Body Language

stormie · Mar 12, 2008

I have always found this site to help me with "show, don't tell" writing. So as I was watching the soon-to-be ex-Governor Spitzer stating his resignation, with his wife by his side, I watched her face instead of his. When he mentioned "...how grateful I am for the love and compassion they have shown me," his wife looked at someone in the audience and raised her eyebrows, her mouth set in a grim line.

I looked it up on the above site under Eyebrow-Raise and got this: "To lift the arch of short hairs above the eye, as in uncertainty, disbelief, surprise, and exasperation." I also got this for Lip-Compression: "Lip-compression is a specific version of the tense-mouth display. A sudden lip-compression may signal the onset of anger, disliking, grief, sadness, or uncertainty." Now, I wonder if anyone in the press will pick that up, or if it already has been.

As a writer, I've taken more and more to watching people's faces when someone is speaking. They probably wonder what I'm doing. But it really helps my writing, and I'm finding now that I can "read" people better.

Claudia Gray · Mar 12, 2008

Very interesting observation, Stormie.

I've seen a lot of coverage of Mrs. Spitzer's ordeal, so people are talking about it, but that was a very dead-on moment to pick up on.

oarsman · Mar 13, 2008

Interesting thoughts, Stormie.

Body language tells a story. In January, I remember reading comments made by a body language expert about the baseball hearings. I looked it up: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3244344

It's interesting to observe how body language adds a 'hidden' story to what you are hearing. I can see how that would enhance the story you are writing.

Ken · Mar 13, 2008

Whatever works Stormie.
Follow your own instincts.
They'll usually lead you down the right path.

JJ Cooper · Mar 13, 2008

There are so many 'variables' when using body language as a guide.

Approx 55% of communication is non-verbal communication. In order to truly understand non-verbal communication you need to know your environment, listen with all of your senses, evaluate and prioritise information and a couple more that I can't think of at the moment.

All behaviour is meaningful, yet cannot be judged by one single act. The body is a set of guages that can be used to judge if the meaning really matches the verbal (7%) and vocal (38%) output. Firstly, you need to establish a baseline ie. get to know your subject. Just because someone crosses their arms doesn't mean they are being defensive - they may be cold or it could be a personality trait. You then need to ask some tough question and observe the response. Then ask some easy ones and do the same. You are now getting a baseline of their body language and what it all means.

You must also consider that some things will have an effect on people depending upon the situation. Are they under stress? What is your attitude toward them? Is there any cultural differences? How about the mental capability of the subject? Are they adopting attending behaviour? What are the paralinguistics like with the subject? How are your listening techniques? Are you in the right zone with the subject(intimate, personal, social, public)? Is your own body language positive? Do you have any personal biases (ie as mentioned in the OP - does this sway your opinion?)?

Basically, as mentioned - go with the sixth sense unless you have had training in Body Language Analysis.

JJ

stormie · Mar 14, 2008

JJ Cooper said:
There are so many 'variables' when using body language as a guide.

Approx 55% of communication is non-verbal communication. In order to truly understand non-verbal communication you need to know your environment, listen with all of your senses, evaluate and prioritise information and a couple more that I can't think of at the moment.

Yes, and when writing, the writer has control over the characters and their responses to others and their surroundings.

All behaviour is meaningful, yet cannot be judged by one single act. The body is a set of guages that can be used to judge if the meaning really matches the verbal (7%) and vocal (38%) output. Firstly, you need to establish a baseline ie. get to know your subject. Just because someone crosses their arms doesn't mean they are being defensive - they may be cold or it could be a personality trait. You then need to ask some tough question and observe the response. Then ask some easy ones and do the same. You are now getting a baseline of their body language and what it all means.

You must also consider that some things will have an effect on people depending upon the situation. Are they under stress? What is your attitude toward them? Is there any cultural differences? How about the mental capability of the subject?

(Bolding mine.) Yes, very true. Someone who is neurologically impaired might have a great deal of difficulty reading others' body language and/or gauging how to react.

Are they adopting attending behaviour? What are the paralinguistics like with the subject? How are your listening techniques? Are you in the right zone with the subject(intimate, personal, social, public)? Is your own body language positive? Do you have any personal biases (ie as mentioned in the OP - does this sway your opinion?)?

Basically, as mentioned - go with the sixth sense unless you have had training in Body Language Analysis.

Going with the sixth sense is good, but I'm approaching this as a writer. Mrs.Spitzer's reaction seemed dead-on with what I originally perceived her to be thinking, then looked it up on that link.

Body Language

stormie

storm central

Claudia Gray

oarsman

Salt water is the cure

Ken

JJ Cooper

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stormie

storm central