How the Body Points to Where the Mind Wants to Goby the first two people, which invites a third person to join in
the conversation.
Open triangular position
encouraging the entry of a
third personIf a third person wants to join two others who are standing in
a Closed Position, he'll be invited only when the other two
angle their bodies to form the triangle. If the third person is
not accepted, the others will hold the Closed Position and turn
only their heads towards him as a sign of recognition; and they
will probably give tight-lipped smiles.
Time to leave —
the new person is
not accepted by
the othersA conversation between three people may begin in the open
triangle position but eventually two people may take the
Closed Position to exclude the third person. This group for-
mation is a clear signal to the third person that he should leave
the group to avoid embarrassment.