The Definitive Book of Body Language: The Hidden Meaning Behind People's Gestures and Expressions

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Random House Publishing Group, Nov 12, 2008 - Self-Help - 400 pages
Available for the first time in the United States, this international bestseller reveals the secrets of nonverbal communication to give you confidence and control in any face-to-face encounter—from making a great first impression and acing a job interview to finding the right partner.

It is a scientific fact that people’s gestures give away their true intentions. Yet most of us don’t know how to read body language– and don’t realize how our own physical movements speak to others. Now the world’s foremost experts on the subject share their techniques for reading body language signals to achieve success in every area of life.

Drawing upon more than thirty years in the field, as well as cutting-edge research from evolutionary biology, psychology, and medical technologies that demonstrate what happens in the brain, the authors examine each component of body language and give you the basic vocabulary to read attitudes and emotions through behavior.

Discover:
• How palms and handshakes are used to gain control
• The most common gestures of liars
• How the legs reveal what the mind wants to do
• The most common male and female courtship gestures and signals
• The secret signals of cigarettes, glasses, and makeup
• The magic of smiles–including smiling advice for women
• How to use nonverbal cues and signals to communicate more effectively and get the reactions you want

Filled with fascinating insights, humorous observations, and simple strategies that you can apply to any situation, this intriguing book will enrich your communication with and understanding of others–as well as yourself.
 

Contents

Understanding the Basics
7
The Power Is in Your Hands
31
The Magic of Smiles and Laughter
66
Arm Signals
90
Cultural Differences
107
Hand and Thumb Gestures
125
Evaluation and Deceit Signals
142
Eye Signals
165
The Thirteen Most Common Gestures Youll See Daily
229
MirroringHow We Build Rapport
250
The Secret Signals of Cigarettes Glasses and Makeup
265
How the Body Points to Where the Mind Wants to Go
279
Courtship Displays and Attraction Signals
286
Ownership Territory and Height Signals
317
Seating ArrangementsWhere to Sit and Why
330
Interviews Power Plays and Office Politics
346

Gaze BehaviorWhere Do You Look?
175
The Geography of the Face
181
How to Hold Eye Contact with an Audience
188
How the Legs Reveal What the Mind Wants to Do
209
Putting It All Together
364
References
380
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About the author (2008)

Allan Pease has written eleven other bestselling books on the subject of human communication and body language, including, with Barbara Pease, Why Men Don’t Listen and Women Can’t Read Maps and Why Men Don’t Have a Clue and Women Always Need New Shoes.

Barbara Pease is CEO of Pease Training International and the author of the international bestseller Memory Language. She divides her time between England and Australia, trying to find her way home from the airport.

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