Former FBI Agent Explains How to Read Body Language | Tradecraft | WIRED

Former FBI agent and body language expert Joe Navarro breaks down the various ways we communicate non-verbally. What does it mean when we fold our arms? Why do we interlace our fingers? Can a poker player actually hide their body language?

Check out Joe's book "The Dictionary of Body Language"



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Former FBI Agent Explains How to Read Body Language | Tradecraft | WIRED

[MothaLuva]

When a fist lands in someone’s face that body language tells me that they don’t like each other.

[HornySingleMom]

“How we walk has meaning” For example, if someone has a limp, there is a chance they are injured.

[legendstar]

I loved when he said we blink 8 times per minute and then blinks 7 times in ten seconds

[blessing]

Key takeaway: Every body language is transmitting some sort of information. Just try to assess but do not over-judge, especially if someone cross their arms or roll their eyes in different direction. It may not mean anything. Also, you can move around to identify the most comfortable space with others

[KAREN-wjbk]

Someone: breathes
FBI: now stop right there. That's how they breathe in eastern Europe. You're a spy.

[thatguy]

Girl: *screams at me*
Me: ah yes, according to the body language, she is angry

[rhondamadgirl]

This guy gives me some comfort. I’m highly anxious and do a lot of the things some of the other body language people say indicate deception. It’s just my anxiety. I’m glad to see this guy looks at it differently.

[johnwatkins]

I like this guy. He's got very good energy and I love his relaxed but yet serious mood he's got going on. Also very intelligent and he definitely is a very confident dude. I don't know this guy but he's got my respect.

[tq]

FBI men in movies:

“That man’s blood type is o-negative, his father Bob was killed in a car accident and his last meal was a taco.”

[DarkAurora]

I can tell by his body language he is saying "please get me a taller chair"

[jzvpkgu]

Carrying a bouquet upside down might be a general European thing. I'm German and as far as I know most of us also carry our flowers that way. My mum tought me to do this because it alledgedly keeps the flowers fresher.

[teresachan]

This topic is so interesting because of how unconscious body language sometimes is. Even if the spy knows they’re being assessed, it’s still kinda hard to hide their nervousness or reaction to a certain cue. For us I think it’s pretty worth learning to be confident in events when necessary

[misseselise]

i’m glad that he said that self soothing behaviors doesn’t necessarily mean someone is lying

[Robert]

As a non-spy and non-European, I have carried flowers that way. If you go walking along holding the flowers upright, the weight of the flower blossoms is bouncing on the stems and it only takes a little damage to the stems before the flowers wilt. However if you carry them upside down there is far less weight on the stems and so your less likely to do damage to them. Its really kind of obvious. While I can see why he thought it means the person was European, it might just has well have meant he was smart.

[sophiecantwalk]

"how we walk has meaning" me in a wheelchair "i don't have meaning?" lol

[samoolred]

Imagine being in highschool about to take a girl out for a first date, you get to the door and this is her dad waiting to see into your soul .

[keithsmith]

His body language told me that he was thinking “so these idiots think I can teach 40+ years of experience and education in a 15 minute video”.

[indigocheetah]

I found his observation of the poker players fascinating . It would be interesting to show a longer segment on that .

[Sahibateri]

The first half got me hooked. Because I always cross my arms, and touch my face. But I'm always ready to open those arms and give a hug to when my friends approach me. I always thought it was odd when they said it means you're being stand offish if you if you cross your arms. I thought, no it isn't. Thank you.

[neonic]

I will now *never* lose another game of UNO again.