5 myths about body language that scientists have debunked long ago

We communicate not only through words, but also through gestures, glances and facial expressions. At some point, people decided that non-verbal messages could be deciphered just like any other language, and that every gesture or movement has its own "translation". As a result, several theories were born that are quite far from the truth.

1. 90% of information we receive is non-verbal

Quite a controversial statement, which, however, has become very popular. And he is quoted by all and sundry. It all began with the fact that in the 60s, professor of psychology Albert Meyerabian decided to study how we perceive other people's emotions. Participants in the experiment were read out words using different intonations and were shown photographs of people with different expressions on their faces. And then they asked the subjects to tell what emotions they "read".

Based on their answers, Meyerabian concludedDecoding Non-Verbal Communicationthat other people's feelings and moods we perceive mainly through facial expressions, postures, intonations and views. They began to quote this conclusion out of context - as if a psychologist was talking about any information.

But later he himself emphasizedSilent Messagesthat it was exclusively about emotions and, in particular, about how we understand whether a person likes us or not.

After all, if 90% of the information we received non-verbally, we could watch a movie without translation in any language. But for some reason this does not happen.

2. Liars don't make eye contact

"You're lying again?! Look in my eyes!" - something like that you've probably heard. Especially in childhood - for example, when, worried, they told the teacher that they forgot the notebook with their homework at home. The claim that liars avoid eye contact is actually not all that false.

Small children and just inexperienced liars really try not to look up at the interlocutor when they tell a lie. But most adults - especially those who already have a "black belt" for lies - will look at you with the purest, genuinely sincere eyes. And you will not even suspect that you are being fooled.

Here's what says6 Subtle Characteristics of The Pathological Liar psychologist Tamara Hill, who studied the behavior of pathological deceivers and psychopathsExperienced liars have no difficulty in making direct eye contact and seem very relaxed and calm.

Moreover, if a person looks away during a conversation, this does not mean that he is deceiving.

Maybe he is embarrassed. Or maybe he has an autism spectrum disorder or trouble concentrating.

Also, when you tell someone unpleasant truth, it can be hard to look him in the eye too - because it's scary how a person will react.

3. If the interlocutor looks to the left - he is lying

It would be nice if we immediately understood that we are being deceived. If a person looks to the side, or scratches his nose, or runs his hand through his hair - that's all, it means that there is a liar in front of you. But alas, it doesn't work that way.

It is difficult to say where the idea came from, that by the direction of the gaze it is possible to determine whether the interlocutor is telling the truth. Perhaps this idea was first formulated in books on neurolinguistic programming. NLP - pseudoscientificResearch findings on neurolinguistic programming: Nonsupportive data or an untestable theory? a technique that includes various psychological techniques and supposedly allows you to establish communication, manipulate people and become more successful. And scientists have come to the conclusion that most of her theories and techniques are ineffective.Predicate matching in NLP: A review of research on the preferred representational system.

One of these theories of NLP just assertsNLP that if a person is lying, he looks left and up. But in practice, this idea has not been confirmed. During the experiments, it turned outThe Eyes Don’t Have It: Lie Detection and Neuro-Linguistic Programmingthat there is no connection between eye movements and the veracity of statements.

4. Arms crossed on the chest - protective pose

Legend has it that if a person folded his arms over his chest, it means that he closes himself off from others, feels uncomfortable or even shows hostility. This idea has been replicated in the parapsychological literature for many years. It got to the point that people are afraid to cross their arms in public - suddenly the rest will decide that something is wrong with them.

And how really? Psychologists believe9 Truths Exposing a Myth About Body Languagethat people cross their arms over their chests for a variety of reasons. Sometimes we really do it so that calm downcoping with anxiety, impatience or fear. And sometimes we unconsciously copy the gesture of the interlocutor, or try to warm up, or just sit in an uncomfortable chair without armrests and don't know where to put our hands. In short, there is no unambiguous interpretation for this gesture.

It is impossible to translate body language in the same way as we translate foreign words: the context of the situation and the peculiarities of a person's character play too large a role.

And if, when communicating with you, someone interlaces their arms over their chest, this does not necessarily mean that they do not like you.

5. Wonder Woman Pose Can Help You Feel More Confident

In 2012, social psychologist Amy Cuddy spokeYour body language may shape who you are at the conference TED and said that poses not only reflect our state, but, on the contrary, can shape it. In particular, the Wonder Woman pose (feet shoulder-width apart, hands rest on hips, shoulders straightened, chin raised) changes a person's hormonal status and makes him more goal-oriented and confident.

The idea caused a strong resonance and quickly spread.

It has even been used in film and television shows. For example, in American Housewife, the protagonist's husband takes the Wonder Woman pose (aka the power pose) before writing the article. And in the Russian TV show "Psychologini" one of the heroines advises this pose to a desperate fighter - after which he wins the battle.

And of course, this theory was not bypassed by scientists - a sharp scientific discussion flared up.Amy Cuddy's "Your body language may shape who you are": Criticisms & updates. Researchers repeated Cuddy's experiment and failed to findAssessing the Robustness of Power Posing: No Effect on Hormones and Risk Tolerance in a Large Sample of Men and Women evidence that strength posture improves testosterone level.

True, the point in this story has not yet been put: some scientists believe that there is some truth in Cuddy's hypothesis, and are working on a methodology for new research. In general, everything is very confusing. And there is no guarantee that the strength pose will actually help you become stronger.