Body language

• What is body language?

  Communication through unspoken movements and gestures
• What are the differences between open and closed posture?

  • Closed posture: arms/legs crossed, indicates rejection/disagreement
  • Open posture: arms/legs uncrossed, indicates approval/acceptance
• How does open posture affect opinion change according to McGinley et al.?

  Participants change opinions more with open posture
• What is postural echo?

  • Copying each other’s body position
  • Can influence feelings and perceptions in interactions
• What did Tanner and Chartrand find about postural echo?

  It increased positive feelings towards a drink
• What does 'touching' in social interaction include?

  High fives, slapping, hand on shoulder
• What did Fisher et al. discover about touching in interactions?

  Students liked the librarian more when touched
• What is a strength of body language research?

  It can be applied to real-world situations
• How can people improve relationships according to body language research?

  By using open posture, postural echo, and touch
• What is a weakness of body language studies regarding control?

  They are not always well controlled
• What issue did the library study (Fisher et al.) highlight about body language research?

  Other factors may influence participants' preferences
• What ethical issue is raised by body language research?

  Lack of informed consent and debriefing
• How can ethical issues in body language research affect psychology?

  They can affect trust in psychologists