FREE online courses on Body Language - Let Your Body Do the Talking - What do your Hands Say?

Our hands are the most abused part of our body. Sign language for the deaf and the dumb shows how effective hands are when it comes to non-verbal communication.

·                     Hand-to-cheek is a gesture of the thinker, a person thoroughly engrossed in working out a problem.

·                     You are playing the role of a critical evaluator to the hilt if you bring your hand to your face and support your chin with your palm extending your index finger along your cheek.

·                     Stroking the chin is a “Well, let me consider” gesture

·                     The pulling of the beard usually with the thumb and index finger is the gesture of a wise man making a judgment.

·                     Joining the fingertips to form what might be described as a church steeple. It designates the confident and sometimes smug, pontifical, egoistic, or proud gesture.

Handshake is a gesture of welcome: interlocking palms signify openness and touching signifies oneness. Experts analyze character and attitude from a person's handshake. 

·              Perspiring palms usually indicate nervousness.

·                     Women, while expressing sincere feelings hold each other's hands.

·                     Open hands are a gesture associated with sincerity and openness.

·                     Hiding hands in pockets or behind the back indicates a feeling of guilt or suspicion

·                     Arms closed on the chest is a defensive gesture

·                     In a cross-armed position, if the fingers are around the biceps, it is a protective posture.  

·                     In sign language an extended right thumb upwards means good, but the left little finger means evil.

·                     The hands-on-hips gesture is the sign of a high achiever. It communicates commitment to goals. This gesture may also indicate a readiness to perform a task.

·                      Arms spread out with hands gripping the edge of the table is the gesture of a person demanding to be heard.

·                     A woman is reassured by gracefully bringing her hand to her throat or by pinching the fleshy part of her hand.

·                     A child needing reassurance sucks his thumb and a teenager bites his nails.

·                     Wringing hands is common when someone is in the hot seat.  

·                     Slightly clenched hands indicate a tensed person who is not open to suggestions. A clenched fist signifies
determination anger and possible hostile action.

·                     Palm-to-back-of-neck gesture is called a defensive beating posture.

·                     When people join their fingertips in a church steeple form, it signifies a confident gesture.

·                    Hands joined together at the back and chin thrust upwards is a position of authority