A protective barrier formed with the help of legs. Leg gestures. Foot forward, cross foot, American figure four, legs wide apart, ankles crossed

General and specific characteristics of posture and gait a person can also tell a lot to an attentive observer. Good, relaxed posture indicates high receptivity and openness, the ability to immediately use internal forces and freedom from any limitation. Stiffness or tension in the body indicates a self-protective reaction, avoidance of contact, closedness, often sensitivity, as well as an awkward attempt to be correct. Poor, sluggish posture, stooped back, reveal submissiveness, humility, servility. Postures of a conventional kind (one or two hands in pockets, hands behind the back or crossed on the chest, etc.) indicate a lack of independence and a need to quietly include oneself in the general order.

Very informative upper human body. For example, high shoulders with a slightly hunched back and retracted chin “speak” of helplessness, nervousness, chronic fear, uncertainty and timidity; shoulders falling forward indicate a feeling of weakness and depression, an inferiority complex.

Free drooping of shoulders indicates a feeling of confidence, inner freedom, control of the situation. Pulling your shoulders back means determination to act, a sense of strength, activity, enterprise, and often an overestimation of your own capabilities.

bulging rib cage observed in active people with a developed sense of self-worth and a need for social contacts, a sunken chest often indicates a certain indifference, isolation, passivity, humility and depression.

Position of legs and feet can also provide certain information about the state and psychological qualities of a person. Thus, a person standing confidently on his feet (legs spaced no more than two palm widths apart), with an even distribution of body weight, indicates that he is a strong, “balanced, calm, firm” person character, able to adapt to circumstances.A motionless, frozen posture, under strong tension, indicates poor adaptability, stubbornness, and inflexible self-affirmation.

Changeable standing pose, with a lack of tension, frequent changes of the supporting leg and position of the feet, reveals a lack of firmness and discipline, unreliability and timidity. Rocking on your toes means either preparation for active movement, or an aggressive attitude, or indicates arrogance. The “legs wide apart” stance indicates the need for self-affirmation, broad claims, inflated self-esteem and often a feeling of inferiority.

If the gait or stance is characterized by a noticeable turn of the toes outward, then this speaks of a “swaggering gait,” conceit and self-satisfaction (“stands as a peahen”). If the toes are turned inward, then this indicates a certain internal weakness, a relative lack of tension, and doubt in one’s abilities.

There are several types of gait:

• rhythmic- a relaxed form of elevated but balanced mood) is typical for walkers;
• uniform(like an army marching step) - volitional activity or striving for a goal;
• long steps- often extraversion, determination, enterprise, ease, abstract thinking;
• short, small steps- more often introversion, careful calculation, quick thinking and reaction, restraint, type of thinking, rather concrete;
• rhythmically strong (with increased hip movements)- naive-instinctive and self-confident natures, swaying shoulders | in resonance - mainly showy, narcissistic individuals;
• shuffling, "sagging"- refusal of volitional efforts and aspirations, lethargy, slowness, laziness;
• hard, angular, "stilted", "wooden"- tightness, lack of contacts, timidity, inability to express freely.
• constant lifting on tense toes- upward striving, driven by a strong need and a sense of superiority, especially intellectual.

There are several different ways to seat a person:

• closed (legs and feet closed)- fear of contact, lack of self-confidence;
• carefree-open (legs or hips wide apart)- lack of discipline, laziness, indifferent-primitive unceremoniousness;
• legs closed one behind the other- natural self-confidence, complacent mood, no readiness for activity or defense;
• sitting on the edge of a chair, with your back straight- high degree of interest in the subject of conversation;
• landing with constant readiness to jump up(for example, one foot stands completely under the seat. The other is behind it on the toe) - typical for insecure-fearful or maliciously distrustful natures.

According to D. Nyurenberg And G. Calero, people who walk fast, waving their arms, have a clear goal and are ready to immediately implement it, and people who usually keep their hands in their pockets are most likely critical and secretive, they really like to suppress others.

Those who are in a depressed state of mind also often keep their hands in their pockets when walking, drag their feet and rarely look up or in the direction where they are going.

Thus, the nature of the relationship, as well as some personal characteristics, can be reflected in posture, sitting, gait and other posture typical for a given person.

Arrogant people lean their body back, stick out their chest and raise their head; modest people try to be inconspicuous, so they slouch, pulling their head into their shoulders, which are slightly raised. A typical sycophant tilts his entire body forward, while fixing his gaze on his interlocutor and smiling broadly, obsequiously.

Determining a person's character by his appearance is certainly not an easy task. It is always necessary to take into account that some people strive to disguise their inner content with external play. However, his typical postures still contain certain information about the individual psychological characteristics of a person’s personality and behavior.

Of interest are data on typical positions during sleep. The sleeping position is the night language of a person" - this is what an American specialist in this field called his book S. Dunkell(New York, 1978). Let us present some of the sleeping positions described in the book and their interpretation.

If a man sleeps on his side curled up and pressing a pillow with his hands to his stomach, then in life he is weak and defenseless, constantly in need of help and protection.

Dunkell figuratively calls such people “buds” who do not want to “bloom.” In his opinion, they subconsciously do not want to part with childhood, feeling the need for the patronage of a person with a strong character. They enjoy being taken care of. Indecisive and lacking self-confidence, they avoid responsibility and are equally susceptible to both good and bad influences. In fact, these are sensitive, impulsive natures who are guided in their actions more by their momentary mood than by common sense.

If the sleeper is just lying on its side, curled up only halfway and spreading your legs and arms slightly, then he is a balanced person who knows how to adapt well to the situation.

To those who sleeps on his stomach, with their arms spread across the entire width of the bed and one leg bent, they are usually self-confident, punctual, consistent in their reasoning, love order and do not tolerate surprises; prudent, prudent. They are often accused of pedantry and lack of imagination. They like to impose their opinion, command, and lead.

Sleeping on his back one who is confident in himself in everyday life, strong, calm, feels like a leader in the environment in which he lives. Most often, spoiled children sleep this way.

Those who sleep on their backs, with their hands behind their heads, are usually sociable and cordial, aware of their shortcomings, but prefer not to think about them. These are people of bright minds, friendly to others.

They accept the world as it is - however, the latter is due to the desire not to complicate their life.

Those who sleeps on his side with his knees only slightly bent, - balanced, flexible people. They rarely enter into conflicts, are prone to reasonable compromises and adapt to various everyday conditions and situations without much difficulty. However, they lack courage, energy and persistence in achieving their goals. They are not characterized by ambition or the desire to be leaders or shine in society - they prefer to remain in the shadows, especially if this is the shadow of a person they love and respect.

Some people sleep with one or both legs hanging off the bed, as if they are about to run somewhere. These people are constantly on the run in real life. Others sleep with one leg crossed over the other, which speaks of their restless nature, unable to understand or comprehend the events happening around them. The one who wraps himself in a blanket - so that only the tip of his nose sticks out - and hides in a corner in life is shy and afraid of collisions in life. A person sleeping face down on his stomach does not like all sorts of everyday surprises, is always precise and neat, and is never late for anything. People who have bad sleep, who are not spoiled by life, and who are ready at any moment to return to reality about its adversities usually sleep in the “sphinx” position.

A very characteristic feature that allows you to form a more general impression of a person is his voice. Here are some characteristics of the human voice:

• speech speed: a lively, lively manner of speaking, a fast pace indicate the impulsiveness of the interlocutor, his self-confidence, a calm, slow manner indicates equanimity, prudence, thoroughness; noticeable fluctuations in speech rate reveal a lack of balance, uncertainty, and slight excitability;
• volume: a strong voice, as a rule, is inherent in the true strength of motives (vital force) or arrogance; a quiet, weak voice indicates restraint, modesty, tact or lack of vitality, weakness of a person; sudden changes in volume indicate emotionality and excitement;
• articulation: Clear and distinct pronunciation indicates inner discipline, a need for clarity and a lack of liveliness; vague pronunciation, as a rule, is characteristic of compliance, uncertainty, softness, and lethargy of will;
• height: falsetto (literally - “head voice”) is inherent in a person whose thinking and speech come more from the intellect, chest voice - thinking and speech are emotional, natural, not created consciously; a high, shrill voice is a sign of fear and excitement, and a low voice means peace, relaxation and dignity;
• mode and flow of speech: rhythmic speaking (even flow of words with slight periodic fluctuations) speaks of a wealth of feelings, balance, rather, a good basic mood; strictly cyclical, correct speaking means a strong awareness of what is being experienced, tension of will, discipline, pedantry, coldness of feelings; a rounded, flowing manner of speaking (typical of communication at picnics) is characteristic of people who live deeply, fully, emotionally; an angular, abrupt manner (typical of schizothymics) characterizes sober, expedient thinking.

Interests A. Stangl's observations of the characteristics of laughter:

• laughter na-a (ha-ha)- completely open, coming from the heart, facilitating and carefree.
• laughter on -e (hehe)- not very pleasant, but rather impudent and envious.
• laughter na-i (hee-hee)- both secretive and cunning, a mixture of irony and gloating.
• laughter na-o (ho-ho) sounds boastfully pandering and fundamentally mocking and protesting.
• laughter na-u (hu-hu) indicates hidden fear, timidity.

Mark sits with his legs wide apart, fiddling with his tie and twirling a salt shaker with his other hand. He did not notice that for the last 20 minutes his companion's legs had been crossed and pointed to the nearest exit

It follows that the legs and feet are an important source of information about a person's true feelings, since most people are not aware of their actions and do not intentionally try to change them, such as facial expressions. A person may appear focused and interested, but their foot will tap the floor impatiently or swing in the air, indicating depression and boredom due to the inability to escape.

Tapping and swaying of the feet indicates an attempt to escape away from what is happening to the person at the moment.

Everybody's talking about a new way of walking

Feet tell the whole truth

If you are not sure whether the person sitting at the table is telling the truth, look under the table.

Sitting at a glass table, a person is much more nervous than sitting at a wooden table, because our legs are visible under the transparent glass, and we do not feel full control over the situation.

Purpose of the legs

If a woman is not interested in a man, she can cross her arms over her chest and point her crossed legs away from him. An interested woman will definitely take an open pose and point her legs towards the man.

Four basic standing positions

This is a formal position demonstrating a neutral attitude with no intention of fleeing or staying. When communicating between men and women, women most often stand this way because it allows them to close their knees. Schoolchildren take this pose when talking with teachers, junior officers stand up in front of their senior officers. This is how subjects stand before the queen and subordinates before their boss.

Attention pose

As mentioned earlier, this position is predominantly characteristic of men. This is a kind of demonstration of the groin. In this position, the man stands firmly with both feet on the ground, clearly showing that he has no desire to run away. This is a signal of male dominance because it emphasizes the genitals. A man in this position feels like a real macho.

Showing your groin - flaunting your masculinity

Demonstration of the groin is typical of real machos and tough guys

3. One leg forward

In this position, the body weight is transferred to one leg, and the other is put forward. In the Middle Ages, people in high positions were often depicted in this pose. At the same time, the artist could depict thin stockings and luxurious shoes, indicating wealth.

One leg is put forward, the toe points in the direction where the person unconsciously wants to go

4. Crossing your legs

The next time you find yourself in a group of men and women, notice that some of them are standing with their arms and legs crossed. Take a closer look and you will notice that such people stand a little further from their interlocutors than required by the rules.

If they are wearing raincoats or jackets, then most likely their outerwear will be buttoned. This pose is usually taken when surrounded by unfamiliar people. After talking with such people, you will definitely be convinced that some or all of those present are unfamiliar to them.

While open legs convey openness or dominance, crossed legs convey a closed, submissive, or defensive mood, since this position prevents any access to the genitals.

If a woman adopts such poses, the interlocutor can draw two conclusions: firstly, she intends to stay and not leave; secondly, access to it is closed.

Crossing your legs while standing

Scissors - “No comment”, but this person is not going to leave

Imagine that you see a group of men standing with their arms open and their jackets unbuttoned. The men are relaxed. Each one has one foot forward, with the toes pointing towards the other members of the group. Men gesticulate and constantly invade each other's personal space. It immediately becomes clear that these people know each other well. You can even call them friends.

Try a little experiment. Join a group of strangers, cross your arms and legs, and put on a serious face. One by one, the group members will begin to cross their arms or legs and will remain in this position until you, a stranger to them, leave. Stand back and watch the group. Men will gradually return to their previous position, feeling much calmer.

Crossing your legs not only conveys a negative, defensive mood, but also disrupts your overall sense of security. This attitude is immediately felt by all members of the group.

Is the posture defensive, frozen, or “just comfortable”?

How do we move from a closed pose to an open one?

Crossing legs in Europe

When a person crosses both arms and legs, he thereby emotionally separates himself from the conversation. While your interlocutor is in this position, there is no point in convincing him of anything.

This woman is closed to any communication

And so, let's transgress. Let's start with perhaps the most common and simple pose, gesture - "Soldier" or standing at attention.

Leg extended forward, directed at the interlocutor (Gesture of interest)

Gesture - crossed legs (protection of the “most valuable”)

Crossed feet, ankles. (Gesture - both unsure and scared)

Foot after foot (gesture - modesty, shyness)

Seated pose. Gesture - legs parallel (charm itself)

Step value (gesture - step forward, step back)

Leg as a pointer. (Gesture of interest in another person, object, person)

Public transport during rush hour is like a good old-fashioned game of chairs, with more players than seats and passengers always on the alert, ready to occupy the suddenly vacated square centimeters of seating. At the same time, absolutely everyone is annoyed by individuals who comfortably place their bodies on one and a half, or even two seats - all thanks to their legs spread wide. The problem, of course, is not only and not so much Russian - for example, in New York they recently began arresting men who sit on the subway with their legs spread wide. The Village asked a psychologist, social anthropologist and psychotherapist why men around the world do this.

Ekaterina Bryantseva

President of the Association of Psychologists of St. Petersburg

Of course, not all men sit in public transport with their legs spread wide apart. Let's talk about those who do this. In this case, firstly, the culture of sex education matters. It has long been believed that a girl should maintain honor from a young age. This stereotype also manifests itself in sexual relations: legs grow from an intimate place, which in the female body is the starting point - this is both a point of constraint and the place from which children appear. A woman should hide it. According to etiquette, a crouching woman's legs should be joined.

A man must demonstrate that he is a male. If we take the classics of body language, legs spread wide are an indicator of sexual readiness. This does not mean that a man is ready to copulate with anyone - this is an indicator of an active state.

Let's return to the origins of psychoanalysis and grandfather Freud, who said that a person has two leading instincts - eros and thanatos. Thanatos is the desire for death or destruction. Eros is the desire to receive pleasure: not only sexual, but also from other things (food, clothing, some actions). Sex and aggression are at the core of male behavior. A man must demonstrate dominance through his sex (gender).

Most often, men sit with their legs spread, either in search, or having some kind of sexual insufficiency, or trying to pretend to be macho. There is such a concept - overcompensation: if I have not resolved a certain personal issue, I begin to unconsciously demonstrate it.

Physiology matters too. The male genital organs are, as it were, placed outside the body: they must remain at a lower temperature in order for sperm to mature properly. In women, on the contrary, everything is hidden in the body (at a higher temperature). And many men explain the spread legs this way: “to keep it cool,” “to ventilate.”

But most often men who have not resolved issues with social status sit like this. The criterion of masculinity is not only the ability to copulate, it is a certain set that includes social status, financial capabilities, and so on. As a rule, men who are at a high social level and have good financial resources follow the rules of etiquette. I have not seen a single businessman who would sit with his legs spread wide apart.

Denis Gvozdikov

sociologist, social anthropologist

Perhaps this behavior can be interpreted through the lens of human ethology: a man who “shows” his genitals and takes up more space is exhibiting implicit dominant behavior. However, this is just a guess.

The factors that encourage aggression or competition are, of course, modern. After all, we are dealing with the phenomena of a mass and anonymous society. And public transport is a technological institute that is largely devoid of soul.

Dominance and competitiveness, as well as aggression, are also characteristic of women. Another thing is that men, as a rule, are larger and physically stronger, and suppressing the “rival” by force is the easiest way.
Demonstration is sometimes more effective and safer than an outright threat.

However, it is also true that in conditions of anonymity we may perceive a threat where there really is none. Therefore, the most reasonable way is to politely ask the passenger to move a little.

Elizaveta Zeldina

psychoanalyst, teacher at the Eastern European Institute of Psychoanalysis

The question of why some men sit with their legs spread wide in public transport requires, in my opinion, several clarifications.

The first concerns location. We are talking about public transport, but if you look around, a large number of men sit with their legs spread in other public places. Men sit with their legs spread and at home on the sofa. Is the public interested in the issue of outstretched legs, or only the localization of these legs in space? Will the public judge a man if he spreads his legs in a bar, or on the beach, or at home?

The second clarification concerns the fact that it is men, not women, who sit with their legs spread wide. But if you look around, a large number of women (if they are not wearing a skirt) also sit with their legs spread. Will the public judge a woman who sits with her legs spread apart? Unless she's wearing a skirt. Because if yes, the answer suggests itself: it will, and how.

These clarifications lead me to ask a completely different question: who is asking, and what is on the mind of someone who is going to judge a man for disrespect? This is exactly the question I would like to answer. In psychoanalysis we often deal with fantasies. The point is not what the other does, but how the subject reacts to his actions, or, more precisely, fantasizes. The fantasy of disrespect concerns the one who expresses it. Maybe he doesn't respect himself and sees that that's all that others do. And there is nothing reprehensible in this fantasy, it is important to understand it, then actions will be taken that will really solve the issue or problem.

Illustration: Nastya Grigorieva

Body language. When we talk about non-verbal body language, we pay a lot of attention to the expression of the face, eyes and hands, but for some reason we are undeservedly offended by the legs. But in vain!

The further a body part is from the brain, the more difficult it is to control. If a person can adapt and portray the emotion he needs on his face and more or less control his hands, then everyone forgets about his legs and they give us away completely.

“If you are not sure whether the person sitting at the table is telling the truth, look under the table.”
Allan Pease "A New Body Language"

So let's go over the basic leg poses. I would like to immediately draw your attention to the fact that women and men will have different movements.

Treacherous feet

Four basic standing positions

1. Attention

This position means that you are listening attentively and the interlocutor is most likely lower in rank than you. This is usually how students stand in front of teachers and subordinates stand in front of superiors.

2. Spread legs

This pose is predominantly masculine. In this position, the man stands firmly on the ground and feels confident.

3. One leg forward

This pose makes it very easy to determine a person’s intentions. Usually, in which direction the toe is pointed, that is the direction the person intends to move. When in company, we will point our toes at the most pleasant interlocutor for us. And if a person feels uncomfortable, then the toe of the exposed foot will most likely be directed towards the nearest exit.

4. Crossing your legs

Crossed legs and arms are almost always evidence that a person has closed himself off from everyone and entered a defensive position. It is quite difficult to reach such a person and it is unlikely that he will easily accept your arguments.

Also, this pose is usually taken in the company of unfamiliar people. You can conduct an interesting experiment - approach a group of strangers and stand next to them in a defensive position. Almost immediately after this, people will begin to cross their arms one after another. This pose is very contagious and conveys a certain anxiety and sense of danger.

Are you frozen or on the defensive?

Sign language must always be interpreted in context. Sometimes people justify crossing their arms and legs by saying that they are cold or need to go to the toilet. In some cases this is true, and in others they are simply hiding behind a convenient explanation.

In fact, if a person is really cold, he will not only cross his arms, but also tuck his fingers under his armpits, and not just wrap them around his elbows. We also cross our legs, but at the same time we try to straighten them and press them tightly together. The defensive pose is more relaxed and calm.

If a person says that it’s just convenient for him to stand like that, most likely he almost always feels as if there are only enemies around him.

"American Four"

This pose is typical for men. A person sitting in this position is perceived not only as more powerful and energetic, but also as younger. A person sitting in this position will most likely consider himself superior to you and is unlikely to immediately agree with your point of view.

If, having taken this position, a person also secures the raised leg with his hands, this means that she firmly intends to stand on her own and will resist external pressure in every possible way.

Research has shown that most people make their final decision when both feet are firmly on the ground. So don't rush your partner into making a decision if one of his soles doesn't touch the floor.

Crossing Ankles

Crossed ankles indicate that your interlocutor is suppressing negative emotions and disagreement and is trying to cope with them. This gesture can be compared to biting your lip.
People usually sit like this when visiting dentists, lawyers, and tax inspectors.

Short skirt syndrome

Usually girls who wear miniskirts sit like this. Despite their length, they give women an unapproachable and not very friendly appearance, since they have to sit all the time with their legs tightly clenched. People subconsciously interpret this gesture as negative and treat the interlocutor with caution.

Legs intertwined

This is a purely feminine gesture. Usually modest and insecure girls twist their legs this way. It’s unlikely that strong pressure will do here. In order to get such a person to talk, you need to be open and friendly.

Parallelism

Looking at this picture, I immediately remember “Basic Instinct” and Sharon Stone sitting in the chair. This position is considered very feminine and 86% of men found it the most attractive. This is how models are taught to sit.

Right foot forward, right foot back

A person is given legs to perform two main actions - to catch up with prey and to run away from danger. If a person is interested in you, during a conversation he will put his right foot forward (a left-handed person will most likely put his left) in order to reduce the distance between you. If he is not in the mood to talk, he will most likely put his right leg back, as if preparing to retreat.

And the last thing! Advice for business ladies - do not cross your legs at business meetings if you are wearing a skirt that reveals your thighs. The sight of a woman's thighs can excite almost any man. As a result, he will remember your hips, but not the topic of the conversation.

And men should be more restrained and not fall apart on chairs with their legs spread in different directions. A restrained pose with knees together would be more appropriate.

Based on materials from the book “New Body Language” by Barbara and Alan Pease. Expanded version"