From infancy, we begin to use body language to express our needs and feelings - it is how we learn to get our needs met. While learning to talk, we continue to use a series of body language signals to entertain, have a need met or show an emotion we are feeling that we are not yet able to express verbally. If, while we are young, our caretakers pick up our body language signals easily, as we age we are more apt to continue to refine the skill of using body language. However, when our body language signals go unnoticed as an infant or throughout childhood, in adulthood the use of body language often goes to the wayside. Those are the adults you hear people refer to as hard to read. Although they can make great poker players, it does little for the art of subtle communication. Like the saying goes, if you dont use it, you lose it, or in the least, get real rusty at it. Communication through all forms is detrimental in life. It can make the difference between landing a dream job or that dream mate and many other factors. People use on an average 50 body language to 50 verbal language when communicating.
If you cannot pick up the subtle nuances of the body language someone is giving, the message you may be receiving verbally could be quite different than what they intended on it being. The more you try to use and learn how to pick up on body language signals, the better you will get at it. If you dont get it the first time, then continue to try and keep trying. People-watching is a great way to brush up on your ability to read body language - go to a mall and just sit on a bench and try.
There are several main types of body language and two of the most common types that people can pick up on easily are romantic and greeting body language. Other forms of body language are aggressive, attentive, bored, closed, deceptive, defensive, dominant, emotional, evaluating, open, power, ready, relaxed and submissive. We will look at each category and explain the signals used in each.