How to read people: Decode 7 body language cues

Shame is displayed through a light touch to the side of the forehead, an almost imperceptible gesture of wanting to cover the face.

• Celebrities experiencing embarrassment • People on embarrassment or prank shows • Anyone caught in an awkward moment

When embarrassed, people have the instinct to hide their face, so they perform this slight forehead cover as an unconscious partial concealment.

Watch for the subtle forehead touch accompanied by verbal expressions like 'oh no' - it's easy to spot once you know what to look for.

Blocking is when someone puts a physical barrier between their torso and another person or an idea they're uncomfortable with.

• Crossing arms across the chest • Holding an iPad, computer, or notebook in front of the body • Any sudden transition from open posture to closed posture

• You said something that made them feel defensive or closed off • They're feeling uncomfortable or nervous about the conversation

Pay special attention when someone shifts from being open and talking freely to suddenly blocking - this change in behavior is significant.

When you ask someone 'Can you hear that?' they naturally turn and expose their ear to give it maximum clearance.

A slight head tilt during conversation indicates the person is engaged, listening, and curious about what you're saying.

Combining a head tilt with a subtle triple nod (one-two-three) creates a powerful non-verbal message that says 'tell me more' without speaking.

• Oprah Winfrey uses this technique masterfully in interviews • She slightly tilts her head to encourage guests to keep talking and open up • Similar to how dogs tilt their heads when trying to understand something

Covering the mouth with a hand, or rubbing the nose or lips, is a natural instinct to keep something in or withhold information.

• Children instinctively cover their mouths when telling a lie • Adults do it when they don't like what they just said • It can combine with shame when someone is embarrassed by their own words

Watch for any sudden mouth touches during conversation - they indicate the person wanted to hold back what they said or are feeling uncomfortable.

• A single mouth touch while smiling and laughing might just be an itch • Multiple negative cues in a row (shame gesture + mouth cover + blocking) indicates genuine nervousness or discomfort • Look for patterns of cues, not just isolated gestures

Hand gestures are crucial for conveying warmth, charisma, and making your message more effective and engaging.

• Study of TED Talks showed the most dynamic speakers use hand gestures to demonstrate their words • Hand movements help illustrate scale, quantity, and spatial relationships • Speakers who gesture effectively communicate their ideas with greater impact

• Use hand size to show whether an idea is big or small • Point to different positions when discussing multiple items or comparing 'you versus me' • Hand gestures create visual outlines that reduce cognitive load for listeners

People can think more easily when following your hand gestures alongside your words, making your message clearer and more memorable.

When someone is curious, interested, or engaged, they cannot help but raise their eyebrows - it's an involuntary response.

• In social settings like bars when someone finds you attractive or interesting • In business conversations when you say something noteworthy • When people find something genuinely intriguing or unexpected

• Raised eyebrows open the eyelids wider to help see better • We want to see more of something we like, so we raise our eyebrows • This is paired with verbal responses like 'really?' or 'huh, that's interesting'

• Watch for eyebrow raises to know you've hooked someone's interest • Give people eyebrow raises yourself to show you're genuinely interested in what they're saying

Dr. Paul Ekman discovered there are seven universal micro-expressions that are the same across all cultures and people.

• Happiness • Disgust • Fear • Sadness • Surprise • Contempt • Anger

Learning to read micro-expressions is the key piece of science that enables you to truly understand how to read people and understand their emotions.

A free guide to reading micro-expressions is available at scienceofpeople.com/face to help you develop this essential skill for deeper body language understanding.