preview

The Importance Of Body Language

Satisfactory Essays

In a multi-cultural world, understanding body language is important to ensure success in communicating in any professional or personal manner. Body language reflects our true inner thoughts and feelings which may contradict or confirm the words we speak. It is defined as using physical behavior to express or convey information and includes facial expressions, body posture, gestures, eye movement, touch and the use of space (Wikipedia, n.d.). Body language varies based on culture and country of origin. There are five immutable truths regarding body language that are important to understand when interpreting body language (Reiman, 2007). First, “body language is constant”. People always are communicating in some form. For example, a person communicates to others by the way they dress, body posture, etc. Second, “body language is always determined by context - the social rules, culture implications, group rules” (Reiman, 2007). Third, “body language can never be judged based on one single signal” (Reiman, 2007).
Fourth, “body language reveals the discrepancies between what a person says and what a person truly believes” (Reiman, 2007). When a person’s body language is “congruent”, they are considered truthful because their movements, facial expressions, and vocal tone all match their words (Reiman, 2007). Fifth, mastering body language allows you to tune in to “microexpressions”, the brief flashes or gestures that betray inner feelings (Reiman, 2007). True communication

Get Access