86 WHAT EVERY BODY IS SAYING
SIGNIFICANT NONVERBAL BEHAVIORS INVOLVING
THE TORSO, HIPS, CHEST, AND SHOULDERSThe Torso LeanLike much of our body, the torso will react to perceived dangers by at-
tempting to distance itself from anything stressful or unwanted. For in-
stance, when an object is thrown at us, our limbic system sends signals to
the torso to move away instantly from that threat. Typically this will hap-
pen regardless of the nature of the object; if we sense movement in our
direction, we will pull away, whether from a baseball or a moving car.
In a similar fashion, when an individual is standing next to someone
who is being obnoxious or someone he does not like, his torso will lean
away from that individual (see box 20). Because the torso carries a large
portion of our weight and transmits it to the lower limbs, any reorienta-
tion of our trunks requires energy and balance. Therefore, when one’s
torso does lean away from something, it is because the brain demands it;
so we can count on the honesty of these reactions. Extra effort and en-
ergy are required to hold these positions. Just try to maintain any off-
center position consciously, whether bowing down or leaning away, and
you will find that your body soon tires. However, when such off-balance
behavior is performed because your brain subconsciously decides it’s a
necessity, you will hardly feel it or notice it.
Not only do we lean away from people who make us uncomfortable,
we may also blade away (turn slightly) by degrees from that which does
not appeal to us or we grow to dislike. Not long after it opened, I took
my daughter to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., which is
something every visitor to D.C. should do. As we walked around the
memorable exhibits, I noticed how young and old first approached each
exhibit. Some walked right up, leaning into it while trying to absorb ev-
ery nuance. Some approached hesitantly, while others would draw near,
then begin to turn slowly and slightly away as the inhumanity of the
Nazi regime encroached on their senses. Some, stunned by the depravity
they were witnessing, turned 180 degrees and faced the other way, as