150 W H A T EVERY BODY IS SAYING
possess. I hope that as they recognize the power of the steeple as an in-
dicator of self-assurance, competence, and confidence—traits most indi-
viduals would want to be recognized as possessing—more women will
embrace this gesture and display it above the table.
THUMB DISPLAYSIt is interesting how verbal language sometimes mirrors nonverbal lan-
guage. When movie critics give a film two thumbs up, it indicates their
BOX 40: WHEN IT COMES TO STEEPLING,
THE JURY ISN’T OUTThe power of nonverbal behavior can be documented by studying the
impact of steepling in various social settings. Steepling is useful, for ex-
ample, when testifying in court; its use is advocated when training expert
witnesses. Witnesses should steeple to emphasize a point or to indicate
their high confidence in what they are saying. In doing so, their testimony
will be perceived more powerfully by the jury than if they were merely to
place their hands on their laps or interlace their fingers. Interestingly,
when a prosecutor steeples as his witness testifies, the value of the testi-
mony is enhanced because the attorney is perceived as being confident
of the witness’s statements. When jurors see witnesses who interlace
their fingers or wring their hands, they tend to associate such behavior
with nervousness or too often, unfortunately, with deception. It is impor-
tant to note that both honest and dishonest individuals display these be-
haviors, and they should not be automatically associated with lying. It is
recommended that when testifying, individuals should either steeple or
cup their hands together without interlacing their fingers, as these are
gestures that are perceived as being more authoritative, more confident,
and more genuine.