Types of Body Language

What types of body language can be distinguished?

Body language is usually grouped along two lines...

1. Parts of the body
2. Intent

So what types can be found in each group?

Parts of the body

From head to toe, here are the groups when grouped for body parts:

• The Head - Movement and placement of the head, back to front, left to right, side to side, including the shaking of hair.
• Facial Expressions - The face has many muscles (anywhere between 54 and 98, depending on who you ask) that move several areas of the face. Each combination of movements of the following face elements communicates a state of mind:
• Eyebrows - Up, down, frowning.
• Eyes - Left, right, up, down, blinking, eye dialiation.
• Nose - Wrinkle (at the top), flaring of the nostrills.
• Lips - Smiling, snarling, puckered, kissing, opened, closed, tight.
• Tongue - In, out, rolled, tip up or down, licking of lips.
• Jaw - Open, closed, clinched, lower jaw left or right.
• Body Posture - The way you place your body and arms and legs, in relation to each other, and in relation to other people:
• Body proximity - How far or close to other people.
• Shoulder movements - Up, down, hanging, hunched.
• Arm placement - up, down, crossed, straight.
• Leg and feet placement - straight, crossed, weight placement, feet towards speaking partner or pointing elsewhere, dangling of shoes.
• Hand and finger gestures - How you hold and move your hands and fingures are particularly insightful in reading people.
• Handling and placement of objects (eg. pens, papers, etc). - The odd one out... technically not a body part, but objects do play a big role in reading body language.

Intent

Another way to group types of body language is along Intent:

• Voluntary/Intentional movements - Usually called "Gestures". These are movements you intended to make, like shaking a hand, giving the finger, blinking with one eye...
• Involuntary movements - Usually called "tells", but "ticks" also fall into this category. Any body movement you have no cotrol over falls in this category. While technically not a body movement, sweating also applies.

So where is Tone of Voice?

While usually seen as body language, tone of voice and intonation are a separate group from body language.

For completeness sake, these are the groups that are found in tone of voice:

• Pitch of voice - high voice, low voice, intonation.
• Loudness - Everything from shouting to whispering.
• Breathing - Slow, fast breathing, shaky voice.
• Types of nonverbal communication and body language
• There are many different types of nonverbal communication. Together, the following nonverbal signals and cues communicate your interest and investment in others.

  Facial expressions

  The human face is extremely expressive, able to express countless emotions without saying a word. And unlike some forms of nonverbal communication, facial expressions are universal. The facial expressions for happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear, and disgust are the same across cultures.

  Body movements and posture

  Consider how your perceptions of people are affected by the way they sit, walk, stand up, or hold their head. The way you move and carry yourself communicates a wealth of information to the world. This type of nonverbal communication includes your posture, bearing, stance, and subtle movements.

  Gestures

  Gestures are woven into the fabric of our daily lives. We wave, point, beckon, and use our hands when we’re arguing or speaking animatedly—expressing ourselves with gestures often without thinking. However, the meaning of gestures can be very different across cultures and regions, so it’s important to be careful to avoid misinterpretation.

  Eye contact

  Since the visual sense is dominant for most people, eye contact is an especially important type of nonverbal communication. The way you look at someone can communicate many things, including interest, affection, hostility, or attraction. Eye contact is also important in maintaining the flow of conversation and for gauging the other person’s response.

  Touch

  We communicate a great deal through touch. Think about the messages given by the following: a weak handshake, a timid tap on the shoulder, a warm bear hug, a reassuring slap on the back, a patronizing pat on the head, or a controlling grip on your arm.

  Space

  Have you ever felt uncomfortable during a conversation because the other person was standing too close and invading your space? We all have a need for physical space, although that need differs depending on the culture, the situation, and the closeness of the relationship. You can use physical space to communicate many different nonverbal messages, including signals of intimacy and affection, aggression or dominance.

  Voice

  It’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it. When we speak, other people “read” our voices in addition to listening to our words. Things they pay attention to include your timing and pace, how loud you speak, your tone and inflection, and sounds that convey understanding, such as “ahh” and “uh-huh.” Think about how someone's tone of voice, for example, can indicate sarcasm, anger, affection, or confidence.

  Nonverbal communication can’t be faked

  You may be familiar with advice on how to sit a certain way, steeple your fingers, or shake hands just so in order to appear confident or assert dominance. But the truth is that such tricks aren’t likely to work (unless you truly feel confident and in charge). That’s because you can’t control all of the signals you’re constantly sending off about what you’re really thinking and feeling. And the harder you try, the more unnatural your signals are likely to come across.