I often have high school, college and grad students send me questions for papers or articles they are writing. I thought I would blog a few of the questions from a high school students recent email and my short answers.
Is body language always a valid form of judgment? Can we really tell what a person is thinking, or feeling just by looking at them?
Judgements and Stereotypes are processed in a different part of the brain than body language. And are much less accurate. For example Stereotype impressions of others are researched at about 30 percent accuracy, while first impressions made from reading someones nonverbal communication and processed in the more primitive part of the brain are found in research to be 80 percent or higher in accuracy.
Body language can give you insights into yours and other peoples thoughts and feeling. I would expand your definition to say nonverbal communication rather than body language so you could include aspects of the voice and dress and more.
2. Is body language mostly subconscious? Can we ever really control what our bodies are giving away?
We can give out up to 10,000 nonverbal cues in less than a minute..obviously most of our nonverbal cues are not under are conscious control. Our nonverbal cues come from the more primitive part of our brains rather than our rational logical brain. Language comes from the logical brain and can be more easily manipulated.
3. Can our verbal and nonverbal communication ever contradict itself? What kind of problems can this cause?
When the words and nonverbal communication don't match your primitive brain where intuition operates automatically relies on the nonverbal communication for the truth. For example, if someone says, "I love you." then grimaces, we are likely to detect their insincerity.
4. What are some practical everyday uses for body language expertise? For example, can we really tell whether someone is lying by their body expression? You can be trained to read the subtle nuances of deceit, however most people, without training predict that they will be accurate, but in reality are only able to detect deceit about 50 percent of the time. Other every day uses are too numerous to list as you can read yourself to know what you truly feel, to read people that you are working and playing with to know how they are doing.
5. Can better knowing what body language means enhance our relationships/quality of life? What are advantages to understanding body language? Your life can be greatly enhanced by understanding and reading nonverbal communication. You are able to go through the facade and really see to the heart of others and become closer and more empathetic. You know who it's not safe to get close to and you don't just play act in your relationships, but form deep connections.
Is body language always a valid form of judgment? Can we really tell what a person is thinking, or feeling just by looking at them
Judements and Stereotypes are processed in a different part of the brain than body langauge. And are much less accurate. For example Stereotype impressions of others are researched at about 30 percent accuracey, while first impressions made from reading someonees nonverbal communciation and proccessed in the more primative part of the brain are found in research to be 80 percent or higher in accuracey.
Body language can give you insights into yours and other peoples thoughts and feeling. I would expand your definition to say nonverbal communication rather than body langauge so you could include aspects of the voice and dress and more.
2. Is body language mostly subconscious? Can we ever really control what our bodies are giving away?
We can give out up to 10,000 nonverbal cues in less than a minute..obviouly most of our nonverbal cues are not under are concious control. Our nonverbal cues come from the more primative part of our brains rather than our rational logcial brain. Language comes from the logical brain and can be more eaisely manipulated.
3. Can our verbal and nonverbal communication ever contradict itself? What kind of problems can this cause?
When the words and nonverbal communication don't match your primative brain where intuition operates automatically relies on the nonverbal comunication for the truth. For example, if someone says, "I love you." then grimaces, we are likely to detect their insesarity.
4. What are some practical everyday uses for body language expertise? For example, can we really tell whether someone is lying by their body expression? You can be trained to read the sublte nuances of deciept, however most people, without trianing predect that they will be acurate, but in reality are only able to dectect deceipt about 50 percent of the time. Other every day uses are too numerous to list as you can read yourself to know what you truley feel, to read people that you are working and palying with to know how they are doing.
5. Can better knowing what body language means enhance our relationships/quality of life? What are advantages to understanding body language? Your life can be greatlye enhanced by understanding and reading nonverbal communication. You are able to go through the facade and really see to the heart of others and become closer and more empathetic. You know who it's not safe to get close to and you don't just play act in your relationships, but form deep connections.
