C H E A T

Body Language
S H E E T
If you have ever found yourself out of ideas on how to write

body language to convey the characters emotions, you will

very likely, find this cheat sheet extremely useful.

You can print it out and keep it close by. Just in case.

I hope you enjoy!

© Jesper Schmidt www.jesperschmidt.com

ANGER  Fixed Gaze

 Increased heart rate

 Dilated pupils AMUSEMENT

 Face may flush
 Throw Head Back
 Balling the fists
 Slap Thighs
 Crossing the arms tightly
 Clap Hands
 Clenching the fists once arms are crossed
 Shake with laughter
 Tight-lipped smile

 Clenched teeth

 Shaking a finger like a club ANNOYANCE

 Stabbing a finger at someone
 Press lips together
 Point finger
 Narrow eyes
 Stab finger
 Roll eyes
 Slam fist on table
 Exasperated sighs
 Throbbing veins in neck

 Jutting chin

 Clench jaw ANXIETY

 Lower eye-brows
 Fidget
 Squint eyes
 Twist a ring
 Bare teeth
 Chew on a pencil
 A wide stance
 Bite lip
 Flared nostrils
 Swallow constantly
 Red face
 Quickened breathing

 Hold Breath

ANTICIPATION  Darting eyes

 Sweat
 Rub Hands together
 Clammy palms
 Lick libs
 High-pitched laughter
 Unable to sit still
 Hunched position
 Grin
 Pace

 Stutter

AWE  Play with hair

 Eyes damp
 Slack-Jawed
 Trembling lower lip
 Unable to Move
 Head slightly tilted down

© Jesper Schmidt www.jesperschmidt.com

ATTRACTION  The “figure-four” leg cross (setting the

ankle of one leg on the knee of the

 Pupils dilate
other) and then grabbing the lower half
 Women will cross and uncross legs to
of the top leg with both hands
draw attention to them

 Mirroring - (usually unconsciously)

mimicking the other person’s body CONFIDENCE

language
 Clasp arms behind body

 Lift head

ATTENTIVENESS  Push chest out

 Stand tall
 Furrowed brow
 Make firm and precise movements
 Lean forward

 Sit up

 Take notes CONFUSION

 Mimic body language
 Tilt head

 Narrow eyes

BOREDOM  Furrowed brow

 Shrug
 Yawn

 Avoid eye contact

 Tap feet CONTEMPT

 Twirl a pen
 Lift chin
 Doodle
 Purse lips
 Fidget
 Sneer
 Slouch
 Stretch or turn away

 Dismissive hand-waving

CLOSEDTO
CONVERSATION CYNICAL
 Keeping the hands in the pockets (esp.
 Twist lips
men)
 Half-smile
 Arms and legs crossed
 Shake head
 Sitting back
 Press lips with a slight frown
 Folding the hands together on a table
 Roll eyes
(creates a barrier)

© Jesper Schmidt www.jesperschmidt.com

DECEPTION  Arch

 Stretch
 One sided shoulder shrug
 Women cross and uncross legs
 Look down

 Scratch nose/ear/neck

 Feet kick out or shuffle involuntarily DISBELIEF

 Sudden change in demeanor
 Wide-eyed (shock)
 Hesitation in speech
 Narrow-eyed (skeptical)
 Shiftly eye contact
 Twist mouth
 Long blinks
 Crinkle nose
 Shrug
 Crease brow
 Unwarranted smiles or laughter

 Shake head “no” while saying “yes”

 Lick lips DISGUST

 Cover/touch mouth
 Crinkle nose

 Curled lip

DEFENSIVE  Flinch

 Turn away
 Cross arms or legs
 Cover nose
 Arms out with palms forward
 Gag
 Hands up
 Squint eyes shut
 Place anything in front of body
 Protect body by turning shoulder (cold
 Hands in pocket
shoulder)

DESIRE DISPLEASURE
 Flirtatious behavior
 Fake smile
 Wink
 Pout
 Look up through the lashes
 Frown
 Glance over the shoulder
 Cross arms
 Make eye contact

 Touch hair or clothing

 Straighten spine DISTRESS

 Strike a “cowboy” pose with thumbs in
 Stroke/rub nape of neck
belt
 Wide eyes
 Dilated pupils
 Shallow rapid breathing

© Jesper Schmidt www.jesperschmidt.com

  Beat walls FATIGUE
 Huddle in a corner  Rub eyes

 Clasp hands over head  Stare into space

 Rock  Yawn and/or stretch

 Wring hands  Nod off and jerk awake

 Run hands through hair  Grit teeth

 Adjust cuffs  Close eyes

 Men hold hands together in front of  Move slowly

crotch  Slouch

 Men in particular have a tendency to

stroke or rub the nape of the neck when FEAR

they’re upset. It acts as a self-soothing  Hunch shoulders

gesture to deal with a “pain in the neck.”  Shrink back

 Crossed arms - arms act like a protective  Mouth open

barrier  Widen eyes

 Self-hugging - arms are crossed, hands  Shake

gripping upper arms  Tremble

 One-arm cross - one arm crosses the  Freeze

body to hold or touch the other arm -  Rock from side to side

women keep a hand on a purse or bag  Wrap arms around self

strap to make this look more natural  Shaking hands

 Clutching a purse, briefcase, or bag with  White face

both arms  Pounding heart

 Folding the hands together in front of the  Heart in throat

crotch (men)  Stand rigid

 Scream

EMBARRASSMENT  Back away from something

 Walk slowly toward something (creep)

 Blush  Cover mouth with hand
 Stammer  Short breathing
 Cover face with hands  Sweat
 Bow head  Adrenaline shoots through stomach
 Trouble maintaining eye contact  Tense muscles
 Look down and away  Eyes darting around the room
 Blink back tears

© Jesper Schmidt www.jesperschmidt.com

  Hands out holding wall if backed up to HAPPINESS
one  Smile

 Biting nails  Laugh

 Mouth goes dry  Hum a tune

 White knuckles when holding something  Crinkle eyes and nose

 Bite lip  Swing arms

 Fidget: tug at clothes, play with pen,  Spin loosely

crack knuckles  Dance

 Speak with a stammer or hesitation  Jump

 Swallowing  Hug

 Pupils dilate  Giggle

 Jump, as in startled

 Grab chest HONESTY

 Pleading: please, no, please  Maintain eye contact

 Knees get weak  Smile with eyes and mouth

 Look up

FRUSTRATION  Palms up

 Shake head  Open arms

 Massage temples

 Clasp wrist in opposite hands or behind IMPATIENCE

back  Nod quickly

 Aggressively run hands through hair  Tap fingers

 Show white knuckles  Sigh

 Check the clock

GRIEF  Tap feet

 Curl into a fetal position  Increase pitch in voice

 Face contorts  Look away

 Slump

 Cover face or head with hands, arms or JEALOUSY

pillow  Tight lips

 Stare  Sour expression

 Shake with sobs  Narrow eyes

 Tremble  Crossed arms

 Turn away

 Difficulty swallowing

© Jesper Schmidt www.jesperschmidt.com

LYING  Waggle eyebrows

 Covering the mouth - can be like a shh  Nudge

gesture, or they may cover the mouth  Smile

completely - some people try to cover it  Tickle

by coughing

 Touching or rubbing the nose or just PLEASURE

below the nose - often a quick, small  Tilt head back

gesture, not a scratch  Part lips slightly

 Rubbing the eyes (especially men)  Eyes wide and closed

 Scratching the neck with the index finger  Stretch

 Arch neck and back

OPENNESS AND  Flush

HONESTY  Quick breath and pulse

 Exposure of the palms

 Arms and legs unfolded POSSESSIVENESS

 Leaning forward  Handshake with arm clasp

 Place hand on or around someone’s

OVERWHELMED shoulders / neck/ waist

 Palms to the forehead  Stand in personal space with the body

 Splayed fingers cover eyes with one hand positioned towards person

 Eyes wide and staring into space  Run a knuckle down someone’s cheek

 Hands grip onto something

PRIDE OR
PASSION OR DOMINANCE
EAGERNESS  Chin up

 Lean forward  Chest out

 Nod  Shoulders back

 Wide eyes  Hard handshake

 Steady eye contact and raised brows  Lean back with hands behind head and

 Hand on hearth feet up

 Double-handed handshake  Unblinking focused eye contact

 Feet pointed inwards  Hands on hips

 Straddle chair

PLAYFULNESS
 Wink

© Jesper Schmidt www.jesperschmidt.com

RELUCTANCE  Mouth open

 Cross arms  Gasp

 Make fists  Freeze and stare with wide eyes and

 Drag feet raised eyebrows

 Pinch nose  Smack palm against forehead

 Put hands over ears  Step back

SADNESS SHYNESS
 Droopy body  Blush

 Bowed  Avoid eye contact

 Wrap arms around self  Keep distance from others

 Hesitating movement  Back away if others come too close

 Bottom lip jutting out  Fold arms

 Lip quivers  Bend head

 Cry  “Hug” walls

 Sob

 Shake SMUGNESS
 Drag feet  Slight close-lipped smile

 One raised eyebrow

SECRETIVENESS  Slightly tucked chin
 Tight-lipped smile  Enigmatic smile
 Hands in pockets  Raise eyebrows
 Look away  Steeple fingers
 Cover face

 Look down SUPERIORITY,

CONFIDENCE,
SHAME POWER,
 Slump shoulders DOMINANCE
 Look down and away  Steepling the fingers (aka setting the tips
 Bury face in hands of the fingers together)
 Bow head  Folding the hands behind the back
 Straight mouth  Thumbs sticking out from pockets when

hands are in pockets (can be front or

SHOCK back pockets)
 Hands over mouth  Hands on hips

© Jesper Schmidt www.jesperschmidt.com

  Straddling a chair TRIUMPH
 Hands folded behind the head while  Clench hands above head

sitting up (in men; in women this thrusts  Tilt head back and yell

the breasts out and becomes sexual)  Pump fists in air

 Jump

SUBMISSIVE  Roar

SIGNALS  Whoop

 Smiling - that’s why some people smile

when they’re upset or afraid

 Slumping the shoulders

 Doing anything to appear smaller

SUSPICION
 Narrow eyes

 Glance sideways

 Raise eyebrow

 Rub eyes

 Shake head

 Blow out cheeks

 Frown

 Tighten lips

THOUGHTFULNES
S
 Steeple fingers

 Pinch nose

 Close eyes

 Tug ear

 Stroke a real or imaginary beard

 Furrow brow

 Narrow eyes

 Tilt head and press lips together

 Rest chin on hand

 Lean back and look up

© Jesper Schmidt www.jesperschmidt.com