25 Examples of Body Language

1. 1 xdarkhorsex
   November 8th, 2007 at 11:48 am

   I’ve heard it said that only 5% of communication is verbal, the rest is body language. how you present yourself says ALOT

2. 2 Juggz
   November 8th, 2007 at 11:54 am

   Next list, Top 10 ways to beat a lie detecter?

   This list is going to have a few people paying more attention to what there doing.

3. 3 Kelsi
   November 8th, 2007 at 11:57 am

   This list kind of sucks…I was hoping for a more in depth, comprehensive look at body language. Most of this is just BS you see in the movies to convey an emotion.

4. 4 evan
   November 8th, 2007 at 11:58 am

   great list, i study body language quite a bit, helps me at the poker tables.

   Lesi, true enough, but you’d be surprised how often these “movie” type actions are done by people all the time.

   For exampe the lightly itching the nose one is one I see all the time while playing poker. If I have decent hand and someone bets and does that, its usually a sign theyre are either weak or purely bluffing so ill often call or even raise in that spot.

5. 5 RobS
   November 8th, 2007 at 12:06 pm

   Gesture: Standing with knees together, hopping from one foot to the other.
   Meaning: Need to pee.

6. 6 DiscHuker
   November 8th, 2007 at 12:13 pm

   gesture: one finger in nostril
   meaning: booger in nose

7. 7 dvhann
   November 8th, 2007 at 12:20 pm

   evan: thanks for the poker tip! might help me actually win a game for once

8. 8 JMurf
   November 8th, 2007 at 12:56 pm

   Evan, try looking at the position of their elbow height relative to the table they were resting it on when they’re betting is another good tell. The nose is a common one, I’m crap at poker but i know a few tells, checking the flop and bettin the turn is another sign of a bluff

9. 9 jfrater
   November 8th, 2007 at 1:18 pm

   Juggz: great idea – thanks – oh – and done

10. 10 Juggz
    November 8th, 2007 at 2:29 pm

    haha, so i see

11. 11 amanda
    November 8th, 2007 at 3:12 pm

    JMurf is right about checking the flop. As soon as I read that I realized that I do it every time I bluff. Maybe now I’ll do it when I have a really good hand, too…

12. 12 evan
    November 8th, 2007 at 3:25 pm

    often that is the case but difinately not always the case. Often people with 1. monster hands (people with pocket or cards or low trips, etc), 2. draws, 3. medicore hands, or just 4. weak players will check the flop.
    and on the turn..

    1. Generally bets if the flop wasnt bet by anyone to get some money into the pot, or may check-raise someone if they bet on the turn.
    2. possibly made their draw on the turn, fairly easy to spot if the turn card would possibly make some kind of a draw.
    3. Say the have top pair but a weak kicker, they may check the flop to see how strong the other players appear, then bet the turn if they think they now have the best hand.
    4. Some people just dont get or dont realize how to play so they may be cautious and not bet the flop, but then bet on the turn.

    but yes often people will try to buy the pot on the turn, esecially if it a shorthanded game.

13. 13 Fe
    November 8th, 2007 at 5:44 pm

    Several of these I use when I’m teaching to decide whether or not the kids are yanking my chain. As a substitute, every day is ‘trick the sub’ day with long stories about what the teacher lets them do and stuff. Some of the kids get angry because I catch them more often than not.

14. 14 Ravyn
    November 8th, 2007 at 7:39 pm

    When I rub my hands together, it is not in anticipation. It is generally because I am cold and trying to warm up.

15. 15 aplspud
    November 8th, 2007 at 9:58 pm

    Pinching bridge of nose and eyes closed usually means an impending sinus headache for me lol. Body language is cool.

16. 16 Soyane
    November 9th, 2007 at 4:12 am

    Holla People,

    ë divertido, alguns desses gestos me identificam…é uma forma do organismo ou a pessoa se comunicar. Linguagem Corporal é mui COOL!

    Be Alone, hasta la vista

17. 17 Shabab
    November 9th, 2007 at 5:40 am

    oh come on…no middle finger???!!! its revolutionised the way we express anger….it says so much more than “hands clasped behind back” does….neways i guess it becoz of the whole “its a family site” thing….great list though

18. 18 jfrater
    November 9th, 2007 at 5:46 am

    Shabab: for a “family site” we have a lot of not very family friendly lists I have never promoted it as a family friendly site. Having said that, there is no porn. I left the finger off just because it is so commonly known

19. 19 rp
    November 9th, 2007 at 6:33 am

    The guy under 11-15 is about to make hand fart noises. Seriously, that’s precisely the way you hold your hands together to do it.

20. 20 Kelsi
    November 9th, 2007 at 6:44 am

    Haha, so rp maybe it should read:

    Gesture: Hands clasped in front, wiggling motion resulting in fart noises

    Meaning: This person is feeling silly

21. 21 Mean
    November 9th, 2007 at 8:26 am

    oh hey i think you missed:

    gesture: tilting the head sideways
    meaning: the person is clueless or just stupid

22. 22 Sarah
    November 11th, 2007 at 4:16 pm

    rp-
    lmao so true

23. 23 nuka
    November 21st, 2007 at 7:33 am

    thanks for the information about gestures!! it really helped me! i’m writing a presentation about body language

24. 24 jfrater
    November 21st, 2007 at 7:56 am

    nuka: you are welcome – I am pleased it was useful to you!

25. 25 luckyaz
    January 10th, 2008 at 6:29 pm

    what about if a female looks at you and she rubs her vagina? that means she’s horny

26. 26 Cyn
    January 10th, 2008 at 8:33 pm

    luckyaz – obviously something you got off a porn flic, eh? considering you’d never seen that in real life.

27. 27 luckyaz
    January 10th, 2008 at 9:28 pm

    i used to bounce at a strip club, i have seen it many times

28. 28 Innerchild
    March 6th, 2008 at 5:49 pm

    HELP!!!

    I was talking to a girl, and she had her left hand on her right shoulder and her right hand on left shoulder.

    What does this mean??

29. 29 Angelina
    March 6th, 2008 at 6:24 pm

    Innerchild: I think she wanted to do the hokey-pokey. . . that’s what it’s all about. . . or maybe the Macarena???

30. 30 Innerchild
    March 6th, 2008 at 6:27 pm

    Thanks Angelina!!!

    Seriously though, you’re a woman, cross your arms and place your hands on the opposite shoulder (making an ‘X’ shape with your arms on your chest).

    What is that communicating?

31. 31 Angelina
    March 6th, 2008 at 6:54 pm

    Innerchild: Dude, I’m sorry! No touchie the boobies!

    Or maybe she didn’t shave her underarms and was self-concious?? Maybe???

32. 32 Diogenes
    March 30th, 2008 at 7:00 pm

    25 more reasons why I should master the art of contortionism.
    I have the problem of walking around with my hands cupped over my genitals.
    I dont know the meaning, but it suits me.
    but still
    Contort you damn fool! I say.

33. 33 Sambhav
    April 23rd, 2008 at 10:14 pm

    Things are really not like that. The man who convey this article is not aware with the actualities of life. Bye n thanks

34. 34 Summer
    May 2nd, 2008 at 1:29 am

    Could you give more details on open palm, thank you.

35. 35 anna
    May 12th, 2008 at 10:00 pm

    this list is so good.thanks for having it up here!

36. 36 cbp
    June 2nd, 2008 at 3:49 am

    Cheers, helped me on my workplace assessment of body language.

37. 37 gautam
    June 13th, 2008 at 5:10 am

    its good

38. 38 queen nei
    June 13th, 2008 at 8:59 pm

    thanks guys. this really helped me out on an assessment i had about body language and some of those comments made me chuckle!

39. 39 Vera Lynn
    June 19th, 2008 at 8:51 pm

    I work with a woman who CONSTANTLY tucks her hair behind her ears when she is in an uncomfortable situation. It makes me bloody crazy!!

40. 40 Saurabh
    July 7th, 2008 at 6:58 pm

    Really good…
    Good job…

41. 41 hetal jain
    September 13th, 2008 at 3:36 am

    it really helped me for my presentations on body language

42. 42 Noushad ponmala
    September 16th, 2008 at 3:34 am

    Excellent! it is very good. i wondering !
    i become a hero among my friends

43. 43 xdr
    September 17th, 2008 at 6:48 am

    This is the biggest crap ever! Have you ever rubbed your hands? Otherwise but to keep them warm?? Nobody does those things it’s like one of those stereotypes (villan rubbing his hands and grinning, evily!)

44. 44 BeatlesFan80
    September 24th, 2008 at 6:24 am

    xdr, these gestures are done without the person conciously aware of doing them.

    jfrater, thank you for this list. I’m also writing a college paper on gestures.

45. 45 Jessy
    October 4th, 2008 at 3:28 pm

    Gesture: Tapping or drumming fingers
    Meaning: Impatience.

    While that may be true, I knew a two drummers who CONTSTANTLY did this. Or maybe they were both really impatient…

46. 46 orkideh
    October 29th, 2008 at 6:47 am

    hi.i’m from iran i like your site.i can learn many thing thanks

47. 47 nenny
    November 14th, 2008 at 7:00 pm

    Wow, I noticed I do a lot of these things and I actualy see that they are true, now I’m noticing other people. I actualy like this site. YAY!

48. 48 Marmiteboy
    November 28th, 2008 at 1:58 am

    I am dismayed to find no reference to how disability can affect body language and its interpretation. If you have a physical impairment for example many of the body language types above may not be able to be performed. A disabled person may not display the same emotions by way of body language in the same way as non-disabled people. For example a visually impaired person may not pick up on body language at all or a person on the autistic spectrum will display what may be interpreted as a certain type of behaviour within the ‘rules’ stated above when that is not the message being portrayed (for example many people on the spectrum are uncomfortable with eye contact but it need not be interpreted as being evasive).

    Body language is not an exact science and how disability might affect body language or how we might react to the body language of disabled people is often completely forgotten.

49. 49 tony
    November 28th, 2008 at 1:13 pm

    well, it is not all that bad.but it is a kind of what i have been looking for.

50. 50 archs
    January 26th, 2009 at 2:54 pm

    i’d just like to point out that body language sometimes differs to people who are psychologically different from the normal human psyche.

    Great list though!

51. 51 nerrooo
    February 23rd, 2009 at 7:12 pm

    Shabab i totally agree with you, the middle finger should’ve been in this!
    thank god my mother doesn’t know what it means or i would’ve been yelled at a few times cause me and my sister and brother always flip off each other

52. 52 saurabh
    February 28th, 2009 at 10:38 am

    Good One!!

53. 53 Sof
    April 15th, 2009 at 10:09 am

    I realised as I was reading this that I was sitting with my legs crossed and kicking my foot slightly. Which according to the list means Im bored. LOL

    I noticed I play with my ears when im nervous, is this just me?

54. 54 vinu
    April 17th, 2009 at 12:41 am

    these things are very helpfull

55. 55 uptowngal
    April 22nd, 2009 at 6:46 pm

    gesture:slight look of discomfort,tilting slowly
    meaning:needing to fart

56. 56 Zoombafoo
    April 29th, 2009 at 8:36 am

    HAHAHAHAH good one uptowngal

57. 57 Syam
    May 23rd, 2009 at 2:02 am

    It is very nice and useful also.

58. 58 Destiny
    May 27th, 2009 at 12:04 pm

    I read somewhere that when a man readjusts or simply messes with the waistline of his pants (like a belt buckle) that he is thinking about sex. Is this true?

    Also, I read that when a woman sits crossed legged while dangling her shoe off her heel she is flirting. I do this all the time I noticed, but I’m usually just bored. It’s fun (well…more fun than just sitting there) to try to put your shoe back on without using your hand. Am I just weird or is it really a “bored” gesture?

59. 59 zoooooooooo
    June 12th, 2009 at 4:17 pm

    Gesture: Hand to cheek
    Meaning: Evaluation, thinking

    Gesture: Rubbing hands
    Meaning: Anticipation

    Gesture: Biting nails
    Meaning: Insecurity, nervousness

    seriously, WTF???? did u REALLY need dat?

60. 60 bigboss295
    June 23rd, 2009 at 10:47 pm

    Gesture:Eye Rubb with one finger
    Meaning:Doesnt like what s/he sees

    also means all of the above

61. 61 santosh
    July 21st, 2009 at 8:18 am

    hey thanx for having such good information.

62. 62 ambot
    August 3rd, 2009 at 12:22 am

    well thanks for the informations.

63. 63 paul
    August 3rd, 2009 at 12:30 am

    thanks for the info

64. 64 john
    August 12th, 2009 at 1:23 am

    i would like 2 fnow one thing that what is the percentage division of our inner and outer qualities………checked during any meeting……

65. 65 Yonn
    August 25th, 2009 at 9:55 am

    I was looking for something that would expresss more than can tell… So i can read peoples and stufff…

66. 66 rishi
    September 17th, 2009 at 2:07 am

    I was expecting something more,some that You’ve provided are very common,but nevertheless a great effort.I like that…

67. 67 nice
    September 17th, 2009 at 6:42 am

    I thank this site because this is our assignment. I hope you have included body languages that are culture based and on context…=)

68. 68 Fred
    October 1st, 2009 at 1:32 pm

    The above lines are just ABC, like scratching head continuously,that means lice on your head should use a good shampoo, or you don’t know.

69. 69 emy
    October 29th, 2009 at 12:45 pm

    its not accurate. body language is or can be misinterpretated (fact)

    ta xoxo

70. 70 jasy
    November 9th, 2009 at 2:20 pm

    oh yeah, now i know. how about for the hand gesture of the ff: cooperation, readiness, confidence, suspicion, secretiveness, indifference, boredom, dominating, anxiety, frustration, anger, and self-control?

71. 71 Izzy
    November 26th, 2009 at 8:40 am

    Innerchild-

    I’m a girl and i do that all the time. Sometimes i do that shoulder thing because

    1) i feel like stretching
    2) im sad
    3) i’m bored

72. 72 reno
    November 30th, 2009 at 2:06 pm

    nice some of these are totally off tho

73. 73 no_name_please
    December 14th, 2009 at 2:35 am

    umm… interesting!!

74. 74 nomoresingapore
    December 27th, 2009 at 2:01 am

    cool !!

75. 75 nomoresingapore
    December 27th, 2009 at 2:02 am

    but not all of the ily weasel

76. 76 aGeshtEars
    January 6th, 2010 at 5:34 am

    that’s all?
    it really sucks..

77. 77 shrikant
    January 12th, 2010 at 7:20 am

    i want more body langvage sign with pic

78. 78 Raxit
    January 20th, 2010 at 9:44 am

    its really working up to 70 to 80 %.

79. 79 matty
    January 29th, 2010 at 5:27 am

    it is so boreing

80. 80 Vidya
    January 30th, 2010 at 9:05 am

    This has been extremely useful.I got some very important stuff for my presentation.

81. 81 kar..
    February 15th, 2010 at 9:16 pm

    this interests me a lot. good job

82. 82 yel
    February 23rd, 2010 at 9:58 am

    whatever!

83. 83 liim
    April 16th, 2010 at 8:14 am

    i hav aspies thx 4 letting me kno this stuf. i always ofund it wierd how people do this random shit depending on their random mood.

84. 84 fahimullah wardak
    May 5th, 2010 at 7:50 am

    i am phsychology faculty student and more intrested in body language and i want to know the modren kinds of body gestures

85. 85 nk
    May 7th, 2010 at 11:29 pm

    @Innerchild [30]: @Vidya [80]: no way you can`t understand any persona with these

86. 86 Melissa
    May 15th, 2010 at 11:08 am

    Gesture: Putting hair behind your ear
    Meaning: Embaressed,nervous
    I do this all this time when i'm around a boy i like or a big event is coming up like my test results

87. 87 gjgjh
    June 21st, 2010 at 5:32 pm

    ahahaha

88. 88 angie santos
    June 30th, 2010 at 7:18 am

    whahaha

89. 89 geeta
    July 12th, 2010 at 8:38 am

    good one enjoyed…

90. 90 jason
    July 28th, 2010 at 10:16 pm

    eyes slightly closed and hands on head :
    tired

91. 91 john
    August 15th, 2010 at 11:26 pm

    sounds like she had no top on & was covering her boobs lol

92. 92 Joe
    August 19th, 2010 at 4:50 pm

    I note that several of these body language hints are not applicable to me, and no doubt will not be applicable to plenty of people. Why not create a list of the top 25 ways people express their emotions and be done generalising the human race. What a foolish endeavour.

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