Body Language

posts by Deaf Smith

I've picked the ones below over the years. I don't claim to have 'discovered' them, but they all are quite vaild.

Head attitudes:
Head neutral = Neutral and open attitude
Tilted back = Superior attitude
Tilted down = Negative and Judgmental attitude.
Tilted to one side = Interest

Body Postures:
Leaning back and closed = Lack of interest.
Leaning back and open = Contemplation and cautious interest.
Leaning forward and closed = Potential aggressive behavior .
Leaning forward and open = Interest and agreement .

Gestures:
Hands on hips (confrontational gesture).
Rolling shirt sleeves up (A rather obvious sign of high stress and anxiety.. Getting ready to fight).
Looking away (Ignoring you. He is done with whatever you have to say. Possibly looking for witnesses, escape routes, preparing to fight or run).
Walking away (This is read as a sign of contempt for you, a sign the subject is done listening to you).

Things to look for:
Head angle indicates fight or flight.
1) A dropped chin means fight.
2) A raised chin means flight.

Confirming gesture of flight:
- a fixed stare.
- brushing hair back.
- rubbing chin or face.

If flight, look for darting eyes.
Watch area around neck for possible attack (upper body muscles.)

“Happy feet” could be a strong indicator of flight.

When you see a threat potential, call attention to it. May get him to reconsider threatening action.

Short, choppy gestures/verbal communication, the threat is real.

Hands inward/anger inward; hands outward/anger outward.
Palms in - mad at himself.
Palms out - mad at you.

Watch deadly hands; drying of hands, hands stroking to get dry for attack.

Knuckle-popping, loosening of fingers, flexing of fingers. Then watch setting of hands.

Multiple gestures and deadly gaze mean likely trouble.

The face can be a barometer of a subject’s intentions.

-Flared nostrils, setting of jaw indication of nervousness, anger.
-Eyes wider during periods of intense emotion.
-Mouth breathing indication of nervousness, anger.
-Mouth tense, lips down at corners.
-Raised eyebrows.
-Red face.
-Underneath eyes opposite rest of skin surface.
-Fixed, dilated stare.

Assault not immiinent but possible if you see this below:

-Face is red, twitching, jerking.
-Head, neck, shoulders go back (person making themselves look bigger).
-Lips pushed forward bearing teeth (you’ve seen the same thing in dogs before they attack).
-Breathing is fast and shallow.
-Beads of sweat appear about the face/neck.
-Thousand mile glare.
-Exaggerated movements.
-Finger pointing
-Head pecking (you see this alot with drug users.)

Assault is imminent:

-Directs anger towards other inanimate items such as tables, chairs, walls.
-Face goes from red to white ( during a physical confrontation the blood will leave the surface of the body and pool to the big muscles and internal organs of the body needed for survival), The person is either going to fight or run.
-Lips tighten over teeth.
-Breathing is fast and deep.
-Change of stance, their body blades and shoulder drops.
-Hands closed into fist (not uncommon to see whites of knuckles due to hands being so tight.)
-Bobbing up and down or rocking back and forth on feet (this is the bodies way to hide/ mask the initial movement of a first strike.)
-Target glace (here you will see your opponent look to where he is going to hit, or where he is going to run/escape.)

More on Assault is imminent:

-Putting head and shin down (body wants to protect airway, this action does so to a degree.)
-Eye brows brought forward into a frown (again the body wants to naturally protect the visual system, this action does so to a degree.)
-Stops all movements/ freezes in place.
-Dropping center or lowering of body (no different that a cat or dog getting ready to pounce.)
-One syllable replies (go from full sentences to one syllable replies….. reptilian brain is clicking in.)