Mirroring Behavior and the Importance of Postures and Body Position:
One of the most common and fascinating elements of human body language and nonverbal communication has to do with the phenomenon called mirroring. It is very evident during interactions within groups of people, whether in the corporate work environment or in social groups and families. In general, less dominant group members usually copy parts of the body language chosen by the more dominant person. For example, in a corporate boardroom, the most dominant individual is almost always located in a central position or at the head of a conference table. The leader often looks more relaxed and may clasp his hands behind his head with his elbows out while those in more subservient roles may have their hands clasped politely on the table in front of them. Often, others lean back or take sips from their water glasses only after he does first (Hogg & Reid 2006).
Mirroring is also apparent in human body language and nonverbal communication among both courting and established dating or married couples. Nonverbal cues are used to communicate potential romantic availability on the part of the female, possible interest on the part of the male, and then signals from the female indicating whether or not she is receptive to his attention. Where she is interested, she will maintain longer eye contact, smile, and she may fluff out her hair or stroke it with her hands. Behaviorists call these types of physical gestures preening and the male version is to adjust his belt or his tie, or fix his hair as well. All of this happens in many ways before a single word is actually spoken (Hogg & Reid 2006).
Once a verbal conversation is started, body language continues to send signals of increasing or decreasing interest: where the woman is losing interest, she may turn her...
Instead of sipping when the man sips his drink or shifting her weight after he does the way she might when she is more interested in the man, she will establish her own rhythm independent from what he does (Hogg & Reid 2006).
Because human body language and other forms of nonverbal communication are so universal, learning to read them is essential in many specific professions, such as sales, policing, and nursing. Good salesmen know how to read their customers and they learn very quickly how to identify the nonverbal signals that mean "just browsing" from those that mean "shopping." Police officers face situations daily where people lie to them and use body language as a tool for knowing when someone is being truthful. Similarly, police officers become expert at anticipating possible signs of aggression which helps them protect themselves. In nursing, practitioners learn how to read signs of discomfort that is not expressed verbally as well as to understand what patients need where a language barrier exists or where medical conditions interfere with spoken communication (Dutta 2007). REFERENCES
Dutta, M.J. (2007) 'Communicating About Culture and Health: Theorizing Culture-Centered and Cultural Sensitivity Approaches' Communication Theory, Vol. 17 No. 3, pp. 304-328
Gerrig, R, Zimbardo, P. (2005) Psychology and Life. 17th Edition.
New York: Allyn & Bacon.
Hogg, M.A., Reid, S.A. (2006) 'Social Identity, Self-Categorization, and the Communication of Group Norms.' Communication Theory, Vol 16, No. 1, pp. 7-30.
Poole, D., Warren, a., Nunez, N. (2007) the Story of Human Development.
Princeton, NJ: Prentice Hall.
