What Every BODY Is Saying : An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Speed Reading People

LIVING OUR LIMBIC LEGACY 39

discomfort in lying to the police about her fugitive son caused her limbic

system to generate a pacifying behavior that tipped her hand and gave

her away.

subjects trouble or distress a person. Knowing these can often lead to
evincing information previously hidden that might give us new insights.

Types of Pacifying Behaviors

Pacifying behaviors take many forms. When stressed, we might soothe our
necks with a gentle massage, stroke our faces, or play with our hair. This is
done automatically. Our brains send out the message, “Please pacify me
now,” and our hands respond immediately, providing an action that will
help make us comfortable again. Sometimes we pacify by rubbing our
cheeks or our lips from the inside with our tongues, or we exhale slowly

Covering of the neck dimple pacifies

insecurities, emotional discomfort, fear,

or concerns in real time. Playing with a

necklace often serves the same purpose.

Fig. 7