A place to look up what body-language cues can look like, what they might mean, and how situations change their interpretation. Browse a topic or search for a gesture, expression or behaviour.
Explore visible cues and multiple possible explanations. Each entry separates what you can actually see from what you might interpret, then offers a contextual check. Use the references to go deeper — and remember that people are individuals, not a set of fixed signals.
What you can see: Mouth corners rise; cheeks or eyes may change.
Possible meanings: Enjoyment, politeness, reassurance, social masking or an attempt to ease tension.
Context check: Compare the situation, the person’s usual smile and what happens before and after.
What you can see: Brows draw down or together.
Possible meanings: Concentration, concern, frustration, visual effort or a response to bright light.
Context check: Is the person reading small text, outdoors, or in a disagreement?
What you can see: Brows lift, sometimes with widened eyes.
Possible meanings: Surprise, recognition, interest, emphasis or a greeting signal.
Context check: Look at timing, speech and whether the movement is directed at someone.
What you can see: Lips close firmly or flatten.
Possible meanings: Thoughtful restraint, effort, tension, a habitual movement or holding back speech.
Context check: Notice speech pauses, dry lips, dental issues and the wider interaction.
What you can see: Jaw muscles appear tightened; teeth may be clenched.
Possible meanings: Physical effort, stress, pain, frustration or a personal habit.
Context check: Consider chewing, exercise, cold weather and the person’s baseline.
What you can see: One mouth corner briefly rises or tightens.
Possible meanings: Can resemble a contempt expression, but asymmetry may also reflect speech, habit or facial anatomy.
Context check: Avoid naming an inner emotion from one photograph or isolated movement.
What you can see: Mouth corners lift; cheeks rise; muscles around the eyes may tighten in some smiles.
Possible meanings: Enjoyment, warmth, amusement, friendliness, politeness or a social smile.
Context check: A smile can be deliberate or spontaneous; compare with the conversation and individual baseline.
What you can see: Inner brows may rise, mouth corners may lower, and facial movement may diminish.
Possible meanings: Sadness, fatigue, concern, sympathy, acting or an individual resting expression.
Context check: Consider grief, tiredness, facial anatomy and what the person says.
What you can see: Brows may lower and draw together; lips may press, nostrils flare or jaw tighten.
Possible meanings: Anger, determination, concentration, effort, glare or visual discomfort.
Context check: A scowl does not establish anger; examine task demands, light and interaction.
What you can see: Brows may lift and draw together, eyes widen and lips stretch horizontally.
Possible meanings: Fear, alarm, uncertainty, intense attention or a performed reaction.
Context check: Check the event, time course and surrounding body movement.
What you can see: Nose wrinkles, upper lip lifts or the area around the nose tightens.
Possible meanings: Disgust, unpleasant smell or taste, aversion, physical irritation or performance.
Context check: Sensory environment and speech can produce similar movements.
What you can see: One mouth corner may tighten or rise asymmetrically.
Possible meanings: A contempt-like expression, irony, scepticism, speech asymmetry or a personal habit.
Context check: Do not infer disrespect or superiority from asymmetry alone.
What you can see: Brows lift, eyes widen and jaw may drop.
Possible meanings: Surprise, emphasis, attention, theatrical display or a sudden sensory event.
Context check: Check whether the event was unexpected and how quickly the expression changes.
What you can see: Different regions of the face show features associated with different expression families.
Possible meanings: Complex reactions, shifting attention, social display or muscle movements unrelated to emotion.
Context check: Avoid assigning a single label when the face, voice and situation offer multiple possibilities.
What you can see: A very brief facial movement, sometimes lasting a fraction of a second.
Possible meanings: May reflect an expression occurring during a changing or regulated display; not a direct reading of hidden truth.
Context check: Video frame rate, lighting and face angle affect what can be seen.
What you can see: Rapid brow raise and eye widening.
Possible meanings: A momentary response to novelty, emphasis, performance or changing attention.
Context check: Ask what event occurred at that moment; do not assume concealed fear or deceit.
What you can see: Short nose wrinkle or upper-lip lift.
Possible meanings: An expressive response, sensory reaction, speech movement or facial habit.
Context check: Check smell, food, environment and whether the movement repeats.
What you can see: Face changes rapidly while words or tone differ.
Possible meanings: Mixed communication, politeness, performance, cognitive effort or emotion regulation.
Context check: One mismatch cannot establish dishonesty; compare the full interaction.
What you can see: Horizontal lines or a central furrow appear very briefly.
Possible meanings: Part of a brow raise or contraction; surprise-like or concentration-like movement.
Context check: Forehead lines depend on anatomy, age and lighting; a fleeting line alone is not a microexpression.
What you can see: Inner, outer or both brow regions lift momentarily.
Possible meanings: Surprise-like display, greeting, emphasis or rapid attentional shift.
Context check: Compare both brows, timing and what was said or seen.
What you can see: Brows rapidly move down and inward.
Possible meanings: Anger-like display, concentration, glare or visual effort.
Context check: Check lighting, reading tasks and habitual brow movement.
What you can see: Upper eyelids briefly lift, eyes narrow or the orbicular muscles tighten.
Possible meanings: Alerting, smiling, glare, squinting or reflexive reaction.
Context check: Dry eyes, bright light, blinking and contact lenses can affect appearance.
What you can see: Cheeks rise or nose wrinkles briefly.
Possible meanings: Enjoyment-like or disgust-like facial configuration, or sensory reaction.
Context check: Check speech, smell, laughter and natural facial asymmetry.
What you can see: Lip corners rise or fall, lips press or upper lip lifts momentarily.
Possible meanings: Social smile, restraint, disgust-like movement or articulation.
Context check: Speech and habitual mouth movement can mimic a fleeting expression.
What you can see: Chin muscles bunch or jaw briefly tightens or drops.
Possible meanings: Effort, concentration, a surprise-like display or physical adjustment.
Context check: Check swallowing, chewing, dental comfort and speech timing.
What you can see: A rapid facial configuration appears and disappears across a sequence of frames.
Possible meanings: A fleeting expressive event; its meaning remains uncertain.
Context check: A still photograph cannot establish duration; microexpressions are not reliable lie detectors.
What you can see: Touching neck, arm, face or hands.
Possible meanings: Soothing, grooming, thinking, itching, habit or responding to temperature.
Context check: Check whether the movement is normal for this person and what else is happening.
What you can see: Upper body shifts away from another person or object.
Possible meanings: Seeking space, changing balance, reaching for something or avoiding a stimulus.
Context check: Examine seating, physical obstacles, hearing and personal-space preferences.
What you can see: Muscle tone and movement appear loose or held.
Possible meanings: Comfort, fatigue, attentiveness, deliberate formality, pain or tension.
Context check: A rigid posture during a formal ceremony means something different from one during an argument.
What you can see: Person frequently shifts stance or seat position.
Possible meanings: Restlessness, discomfort, adjusting clothing, injury or simple movement needs.
Context check: Check chair design, duration of sitting, heat and baseline behaviour.
What you can see: Shoulders rise, chest movement changes, or body appears braced.
Possible meanings: Physical exertion, anxiety, illness, cold or preparation for action.
Context check: Do not infer a medical or emotional state from observation alone.
What you can see: Fingers touch, rub or massage the side, front or back of the neck.
Possible meanings: Pacifying or self-regulating action, grooming, itch, temperature response or habit.
Context check: Navarro discusses this as a pacifier; do not equate it with lying or one specific emotion.
What you can see: Palms or fingers rub together repeatedly.
Possible meanings: Warming hands, anticipation, self-regulation, dryness or routine.
Context check: Notice room temperature, task and whether the movement is typical for the person.
What you can see: Several observable movements or positions occurring together.
Possible meanings: Can offer a richer description than a single gesture, but does not automatically identify an emotion.
Context check: Ask whether the cues share a situational cause such as temperature, seating or task demands.
What you can see: A person’s ordinary range of gesture, movement and posture.
Possible meanings: Differences from baseline may be worth exploring, not treated as proof of intent.
Context check: Compare like situations; familiarity does not give access to private thoughts.
What you can see: Gaze, posture or hand movement shifts after a topic changes.
Possible meanings: Attention, memory effort, discomfort, timing coincidence or interruption.
Context check: Observe the sequence and consider question complexity and surrounding events.
What you can see: Speech, face, posture and gesture seem to fit or diverge.
Possible meanings: Communication can be coordinated, mixed, polite or strategic.
Context check: Apparent incongruence is not a reliable lie detector.
What you can see: Several cues change together after a particular event.
Possible meanings: May reflect an interactional shift, movement preparation or task change.
Context check: Correlated cues are still not proof of one inner state; compare baseline and alternatives.
What you can see: One or both palms visible during speech.
Possible meanings: Explanation, offering, emphasis, greeting or a natural gesturing style.
Context check: Palms alone do not establish honesty or trustworthiness.
What you can see: Forearms fold across the torso.
Possible meanings: Comfort, warmth, habit, self-support, concentration or social distance.
Context check: Check room temperature, chair arms, duration and facial orientation.
What you can see: Hands interlock or rest together.
Possible meanings: Resting, waiting, formality, anticipation or self-regulation.
Context check: Compare tension, setting and whether the person is standing for a photograph.
What you can see: Repeated taps on a surface or object.
Possible meanings: Rhythm, impatience, thinking, nervous energy or habit.
Context check: Listen for music, assess waiting time and avoid attributing one motive.
What you can see: Hands trace shapes or emphasise spoken points.
Possible meanings: May organise speech, clarify size, direction or sequence.
Context check: Gesture frequency varies with language, culture and individual style.
What you can see: Turning a pen, cup or phone while speaking.
Possible meanings: Habit, task engagement, self-regulation or preparation to leave.
Context check: Objects have practical functions; notice when handling begins or stops.
What you can see: Hands trace shapes, beats or directions alongside spoken words.
Possible meanings: Clarifying size, sequence, rhythm or emphasis.
Context check: Gesture conventions, speaking style and physical constraints differ.
What you can see: Hand lifts and moves toward another person.
Possible meanings: Greeting, farewell, acknowledgement or an attempt to attract attention.
Context check: Distance, local custom and timing distinguish these functions.
What you can see: Thumb extended upward.
Possible meanings: Approval, confirmation, reassurance or a culturally specific signal.
Context check: Meaning is not universal; consider region and relationship.
What you can see: Finger, hand, head or gaze directs attention.
Possible meanings: Giving directions, identifying something, instruction or conversational emphasis.
Context check: Pointing can be useful, rude or neutral depending on culture and situation.
What you can see: Hand lifted above shoulder or head.
Possible meanings: Requesting a turn, greeting, voting, warning or asking for help.
Context check: A classroom, roadside and crowded event give different interpretations.
What you can see: Open palm facing outward.
Possible meanings: May request a pause, mark a boundary, direct traffic or signal a greeting.
Context check: Check whether it is a safety instruction, social request or conversational gesture.
What you can see: A recognisable hand sign is directed to another person.
Possible meanings: A conventional message, joke, instruction or insult depending on culture.
Context check: Check local convention, relationship and whether the sign was intended for the observer.
What you can see: Toes point toward a person, door or task.
Possible meanings: Positioning, balance, movement preparation or conversational orientation.
Context check: Foot direction does not reliably reveal attraction or desire to leave.
What you can see: Feet positioned apart.
Possible meanings: Stability, comfort, athletic preparation, posture preference or a display of confidence.
Context check: Consider floor conditions, load carried, footwear and social norms.
What you can see: One leg crosses the other while seated.
Possible meanings: Comfort, habit, clothing adjustment, warmth or social convention.
Context check: Chair height, physical comfort and culture matter.
What you can see: Rhythmic leg or foot movement.
Possible meanings: Restlessness, self-stimulation, rhythm, energy or habit.
Context check: Look for music, waiting, caffeine and the person’s ordinary behaviour.
What you can see: A person moves a foot or body away.
Possible meanings: Making room, regaining balance, leaving, yielding or responding to an approaching object.
Context check: Sequence and available space matter more than a single frame.
What you can see: A foot taps or leg oscillates while seated or standing.
Possible meanings: Rhythm, energy, restlessness, music, self-regulation or a habit.
Context check: Check fatigue, chair comfort, music and individual baseline.
What you can see: Chest or shoulders point toward a person or activity.
Possible meanings: Task focus, engagement, physical convenience or seating constraints.
Context check: Compare gaze and foot placement but avoid treating alignment as proof of interest.
What you can see: Upper body inclines toward something.
Possible meanings: Listening, reading, hearing better, emphasis or reaching.
Context check: Noise, vision and furniture may explain the same movement.
What you can see: Shoulders round and torso lowers.
Possible meanings: Fatigue, comfort, prolonged sitting, pain or reduced effort.
Context check: Avoid diagnosing sadness or low confidence from posture alone.
What you can see: Head angles to one side.
Possible meanings: Listening, visual adjustment, curiosity, neck comfort or habitual posture.
Context check: Check the task and whether the person is compensating for sound or sight.
What you can see: Shoulders lift toward the ears.
Possible meanings: Cold, tension, shrugging, exertion or a reflexive response.
Context check: Timing and the rest of the movement help distinguish a shrug from bracing.
What you can see: Shoulders rise together or asymmetrically, sometimes with palms turning up.
Possible meanings: Uncertainty, acknowledgement, emphasis, tension or physical adjustment.
Context check: Interpret with speech and local gesture conventions.
What you can see: Person occupies the front portion of the seat.
Possible meanings: Readiness to stand, interest, discomfort with backrest or a formal posture.
Context check: Watch whether they are preparing to move or simply cannot reach the floor comfortably.
What you can see: Torso reclines against backrest.
Possible meanings: Relaxation, listening, physical support, tiredness or distancing.
Context check: A supportive chair may produce this posture regardless of feelings.
What you can see: Feet or lower legs draw back beneath the seat.
Possible meanings: Space management, comfort, warmth, clothing or preparation to stand.
Context check: Consider table height and available legroom.
What you can see: Hips or knees angle away from conversation partner.
Possible meanings: Seat placement, turning to hear another person, comfort or disengagement.
Context check: Furniture arrangement can force orientation.
What you can see: Elbows, legs or belongings spread or gather.
Possible meanings: Practical needs, cultural norms, confidence display or accommodation of others.
Context check: Crowding, personal belongings and mobility requirements matter.
What you can see: Person sits near the front edge with feet positioned for support.
Possible meanings: Ready to stand, engaged attention, limited space or uncomfortable seating.
Context check: Check chair design, back pain, conversation stage and intended movement.
What you can see: Two people clasp hands briefly.
Possible meanings: Formal greeting, agreement, politeness or a customary ritual.
Context check: Strength or duration is not a personality test; consent and culture matter.
What you can see: Head dips and returns.
Possible meanings: Acknowledgement, greeting, turn-taking or listening.
Context check: A nod may signal hearing rather than agreement.
What you can see: Person smiles while approaching or being introduced.
Possible meanings: Warmth, courtesy, reassurance or a practiced social response.
Context check: Compare greeting norms and what follows.
What you can see: People approach to a particular spacing.
Possible meanings: Cultural convention, familiarity, accessibility needs or available space.
Context check: Avoid universal distance rules; the same spacing can feel different to different people.
What you can see: Brief social contact during greeting.
Possible meanings: Affection, ritual, congratulations or social expectation.
Context check: Respect consent, relationship and cultural differences.
What you can see: Eyebrows rise briefly when two people recognise each other.
Possible meanings: Acknowledgement, friendliness, surprise or social emphasis.
Context check: Check mutual recognition and cultural norms; not everyone uses this signal.
What you can see: Movement reduces; body may become still and attentive.
Possible meanings: A possible defensive response to perceived threat, but stillness also occurs during concentration or listening.
Context check: Observe environment and safety; do not label someone threatened from posture alone.
What you can see: Movement creates distance from a possible threat.
Possible meanings: Leaving, seeking safety, avoiding collision or simply following a route.
Context check: The presence of an actual hazard and movement sequence are essential.
What you can see: Body prepares for or performs active confrontation.
Possible meanings: Defensive action can include bracing, protective arm placement or moving toward a hazard.
Context check: Do not equate a firm stance or clenched hands with violence.
What you can see: Arms shield head or torso; weight shifts for stability.
Possible meanings: Protection from impact, loud noise, sudden movement or a rehearsed safety action.
Context check: A workplace drill differs from an actual emergency.
What you can see: Person reorients, checks surroundings or changes posture.
Possible meanings: Startle, task interruption, assessing safety or reacting to sound.
Context check: One photograph cannot establish the order or cause of movements.
What you can see: Movement reduces suddenly, or a person pauses and holds position.
Possible meanings: Orienting, listening, uncertainty, focused attention or defensive immobility.
Context check: A brief pause alone cannot demonstrate a threat response; check the actual event.
What you can see: Eyes oriented toward another person.
Possible meanings: Listening, social connection, checking reactions or following instructions.
Context check: Eye contact expectations differ across cultures and individuals.
What you can see: Gaze moves away from the other person.
Possible meanings: Thinking, distraction, respect, sensory regulation or searching for information.
Context check: Avoid the myth that gaze aversion reliably means lying.
What you can see: Head or eyes look across a room.
Possible meanings: Finding a person, checking exits, curiosity, task demands or vigilance.
Context check: A new environment naturally encourages looking around.
What you can see: Eyes or head turn toward an entrance or exit.
Possible meanings: Noticing movement, expecting someone, hearing a sound or considering leaving.
Context check: What occurred near the doorway?
What you can see: Eyes shift away during a difficult question or memory task.
Possible meanings: Cognitive effort, politeness, distraction or discomfort.
Context check: Gaze direction is not a dependable deception cue.
What you can see: Distance between people decreases.
Possible meanings: Hearing, collaboration, crowd movement, intimacy or poor awareness of space.
Context check: Consider noise, relationship and consent.
What you can see: Distance increases during an interaction.
Possible meanings: Making room, discomfort, changing task, navigating an obstacle or respecting boundaries.
Context check: Do not assume rejection; observe how the interaction continues.
What you can see: People stand in a loose ring.
Possible meanings: Shared discussion, physical arrangement or a practical way to see one another.
Context check: Entry and exit space can reveal access constraints, not necessarily social exclusion.
What you can see: Similar posture or gestures appear across people.
Possible meanings: Shared task, social coordination, chance, habit or imitation.
Context check: Similarity is not proof of attraction, rapport or agreement.
What you can see: Nods, hand lifts and gaze shifts manage who speaks.
Possible meanings: Inviting a response, asking for a turn or yielding the floor.
Context check: Conversation conventions vary by setting and culture.
What you can see: Two people adopt similar postures or movement timing.
Possible meanings: Shared activity, rapport, seating constraints or imitation.
Context check: Do not assume liking or agreement without other information.
What you can see: Arms fold across the chest.
Possible meanings: Sometimes related to self-protection, but also comfort, warmth, habit or support.
Context check: Check context and other cues; never apply a fixed one-to-one translation.
What you can see: Person avoids or breaks eye contact.
Possible meanings: Attention and social regulation are common alternatives.
Context check: Research finds many alleged deception cues weak or inconsistent.
What you can see: Brief facial movements are noticed.
Possible meanings: Brief expressions are not a dependable standalone deception test.
Context check: Use verified information and direct questions rather than a facial verdict.
What you can see: Expansive posture is displayed.
Possible meanings: A pose can affect how someone is perceived, but it does not prove an internal trait.
Context check: Separate observer impressions from the person’s actual experience.
What you can see: An isolated posture or expression is photographed.
Possible meanings: Different situations and individuals can produce similar movements.
Context check: Ask what else could explain the same visible action.
What you can see: A person rubs the neck, touches the face or manipulates an object.
Possible meanings: Could be self-regulation, habit, grooming or situational adjustment.
Context check: No single pacifying behaviour reliably distinguishes truth from deception.
Joe Navarro uses the term pacifying behaviours for actions that may help people regulate discomfort or tension. These are useful descriptions of visible behaviour, not validated tests of honesty, hidden feelings or intentions.
What you can see: Hand touches or rubs neck or throat.
Possible meanings: Self-soothing, itch, grooming, collar adjustment or muscle discomfort.
Context check: Compare onset with the situation and avoid inferring deception.
What you can see: Fingers rest at the small hollow above the breastbone.
Possible meanings: Self-contact, checking jewellery, adjusting clothing or regulation.
Context check: Consider jewellery, garment fit and personal habit.
What you can see: Fingers stroke cheeks, jaw or temples.
Possible meanings: Self-regulation, thought, fatigue, grooming or skin irritation.
Context check: Compare with usual habits and nearby demands.
What you can see: Fingers cover, rub or briefly press the mouth.
Possible meanings: Thinking, politeness, cough suppression, grooming or regulation.
Context check: Check speaking turn, health and context; not a sign of concealment.
What you can see: Hand strokes opposite forearm or arms wrap around torso.
Possible meanings: Warmth, physical comfort, self-contact or a defensive adjustment.
Context check: Temperature, clothing and seating may explain the posture.
What you can see: Fingers interlace, rub, twist or repeatedly manipulate an object.
Possible meanings: Motor activity, habit, preparation or self-regulation.
Context check: Look for baseline, fine-motor tasks and what changes around the action.
What you can see: Person strokes hair, smooths sleeves or rearranges clothing.
Possible meanings: Grooming, social presentation, tactile regulation or practical adjustment.
Context check: Check wind, fabric discomfort and upcoming social interaction.
What you can see: Palms slide across thighs or knees while seated.
Possible meanings: Warming, drying hands, self-regulation or preparing to stand.
Context check: Observe the seat, temperature, movement sequence and individual habits.
What you can see: Person repeatedly twists a pen, ring, phone or strap.
Possible meanings: Fidgeting, sensory regulation, boredom or task-related manipulation.
Context check: Object availability and normal use matter; avoid mind-reading.
These are published works, not endorsements of SEE. Foundational texts help explain the history of nonverbal communication; research reviews and meta-analyses help identify where popular interpretations go beyond the evidence. Click a source to see its publication or catalogue record.
Why facial movements should not be treated as an emotion-reading code.
View publication / catalogue ↗Microexpressions and the limits of detecting concealed expressions.
View publication / catalogue ↗A broad reference covering nonverbal behaviour, interaction and context.
View publication / catalogue ↗Introduced a widely influential approach to personal space and proxemics.
View publication / catalogue ↗Classic classification of gesture types and nonverbal behaviour.
View publication / catalogue ↗Shows why simplistic body-language lie-detection rules are unreliable.
View publication / catalogue ↗Defensive behaviour is context-sensitive and involves the body and environment.
View publication / catalogue ↗Communication theory, gesture, proximity, gaze, influence and social context.
View publication / catalogue ↗Distinguishes beliefs about status signals from observed associations.
View publication / catalogue ↗Seven commonly taught expression families; interpretations remain contested.
View publication / catalogue ↗Pacifying behaviour terminology and neck touching; practitioner interpretation, not a deception test.
View publication / catalogue ↗Wide-ranging descriptive catalogue of human gestures, postures and social behaviour; historical interpretations require critical evaluation.
View publication / catalogue ↗Influential explanation of emotional expression families and recognising expressions.
View publication / catalogue ↗