Patti Wood Body Language Expert Blog

Should You Date a Coworker?

Should You Date a Coworker?

I'm a body language expert, speaker, author and coach. My first dissertation topic was dating in the workplace. I did research on the topic for two years.

If you know all of your policies and procedures in the workplace allow it, I think it's absolutely fine to date coworkers. I just recommend being very clear and specific about your expectations.

Before you go out on one single date:

· Discuss how you will act and what you see your behavior and their behavior looking like.

· What will you say and do what will they say and do? For example, Do you expect them to greet you or say goodbye differently?

· Do you want to ask that they not visit you in your office space during the day?

· What conversations, endearments and nonverbal behaviors are acceptable or unacceptable?

· Are you comfortable with them sharing details about you and your dates?

Here is the most important thing to know and rule to follow when dating coworkers. Don't keep it a secret! It sounds counterintuitive but makes it known to your boss and your close coworkers that you are going out on a date. My feeling is, if you are too uncomfortable to make the date public you don't respect the person enough to date them.

In my research I found it was keeping any dating or relationships a secret from your team members that seem to cause the most problems both for the people dating and fellow coworkers.

Even seemingly innocent deceptions can pervert your actions and lead to miss perceptions and tension. Be up front and be a grown-up.

Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

Couples Who Sleep Less Than an Inch Apart Might Be Happiest Research Reveals What Your Sleeping Position Says About Your Relationship

Couples Who Sleep Less Than an Inch Apart

Might Be Happiest Research Reveals

What Your Sleeping Position Says About Your Relationship

If you get my newsletter you know that I have written and spoken about couples’ sleep positions for many years. I have even been in bed on a morning television show talking about. Patti on Regis & Kelly

Here is some of the most current research on couples sleep positions.

From Science Daily News
April 15, 2014 University of Hertfordshire

Scientists have discovered what people’s preferred couple sleeping position reveals about their relationships and personality. The research revealed the most popular sleep positions for couples.

What Sleep Position is the Most Popular for Couples and what is the Least Popular.

42% sleeping back to back,

31% sleeping facing the same direction

4% spending the night facing one another.

12% of couples spend the night less than an inch apart whilst

2% sleep over 30 inches apart.

What do people’s preferred sleeping position reveal about their relationships and personality?

Credit: © Igor Mojzes / Fotolia

Research carried out at the Edinburgh International Science Festival has discovered what people’s preferred sleeping position reveals about their relationships and personality.

The work, carried out by University of Hertfordshire psychologist Professor Richard Wiseman, involved asking over 1000 people to describe their preferred sleeping position and to rate their personality and quality of their relationship.

The research revealed the most popular sleep positions for couples, with 42% sleeping back to back, 31% sleeping facing the same direction and just 4% spending the night facing one another. In addition, 12% of couples spend the night less than an inch apart whilst 2% sleep over 30 inches apart.

Professor Wiseman commented: “One of the most important differences involved touching, with 94% of couples who spent the night in contact with one another were happy with their relationship, compared to just 68% of those that didn't touch.”

In addition, the further apart the couple spent the night, the worse their relationship, with 86% of those who slept less than an inch apart from their partner being happy with their relationship, compared to only 66% of those who slept more than 30 inches apart.

The work also revealed that extroverts tended to spend the night close to their partners, and more creative types tended to sleep on their left hand side.

Professor Wiseman noted: "This is the first survey to examine couples' sleeping positions, and the results allow people to gain an insight into someone's personality and relationship by simply asking them about their favourite sleeping position."

Professor Richard Wiseman is the author of Night School, which examines the science of sleep and dreaming.   He returns to the Edinburgh International Science Festival on Thursday 17 April, 2014 to talk about the power of the sleeping mind.

More sleep position articles:

http://www.bodylanguagelady.blogspot.com/search/label/sleep%20positions

http://www.bodylanguagelady.blogspot.com/search/label/sleep%20habits%20of%20men

http://www.bodylanguagelady.blogspot.com/search/label/Sleep%20position

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by University of Hertfordshire. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

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University of Hertfordshire. "Research reveals what your sleeping position says about your relationship." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 15 April 2014. .

Research on Mate Selection Shows That Settling for 'Mr. Right Now' is better than waiting for 'Mr. Right.'

Research on Mate Selection Shows
That Settling for 'Mr. Right Now'
is better than waiting for 'Mr. Right.'

And that if we were raised in small communities we are more risk averse and more likely to settle and find a mate. This makes sense to me. It indicates that if there are more possible mates when we are growing up we think there are more fish in the sea and it's harder for us to find someone we want to mate with for life. Though it talks about how we grew up and I also think it explains why people searching for a mate on dating sites like Match.com have a hard time meeting someone they want to settle down with. The possibilities make them less risk adverse.

Here is the research from Science Daily News. I have yellow highlighted the interesting sections.

Date: February 6, 2015

Source: Michigan State University

Summary:

Evolutionary researchers have determined that settling for 'Mr. Okay' is a better evolutionary strategy than waiting for 'Mr. Perfect.' When studying the evolution of risk aversion using a computational model of digital organisms, researchers found that it is in our nature -- traced back to the earliest humans -- to take the safe bet when stakes are high, such as whether or not we will mate.

How risk averse we are correlates to the size of the group in which we were raised. If reared in a small group -- fewer than 150 people -- we tend to be much more risk averse than those who were part of a larger community.

It turns out that primitive humans lived in smaller groups, about 150 individuals. Because resources tend to be more scarce in smaller communities, this environment helps promote risk aversion.

When studying the evolution of risk aversion, Michigan State University researchers found that it is in our nature -- traced back to the earliest humans -- to take the safe bet when stakes are high, such as whether or not we will mate.

Credit: © michaeljung / Fotolia

"Primitive humans were likely forced to bet on whether or not they could find a better mate," said Chris Adami, MSU professor of microbiology and molecular genetics and co-author of the paper.

"They could either choose to mate with the first, potentially inferior, companion and risk inferior offspring, or they could wait for Mr. or Ms. Perfect to come around," he said. "If they chose to wait, they risk never mating."

Adami and his co-author Arend Hintze, MSU research associate, used a computational model to trace risk-taking behaviors through thousands of generations of evolution with digital organisms. These organisms were programmed to make bets in high-payoff gambles, which reflect the life-altering decisions that natural organisms must make, as for example choosing a mate.

"An individual might hold out to find the perfect mate but run the risk of coming up empty and leaving no progeny," Adami said. "Settling early for the sure bet gives you an evolutionary advantage, if living in a small group."

Adami and his team tested many variables that influence risk-taking behavior and concluded that certain conditions influence our decision-making process. The decision must be a rare, once-in-a-lifetime event and also have a high payoff for the individual's future -- such as the odds of producing offspring.

It turns out that primitive humans lived in smaller groups, about 150 individuals. Because resources tend to be more scarce in smaller communities, this environment helps promote risk aversion.

"We found that it is really the group size, not the total population size, which matters in the evolution of risk aversion," Hintze said.

However, not everyone develops the same level of aversion to risk. The study also found that evolution doesn't prefer one single, optimal way of dealing with risk, but instead allows for a range of less, and sometimes more-risky, behaviors to evolve.

"We do not all evolve to be the same," Adami said. "Evolution creates a diversity in our acceptance of risk, so you see some people who are more likely to take bigger risks than others. We see the same phenomenon in our simulations."

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by Michigan State University. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:

1. Arend Hintze, Randal S. Olson, Christoph Adami, Ralph Hertwig. Risk sensitivity as an evolutionary adaptation. Scientific Reports, 2015; 5: 8242 DOI:10.1038/srep08242

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Michigan State University. "Settling for 'Mr. Right Now' better than waiting for 'Mr. Right', shows model of digital organisms." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 6 February 2015. .

Tips for Reducing Your Social Anxiety and Improving Your First Impression at Parties and Networking Events

I do research, write and consult on body language and first impressions. It is very interesting to me that after many years as a speaker I now have clients that share with me that their employees and or professional association members are fearful of networking. They feel they don’t have the skills to introduce themselves or make small talk and some don’t even value networking.

If you are wondering how to make small talk and network you can hire me as your coach or bring me to your business or association. Our office number is 404-315-7397.

Here are a few tips from my book SNAP Making the Most of First Impressions Body Language and Charisma on how to network.

Tips for Reducing Your Social Anxiety and Improving Your First Impression at Parties and Networking Events

By Patti Wood MA, CSP and Body Language Expert

Some of you may think of social and networkingand mingling opportunities and jump for joy and some of you may think of punch and cookies and meeting strangers and feel your palms begin to sweat and your throat start to close. Here are fun and helpful tips for feeling more comfortable at your next party so you can change from a wallflower to a “social butterfly.”

1. Look for an Open Person. You have learned in an earlier chapter how to make yourself approachable by having open body language. You can use that information to look for people who you can easily approach. Search for people who are intently speaking to someone already. Spy the people who have their feet slightly apart a few inches rather than crossed, pressed together, or cowboy show of defensive stance 14 inches apart. It is easier to approach someone who is showing his or her palms as they gesture and is smiling. If you are super shy, you can just go up and stand next to someone who looks open and slowly mirror his posture. Research says he is likely to start a conversation with you.

2. Go first….you can also introduce yourself. I know I know, you’re thinking, "Patti you are insane.” I hate to talk to people and you want me to initiate a conversation!” “I’d rather stick a fork in my eye.” Put down the fork. Research shows that when you initiate you appear more confident to other people and they immediately feel more at ease. In addition, when they feel at ease, the comfort transfers to you. Remember, two awkward people equal three times the anxiety.

3. Introduce people to each other. Again, you have something to do, and goodness it takes the pressure off you. You now say the younger person’s name first to introduce them to the older person, say the lower status person’s name first to introduce them to the higher status person. Think bigwig’s name is said last.

4. Ask a question and then relax and listen. When I was in grad school and teaching at Florida State I tried out for and got a part in a community program. I almost lost my voice and I learned a lot about listening. So much anxiety comes from not knowing what to do or how to do it well. I can tell you that the smartest thing you can do at a party is ask a gentle question. It completely takes the talking pressure off you. You don’t have to be witty and urbane to be good listeners. And if “The Seven Habits of highly successful people” is right, everybody loves a good listener. If asking questions seems to be as difficult for you as defusing and atomic bomb, click to my book “Going UP!” The book gives pages of questions you can use to start a conversation.

5. Nod your head. I give simple listening body language cues in my linked article. Here is one of my favorites to teach men. Nod your head. Women love it. Men typically only nod their heads when they agree, woman nod to show they are listening. Guys, if you nod your head a lot she will love you. Beware of nodding your head at your female boss at the office. Power people love it when you nod your head too, but your boss might think you love them so much you are willing for them to nominate you for the office, “recycling waste committee for 2009.”

Research Shows We Learn More Using All Our Senses. Movement, Gesturing and Seeing Images Increase learning of Vocabulary Words

Research Shows We Learn More Using All Our Senses. Movement, Gesturing and Seeing Images Increase learning of Vocabulary Words

I have been teaching using the principles of Optimum Learning Theory my entire career. Optimum Learning Theory says if you use all your senses while learning you learn more quickly and retain the information. That is why in all my programs on body language I have the audience move, get up out their chairs and practice the techniques of good body language. Recent research shows that when learners gesture new vocabulary words they could remember it better.
Here is that finding in the research.

In the second experiment, they symbolically drew the corresponding word in the air or expressed it with a gesture. The researchers then checked whether the participants could still recall the term at different times after the learning period. "The subjects' recollection was best in relation to terms they themselves had expressed using gestures. When they heard the term and its translation and also observed a corresponding image, they were also better able to remember the translation.

Here is the entire research study findings.

February 5, 2015

Max-Planck-Gesellschaft

"Atesi" -- what sounds like a word from the Elven language of Lord of the Rings is actually a Vimmish word meaning "thought". Scientists have used Vimmish, an artificial language specifically developed for scientific research, to study how people can best memorize foreign-language terms. According to the researchers, it is easier to learn vocabulary if the brain can link a given word with different sensory perceptions.

Pictures facilitate learning: our brain remembers the words.

Credit: MPI f. Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences/ v. Kriegstein

"Atesi" -- what sounds like a word from the Elven language of Lord of the Rings is actually a Vimmish word meaning "thought." Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig have used Vimmish, an artificial language specifically developed for scientific research, to study how people can best memorize foreign-language terms. According to the researchers, it is easier to learn vocabulary if the brain can link a given word with different sensory perceptions. The motor system in the brain appears to be especially important: When someone not only hears vocabulary in a foreign language, but expresses it using gestures, they will be more likely to remember it. Also helpful, although to a slightly lesser extent, is learning with images that correspond to the word. Learning methods that involve several senses, and in particular those that use gestures, are therefore superior to those based only on listening or reading. For most students, the very thought of learning new vocabulary evokes a groan. Rote learning of long lists of words must surely be one of the most unpopular types of schoolwork. That said, many schools and language courses have now understood that learning outcomes improve if vocabulary, for example, is presented not just as a word, but also as an image. The multisensory learning theory states that the brain learns more easily when several senses are stimulated in parallel.

The results obtained by the Leipzig-based researchers confirm this. For their study the scientists used Vimmish, an artificial language they developed themselves, which follows similar phonetic rules to Italian. This ensured that the vocabulary was equally new to all participants. Over the course of a week, young women and men were to memorize the meaning of abstract and concrete Vimmi-nouns under different conditions. In the first experiment, the subjects heard the word and then observed a corresponding image or a gesture. In the second experiment, they symbolically drew the corresponding word in the air or expressed it with a gesture. The researchers then checked whether the participants could still recall the term at different times after the learning period.

"The subjects' recollection was best in relation to terms they themselves had expressed using gestures. When they heard the term and its translation and also observed a corresponding image, they were also better able to remember the translation. By contrast, however, tracing a term or observing a gesture was no better than just hearing the term," explains Katja Mayer of the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences. The way a term was learned was even reflected in the subjects' brain activity. In this way, areas of the brain responsible for the motor system were active when a subject translated a term previously learned through gesture, while areas of the visual system were active in the case of words learned with the help of images.

This suggests that the brain learns foreign words more easily when they are associated with information from different sensory organs. It may be that these associations are mutually reinforcing, imprinting the source-language term and its translation more deeply in the mind. "If for example we follow a new term with a gesture, we create additional input that facilitates the brain's learning," says Katharina von Kriegstein, head of the study at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences. The scientists now want to discover whether the activity in the motor and visual centres is actually the cause of the improved learning outcomes. They plan to do this by activating the neurons in these regions using electrodes and measuring the impact on learning outcomes.

It is not only in learning vocabulary that the multisensory principle applies; other studies have shown that multisensory input also facilitates word recognition in the subject's own language. "If we're on the phone with someone we know, for example, the areas of the brain responsible for facial recognition are active during the phone call. It seems that the brain simulates the information not being captured by the eyes and creates it for itself," explains von Kriegstein.

Thus, we learn with all our senses. Taste and smell also have a role in learning, and feelings play an important part too. But does multisensory learning work according to the principle: the more senses, the better? "That could well be so," says von Kriegstein, "but we don't know how much the learning outcomes improve with the addition of more senses. Ideally, however, the individual sensory impressions should match one another. In other words, to learn the Spanish word for apple, the subject should make an apple gesture, taste an apple or look at a picture of an apple."

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by Max-Planck-Gesellschaft. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:

1. Katja M. Mayer, Izzet B. Yildiz, Manuela Macedonia, Katharina von Kriegstein.Visual and motor cortices differentially support the translation of foreign language words. Current Biology, 5 February 2015

Max-Planck-Gesellschaft. "Learning with all the senses: Movement, images facilitate vocabulary learning." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 5 February 2015. .

Patti Wood Body Language Expert Blog

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Should You Date a Coworker?

Couples Who Sleep Less Than an Inch Apart Might Be Happiest Research Reveals What Your Sleeping Position Says About Your Relationship

Research on Mate Selection Shows That Settling for 'Mr. Right Now' is better than waiting for 'Mr. Right.'

Tips for Reducing Your Social Anxiety and Improving Your First Impression at Parties and Networking Events

Research Shows We Learn More Using All Our Senses. Movement, Gesturing and Seeing Images Increase learning of Vocabulary Words

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