by Meghan Rizzo

Created on: June 27, 2009

People have instinctive knowledge of the various meanings associated with the physical mannerisms of others. We examine one another's facial cues and body language in order to detect emotions, personality, and levels of sincerity. The best way to become an expert at reading body language is to simply become conscious of the fact that you are doing so whenever you are in contact with another person. Following are some common physical mannerisms and the possible meanings behind them.

Eye Contact

When conversing, most people expect the listener to engage in direct eye contact. This is taken - at least in Western culture - as a sign of respect. When you find a person avoiding your gaze, this usually means one of two things: he finds you intimidating or he is deceiving you.

In the latter case, the person looks away from you in shame. Rarely is a person comfortable stretching the truth and thus will be reluctant to meet your gaze directly.

In the former case, the lack of direct eye contact is the result of something far more innocent. For some reason, this person feels shy in your presence. In terms of dating, it is quite possible that a person who is having trouble maintaining eye contact has feelings for you. Old movies and cartoons show women flirtatiously batting their eyelashes at their objects of desire. Perhaps frequent blinking is a method that some people employ subconsciously to break eye contact (or they are simply showing off their lush eyelashes). In any case, fluttering eyelashes might very well be indicative of a crush.

Individuals with bolder temperaments might utilize the exact opposite tactic. A lengthy and direct gaze into your eyes can also be read as a signal of physical attraction. Staring might also indicate a dominant personality.

Hand Gestures

Folded arms, clasped hands, and clenched fists are defensive postures. The emotions that might cause a person to exhibit these mannerisms can range from extreme anger to mild degrees of shyness. Of course, the person might just be feeling cold, but discounting the weather, these are signs worth paying attention to. Soften your tone and approach to put the person at ease. Try directing the conversation so that there is not pressure for the individual to talk too much or reveal too much about him or herself. A gentle approach is best in this situation.

When a person's palms are exposed and her arms move freely during conversation, she is probably outgoing and confident. Exposing

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