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examBoard: AQA
examType: GCSE
lessonTitle: Body Language
Body language is a powerful form of non-verbal communication where physical behaviours, rather than words, are used to express or convey information. These behaviours include facial expressions, body posture, gestures, eye movement, touch and the use of space. Body language can be conscious or unconscious and can reveal our true feelings and intentions in ways that words cannot.
Key Definitions:
Body language makes up a significant portion of our communication. Research by psychologist Albert Mehrabian suggests that in face-to-face interactions about feelings and attitudes, words account for only 7% of the message, while tone of voice accounts for 38% and body language accounts for 55%. While these exact percentages are debated, it's clear that body language plays a crucial role in how we communicate.
Reading body language requires careful observation and context. A single gesture or expression doesn't tell the whole story. For accurate interpretation, we need to look for clusters of signals and consider cultural differences, individual personalities and the situation. Misreading body language can lead to serious misunderstandings.
Body language encompasses various elements that work together to communicate meaning. Let's explore the main components:
Our faces are incredibly expressive, capable of conveying countless emotions without saying a word. Psychologist Paul Ekman identified six basic emotions that appear to be universally recognised across cultures:
Raised cheeks, crinkled eyes and upturned mouth corners.
Lowered brows, intense or glaring eyes and tight lips.
Drooping eyelids, downturned mouth and raised inner eyebrows.
Raised eyebrows, widened eyes and open mouth.
Wrinkled nose, raised upper lip and lowered eyebrows.
Raised eyebrows, wide eyes and open mouth.
Developed by Paul Ekman and Wallace Friesen in the 1970s, FACS is a comprehensive system for describing all visually detectable facial movements. It breaks down facial expressions into individual components called Action Units (AUs). Researchers use FACS to objectively measure facial expressions in studies of emotion, deception detection and social interaction. The system has been applied in fields ranging from psychology to computer animation and artificial intelligence.
Gestures are movements made with parts of the body (especially hands and arms) to express meaning or emphasis. They can be:
Gestures can have dramatically different meanings across cultures. For example, the "thumbs-up" gesture is positive in the UK but can be offensive in parts of the Middle East. The "OK" sign (thumb and forefinger forming a circle) is positive in Western cultures but considered rude in Brazil. These differences highlight the importance of understanding cultural context when interpreting body language.
Touch is a powerful form of non-verbal communication. Handshakes, for instance, can communicate confidence (firm grip), dominance (covering the other person's hand with your free hand), or submission (limp grip). Cultural norms strongly influence acceptable forms of touch in social interactions, with some cultures being more tactile than others.
How we position our bodies communicates volumes about our attitudes, emotions and intentions:
Eye behaviour is a crucial aspect of non-verbal communication. In Western cultures, appropriate eye contact signals interest, attention and honesty, while avoiding eye contact might suggest dishonesty, disinterest, or shyness. However, in some Asian, African and Latin American cultures, extended eye contact with authority figures can be seen as disrespectful.
Eye behaviour includes:
Psychologists use various methods to study body language:
Researchers observe people in natural or controlled settings and record their non-verbal behaviours. This might involve watching people in public spaces or recording interactions in a laboratory. The advantage is seeing genuine behaviour, but interpretation can be subjective.
Researchers might show participants photos or videos of body language and ask them to identify the emotions being expressed. Alternatively, they might manipulate variables to see how they affect body language, such as studying how stress influences posture or facial expressions.
Micro-expressions are brief, involuntary facial expressions that last for a fraction of a second. They often reveal emotions people try to hide. In a famous study, Paul Ekman trained US Customs officers to detect these fleeting expressions. After just one hour of training, their ability to spot deception improved significantly. This research has influenced security screening, police work and therapy. However, even experts rarely achieve more than 80% accuracy in detecting deception through body language alone, highlighting the complexity of non-verbal communication.
Body language plays several important roles in our social lives:
While body language is a fascinating area of study, there are important limitations to consider:
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