The emotion of a person can be detected through body postures. Research has shown that body postures are more accurately recognized when an emotion is compared with a different or neutral emotion. For example, a person feeling angry would portray dominance over the other, and their posture would display approach tendencies. Comparing this to a person feeling fearful: they would feel weak, submissive and their posture would display avoidance tendencies, the opposite of an angry person (Marina et al., 2013).
While posture by itself is not as expressive as face expressions or hand gestures, it still can increase or contradict the intensity of these expressions. If you lean forward, for example, you amplify the message that you do listen closely and interested in what’s being said. Leaning back leaves the opposite impression naturally (SBL, 2018).
A straight posture is said to be the best form of posture to always maintain. Body language affects the way we feel, standing or sitting in straight posture is a great way to raise your mood and give you more energy because you imitate a confident and alert stance. When interacting with others you give the impression of an active and confident person, one who knows how to hold his body (SBL, 2018).
In trying to read meaning to a person’s posture, target the lower part of the body. A Research by Paul Ekman shows that people give more attention to the other upper part of the body than they do to the lower part. This view is also reiterated by Changing Minds while writing on Legs Body Language thus: “In particular when a person is trying to control their body language, they typically concentrate on the upper body. The legs may thus tell what they are thinking. If the legs and upper body are in conflict, then there is a possible of deliberate control.”
Legs which are held apart when standing provide a stable base for the person. Standing with feet about the width of the shoulders is a normal, relaxed pose. Slightly wider indicates that the person feels grounded and confident. A wider stance makes the body wider and hence appears bigger and is a signal of power and dominance. This also takes up more territory and shows domination.When one foot is forward and the other behind, this can be taking an extra stable position in case of frontal attack (as with martial artists). It can also be a frozen walk, indicating that the person wants to go somewhere. Conversely, sitting with slightly open legs is a relaxed position, showing the person is comfortable. One or both legs may be flopped down sideways as far as they can go.Sitting allows a wider opening of the legs and can thus be even more of a sexual ‘crotch display’. If the person is a bit worried about this, then their hands may cover the genitals (Changing Minds, 2018).
When the person is standing with feet together (or less that a relaxed shoulder-width) then this may display anxiety as it makes them smaller as a target and gives some protection to the genitals.A fully-closed standing position has knees touching. Increased desire for protection may be indicated by the person turning slightly to the side, leaning forwards a little or pulling the hips back.Note that a closed position also happens when the person is cold.When sitting, the knees may be held gently or tightly together, depending on the anxiety level (Changing Minds, 2018).
Crossing legs can be protective and negative, shielding the person from other people and their ideas.Crossing legs when standing can be an indication of shyness or being coy and may be accompanied by such actions as: hands held behind the back and a lowered head.This is an unstable position and the person may sway a little. Being so easy to be pushed over and slow to unwind and run away, this is seldom a defensive stance, although it can be submissive.Crossing legs is much easier when sitting and can take several different forms.Crossing ankles is a minimal cross and can be fairly relaxed, especially when the legs are stretched forward and the person is leaning back (and more so if the hands are behind the head). When more tension is seen, for example in clenched hands, then this may be a signal of self-restraint.An ankle cross with legs tucked under the chair can indicate concealed anxiety. The concern may be more obvious if the person is leaning forward.Crossing knees may indicate greater anxiety or defensiveness, particularly if the legs appear tense and even more so if one leg is wrapped firmly around the other.Knees held together can indicate greater anxiety than if they fall naturally slightly apart. This can also be a female modesty position (Changing Minds, 2018).
Legs may be used to point to things of interest, as with other parts of the body. The reverse is also true and pulling a leg back may show disinterest.When standing, one leg may point at an angle with both foot and knee, for example in a conversation where a person who wants to leave points at the door.Pointing anywhere away from the other person means ‘I want to be elsewhere’.When sitting, legs do not have to support the body but they are more visible and so send more obvious messages (unless they are under a table, where they still may subconsciously point in a direction of interest).Sitting forward with one foot pointing away and the other back is preparation to stand up and is a common signal that the person wants to leave or go somewhere (Changing Minds, 2018).
Moving legs sometimes is just exercising them to get the circulation moving more and loosen cramped muscles. Sometimes also this sends a signal. Swinging a leg when standing can act as a pointer. Bouncing the leg can indicate impatience.An affected or stylish walk indicates a focus on the self and a certain self-consciousness with a concern for how others see them. Longer strides indicate confidence while shorter steps show timidity or preciseness.
References
Changing Minds (2018).Leg Body Language. Retrieved from http://changingminds.org/techniques/body/parts_body_language/leg_body_language.htm
Marina, P et al (2013). “Asymmetries of Influence: Differential Effects of Body Postures on Perceptions of Emotional Facial Expressions”. PLoS ONE. 8 (9):e73605. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0073605. PMC 3769306. PMID 24039996.
WSTM (2018).Leg Posture Reveals Our Mind’s Intents. Retrieved from http://westsidetoastmasters.com/resources/book_of_body_language/chap10.html
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