Arm SignalsPeople carrying weapons or wearing armour seldom use arm-
gestures because their weapon or armour provides
sufficient body protection. Police officers who wear guns, for
example, rarely cross their arms unless they are standing guard
and they normally use the fist-clenched position to communicate
clearly that nobody is permitted to pass where they are standing.Hugging YourselfWhen we were children our parents or carers embraced or
hugged us when we faced distressing or tense circumstances. As
adults, we often attempt to recreate those same comforting
feelings when we find ourselves in stressful situations. Rather
than take a full arm-cross gesture, which can tell everyone we
are fearful, women often substitute a subtler version - a Partial-
Arm-Cross, where one arm swings across the body to hold or
touch the other arm to form the barrier and it looks as if she is
hugging herself. Partial arm barriers are often seen in meetings
where a person may be a stranger to the group or is lacking in
self-confidence. Any woman taking this position in a tense sit-
uation will usually claim she is just being 'comfortable'.
Holding herself like
her mother held her
when she was a childMen use a partial arm barrier known as Holding-Hands-With-
Yourself : it's commonly used by men who stand in front of a