How to Read a Person
Study posture., Identify positive body language., Identify negative body language., Spot fake smiles., Read a person's eyes., Read a person's hands., Read gestures and touch., Read ears.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Study posture.
Posture can provide many clues about what a person is really thinking.
How they sit and how they lean tells a story.
Between 70 and 90 percent of communication can be non-verbal.
If a person leans away from you, they are probably feeling stress.
If they are leaning back as if they are relaxed, it can be an indicator that they feel powerful and in control.
Poor posture can mean that a person lacks self esteem or harbors negative feelings. -
Step 2: Identify positive body language.
Experts divide body language into positive and negative movement categories.
You can identify whether a person feels positively toward you by spotting positive body language moves.
Not crossing arms or legs indicates positive feelings.
Looking away, as if shy, is a sign of positive emotion toward you.
Leaning toward you is a positive body language movement. , Certain cues should indicate to you that the person may harbor negative feelings toward you or themselves.
Crossing arms or legs is a movement that shows wariness.
Pointing feet away or toward an exit means a person may have negative feelings.
Looking to the side or leaning away is a sign of negative body language.
When a person touches their nose, eyes or back of neck, it can indicate negative feelings. , There are signs that indicate a person's smile is not genuine.
In a genuine smile, you will see the wrinkles around a person's eyes.
In a fake smile, you often won't.
Smiling authentically uses more facial muscles.
The laugh lines or wrinkles around the eye are caused by the orbicularis oculi, and are muscles activated in genuine smiles.
Fast smiles are less likely to be genuine.
Fake smiles are sometimes bigger because the person is trying to stretch their face. , The eyes are very expressive, and it's possible to tell a lot about a person if you know what to look for in them.
Dilated pupils indicate interest.
Power gazing means a person only looks into the triangle from your eyes to your forehead, meaning they are avoiding intimacy.
If they look from your eyes to your mouth and down, that indicates a desire for intimacy.
Looking from the eyes to the mouth only is called social gazing and shows comfort and friendship.
Sustained eye contact can indicate an attempt to dominate or can give away that a person is lying.
Eye contact for two to three seconds before looking away connotes confidence.
Eye contact for 1 second or less indicates evasion or insecurity.
Fast blinking can be a sign a person is interested in you.
Liars will often look to the right when thinking.
Some experts believe this is because they are concocting a story.
Closing the eyes for a sustained period of time means a person needs time to think. , As with the eyes, the hands can give you clues about a person's personality or what they are thinking.
When a person keeps their palms down, it indicates they feel powerful.
A downward palm can also be a sign that something is being rejected or stopped.
When a person keeps their palms up, it can indicate submissiveness.
Upward palms also indicate giving and an offering. , What people do with their hands can give you clues about what they are thinking.
Gestures are defined as physical movements that reveal emotion or opinion.
When someone touches your hand briefly, it shows they want a connection to you.
When a person rubs their nose, they might be lying.
If a person hides their hands, they might be hiding something from you.
When a person rests their chin on their hand, they're making a decision.
Scratching the back of the neck means a person has unanswered questions.
Watch out for mirroring gestures.
When a person starts to copy your expressions and gestures, it usually means they want to sell you something.
Moving into personal space can be a sign of intimidation.
Raising the eyebrows means a person thinks positively about you and wants to communicate better. , Many people overlook the ears, but sophisticated face readers believe that they can give clues to personality.Small ears indicate an attention to detail and determination.
People with large ears can be objective and spiritual.
People with ears that stick out may be adventurous types who are open to trying new things.
When people have ears that are high on their head, it can indicate they are intellectual and big thinkers. -
Step 3: Identify negative body language.
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Step 4: Spot fake smiles.
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Step 5: Read a person's eyes.
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Step 6: Read a person's hands.
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Step 7: Read gestures and touch.
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Step 8: Read ears.
Detailed Guide
Posture can provide many clues about what a person is really thinking.
How they sit and how they lean tells a story.
Between 70 and 90 percent of communication can be non-verbal.
If a person leans away from you, they are probably feeling stress.
If they are leaning back as if they are relaxed, it can be an indicator that they feel powerful and in control.
Poor posture can mean that a person lacks self esteem or harbors negative feelings.
Experts divide body language into positive and negative movement categories.
You can identify whether a person feels positively toward you by spotting positive body language moves.
Not crossing arms or legs indicates positive feelings.
Looking away, as if shy, is a sign of positive emotion toward you.
Leaning toward you is a positive body language movement. , Certain cues should indicate to you that the person may harbor negative feelings toward you or themselves.
Crossing arms or legs is a movement that shows wariness.
Pointing feet away or toward an exit means a person may have negative feelings.
Looking to the side or leaning away is a sign of negative body language.
When a person touches their nose, eyes or back of neck, it can indicate negative feelings. , There are signs that indicate a person's smile is not genuine.
In a genuine smile, you will see the wrinkles around a person's eyes.
In a fake smile, you often won't.
Smiling authentically uses more facial muscles.
The laugh lines or wrinkles around the eye are caused by the orbicularis oculi, and are muscles activated in genuine smiles.
Fast smiles are less likely to be genuine.
Fake smiles are sometimes bigger because the person is trying to stretch their face. , The eyes are very expressive, and it's possible to tell a lot about a person if you know what to look for in them.
Dilated pupils indicate interest.
Power gazing means a person only looks into the triangle from your eyes to your forehead, meaning they are avoiding intimacy.
If they look from your eyes to your mouth and down, that indicates a desire for intimacy.
Looking from the eyes to the mouth only is called social gazing and shows comfort and friendship.
Sustained eye contact can indicate an attempt to dominate or can give away that a person is lying.
Eye contact for two to three seconds before looking away connotes confidence.
Eye contact for 1 second or less indicates evasion or insecurity.
Fast blinking can be a sign a person is interested in you.
Liars will often look to the right when thinking.
Some experts believe this is because they are concocting a story.
Closing the eyes for a sustained period of time means a person needs time to think. , As with the eyes, the hands can give you clues about a person's personality or what they are thinking.
When a person keeps their palms down, it indicates they feel powerful.
A downward palm can also be a sign that something is being rejected or stopped.
When a person keeps their palms up, it can indicate submissiveness.
Upward palms also indicate giving and an offering. , What people do with their hands can give you clues about what they are thinking.
Gestures are defined as physical movements that reveal emotion or opinion.
When someone touches your hand briefly, it shows they want a connection to you.
When a person rubs their nose, they might be lying.
If a person hides their hands, they might be hiding something from you.
When a person rests their chin on their hand, they're making a decision.
Scratching the back of the neck means a person has unanswered questions.
Watch out for mirroring gestures.
When a person starts to copy your expressions and gestures, it usually means they want to sell you something.
Moving into personal space can be a sign of intimidation.
Raising the eyebrows means a person thinks positively about you and wants to communicate better. , Many people overlook the ears, but sophisticated face readers believe that they can give clues to personality.Small ears indicate an attention to detail and determination.
People with large ears can be objective and spiritual.
People with ears that stick out may be adventurous types who are open to trying new things.
When people have ears that are high on their head, it can indicate they are intellectual and big thinkers.
About the Author
Nancy Reynolds
Enthusiastic about teaching lifestyle techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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