A wider stance makes the body wider and hence appear bigger and is a signal of power and dominance. The great majority of men rate this sitting position for women as their absolute favorite when questioned in surveys. This tactic of trying to appear larger in perceived size is found in many forms throughout the animal kingdom by males courting females. Others may read this as a reserved attitude and react accordingly. Exploring the forces that shape the human psyche, Home » Learning body language » Body language: Sitting and standing with legs crossed. Women’s legs are also withdrawn, however, their knees are usually close together with feet to one side. Standing with their legs closely placed together they're indicating that they feel hesitant or tentative. A person sitting in this position is unlikely to be convinced by anything you may say or do. Sitting with legs crossed reduces the overall perceived size of a woman. Women, too, clench their hands, but they tend to rest them on their midsection. Body language in communication and personal space. If a guy sits up straight and has his body/legs open, then he is probably confident. The legs apart stance, predominantly a male gesture, is a resolutely stable immovable posture. Sometimes you cross your legs, sometimes maybe the ankle or with your legs in a wide four with the ankle resting on the opposite lower thigh aka the American way of sitting. Studies show that people who lack confidence also take leg crossed positions. Unsurprisingly, many polls and surveys have revealed that men find the seated legs-crossed position the most attractive sitting position a woman can take. Male participants at sports contests can be seen standing around with each other in this position at half time, scratching or giving their crotch an adjustment. Women wearing mini-skirts cross their legs and ankles for obvious reasons. ... Legs: If his legs are splayed out, he's confident and trying to claim his territory. Generally speaking, when someone’s feeling stressed they’ll touch their neck area. Others simply say they're 'comfortable'. When a man (rarely) or woman sits with their legs closed, it demonstrate discomfort with they way they look or feel about themselves. To be more precise, it works in ways that don’t seem rational to us. His body language is focused positive. It may be an indicator that he’s closed and shut off, but it could also be an indicator that he crosses his legs because he’s nervous. In business contexts, we have observed that people sitting like this talk in shorter sentences, reject more proposals and can recall less detail of what was discussed than those who sit with their arms and legs in an open position. She Matches and Mirrors Your Body Language. When being offered refreshments from the cabin staff, these same individuals tend to unlock their ankles and move toward the edge of their seats. Even those less adept can readily simulate a staged smile or frown on command to evoke an emotion for someone else though other subtle gestural clues in conflict might give you away. The figure four leg position (resembling the number four as viewed from above) is used often by American men and increasingly by younger men within cultures that have been exposed to American entertainment and news media. And, of course, the lighting you’re in will determine whether you’ll be able to see it. The way people swing their arms when they walk gives insight into their personality - or what they want you to believe they're like. Many politicians and public figures who want to telegraph a message about their vitality adopt a more vibrant gait. High heels also make a woman's feet appear smaller, which while not a biological driver of attractiveness, is common to many cultures. When we're interested in either a conversation or a person, we put one foot forward to shorten the distance between us and that person. This genital display arises also in the primate world, negating the damage that might be inflicted in a physical fight as male chimps or monkeys constantly reorder group hierarchy. When people, especially young couples, meet each other for the first time, they feel a bit defensive. They Lean In. This is partly a product of physiology and also of the practical matter in what women may wear. The Nazis kept a lookout for the figure four posture during World War II, as anyone using it was clearly not German or had spent time in the US. Some people will claim that they are not defensive or feeling insecure when they cross their arms or legs, but do it because they're cold. A trap is that restrained or defensive gestures can feed back into and reinforce a reserved or negative attitude. Since their lower extremities are out of the way, liars forget about them and are betrayed by micro-muscular movements in their legs and feet. Body language: Sitting with legs spread Driver says when you sit like this you’re marking your territory and exuding dominance. This is a kind of partial legs-crossing gesture. If you want to unwind a woman from the entwined leg position take a friendly and low-key approach to encourage her to open up. When sitting in a formal meeting or party, men/women should sit with an erect posture and with poise. It begins with the closed position, arms and legs crossed (image 1). I also don't understand why men think it's appropriate to put their arm around the back of a chair when someone is sitting in it. A more subtle clue to look for if you're trying to read a man's body language is to take note of how he sits when he's next to you — particularly how he crosses his legs. So basically anything a guy is doing is subconscious, and he really isn't aware of it. The next time you attend a meeting with men and women you will notice some groups of people standing with their arms and legs crossed. Leaving the legs uncrossed altogether, while sitting or standing, or massaging them so as to draw attention to them, can ramp up a sexual invitation even further. This varies depending on the sex of the person. As people begin to feel more comfortable in a group and get to know others, they move through a series of movements taking them from the defensive crossed arms and legs position to the relaxed open position. From the Middle Ages to the middle of the 19th century, men of elevated position and high social status adopted a stance which conveniently displayed the inner part of the leg - one of the body's erotic zones. In fact, a few people find it rather absurd to refer to the legs as an important tool of communication. Most feminists don’t believe it’s the case because they have never seen any. When we don’t feel like running away from a situation, we tend to fold ourselves into position just as animals fold themselves up when they’re relaxing or sleeping. By adopting this powerful position, you can create the matching feeling. Defendants sitting outside a courtroom waiting for their hearing are three times more likely than the plaintiffs to have their ankles tightly crossed and tucked under their chairs in an attempt to control their emotions. 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