How to Decode Body Language - Tips for Reading People

Most of us use body language as our main form of communication, yet are often unaware of the messages we’re conveying. Even when it comes to reading people’s body language, we often don't recognize what we’re observing accurately. Don’t take this personally though. Learning how to read and interpret body language is not an inherent skill. It’s something we have to study and practice.

Before we get into the technical aspects of reading body language, let’s first talk about the importance of context. Gestures, posture, movement and vocal tones, they all vary depending on a variety of factors. This includes the mood, cultural background, relationships (to mention some). It’s essential to pay attention to these factors when interpreting body language.

Eye contact is one of the most telling elements of body language. It may seem basic, but eye contact carries a lot of information. Avoiding eye contact can reveal nervousness, submission or even guilt. Whereas direct eye contact is usually interpreted as confidence. It usually signals interest and certainty too. That said, if someone is gazing deeply into your eyes for too long, then it denotes that something else might be at play.

Facial expressions are another tell-tale sign of our emotional state. Smiles, frowns and smirky grins can all tell you a great deal about the person you’re dealing with. Other than that, consider the placement of their eyebrows. If they’re raised high and always to one side, then something maybe bothering them. Also, pay attention to blinking. This is because long pauses between blinking often suggests thoughtful contemplation or a sense of being overwhelmed at times.

Now let’s look at physical movements. Some of them are easy to detect and recognize. Like when someone takes a step back when they’re feeling uneasy, or when they’re crossing their arms because they are annoyed. Even the way someone crosses their legs in the middle of a discussion can say something about their attitude.

While these fine physical details might help decode body language better, there’s still a huge gap between understanding what we observe and interpreting it correctly. Remember that sometimes body language can betray our emotional state by mistake.

That’s why it’s also important to keep a few other things in mind. Sometimes we act according to cultural patterns of behavior that run deep – even if we’re not aware of it. It’s possible for us to imitate certain movements unconsciously too. So, it’s good to consider whether the body language you are observation could be intentional.

If you find yourself in doubt, then it’s probably best to ask outright. reading body language is something we need to practice. But with the right techniques much can be revealed.