Our body angles are probably the easiest to read. We tend to angle our body away from people we do not find interesting, and angle our bodies toward people we like, or find attractive. Take, for example, a housewarming party. You are sitting at a table right next to someone you don't know and a conversation starts (by you or the other person). As you are conversing, you realize you have common interests. You start talking about the common interest and you notice that the other person rotates his chair so that he is facing more toward you rather than sitting shoulder-to-shoulder. There are times when this will be out of our control. For example, at amusement parks when it's crowded and you are almost shoulder-to-shoulder with everyone around you, or when you are sitting inside an attraction in theater seats that face forward.

When you are sitting down, your legs can give certain indications of how you feel at the moment, or what type of person you are. When standing in line, if you are an impatient person your legs will move around more than a patient person's legs. And, if you are sitting impatiently, you might tap your feet or shake your legs. It's not always easy to see a person's legs if they are sitting down, so it's a hard body language to follow. As far as crossing the legs, comfort comes into play first, and foremost, so it's not as easy to read.

Facial expressions are also easy to read. It is also easy for us to use facial body language involuntarily. We frown when we are not happy with something, and smile when we are. Tight lips can mean that you are holding yourself back from saying something that might be offensive to another person. Imagine what your face looks like when you reach into your refrigerator, pull out the milk and it smells as if it is spoiled. That is definitely an involuntary use of body language that will let everyone know exactly what you are thinking.


Another area of nonverbal communication, personal space, is largely influenced by one's culture. This form of communication is important to observe, especially if you are an American that is talking to someone of another culture. Americans tend to like more personal space than many other cultures. Americans tend to prefer standing two to four feet away from someone during a conversation, especially if it's someone they don't know well. As such, Americans tend to pull back if someone has moved into their personal space to the extent that it has made them feel uncomfortable. The body language of moving back, especially if done so abruptly or with facial gestures, can send nonverbal messages to the person who has moved into your space. It's important to keep in mind that nonverbal communication, especially something like issues with personal space, are greatly influenced and interpreted by culture.

You don't need to be a specialist to interpret all of the body language we discussed. All you need to do is pay attention. By noticing the changes in movement of their body, facial expressions and hand gestures, you will be able to determine if the other person is agitated, happy, or sad. By really learning the differences in body language, you will have a definite advantage over your peers. Try practicing it and see what your results are.