There is little doubt that body language can exude confidence, anxiety, awkwardness, and charisma. Experts tell us that roughly 80 percent of the meaning of a message lies in the nonverbal expression of it.
Many years ago my father (working in sales at the time) attended a meeting where body language was the topic and he walked away from it totally disgusted with it. He was told he was crossing his arms too much and that conveyed a "closed approach". He said "but my arms hurt and when I cross them there is less pain."
At this stage in my life I have some of the same aches and I get it completely.
Likely the same reason that handwriting analysis seems to persist… we love the idea that we can understand what people are thinking. We engage it like it’s a mind reading trick that can be mastered.
That false promise feels like an answer to fears that are rooted deeply regarding our need to protect ourselves from the dangers of strangers. So perhaps we cling tighter to answers that seem to help those fears.
BTW - Here's a link to a great podcast episode from Criminal - Phoebe interview Andy Morgan, a Forensic Psychologist on the method he created to tell whether or not someone is lying or telling the truth during interrogations. https://thisiscriminal.com/episode-two-pants-on-fire
Great explanation. I like the survival angle taken. I think it is easier to be duped and it takes more energy/discipline to slow down and think through stuff. Plus, in the U.S. at least, it seems like we're always looking for the shortcut or 'magic sauce' instead of putting in the hard work that is required to get to a high-level at something.
Many years ago my father (working in sales at the time) attended a meeting where body language was the topic and he walked away from it totally disgusted with it. He was told he was crossing his arms too much and that conveyed a "closed approach". He said "but my arms hurt and when I cross them there is less pain."
At this stage in my life I have some of the same aches and I get it completely.
Why do you think such 'magical thinking' remains as prevalent as it does given we have much more access to information than we used to?
Likely the same reason that handwriting analysis seems to persist… we love the idea that we can understand what people are thinking. We engage it like it’s a mind reading trick that can be mastered.
That false promise feels like an answer to fears that are rooted deeply regarding our need to protect ourselves from the dangers of strangers. So perhaps we cling tighter to answers that seem to help those fears.
What theory might you submit?
BTW - Here's a link to a great podcast episode from Criminal - Phoebe interview Andy Morgan, a Forensic Psychologist on the method he created to tell whether or not someone is lying or telling the truth during interrogations. https://thisiscriminal.com/episode-two-pants-on-fire
Nice, David, thanks for this resource.
Great explanation. I like the survival angle taken. I think it is easier to be duped and it takes more energy/discipline to slow down and think through stuff. Plus, in the U.S. at least, it seems like we're always looking for the shortcut or 'magic sauce' instead of putting in the hard work that is required to get to a high-level at something.
True - we in the U.S. do like our hacks... even at the detriment of our credibility.