Chapter 2
Looking Closer at Non-verbal Gestures
In This Chapter
Looking into the origins of body language
Conveying information through body language
Considering gestures – what you can discover from others
Whether you like to think of yourself as an animal or not, the truth is, you are. And like all animals, the way you gesture, move, and position your body tells an observer a lot more about you than the words you say.
Throughout the animal kingdom, body language is a constant and reliable form of communication. Whether on two, four, or more legs, homo sapiens and the rest of the animal kingdom are constantly sizing one another up as they prepare for a friendly, or unfriendly, encounter. Because of the structure and programming of the human body, it can send a myriad silent messages, whereas most animals are limited in the number of signals they can convey.
In this chapter, I revisit our ancient ancestors to see where body language began and how it evolved. You discover that the way you use your body conveys how you’re feeling, what you’re thinking and your general state of being. You find out how body language reveals the feelings and attitudes you may prefer to leave unsaid, ...
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