Kinesics:

The study of body language

Movement and meaning

KinesicsKinesics

Kinesics is the non-verbal behavior Kinesics is the non-verbal behavior related to movement, either of any part related to movement, either of any part of the body, or the body as a whole. In of the body, or the body as a whole. In short all communicative body short all communicative body movements are generally classified as movements are generally classified as kinesic. There are basically five kinesic. There are basically five different types of kinesics; different types of kinesics; emblems, emblems, regulators, illustrators, affective display regulators, illustrators, affective display and adaptorsand adaptors. .

Emblems:Emblems are non-verbal cues that have a verbal counterpart…not always consistent cross-culturally!

• Insult gesture

• Middle ages in origin

• Ok symbol

• Zero

• Number 3

• Obscene in Australia and Southern Europe

• Number 2

• Victory

•Peace

• Insult in England

•Thumbs up

•Approval

•Hail taxi

•Obscene in middle east

Sign of the Devil

666

Horns

• Sign language for

I LOVE YOU

Regulators Regulators are non-verbal signs that regulate, modulate

and maintain the flow of speech during a conversation.

Head nod “Uh-huh”

during conversation shows understanding and agreement

IllustratorsIllustrators Illustrators are used more consistently to illustrate what is

being said. It reinforces what you are saying.

“Call me” “We’re late”

“What time is it?”

Affective Display: Affective Displays are body, or more

frequently facial, movements that display a certain affective state, i.e. emotions.

Adaptors: Adaptors include postural changes and other

movements at a low level of awareness, frequently made to feel more comfortable or to perform a specific physical function. Because adaptors are usually carried out a low level of awareness, they have been hailed as the secret to understanding what your conversation partner

really thinks.

Eye contact

Confidence

Intimidation

Rude

Arms folded – defensive. protect your heart

Legs crossed – closed. Protect your “privates”

Where are your feet pointing??

…toward a person, toward the door??

Sole of shoe pointing at someone is RUDE

“Arms akimbo”

Non-inviting

Larger than actual

Often times shows anger

Anti-hug

Is this coach winning or losing?

Hands covering mouth, face, heart…protecting himself.

Head positioned downward….submissiveness

Not only is he losing….he has NO IDEA how to change things!

Adaptor – slouching posture

Illustrator:

Mic turned away…hand coverng mouth – he does not want to talk to anyone!

What about this coach?What about this coach?Hand wave

Emblem

Smile

Affective display

Posture : Open

Adaptor

WinnerWinner

“Tells”Regular, unconscious body language

Symbolic battlesDog body language 1Dog body language 2

Inherited gestures and signals…

1943 Karl von Frisch and honeybee communication

Round Dance

Waggle Dancevideo

Gesticulation:The innate use of hands to communicate.

Brain gets rest when hands do talking

Precursor to human language(we gesture more with our right hand which is controlled by our left hemisphere…where the language centers reside)

             

                    

THE THUMB UP MEANINGS:

1 O. K.738 

2 One  40

3Sexual insult 

36

4 Hitch-hike  30

5 Directional  14

6 others  24

7 not used  318

(Based on 1,200 informants at 40 locations)

Iranian equivalent of the middle finger

Sri Lankan equivalent

The jerking motion is usually an obscene gesture…think phallic symbol.

Are you being lied to???

Science behind Lie to MeProcess of detecting liarsSeven universal expressionsPractice detecting mircroexpressionsPractice reading smiles

Ask the experts:

Mike Caro; poker

Joe Navarro; FBI

Paul Ekman

Lie to Me; Lie Detection Tests

Flirtatious…point breasts or genitals at person. Expose skin of neck, breasts, etc.

Coy or flirtatious; turn head down or away…eyes up…neck exposure

Arms upraised…Exuberance or victory

Hand Chop…cuts through an argument. Usually timed with the cadence of the speaker.

Closed fist…power gesture that crushes all other ideas.

Palms up…begging, negotiating, asking for the listeners attention.

Small thing

Ideas that are part of one another.

Precision…fingers brought together and touching.

Palms out…pushing away an idea.

Finger shake (baton gesture)Finger shook in cadence with the rhythm of the speaker. Can use knuckle if finger point is too condescending or rude.

Proxemics:

The study of the space surrounding an individual (zones of territory)

Are you a territorial animal?

Bush Goredebate

Know your boundaries!

Public

Social

Personal

Intimate

· Intimate space is that area immediately surroundingthe individual’s body. This area is the most private andinvolves both physical and emotional interactions. (contact-18”)

· Personal space is that area within which a personallows only select friends, or fellow workers with whompersonal conversation is mandatory. (2-4’)

· Social space is that area within which the individualexpects to make purely social contacts on a temporarybasis. (4-12’)

· Public space is that area within which the individualdoes not expect to have direct contact with others. (12-25’)

The more intimate the spatial relationship, the more people resist intrusion by others.

Territoriality is a means of achieving a desired level ofprivacy. It involves the exclusive control of a space byan individual or group. This control implies privilegesand may involve aggressive actions in its defense. Forthe individual, territorial control provides security andidentity and is communicated through personalizationand definition.

Status:

Greed is good…greed works…

Space Invaders:

•Stop just inside the door…lowest status•Halfway across the room…more status•Walk in and right up to desk…highest status

Also, the quicker the entry the higher the status

A superior will walk right into a subordinate’s office…a subordinate knocks first and waits.

Territorial limits vary by culture:

•In Saudi Arabia…you might find yourself almost nose to nose with a business associate because their social space equates to our intimate space. You would probably find yourself backing away trying to regain your social space while your associate pursues you across the floor trying to maintain his. Finally, you would come away from the encounter thinking he was "pushy", and he thinking you were "standoff-ish."

•In the Netherlands you would find the roles reversed, you would be doing the chasing because their personal space equates to our social space.

Crowding occurs when personal space and territoriality mechanisms function ineffectively, resulting in an excess of undesired external social contact.

Sociologically, people respond to crowding in different ways depending upon the situation.

Sometimes humans tolerate crowding, though it may be unpleasant, because theyknow it is only temporary.

In some situations crowding may be considered desirable; it may even be sought after if it is perceived as "part of the fun" or the expectation within a social setting.

In either situation, however, psychological discomfort may be experienced if the crowding is perceived as too confining.

Public transportation…We Americans tend to pull in our elbows and knees and try not to touch or even look at one another while riding the bus. In Japan, a country with a population half the size of the United States crammed into an area half the size of California, subway passengers are literally pushed into the cars until not even one more person will fit. You cannot help but be pressed against someone else's sweaty body

Video

Crowd density4 sq ft per person in a dense crowd10 sq ft per person in a loose crowd

Interrogation by Law Enforcement

•Begin with a barrier (table) between the suspect and the interrogator.(comfortable setting, both seated)

•As questioning proceeds, invade personal space by standing, advancing, walking around, or even removing the barrier.(break down suspect’s feeling of security to make him/her less resistant to authority)

Successful interrogation video

How do we handle someone “in our space”?

Avoidance BehaviorAvoidance Behavior

•Move away

•Avoid eye contact; look down or straight ahead (do you ever stand facing the crowd in an elevator?)

Reading eye movement