About Body Language
It's not surprising to learn
that non-verbal communication, or body language, has been around
since the beginning of man. While it's an integral part of communication,
the irony is that it wasn't actually studied until the late
1800s, when colleges began including it in their communications
curriculum.
The next milestone came in the
early 1900s, when the body language of politicians began getting
noticed. But it was September 26th 1960, during the first of
four Kennedy/Nixon debates, when the subject gained widespread
national attention. For those who are unfamiliar, people who
listened to the debate on the radio proclaimed Nixon the winner.
Polls taken of the people who watched it on TV said it was Kennedy
who had won. From that moment on, the subject of non-verbal
communication has been taken quite seriously.
Today, the study of body language
has countless applications. In business, it can be used for
everything from helping managers communicate better with their
staff, to forging stronger relationships with clients. It is
a vital component to any business that deals in areas such as
sales, marketing, or advertising.
Body language is also important
to lawyers and courtroom analysts. It is used to pick jury pools
as well as to speculate on the accuracy of witness testimony.
Hogan says, "The media use body language analysis more
and more." Everyone, from politicians to celebrities, is
scrutinized for how they conduct themselves physically.
Hogan himself has a lot of experience
with this type of analysis. In January of 1998, during the President
Clinton/Monica Lewinski scandal, Hogan was brought in by the
New York Times to analyze this now historic press conference.
Clinton, looking directly into the camera, vehemently announced,
"I did not have sexual relations with that woman."
Hogan says, "I looked at
the tape over and over, and then it dawned on me." When
the President delivered the aforementioned quote, he pointed
at the camera with his right index finger. The problem is President
Clinton is left-handed. According to Hogan, pointing with the
non-dominant hand indicates either anxiety or abject lying on
the part of the speaker. He adds, "Rafael Palmeiro did
the something similar when he denied using steroids during his
testimony in front of Congress."
Hogan tells You! that body language
plays a huge role in our personal lives as well. He says it
is paramount in terms of "putting your best foot forward"
during the dating process. For those who are in established
relationships, it is even more important. According to Hogan,
the body language used during arguments early in a relationship
sets the tone for the future.
"Let's say that during an
argument, you raised your hand," poses Hogan. He says it
would not be unusual for your spouse to perceive that as a sign
of your anger from that point on. Hogan adds that the longer
a relationship lasts, the easier it becomes to interpret things
negatively. But, by studying and practicing body language, either
or both parties can find ways to communicate more gently.
Mr. Hogan says that body language
is also important when communicating with children. As evidence,
he suggests we look at pictures of adults drawn by young children.
"Generally, these pictures depict long legs and tiny bodies
and heads," he claims. The reason is simple – from where
they're standing, this is their view. To better communicate
with children, Hogan recommends getting down on your knee and
addressing them at eye level.
Tips for Laypeople
In the spirit of having a little
fun, we asked Hogan to give a few tips for reading the body
language of others.
According to the expert, one
of the most highly-predictable traits can be found in the eyes.
He says that wider eyes almost always equal a greater interest
on behalf of the listener. This is good to know because people
who look at you this way are generally expressing that they
like you. By keeping your own eyes wide, you are making yourself
approachable to others. Again, using children as an example,
Hogan says, "Their eyes are always wide…because everything
is interesting to them."
Something we found interesting
was Hogan's comments about blue-eyed people. He says that lighter-eyed
folks have a greater expectation to be looked at. Kevin says
the reason is purely evolutionary. From the beginning, lighter
eyes drew more attention. In turn, the attention became expected.
The lesson here is to give lighter-eyed people the eye contact
they desire. Doing otherwise could send the wrong message.
Another Hogan finding has to
do with the reddening of either the earlobes or the nose. The
change in color is due to blood rushing to these areas. Hogan
says that when this rush of blood occurs, some form of anxiety
is taking place. While it is not a sole indicator of lying,
it can be paired with other cues that do indicate an untruth.
During a conversation, a change
in a listener's body position could be either good or bad. If
the change occurs during a change of direction in the conversation,
the listener is telling the speaker that they are changing along
with them. If the listener's body position changes in the middle
of the speaker's point, they are changing against them. This
either means that the listener is bored, or they are uncomfortable
with whatever the speaker is saying.
The direction in which a person's
feet are pointed is also important. According to Hogan, feet
pointed directly at someone means a person feels engaged. Feet
pointed away means that they want to get away.
The last strategy offered up
by Hogan has to do with diffusing tension or hostility in a
right-handed person. He says that in right-handed people, it
is the left-brain that promotes calm and relaxation. That left-brain
is stimulated when the right-handed person is made to shift
their eyes to the right. The lesson – the next time you're talking
to an anxious righty, do both of you a favor and reposition
yourself to their right!