The Definitive Book of Body Language

Evaluation and Deceit Signals

watching. Fortunately, there are a number of Hand-to-Cheek

and Hand-to-Chin gestures that can be used as a thermometer

to test how hot or cold the other person's attitude is, and to tell

the speaker how well he is doing.

Boredom

When the listener begins to use his hand to support his head,

it is a signal that boredom has set in and his supporting hand

is an attempt to hold his head up to stop himself from falling

asleep. The degree of the listener's boredom is related to the

extent to which his arm and hand are supporting his head. It

usually begins with the chin being supported by the thumb

and then by the fist as interest wanes. Extreme lack of interest

is shown when the head is fully supported by the hand (see

illustration), and the ultimate boredom signal occurs when the

head is fully supported by the hands and snoring sounds are

evident.

The hand supporting

the head to stop

from falling asleep

Drumming the fingers on the table and continual tapping of
the feet on the floor are often misinterpreted by professional
speakers as boredom signals, but in fact signal impatience. If
you are addressing a group of people and see these signals, a
strategic move must be made to get the finger drummer or foot
tapper involved in the conversation to avoid his negative effect
on the other listeners. Any audience that displays boredom
and impatience signals together is telling the speaker that it is
time for him to end.