Body language Cheat Sheet
Physical communication and body language
Possible interpretations for body language actions:
NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION (NVC) INTERPRETATION
Facial
• Hand to cheek: Thinking carefully, evaluating
• Touching nose: Rubbing slightly, rejection, doubt, lying
• Pinching bridge of nose: Eyes closed, negative evaluation
• Pursing lips and touching side of nose: Evaluating
• Stroking the chin or side of face: Evaluation, assessment, deciding
• Retracted lower lip: Holding back, waiting for affirmation, angry
• Retracted upper lip: Mixed reactions to what is being said
• Resting the cheek on hand: Thinking and evaluating
• Rubbing the bridge of the nose: Uncertain, rejection
• Pursing one lips: Thinking
• Smiling: Acceptance, appreciation, pity, superiority
• Smirk: Rejection, opposition, disagreement
• Disapproving frown: Opposing opinion, strong disagreement.
• Staring/glaring eye: Disagreement, opposition, guilt
• Sneering: Anger, opposition, aggression
• Pale face: Embarrassment, untruthfulness, guilt
• Trembling lips: Anger, opposition, fear, aggression
• Forced smiles: Disbelief, lie
• Flushed face: Embarrassment, untruthfulness, guilt
• Baring of teeth: Anger
• Grinding jaw: Temper, hotheaded
• Grimacing: False, anger opposition, rejection
• Redder face: Untruthful, embarrassed
Eyes
• Rubbing an eye: Doubt, disbelief
• Looking over the top of spectacles: Summing up a situation and evaluating
• Looking down, Faced turned away: disbelief
• Frowning, eyebrows raised: Apprehensive, questioning your motive
• Eyes downcast: Guilty, bored
• Rubbing the eyes: Disbelief, doubt
• Good eye contact: Respect and interest
• Looking away: Disinterest, disbelief, boredom
• Staring around room: Lack of interest
• Looking at watch: Desire to finish, had enough
• Vacant facial look: Lack of knowledge, disinterested
• Raised eyebrows: Surprise, disbelief
• Damp eyes: Sorrow, guilt
• Widely opened eyes: Honesty
• No eye to eye contact: Dishonesty, guilt, cover up
• Excessive blinking: Untruthful
Head
• Head resting in hands: Eyes downcast, boredom, despair
• Fondling or patting hair: Insecurity, lack of confidence
• Quickly tilting head: Interested
• Prolonged tilted head: Boredom
• Head tilted to one side: Interested-listening, friendly-receptive
• Slightly turned ear: Attentiveness, interest
• Straight, level head position: Feeling confident, authoritative
• Pulling or tugging ear: Indecision
• Head moves backwards: Opposition, disagreement
Hands
• Placing your hands on your knees: Readiness
• Putting your hands on your hips: Impatience, aggression, authoritative
• Locked hands behind the back: Anger, frustration, apprehension
• Lock your hands behind your head: Superiority, uninterested
• Seated with hands clasped behind: Confident, superiority
• Open palms: Sincere, openness, innocence
• Tapping or drumming fingers: Impatience
• Drumming fingers: Restlessness, impatience
• both hands: Anticipation, impatience
• Clasped hands pressed together with linked fingers: Evaluating the situation
• Fingers or finger touching the lips: Pointing upwards, Assessing and evaluating
• Biting finger nails: Insecurity, nervousness
• Hands on lap: In control
• Seated with hands behind head: Relaxed, confident, thinking legs stretched out
• Palms open and up: Friendliness and openness
• Palms down: Dominant, possible aggression
• Upright hand when handshaking: Conveys equality
• Clenched fists: Aggression
• Playing with ring: Heard before, bored, finished
• Fidgeting: Bored, impatience
• Hands in pockets: Limited interest