interviewee to give more
serious answers. This may develop a more professional rapport overall between them.
Alternatively, if the interviewer conveys an informal attitude, then this conveys a more
open and casual impression. This may be used to elicit a more open response from the
interviewee, encourage them to give more revealing answers, and potentially develop a
more personal rapport.

Body language is a major contributor to the attitude a person conveys to others. Albert
Mehrabian maintains that during a conversation, 7% of what is communicated is via what
is said, 38% is via tone of voice, and the majority, 55%, is via body language. This is also
referred to as the ‘7%–38%–55%16 Rule’ and is often considered in studies of human
communications. Whilst there is a wider debate about the percentage share which should
be attributed to each of the three contributing factors, it is generally agreed upon that
body language plays a fundamental role in determining the attitude a person conveys.

The sender must keep his speech tone high and clearly audible to all and must design the
subject matter keeping the target audience in mind. The sender should always cross check
with the receiver to ensure that the message is understood in absolutely the same way as it
was intended. Such communication is more prone to errors as sometimes the words are not
sufficient to express the feelings and emotions of a person.

The success of the verbal communication depends not only on the speaking ability of an
individual but also on the listening skills. How effectively an individual listens to the subject
matter decides the effectiveness of the communication. The verbal communication is
applicable in both the formal and informal kind of situations.

16
Albert (2009)Psychological books:Los Angeles.Retrived October 23,2018

12
 EYE CONTACT

17
Eye contact occurs when two people look at each other's eyes at the same time . In human
beings, eye contact is a form of nonverbal communication and is thought to have a large
influence on social behaviour. Coined in the early to mid-1960s, the term came from the
West to often define the act as a meaningful and important sign of confidence, respect, and
social communication18. The customs and significance of eye contact vary between societies,
with religious and social differences often altering its meaning greatly.

Eye contact and facial expressions provide important social and emotional information.
People, perhaps without consciously doing so, search other's eyes and faces for positive or
negative mood signs. In some contexts, the meeting of eyes arouses strong emotions. Eye
contact provides some of the strongest emotions during a social conversation. This primarily
is because it provides details on emotions and intentions. In a group if eye contact is not
inclusive of a certain individual it can make that individual feel left out of the group, while on
the other hand prolonged eye contact can tell someone you are interested in what they have to
say.19

Our eyes connect us with people.It reveals our thoughts and feelings. properly.It shows
connection and creates an intimate bond.Eye contact help us in a lot of things like-

Respect-As said above, in Western countries like the United States, eye contact in order to
show and earn respect. From talking to your boss at work to thanking your grandmother for a
birthday gift, eye contact shows that you see the person as equal or someone you view as
important. Of course there are other ways to show respect, such as staying eye-level with the
person and positioning yourself as leaning into them when you’re talking, but eye contact
shows that you’re on the same page in the most straight-forward way. As they say, “eyes are
the window to the soul.” Sincerity can be felt through eye contact, therefore, genuine respect
will be received if you pay strong attention through your eyes.

Interest-If you like someone in any way, shape, or form, why not look them in the eye when
you’re talking to them? Looking down or away from them can come off as aloof, especially
if the person is telling you about something important or trying to get your attention. In order

17
Cambridge advanced learners dictionary.May 14,2006
18
www.dictionary.com
19
Scientific American mind .Jan-Feb 216

13
to put the most effort into showing interest, look the person in the eye and smile. This can be
taken different ways depending on what you and the other person are intending – interest
could mean familial, friendship, a respectful authoritarian interest, love interest, or even just a
strong bond that you and the other person have. Eye contact can say so much, yet leave so
much to assumptions and analyzing body language.

Appreciation-You can convey appreciation quite easily with the eyes – just give a
meaningful look into their eyes while you’re thanking them and the other person is able to
recognize how you feel. Showing emotions like appreciation is quite important in terms of
friends and family members if they do something nice or helpful for you, so eye contact is
vital in these situations. It’s a socially constructed way to keep up a positive image with
people in your life, yet also an extremely good way to show your thanks with sincerity.

Understanding-A locking of eyes can be all you need to have some understand something
you mean. If you’re trying to get a point across or just want some reassurance, eye contact
can be an important asset in communicating your thoughts. Eye contact is one of the most
intimate forms of communication because sight has the ability to pick up so much that people
convey. It’s possible to guess what someone’s thinking based on their eyes and how they look
at you. Eye contact, or lack thereof, is invaluable for learning to trust someone and having
that same respect given in return.

In one study conducted by British psychologists from the University of Stirling among 20
British children at the age five, researchers concluded that among the children in the study,
the children who avoid eye contact while considering their responses to questions are more
likely to answer correctly than children who maintain eye contact. While humans obtain
useful information from looking at the face when listening to someone, the process of looking
at faces is mentally demanding and takes processing. Therefore, it may be unhelpful to look
at faces when trying to concentrate and process something else that is mentally
demanding20. Contrary to this, Doherty-Sneddon suggests that a blank stare indicates a lack
of understanding.

Eyes also reveal emotions like bulging of it could mean surprise,while narrowing could be
attributed to jealousy or anger etc.Thus having a proper eye contact is one of the Important
ingredients of body language.

20
Pupils must ‘look away to think’.BBC 11 january 2006

14
 SOME SUB-CATEGORIES OF BODY LANGUAGE

HAPTICS

Haptics, a subcategory of Body Language, is the study of touching and how it is used in
communication. As such, handshakes, holding hands, back slapping, high fives, brushing up
against someone or patting someone all have meaning21.

Based on the Body Language Project, touching is the most developed sense at birth and
formulates our initial views of the world. Touching can be used to sooth, for amusement
during play, to express power and maintain bonds between people, such as with baby and
mother. Touching can carry distinct emotions and also show the intensity of those emotions.
Touch absent of other cues can signal anger, fear, disgust, love, gratitude and sympathy
depending on the length and type of touching that is performed. Many factors also contribute
to the meaning of touching such as the length of the touch and location on the body in which
the touching takes place.

Research has also shown that people can accurately decode distinct emotions by merely
watching others communicate via touch.

PROXEMICS

Another notable area in the nonverbal world of body language is that of spatial relationships,
which is also known as Proxemics. Introduced by Edward T. Hall in 1966, proxemics is the
study of measurable distances between people as they interact with one another.In the
book, Body Language, Julius Fast mentioned that the signals that we send or receive to others
through body language are reactions to others’ invasions of our personal territories, which
links Proxemics an important part of Body Language.

Changing the distance between two people can convey a desire for intimacy, declare a lack of
interest, or increase/decrease domination. It can also influence the body language that is used.
For example, when people talk they like to face each other. If forced to sit side by side, their
body language will try to compensate for this lack of eye-to-eye contact by leaning in
shoulder-to-shoulder22.

21
Haptics body language project.Retrived 20 October 2016
22
The significance of body language PDF.1 April 2010.Retrieved 14 october 2014

15
It is important to note that as with other types of Body Language, proximity range varies with
culture. Hall suggested that "physical contact between two people ... can be perfectly correct
in one culture, and absolutely taboo in another”.

In Latin America, people who may be complete strangers may engage in very close contact.
They often greet one another by kissing on the cheeks. North Americans, on the other hand,
prefer to shake hands. While they have made some physical contact with the shaking of the
hand, they still maintain a certain amount of physical space between the other person.23

Intimate distance – 0 to 18 inches

Personal distance – 18 inches to 4 feet
Social distance – 4 feet to 12 feet
Public distance – beyond 12 feet

KINESIS

Kinesics is the study and interpretation of nonverbal communication related to the movement
of any part of the body or the body as a whole24,in layman's terms, it is the study of body
language. However, Ray Birdwhistell, who is considered the founder of this area of study,
never used the term body language, and did not consider it appropriate. He argued that what
can be conveyed with the body does not meet the linguist's definition of language.

Birdwhistell pointed out that "human gestures differ from those of other animals in that they
are polysemic, that they can be interpreted to have many different meanings depending on the
communicative context in which they are produced". And, he "resisted the idea that 'body
language' could be deciphered in some absolute fashion". He also indicated that "every body
movement must be interpreted broadly and in conjunction with every other element in
communication"25.

23
Proximecs and culture.Retrived 14 october 2016
24
Danesi (2006)Kinesis.Encyclopedia of language and linguistics.207-13
25
The dictionary of anthropology .Illinios Blackwell Publishing

16
 APPLICATIONS AND BENEFITS

Fundamentally, body language is seemed as an involuntary and unconscious phenomena that

adds to the process of communication. Despite that, there have been certain areas where the
conscious harnessing of body language – both in action and comprehension – have been
useful. The use of body language has also seen an increase in application and use
commercially, with large volumes of books and guides published designed to teach people
how to be conscious of body language, and how to use it to benefit them in certain
scenarios.26

The use of body language can be seen in a wide variety of fields. Body language has seen
application in instructional teaching in areas such as second-language acquisition and also to
enhance the teaching of subjects like mathematics. A related use of body language is as a
substitution to verbal language to people who lack the ability to use that, be it because of
deafness or aphasia. Body language has also been applied in the process of detecting deceit
through micro-expressions, both in law enforcement and even in the world of
poker.27 Sometimes, Language Barrier could be such a problem to foreign people. Therefore,
body language would be very beneficial to be used in communication.

It helps in assertive behaviour. A positive body language helps the person to be more
assertive and assists in putting his or her opinion forward more easily than the others. Positive
body language is liked by other people and hence, the person carrying a positive body
language gets more attention and favour in any discussion.

It helps in non-verbal communication. Research says that our communication consists of 35%
verbal communication and 65% non-verbal communication. This implies that whatever we
speak voluntarily comprises of just 35% of what the other person makes out of us. The
remaining 65% information about us is learnt from our body language. Our body language
helps others identify our emotions, status and even our lifestyle. Non-verbal communication
plays a significant role in conjunction with the spoken words. Our non-verbal communication
can reiterate our message, contradict our words, reinforce our statement, substitute the
meaning of our sentences and complement the meaning of our words. Since non-verbal
communication can either emphasize our point or contradict it, it is necessary to keep our

26
Julius (2014)Body Language .Open Road Media.
27
Caro (1994)The body language of Poker

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body language in sync with our emotions. Any sign of conflict between the body language
and our words can make us appear untrustworthy and deceptive.

It helps in workplace success. Positive body language is a must in workplaces and corporate
environment. Healthy body language can help foster team spirit in the workplace, which can
also boost the morale of the employees. Delegation of responsibilities becomes easier through
positive body language. It can also help in conveying respect for colleagues and resolving
conflicts in the organization. During corporate meetings, one can display interest, reception,
and joy using positive body language. A gentle smile, open palms, leaning forward and eye
contact can go a long way in establishing rapport with another person in the meeting thus
helping build and sustain a healthy relationship with the other parties in a meeting.

In public speaking, body language assumes an altogether different importance. If the speaker
has a defensive body language or has a passive body language, there are high chances that he
or she won’t be listened to intently by the audience. The impact factor of such speeches also
is reduced by a large fraction as the audience gets 35% of the entire communication but
misses the remaining 65%. Hence, it’s highly important to have proper body movements and
posture while speaking on stage in front of an audience. Negative body language can give
way to a lot of misinterpretation and misunderstandings. Maintaining a body posture and
absurd body movements that is offensive to the other person can ruin a relationship.

The ability to understand body language is a powerful tool that will help us connect with
others, express what we really mean, navigate challenging situations and build better inter or
intra relationships. Researchers have succeeded in identifying a lexicon of feelings and their
corresponding postures. Anyone with enough information can effectively read people’s
feelings through their body language. Learning to interpret body language is not a hard task;
you just need to know the familiar postures in body language and their associated emotional
states, and then link them together.

Body language is very important in all forms of communication. It helps to break the barrier
of unfamiliarity and helps to form a better connect with the recipient of information.

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