I can't locate the reference, but I've read, and observed, that if you want to verify that the person w/ whom you're conversing is paying attention to you, cross your arms: if the other person crosses their arms also, then they're paying attention to you.
The secrets of body language
51–60 of 114 posts
Re: The secrets of body language
#52Nice writeup. Interesting to see quite a few of those from buffer covering some interesting research into stuff that affects our lives. there's little typo in 'Our nonverbals gove(r)n' though...
When I saw the word "than" used in place of "then," my estimation of the author plummeted, even though I agree with most of the article.
A single typo may not be enough to justifiably discredit an author - next time look for clusters of typos. :-)
Re: The secrets of body language
#53A couple of points:
1) As far as interviews are concerned (or any dialogue) mirroring might get you further than power -- eg: when your interviewer crosses his/her arms, you might gain an advantage doing the same - whatever the "power poses" theory says. I suppose it is like language: Short, conscience sentences might be "powerful" or "commanding" -- but that alone doesn't make for effective prose in all cases. No communication without context.
2) Sitting in a room for two minutes, relaxing, convinced that you're doing a "power poise" -- might elevate your hormone levels. I'm sure screaming a battle cry, or doing a haka would work to. Not sure if it is just the poise in itself that helps with the levels. Would be interesting to do a reverse test: tell people that a "low power" position is actually a "power position" and vice versa -- and redo the experiment. I highly doubt we've got strong evolutionary ties to sitting with our feet up on a swivel chair.
3) The point about blind athletes -- so you imply blind people don't have socialized behaviour? Thankfully you don't have to live in an isolation chamber just because you're blind.
[edit: formatting x2]
Re: The secrets of body language
#54Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre (http://www.amazon.com/Impro-Improvisation-Theatre-Keith-John...) has a great section on communicating status through body language and movement.
It describes a number of exercises where one actor takes the role of a superior and the other an inferior. The techniques are quite effective for the intended audience.
I would quote from it but I had a paper copy and it's really only worth running through once a decade for a non-actor interesting in the physical aspect of acting.
Re: The secrets of body language
#55if you actually have power, you can sit however you like, amirightoramiright?
Re: The secrets of body language
#56I'm learning taijiquan: one of the key concepts is the alignment of the body posture to allow energy to enter the meridians. Health and emotion are both influenced by posture.
Re: The secrets of body language
#57I believe that we humans can also detect fake and unnatural body language.
What I don't like about is when people try to be impressive and poses a fake and unnatural body language to convey a certain scenario or meaning.
Body language is all about the meaning of the messages they convey and the GENUINE emotion they are experiencing.
It should not be faked, for the purpose of conveying a meaning or a make believe scenario.
It should begin with the message itself, it should begin with the actual emotion itself.
- Focus first on having a meaningful means of being confident, before you actually become, convey and exudes great confidence.
- Focus first on having a meaningful message, before actually forcing people that you have a meaningful and convincing message.
Winners have a genuine emotion for winning, so they actually have a real winning body language. It is not fake, and it is very convincing, and people will be drawn by the same emotions the winner is experiencing via the winner's genuine body language.
I have encountered several people doing unnatural body language, they want people to believe that they are confident speakers but their message is so unconvincing, it does not gel and it is really annoying and is painful to watch.
Re: The secrets of body language
#58I believe that we humans can also detect fake and unnatural body language. What I don't like about is when people try to be impressive and poses a fake and unnatural body language to convey a certain scenario or meaning. Body language is all about the meaning of the messages they convey and the GENUINE emotion they are experiencing. It should not be faked, for the purpose of conveying a meaning or a make believe scen…
All I can say is don't fake it. If you want to do a body language, feel it from within - instead of simply rearranging your arms and legs.
Re: The secrets of body language
#59Earlier quoted context omitted.
But isn't giving respect low-power? If you're the alpha, others give you respect, and you do as you please. I'm exaggerating, obviously, but respect is a form of deference. Deference is low-power.
If you know what being alpha is and you are trying to be it, you are not alpha at all by definition. In any case I think this alpha-male theory is pop evolutionary psychology that plays on the minds of insecure men.
And now HN is 4chan.
Re: The secrets of body language
#60This is the actual definition of "cargo cult" behavior.
It's getting cause and effect backwards because you don't understand their relationship, and trying to imitate the effect in the futile hope that it will cause the cause.
People who sit all relaxed like that do so because they have power. They don't have power because they sit like that, and sitting like that will not magically confer power to you.