Resting your head in your hand, out of boredom or interest, requires hand to
head contact, which is a reassuring gesture. Whether you’re bored or con-
templative you subconsciously comfort yourself with this action, stemming
back to childhood. When you’re bored and when you’re thinking your head
may rest in your hand or hands. The way of telling the difference in moods
is to look at where your eyes are focused, and where your hands and fingers
are placed.
Head resting on hand ...........................................................................
When a person’s thinking she may bring her hand to her face, put her chin
into her palm, or extend her index finger up her cheek while her remaining
fingers rest below her mouth. This gesture is particular to the evaluation ges-
ture (discussed in Chapter 9) and indicates that the person is thinking about
what to do next.
If the person thinking pulls her body back from the other individual her think-
ing is critical, cynical, or negative in some way towards the person who’s
speaking.
When I’m invited to speak at seminars and conferences, I can count on at
least a third of the audience to sit with their hands to their heads. I can usu-
ally tell those who are interested and engaged by the forward lean in their
bodies. Those who sit back with their heads resting in their hands are more
of the wait-and-see variety, a bit sceptical and in need of further convincing.
Chin stroking ........................................................................................
Someone stroking her chin is indicating that she’s deep in thought or making
an evaluation. In this gesture a person strokes her chin with her thumb and
index finger. The index finger may also stroke the upper lip. If a man has a
beard, he may even pull on it.
The 18th century actor, Henry Siddons, in his book Rhetorical Gesturessays,
‘This gesture signifies the wise man making a judgment.’
Chapter 3: Heading to the Heart of the Matter 59