Body Language

Definition

Body language is the language

transmitted by gestures and postures
Some notions of body language

Body language:
 Is an important and decisive factor when
transmitting a message
 Provides information about an individual’s
character, emotions, and reactions
 Movement is the
original and most intense
means of expression
and of will
 Movement is
the starting point
par excellence of
human behavior
 A person can stop
speaking, but he cannot
stop communicating
with his body
NON-VERBAL symbols
are four times more
effective
than VERBAL ones
All individuals have
some knowledge of
the vocabulary of
body symbols
Non-verbal signs
are grasped
instinctively and
directly
 Signals emitted
unconsciously
always tell the truth
Gestures are the direct
and unrepeatable
expression of the
personality
Each gesture synthesizes
multiple contents,
both conscious and
unconscious
 Everyone moves
the way he or she is
and is the way
he or she moves
 Body language is a
sensorial process from the
point of view of perception
and emission
The more signals we consciously
attempt to perceive and understand,
the more accurate will be our
interpretation of a person’s conduct
 Only those persons who live
in awareness of their body will be
able to maintain sensitive
contact with their surrroundings
Three senses are used to
interpret the outside world:

• Sight (visual person, 55%)

• Hearing (auditory person, 15%)
• Touch (kinetic person, 30%)

Each person has a predominant

sense
The 7 most important words:
I admit I have made a mistake

The 6 most important words :

You have done a good job

The 5 most important words :

Tell me what you think
The 4 most important words :
Do me a favor

The 3 most important words :

Thanks a lot

The most important word : We

The least important word : I
 Territorial needs
 Everyone has a defined body area, a
territory, and a personal space, which is
called a body buffer zone
 Masking

 Method by which we
control our body so that it
will not send out
messages that our mind
wants to hide
 Posture

 Posture is not only a way of punctuating a

conversation, but it is also the way
individuals relate with each other when
they are in a group.
 Types of posture

Inclusive or non-inclusive

Face-to-face or parallel

Congruent or incongruent
 Inclusive or non-inclusive
 These terms describe
the way in which the
members of a group
include (or exclude)
other people
 Face-to-face
 Posture when two
individuals relate
facing each other
 Congruent - incongruent
 This refers to the
ability of the
members of a
group to imitate
each other
Parts of the body and
body language
Body movements include:

Facial
expression

Eye
movement
Body movements include :

Hands

Feet

Whole body
The meaning of gestures. Examples

Doubt:
we raise an eyebrow

Scratching one’s nose:

puzzled
Holding eye contact Interest/curiosity

Showing the palms

Inviting trust
of one’s hands

Covering one’s Insecurity

mouth when talking

Not wanting to show

Avoiding eye-contact
feelings; or lying
when talking
 Recommendations
 The greeting: a good starting point (show
openness)
 Don’t blink constantly
 Try to keep a direct look and establish
eye contact with the people you are talking
to
 Don’t bite your lips or moisten them with
your tongue
 Recommendations (Continued)
 Always keep your mouth shut while you
are listening
 Maintain an appropriate position and avoid
constant abrupt movements
 Control the movements of your hands and
keep them visible
 Do not allow any object to come between
you and your audience
 Recommendations (Continued)

 Try to integrate with your audience and

adapt your clothing to their social,
economic, and other characteristics
 Do not cross your arms over your chest
 Do not cover your mouth with your hand
while you are speaking
 Maintain a relaxed posture
He who does not understand a look will not
understand a long explanation either

Arab proverb