Self-touch is an indispensable behavior of insecure people. People who have one thing or the other to hide often become uncomfortable and engage in some subtle acts that reveal their intents. Another name for self-touch is “auto contact.” Chris (2013) defines it as a term used to describe any gesture such as stroking the beard, rubbing the hands, tugging the ear, massaging the throat, pulling the fingers, rubbing the back of the neck and so forth, which is meant to sooth the body and create comfort. These gestures called “pacifiers” are also used to eliminate internal tensions and provide reassurance. It is believed that these mannerisms stem from childhood sources when our parents would comfort us with touch. Grooming and self touching stems from arousal but this arousal can be due to a variety of reasons. It might stem from anxiety, anger, stress or uncertainty. It will be your job to decide which is the main cause, and part of this means that you need to take context in mind.
Social touching has been shown to increase oxytocin which is a natural chemical messenger released by the brain. Oxytocin also helps in reducing anxiety, and creates feelings of contentment, calmness and trust. Self touching serves to fight the underlying stress associated with the negative stimulus so as to recreate the feelings of having someone sooth you (Chris, 2013).
Women have been known to create comfort in a very interesting way. Bouncing a leg up and down and squeeze their upper thighs tightly together can sometimes result in orgasm but even if a climax is not reached, women still enjoy the benefits of stimulation. Women may also lightly brush the lower parts of their breasts as they crossing their arms, which is also an effort to self sooth. Resting the head on a hand or rubbing the back of the neck, wringing the hands or rubbing the legs are all substitutes to more overt self-stimulation. Men might resort to rubbing their temples and women might employ hair touches and grooming or stroking the sides of their arms. As we see, self touching in a variety of ways can show hidden insecurities when taken in proper context (Chris, 2013). Briefly, we will consider some of the specific instances of self touch.
Rubbing the neck, according to body language experts, is a sign of someone being angry or frustrated about something that was said during a conversation, a fight, or maybe a memory that made her feel that way. Touching the neck area constantly might be a sign of stress, misery or maybe embarrassment. Also, when you see a subject who stands in front of you and holds their hands tightly, it usually means they are showing a lack of interest in her environment. This might happen, for example, when you approach a woman in a pub and she is taking the standing position with her hands held tightly (BLC, 2018).
By observing different Head and Neck Movements, we can notice different feelings experienced by people. For example, if someone is holding his head, he is probably a little nervous. A body movement of defending the neck or exposing it might tell you whether a person is sure or hesitant. Furthermore, scratching the neck can be a sign of inconvenience (most probably while telling a lie). The neck is an important area, and we must protect it, whether consciously or unconsciously. That is why we must learn to notice and understand important head and neck movements, such as exposing the neck. A protected neck allows people to feel less exposed to criticism, comments or insults from other people (BLC, 2018).
Tapping the head or the forehead are body movements of a person who understands he has made a mistake. It might happen when you accidentally told your date something you wish you had not, or when you left your car keys at the office or your cellular phone at a coffee shop. A suspect who has mistakenly let out the truth in their first narration will put on the same feeling too.
Pulling the collar signifies an emotional tension, discomfort and often it is a sign of telling a lie. That is why if you go to a job interview, it is recommended to avoid body movements such as pulling the collar or scratching the neck. In any investigative setting, any subject that does that is most probably feeding you with falsehood. However, not every self touch signal stands for negative things. For instance, when a person puts their hands on their chest, it is used to signal their real intentions. It means they are people of honesty and integrity (BLC, 2018).
Touching the nasal bridge, in particular when done often, might suggest a person is tired or nervous. Maybe as a result of sitting for a long time, boredom or not enough sleep. Looking for a contact point between the Fingertips is a body movement that represents an intention to look for points. And by that we mean points to increase the chances of getting to a mutual understanding. Touching the forehead is a body movement that is intended to get the arousal of a mental process. When a man touches his forehead, it might mean he is trying to remember something. Criminal suspects are fond of this. They might even feign this at times to deceive you as if they are trying hard to recall an event (BLC, 2018).
When you see A Woman or Man Hiding their Mouth, you should begin suspecting. Hiding the mouth is typical of situation where someone is telling a lie, exaggerates or not sure of what he says. Often you can see in movies and tv shows old man with beards who scratch it, while they are giving themselves a couple minutes more to arrange their thoughts. the same applies to men without a beard. Scratching a beard or playing with it represents an attempt to buy some time and give the best possible answer (BLC, 2018.)
References
BLC (2018).Self Touching. Retrieved from http://www.bodylanguagecommunication.com/taxonomy/term/25?page=1
Chris (2013). What does Self Touching or Auto Contact Mean in Body Language? Retrieved from http://bodylanguageproject.com/tiny-book-of-body-language/what-does-self-touching-or-auto-contact-mean-in-body-language/
Stone, Z (2016). 4 Body Language Gestures That Make You Look Insecure: Change Them and Become a Boss. Retrieved from https://entrepreneurs.maqtoob.com/4-body-language-gestures-that-make-you-look-insecure-change-them-and-become-a-boss-2677ccc3add7
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