4 Easy Steps To Read Body Language With Examples: Understanding The Psychology Behind It

How-to-read-body-language

Wanna read someone's body language, or what's on his or her mind? Here are 4 easy steps to read body language with examples, which will help you understand someone better.

Unlike telepathy, body language is a non-verbal sign that we use to communicate.

According to some experts, body language constitutes 60% of our total communication.[1]

From our foot moment to facial expressions, body language speak volumes.

Knowing the right tips to read body language will help you know exactly what someone is thinking or trying to.

While interpreting someone's body language, you should focus on group signs rather than single signs, to read exactly what's he or she thinking.

Read Body Language

Here are the 4 easy steps to read body language with examples.

Read Facial Expressions

Facial expressions say a lot about what's going on in his or her mind. Like, a smiling face indicates the person is happy, or a frown face shows that the person is unhappy.

Here are a few examples of facial expressions by which you can determine that she or he is:

  1. Angry
  2. Happy
  3. Sad
  4. Disgust
  5. Afraid
  6. Surprised
  7. Confused
  8. Trustworthy
  9. Wise
  10. Dumb

A study shows that a trustworthy person often raises their eyebrows and give a quiet smile.

And people with joyful expressions are perceived as more intelligent than angry persons.

Learn Eyes & Eyebrows

Eyes are universal body language cues as they are a "mirror to the soul".

By reading someone's eye blink and pupil dilate, you can easily understand the person.

For example, eye gaze; if a person directly looks into your eyes, means he or she is paying attention and trusts you.

However, prolonged eye contact shows questions and sometimes threat.

Blinking eyes shows someone is uncomfortable, and irritated with something, or feeling drowsy.

Pupil size can also help you to read someone's cues as they show interest and emotions.

Analyse Arms & Legs Gestures

Gestures are the most common form of communication and ways of expressing thoughts.

Here are some of the gestures used in daily life:

  • Thumbs up or thumbs down
  • OK gestures (touching thump and index fingertip)
  • Angry gesture (a clenched fist)
  • Victory gesture (lifting and separating middle and index finger)
  • Power gesture (showing biceps)
  • Number and alphabetic gestures [using and turning fingers to indicate the number (s) and alphabet(s)]

A proximity gesture can also help you know about someone's intention and thinking.

If someone doesn't maintain the right distance from you (except your loved means), you need to be more careful about the person.

Observe Mouth & Lips Movement

Most of the time, we don't focus on mouth and lips movement. However, these cues are important while reading body language.

Here are some of the mouth and lips signals:

  • Chewing bottom lip: Show fear, worry and insecurity.
  • Covering mouth: Shows politeness, or can be a sign of yawning and cough.
  • Tightening The Lips: Shows distrust, disapproval and anger.
  • Lips Turned Up: A slight lift of lip shows a person is happy or optimistic.
  • Lips Turned Down: A slight down-turned lip shows sadness or disapproval.

Bottom Line

Reading body language is a type of art, which will help you know what's going on his or her mind with the help of some physical signs.

Knowing the right tips to read body language will help you know about someone behaviour and communicate with them better.

The above steps will help you know what is body language and how to read it, so just go through the blog and learn this art.

Also read: 7 effective and easy steps to start self-healing therapy.

FAQs

What are the 4 types of body language?

Here are the 4 types of body language:

  • Light & bouncy movement
  • Soft & fluid movement
  • Dynamic and determined movement
  • Precise & bold movement

What are the five divisions of body language?

Here are the five divisions of body language:

  1. Eye contact
  2. Voice
  3. Posture
  4. Facial expressions
  5. Gestures

How do you read positive and negative body language?

There are several ways by which you can read positive and negative body language. For example, prolonged eye contact can be negative body language; however, steady eye contact can be seen as positive body language.

1 Comments

Previous Post Next Post