A gesture tells more than a thousand words, as the saying goes. Body language is the language of gestures, facial expressions and posture. It usually happens unconsciously and says a lot about us. Anyone who can interpret non-verbal communication correctly learns the essentials about the character traits and feelings of their counterpart.
What is body language
Body language is any conscious and unconscious movement of a body part or the entire body with which we communicate with the outside world. Body language is the oldest form of interpersonal communication and immediately clarifies whether we are sympathetic or can trust each other. There are environmental and cultural differences in body language.
From the beginning of the 19th century, Charles Darwin's body language was scientifically researched and popularized with silent films. Many gestures are instinctive, some are even controlled by the subconscious, such as blushing or twitching muscles if you have been caught lying. Non-verbal communication reveals intentions, motives, desires, thoughts and feelings, even if the person expresses something completely different.
Almost 60% of the information we gain from conversations comes from body language and 33% from the sound of the voice. The content information only accounts for about 7%.
Function & task
Nonverbal communication is extremely powerful and relationships would be inconceivable without body language, because with the body we reveal what we want and who we are. The body is constantly sending out messages. Certain basic feelings such as fear, happiness, sadness, disgust and surprise evoke solid, non-verbal forms of expression in every person.
In almost all cultures in the world, frowning is a clear sign of anger. A smile is also seen as a positive signal everywhere. There are also body signals that have developed within a culture but can be interpreted in different ways. For example, the thumbs up is a sign of a positive assessment, but it can also mean the opposite. While crossing one's legs offends an Arab, in Europe it is taken for granted.
Many gestures are clear and the facial expressions often leave no room for doubt. Minor changes in sitting posture, open or closed palms, the type of movement and how the space is included are also elements of non-verbal communication, such as clothing and perfume.
The facial expressions reveal above all mental processes. You want to hide your feelings with a rigid expression on your face. Typical gestures are expressed through hands. If you cross your hands behind your head and possibly lean back in your chair, you are expressing dominance. This person will probably not take back his decision anymore. On the other hand, those who like to fold their hands affirm that they have made a decision and will not take it back.
Anyone who smiles with crossed arms is actually showing two faces. The arms are a defensive position, the interlocutor is put on the defensive. Anyone who touches the tip of his nose with his index finger has doubts. Those who feel cornered instinctively grab their necks. People who wipe imaginary dirt off their sleeves prepare for contradiction. If you show your counterpart the pistol with your hand, you are clearly not to be trifled with. The shooting symbolism leaves no room for ambiguity. Man is aggressive.
Illnesses & ailments
In the event of impairment of a sensory performance such as language, body language can be used specifically for communication. Body language is also very important in integrative learning for people with and without disabilities. In this context, the sense of touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste play a major role.
Body language is often the only means of communication when dealing with impaired people. It is therefore increasingly important to know the mechanisms of body language and to correctly decipher their information content.
The better the messages are interpreted, the easier the communication will be. To be able to interpret the symbolism is a form of hearing with the eyes. Therapists and relatives can reflect the person's posture, but they can also awaken and recognize needs themselves.
Paying attention to body language is of the utmost importance, especially when dealing with people with dementia. Sooner or later, communication also changes in the course of the illness. Usual dialogues can no longer take place and relatives encounter great barriers. Since the sick person no longer reacts to everyday prompts as usual, relatives have to pay more attention to the non-verbal signals.
It is not the speechlessness of the dementia patient that creates the difficulties, but a problem between sender and recipient. Since the person with dementia cannot send clear messages, the caregiver also has more and more problems understanding what is being expressed. The communication must be adapted accordingly.
While the ability to communicate in the linguistic area declines in the course of dementia, the ability to express and perceive through body language remains for a long time. People around them can learn something about their state of mind through facial expressions, posture, movement and gestures. Nevertheless, the person suffering from dementia must still be spoken to, because the language gives him warmth.
Body language is also of great therapeutic importance, for example in dance therapy. This is often used, for example, for people with mental illness who also suffer from a weakened ability to express themselves verbally, but who can express a lot through movement.
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