How to Read Gestures
Reading the nonverbal communication of others can be difficult. Important considerations include cultural differences and gender. It is also important to try to be objective when attempting to evaluate what a person is trying to communicate without words.
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Instructions
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Interpreting Nonverbal Gestures
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Establish an objective baseline. This includes taking into account the person's culture, gender and the particular circumstances. For instance, Americans tend to establish more personal space than people from non-Western cultures. Women and men also use different gestures to communicate their thoughts.
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Establish an individual baseline. This involves watching the individual person for a period of time to determine which gestures are unique for him. This is important so that you can differentiate a person's normal behavior from the gestures he makes when he is stressed, for instance.
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Consider gestures in clusters. It is very easy to misinterpret a single gesture. For instance, crossed arms are commonly believed to mean that a person is defensive. However, it might just be that she is sitting in an air conditioned room and wearing short sleeves. It is more reliable to interpret crossed arms as being defensive when combined with other behaviors such as nervous twitches or stuttering.
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Determine whether facial expressions and other gestures match. This is especially important. In many instances, someone will attempt a fake smile, but her body language will give away her true feelings. Fake smiles generally only involve the mouth, as opposed to real smiles, where the eyes will often crinkle as well.
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Tips & Warnings
The person's tone of voice is also an important clue to consider along with gestures. A person's general demeanor, including his dress and grooming, can provide important clues to interpreting his nonverbal gestures.
Be careful not to confuse discomfort with dishonesty. Many people will fidget and stumble over their words when they are nervous, whether they are lying or telling the truth. Mental disorders such as Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) can cause disruptive gesturing and make it difficult to interpret a person's body language.
