Glenn Wilson

How it reinforces and contradicts spoken language and betrays feelings we might prefer to cover

All of the emotional signalling that animals use is still present in humans and registers importantly with us. After all, we cannot always trust what someone tells us: they may have reasons for wanting to be deceptive. Some things, like cold facts and statistics, are best communicated by words and numbers – but attitudes and intentions are better read through body language.

It is widely said that 93% of our communication is through body language, while only 7% is based in the words themselves. Although Albert Mehrabian, the researcher on whose work in the 1960s this assertion is based, has said this is a simplification of his findings, others have produced data suggesting that around 60–70% of our communication is non-verbal.

ext time you are at a noisy cocktail party or social function where you can barely hear the person you are talking to, take a look at groups of people interacting across the other side of the room. Even though you cannot hear a word they say, you will be able to divine a great deal about what is really going on between them and their true feelings and intentions towards each other. Perhaps one is making a play for the other that you can tell is unwelcome and will come to nothing. One may be clearly dominant over the others because the others are all respectful and attentive towards that individual

ere is also some evidence that women are better at reading body language than men, which is the truth in the phrase ‘women’s intuition’.

Disgust’ literally means rejecting something that is foul tasting. Even though it may be induced by social events, the facial expression of disgust still resembles regurgitation of tainted food. Fear is indicated in various ways: by freezing, by preparing to flee or by clinging hold of someone/something for support.

hey may not actually be about to bite, punch or butt the other person but they are indicating that they are inclined to. Body language enables us to make threats to others that, if properly received and responded to, can deflect actual aggression

Almost certainly, they will be seen to turn their head from side to side in support of the verbal refusal

ch individuals are called autistic, or described as suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome, because they lack the ability to connect properly and empathise with others.

A gesture is a socially learned signal that involves only one part of the body (usually the hand)