What is body language?
By Cengage Learning, adapted by Newsela staff
Body language is a broad term for the many cues people use to communicate ideas or emotions. Sometimes body language is used in conjunction with speech to underscore what is being said. An example of this is when people move their hands and arms while talking. Body language can also be used by itself to send a message, like when people shrug their shoulders or wag their fingers.
Body language encompasses a wide range of physical movements. These movements include facial expressions, posture, gestures, touches and how close someone is standing to another person. More than half of what we communicate to others is through body language alone. Furthermore, people tend to trust nonverbal cues more than spoken words.
Most of us have probably asked people how they are doing and had them reply, "I'm fine," but their slumped shoulders and lack of eye contact suggested otherwise. Most people consider a verbal response to be a cover for a deeper truth revealed by that person's behavior.
Each person's body language is unique and develops over many years to become second nature, which means it can be difficult for someone to change his or her body language. Body language can be either intentional or unintentional and we can use it to our advantage by adding emphasis to what we say or reinforcing our ideas. However, we can also send mixed messages or even contradict our spoken words. Imagine a man nodding his head in agreement while at the same time saying, "No."
Different Types Of Body Language
Facial expressions are the most easily recognized form of body language. Smiling, for example, says a lot about your mood before any words are spoken. Movement of the eyes, eyebrows, eyelids and lips also send signals. Facial expressions usually emphasize or amend what is being said, such as a wink might indicate that you are not being as serious as you sound, for example. Eye contact, or lack thereof, also sends signals about confidence and attentiveness, both on the part of the speaker and the listener.
Gestures, mainly of the arms and hands, are another way in which people communicate nonverbally, such as waving goodbye or giving the thumbs-up sign.
Body posture also sends strong nonverbal signals. Standing upright with your shoulders back and head held high conveys confidence, while slumped shoulders and not making eye contact suggests the opposite.
What Messages Are Communicated Through Body Language?
People's body language often betrays their true feelings because it is automatic and there is usually a direct connection between what we feel and how we act. Eating sour food might make us pucker, while hearing a sudden noise can make us jump in surprise. We do not usually plan these behaviors in advance. Therefore, body language is a visible sign of how we are reacting to our environment.
