Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 16:42, 8 November 2006

Jflex BFlex Sflex Lflex Eflex. Are types of body language types. C Skillets means payback, and lieks to make people jealous. J flex means want to hurt another person very badly fro stepping on her ankles in soccer!!!!. S jamz is what you call a "dumb shit"

This article needs attention from an expert on the subject. Please add a reason or a talk parameter to this template to explain the issue with the article. When placing this tag, consider associating this request with a WikiProject.

Body language is a broad term for forms of communication using body movements or gestures instead of, or in addition to, sounds, verbal language, or other forms of communication. It forms part of the category of paralanguage, which describes all forms of human communication that are not verbal language. This includes the most subtle of movements that many people are not aware of, including winking and slight movement of the eyebrows. In addition body language can also incorporate the use of facial expressions.

Paralanguage, including body language, has been extensively studied in social psychology. In everyday speech and popular psychology, the term is most often applied to body language that is considered involuntary, even though the distinction between voluntary and involuntary body language is often controversial. For example, a smile may be produced either consciously or unconsciously.

Terminology

Voluntary body language refers to movement, gestures and poses intentionally made by a person (i.e., conscious smiling, hand movements and imitation). It can apply to many types of soundless communication. Generally, movement made with full or partial intention and an understanding of what it communicates can be considered voluntary.

Involuntary body language quite often takes the form of facial expression, and has therefore been suggested as a means to identify the emotions of a person with whom one is communicating.

Origins of body language

The relation of body language to animal communication has often been discussed. Human paralanguage may represent a continuation of forms of communication that our non-linguistic ancestors already used, or it may be that it has been changed by co-existing with language. Some species of animals are especially adept at detecting human body language, both voluntary and involuntary: this is the basis of the Clever Hans effect (a source of artifact in comparative psychology), and was also the reason for trying to teach the chimpanzee Washoe American Sign Language rather than speech — and perhaps the reason why the Washoe project was more successful than some previous efforts to teach apes to use human language.

Body language is a product of both genetic and environmental influences. Blind children will smile and laugh even though they have never seen a smile. The ethologist Irenaus Eibl-Eibesfeldt claimed that a number of basic elements of body language were universal across cultures and must therefore be fixed action patterns under instinctive control. Some forms of human body language show continuities with communicative gestures of other apes, though often with changes in meaning. More refined gestures, which vary between cultures (for example the gestures to indicate "yes" and "no"), must be learned or modified through learning, usually by unconscious observation of the environment.

Understanding body language

This article's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Misplaced Pages. See Misplaced Pages's guide to writing better articles for suggestions. (Learn how and when to remove this message)

This article does not cite any sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Body language" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (Learn how and when to remove this message)

A significant amount of the communication that goes on between people is non-verbal.According to Professor Albert Mehrabian's communications model 7% of meaning is in the words that are spoken, 38% of meaning is paralinguistic (the way that the words are said). 55% of meaning is in facial expression and body language

Although in general we are not aware of it - we send and receive non-verbal signals all the time. These signals can indicate what they are truly feeling at the time. The technique of 'reading' people is used frequently.

For example the idea of mirroring body language to put people at ease is commonly used in interviews. It sets the interviewee at ease, and following the body language of someone else indicates that you understand them and feel at ease.

Social uses

Body language is particularly important in group communications according to Tarnow. As the group gets larger the body language starts to dominate the spoken language. Body language is a factor in human courtship as a subconscious or subtle method of communication between potential mates. Researchers such as Desmond Morris have extensively studied and reported on courtship behaviour. (see also: Flirting)

Examples of body language

In our daily lives we encounter many forms of body language gestures, those are a few examples:

• Self-confidence: hands behind the back, hands clasped in front
• Superiority: hands clasped behind the head
• Being uncomfortable: folded arms and sometimes crossing the legs
• Negative evaluation of a situation: touching the nose
• defensiveness: standing, arms folded

In the animal kingdom

Body language is documented in the animal kingdom to play an important role, particularly in the case of mammals during animal courtship. As an example, the male Blue Wildebeest produces an array of behaviours in the territorial staking and subsequent mate attraction process. An erect posture signals dominance to other males, warning not to enter his domain territory. While standing, an angled head, pointing his horns at another male, invites combat. In attracting a female, he will often gore a tree to display athleticism and virility, signaling interest in mating.

See also

• Biosemiotics
• Eye contact
• Facial expression
• Flirting
• Gesture
• Kinesics
• Neuro-linguistic programming
• Nonverbal communication
• Posture
• Proteans
• Proxemics
• Sign language

Other species:

• Cat body language
• Dog communication

References

• Argyle, M. (1990). Bodily communication (2nd edition). New York: International Universities Press. ISBN 0823605515

• Livingston, Drs. Sharon and Glen (2004). How to Use Body language. Psy Tech Inc.

• Tarnow, Eugen (1997). Bodily language is of particular importance in large groups. http://cogprints.org/4444/

External links

• The Nonverbal Dictionary of Gestures, Signs, and Body Language Cues, David B. Givens
• The Home Of Body Language On The Net - This site is dedicated to Body Language and how with a little knowledge you will improve Relationships and Business.
• 2KnowMySelf.com | Learn Body Language - Includes illustrated examples and general information about Body Language and face-reading.
• - Outlines ways of communicating

• Human body positions
• Nonverbal communication
• Social philosophy
• Social psychology
• Sociology