Body Language: Understanding Micro Gestures
Tom was waiting for his turn at the dentist’s office. He didn’t want anybody to know that he was afraid or anxious, so he kept himself from moving or changing his posture.
You would find no signs of anxiety or fear if you looked at him, but suddenly his left foot slipped forward a few centimeters. No one noticed this move except for one man watching him with interest; the man smiled because he knew that Tom was trying to hide his feelings.
Micro Gestures? What are they?
You can fool your parents, your best friend, your wife and even me :) but you can’t fool your subconscious mind. When your emotions become so intense, you can hardly hide them. Even people who’ve mastered body language can make small mistakes; these mistakes are what we call micro gestures.
Micro gestures were called so because they can hardly be noticed. Some of them are not noticeable by the naked eye and require recording that person’s body language then reviewing it later. These micro gestures can take the form of a slight movement in the lips, eyebrows, or facial muscles.
Usage of Micro Gestures
The most famous thing micro gestures are used for is detecting liars during investigations. Videos are recorded of the people who are suspected of being guilty and are reviewed in slow motion to spot the person’s micro gestures during the interrogation. Micro gestures can be really tricky so take care when analyzing them. Learn to spot them on yourself first before you start judging other people.
Behavior, personality, and gestures
Sometimes the behavior of a person represented in certain gestures can tell a lot about his personality. For example, while driving, you might find a person talking on the phone. This kind of behavior might indicate that this person is indifferent towards certain types of risks.
On the other hand, the person who looks to both sides more than once before crossing the street is very likely to be a cautious and a reserved person.
Many psychologists believed in the concept of holism which refers to how the individual functions as a whole. This means that every person’s behavior will reflect a part of his personality and life goals, even if it seemed completely irrelevant to him or an observer.
Don’t restrict yourself to body language only but learn how to watch people’s behavior whenever possible, and you will come to understand them more. Connect the findings you come across together, and you will have superb human understanding skills.
