Body Language: Touch

Body language is the way in which we communicate with one another using our bodies instead of or in addition to the verbal language that we use.  Body language can be conscious or subconscious acts of communication and, often, it is just as much up to the perception of the communication receiver to interpret exactly what the body language communication acts actually mean.  Body language varies from culture to culture and even person to person.  Although, some acts of body language will typically mean the same to large groups of people (such as a wave hello), body language acts are not always set in stone.  Even though one person twirling her hair might be perceived as a communication of flirting, it could just be related to a nervous habit.

One common form of body language is found in the act of touching.  A touch is a strong communicator in the world of body language acts and they are used by just about every one.  For instance, someone who brushes their hand against another’s forearm may be seen as communicating an act of attraction.  Touch as an act of body language is something that occurs in many settings across the board.  As always, body language acts of all types are dependant on the user and, of course, the perception of the receiver.