After the introduction, it is necessary to give a little definition of body language.

However, if we want to give a definition, we must see first, what it is the study
about body language. The study of non-verbal communication is called
Kinesics. “Kinesics explores how we use the movement of our bodies and faces
to communicate, distinguishing between signals and gestures” 1. But why is it
important to distinguish between signals and gestures? Because it is the way
give an explanation about body language meaning.

First, “a signal is something agreed upon in advance and conveyed

consciously”2. “Gestures, on the other hand, are not preplanned, but come
naturally”3. So, we can say body language is the way we move our bodies when
we are talking. With this non-verbal communication can be read and during a
communication face-to-face we can be reinforced our words. But why gestures
reinforce our words? Because in a communication face-to-face or “when talking
with another person, we use head nodding and eye contact to regulate the
conversation. By dropping our voice and slowing the speed of our speech, we
indicate that it’s the other person’s turn to speak. If we want to interrupt the
other speaker, we often indicate our desire by raising our finger, much like we
used to raise our hands before speaking in grade school” 4. In short, only our
body language is possible to guide a conversation and even to know if what it is
spoken by other person is trusted.

In addition to the previous statement, body language has as advantage as

disadvantages. First it has advantages because help us to reinforce our words,
for example, “If you nod your head while telling someone that you agree with
her, your action reinforces your spoken message—the two are congruent”5 and
to be trust when we are talking. Also allow us to know what it is the emotional
state of other person (if he/she is angry, happy, confuse. But this type of
performance can be achieved by studying of different gestures or the “silent”
signals. Another advantage is to express a lot of ideas without any words, in a
conversation face-to-face.

Equally, non-verbal communication allows us to know different cultures of world.

Because in “North Americans wave a hand back and forth to say “hello” or
“goodbye.” But in much of Europe, this same movement means “no.” Making a
circle with the thumb and forefinger is the North American signal for “OK,” but in
France it means “worthless,” in Japan it means “money,” and in many cultures it
is an obscene gesture—hardly “OK.””6. In this case, to know type of body

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language of different places of world, it is useful when we visit other places. And
of course to be aware gestures we use, they are very varied like our languages.
However, we see in non-verbal communication, there are also disadvantages in
a conversation. As in some times what we are talking don’t agree with our
movements. For example “If you roll your eyes, while telling someone that you
agree with her, you lose credibility—your incongruent body language suggests
that your words can’t be trusted”7. And this way we are looked like awful.

On the other hand, in body language there are two broad types of body
language: open body language and closed body language. The first it is also
called positive body language. It “(…) is generally quite reliable as an indicator
of a person's feelings. It signals interest in the other person and in the
conversation”8. For example:

Relaxed posture - Comfortably seated, relaxed breathing, no visible

stiffness or abrupt movements. These indicate no major barriers to
communication.
Arms relaxed - Uncrossed arms and hands open (palms up or
otherwise visible to the other person) are signs of openness.
Good eye contact - Looking in the other person's eyes, particularly
when they are speaking, indicates interest in that person. Proper eye
contact involves looking away occasionally to avoid staring.
Nodding agreement - When nods are used to punctuate key things the
other person has said, they signal agreement, interest and
understanding. However, continual unconscious bobbing of the head
usually indicates that the listener is tuning out 9.

All these movements, we realize them unconsciously, our body shows state in
what we are.