We signal our thoughts and feelings and intentions by gestures and body language as well as speech and half of our speech is non verbal. When there is conflict gestures speak louder than words.
Human eyes convey information through facial expressions and movement unlike in most species the visible white of the human eye makes it easy to see in which direction a person is looking and thus when their attention is directed. People have a strong instinct to follow another eye gaze and this simple mechanism ensures that when someone is in sight of another person they can manipulate each other.s attention without even having to communicate with words.
Body language is mostly instinctively consisting largely of unconscious break through acts. Some of these are remnants of primitive reflexes when other living things often seen primitive as either predatory or prey. The ancient reflexes program is to approach small prey as stimuli for gentility, care, and handle with paws of a baby. Withdraw from strong handling stimuli which suggests a predator. Agression is usually shown through tensed muscles and upright or a forward leaning stance indicating that a predator is ready to pounce. Fear is displayed by a softer body contour and backward stances, indicating that the prey is preparing to flee. When emotions are mixed a person may take up midway stances from which they can shift quickly from one posture to another.
Pupils dialate when a person has a strong emotional reaction. Some drugs have the same effect – belladonna was once used by women to send signals of sexual excitement.
There are angry expressions, or fearful expressions, and angry and fearful expressions, with fearful body language and fearful expressions with fearful body language can start wars.
There is body language such as that associated with attraction, is displayed in tandem with facial expressions such as smiling and eye contact. When body language and facial expressions do not match each other we are biased toward the emotion signaled by the body rather than the expression on the face.
Brain processes give way to eye movements, mouth movements, hand gestures, body movements as tones of voice, as well as deliberate gestures that are registered in the Superior Temporal Sulcus, a brain area concerned with the self in relation to others. The amygdala notes the emotional content and the orbito-frontal cortex analyzes it.
Gestures: Although body language is mostly unconscious pertinent, we have a greater degree of conscious control over the more refined form of gestures. Many parts of the body can be involved with making gestures but most tend to include hand and finger movements which on display complex spatial relations issue directions and show the shape of imagined objects. They can help convey emotions and thoughts, insults and invitations. Gestures are used throughout the world although they by no means have Universal meaning. Even simple gestures such as pointing at a person which is constantly known and used in many parts of the world and can be highly offensive.
In Asia arms wide open with hands and palms up in a I do not know stance, for America is an open position, but in Asia a offensive position when you say, I am not deceiving you.
Intricate gestures of Hindu deities often convey symbolic meaning through gestures and through positioning of hands and outward facing palms.
Universal Grammar rules, and syntax have meaning and can be offensive to some. Asked to communicate a simple statement using words of a Native Language, English, Chines, and Spanish speakers started with the subject. Turkish speakers start with the object then the verb. However when just using gestures, speakers of All of these languages placed the subject language in that order.
Language is a necessary part of Evolution and Religions. We cannot understand each other without language, and body movements are part of what we say in language. Even eye dialation is part of our language.
Carolyn d Hogarth from Canada
The Love and Peace Rose stands for Love and Peace a symbol of our culture.