Common body language myths debunked

A body language expert has busted the most common myths people believe about the subject. The first myth is that people think body language experts can detect their innermost thoughts with a single glance.

A body language expert has busted the most common myths people believe about the subject.

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The first myth is that people think body language experts can detect their innermost thoughts with a single glance.

Second - body language is 93 percent of communication. The nonverbal aspect of communication doesn’t deliver 93 percent of your entire message, but it will reveal underlying emotions, motives and feelings. In fact, people will evaluate most of the emotional content of your message, not by what you say but by your nonverbal signals.

Thirdly, liars don’t make eye contact. While some liars (especially children) find it difficult to lie while looking you in the eyes, most liars, especially the most brazen, actually overcompensate to prove that they are not lying by making too much eye contact and holding it too long, News.com.au reported.

Third – crossed arms always means resistance. Crossed arms may indicate resistance, especially if you see someone adopt that gesture right after you’ve made a strong statement. But it can also mean many other things - or nothing at all - depending on the situation.

According to the expert, if a person sits in a chair that doesn’t have armrests, the limited option increases the likelihood of crossed arms - as would the response to a drop in room temperature.

Fourth - the idea that looking to the right indicates lying has been shown to be false in new research. Rather than judging someone from a standard eye pattern, you’d be better off baselining each individual so you could spot meaningful deviations.

Lastly, using body language to make a positive impression is inauthentic.