Non-verbal communication is an interesting field in psychology. A person does not always say what he really thinks. And to find out where the truth is and where the lie is sometimes very difficult. Sign language can help with this. It is incredibly difficult to hide it. Every minute our body gives a lot of different signals. In this article, we will find out what crossed arms on the chest and fingers in the castle mean.
Natural gestures
Quite often a person has to hide their emotions. In most cases, this happens almost unconsciously. And if we have more or less learned to control facial expressions, then things are much more complicated with gestures. When a person is not comfortable, he tries in every way to close himself from everyone. And he does it with his hands. When a person crosses his arms over his chest, he seems to "hug" himself. It seems that now the person is securely protected from others.
It does not matter at all what the face expresses. You offer a person to buy a product, talk about itvirtues. The man cheerfully nods his head and smiles at you, but at the same time, he crosses his arms over his chest. What could this mean? A refusal will follow very soon, and it is unlikely that they will buy goods from you. And all because body language warns in advance that a person is defending himself from you. So, knowing some features of non-verbal communication, you can prevent many unwanted situations.
In fact, crossed arms are quite common. This and other gestures a person can use several times a day. There are certain categories of people who, in principle, are very fond of sitting or standing with their arms crossed. They usually claim that they are so comfortable. As a rule, these are incredulous, prone to doubt people. This position suggests that they are not confident in themselves and often feel “out of their element”. A person who often crosses his arms is aggressive towards the world around him, and, of course, he is so comfortable on the defensive.
Scientists have come to the conclusion that when the hands are clasped or crossed on the chest, a person does not perceive information well. In one lecture, the teacher asked the students to sit with open palms, and in the other, on the contrary, to squeeze them tightly. As the results showed, the first students remembered 36% more information than the second.
But you should take into account the fact that even almost identical positions can have different meanings. For example, if the arms are crossed on the chest, but the thumbs are clearly visible and they are directed upwards, then this indicates that the person considersyourself better than others.
Or, for example, “hands in the castle in front of you” - a gesture that indicates that a person is wary. He listens attentively to the interlocutor, but at the same time does not trust him. It will be difficult to negotiate with such a person while his hands are linked. But “hands in the castle behind your back” is a gesture of a self-confident leader. Headmasters, senior military officers and even members of the British Royal Family walk like this.
Standard gesture
Crossed arms on the chest is a kind of shield. Such a posture means that the person feels uncomfortable or uncomfortable. As a rule, the arms are crossed precisely in the chest area. And this is no accident. In this way, a person shows that now all his important parts of the body are closed. This posture can often be found in a conversation between two people. At the same time, one of them is trying to prove something to the other. The person becomes defensive and, in fact, does not want to hear anything. If you see that the interlocutor has crossed his arms, then this means that he does not agree with you.
Finger clenching
Sign language in psychology helps to identify almost any emotion. What do postures and gestures say?
If the crossed arms on the chest are accompanied by clenching the fingers into a fist, then this position indicates an aggressive attitude. The personality is not just closed from the opponent, it is also hostile. This gesture is often seen in children who are scolded and punished by their parents. At first, the child pretends to be offended by crossing his arms over his chest. And then, he curls his fingers into a fist thatdemonstrates his disagreement with the punishment. Often such anger is difficult to contain, and after a while the person begins to “attack” himself. His fists clench more and more, and his face turns red. This may be followed by a verbal attack.
Containing negative feelings
This emotion is also shown by crossing the arms. But in this case, the hands grab the opposite shoulder. This helps to secure the position and prevent unclenching of the fingers. People in this position can often be found at the airport or near the dentist's office. Any exciting event can be accompanied by just such a gesture.
In this case, a person is negatively tuned in to some circumstances. At the same time, he can stand next to another person and treat him well. For example, in front of the office where the exam is taken, there is a mother and daughter. The last one to write a test, she is worried, crosses her arms in front of her, but this does not mean that she has a negative attitude towards her mother.
Interlocked fingers
Have you often watched a person with one hand squeeze the other? In this case, the gesture can be interpreted in different ways. Quite often, when communicating, people put their hands in the castle. At this time, the person may smile and you may even think that he trusts you. But in fact, such a gesture speaks of disappointment and hostility towards the opponent. There are three positions in which the hands are in the lock:
- raised position;
- average;
- lower.
The higher the hands are, the more aggressive the person is. If a person sits with his hands clasped on his feet, then he is rather disappointed than hostile. Often people make such a gesture when, for example, they are refused when applying for a job. This attitude can also show excitement.
But for another reason, a person can fold his hands in the castle. Which finger is on top? Big? So this is a fairly self-confident person. Especially if a man does this when communicating with a woman. In this way, he shows that he is strong and domineering.
If the thumbs are hidden, it means that the person feels oppressed. This usually happens if he is alone or waiting for an important decision. You should not demonstrate such a gesture when applying for a job. A smart director will regard it as an indicator of low self-esteem. Folding your fingers into the lock means demonstrating your insecurity and timidity.
Disguised gestures
It's not always convenient to cross your arms or lock them into a lock. In particular, this applies to individuals who are constantly in front of everyone. But anyway, if they feel insecure, they try to form a barrier. And they do this by twitching the accessories on the opposite hand. They begin to adjust the buttons on the cuffs or the clasp of the watch. When trying to close yourself, any gesture that allows you to keep at least one hand across your body is suitable.
What are theseknowledge can give
People don't always realize that sign language is an incredibly useful science that anyone can use. It is especially important for those who often negotiate. If you see that your opponent has his arms crossed in front of him, then he is closing from you. It should be analyzed why this could happen.
Next, you need to try to remove this barrier. When a person's hands open, his susceptibility to words will become much higher. Therefore, you can try to make the opponent unhook them himself. Perhaps you should give him something to hand.
Have you noticed how "networkers", trying to shove some unnecessary little thing, try to occupy your hands? They ask you to hold their folder or give you a product. In 50% of cases, this is done so that you can close me.
Or, for example, a smart wife will ask her husband for what she needs, at a time when his hands are busy with something. In this case, he does not have the opportunity to hide from her, which means that the chance that the request will be fulfilled increases significantly.
And vice versa, when offended by a person, we cross our arms in front of us. So body language shows that until we are ready to forgive the offender and do not want to hear anything.
Chief and subordinate
At work, knowledge of non-verbal communication can also come in handy. Remember how often the boss sits or stands. If his arms are crossed, while the thumbs are looking up, this person loves power. If they are constantly behind his back, he is not afraid of anything and is a self-confident person. If athe boss's hands are clasped in front of him when he communicates with you - he does not trust you and is very wary.
Other values
Sign language in psychology is a very subtle science. Arms crossed in front of you may not always mean hostility. Quite often, one person copies the pose of another in order to get closer to him. For example, a guy approached a girl to get acquainted. Initially, she stood with her arms and legs crossed. This is a defensive position, which suggests that while the lady is not ready to open up to him. A man subconsciously assumes the same position.
At the same time, note that one leg of the man is turned towards the woman. This means that he is interested in her.
Based on the foregoing, we can conclude that crossed arms can have a lot of different meanings. Much depends on the specific situation and other gestures.
