TORSO TIPS 95very comfortable pose for many people. However, when a person sud-
denly crosses arms and then interlocks them tightly, with a tight hand
grip, this is indicative of discomfort. Remember, it is by gauging changes
from baseline postures that we can note when uneasiness arises. Watch
to see if the person opens up ventrally as they become more relaxed. I
find that when I give lectures, many of the participants initially will sit
with their arms crossed, and then loosen them over time. Obviously,
something happens to elicit this behavior; probably greater comfort with
their surroundings and their instructor.
It could be argued that women (or men) cross their arms simply be-
cause they are cold. But this does not negate the nonverbal meaning, since
cold is a form of discomfort. People who are uncomfortable while being
interviewed (e.g., suspects in criminal investigations, children in trouble
with their parents, or an employee being questioned for improper con-
duct) often complain of feeling cold during the interview. Regardless of
the reason, when we are distressed the limbic brain engages various sys-
tems of the body in preparation for the freeze/flight-or-fight survival re-
sponse. One of the effects is that blood is channeled toward the large
muscles of the limbs and away from the skin, in case those muscles will
need to be used to escape or combat the threat. As blood is diverted to
these vital areas, some people lose their normal skin tone and will actually
look pale or as if they are in shock. Since blood is the main source of our
body warmth, diverting blood away from the skin and into deeper mus-
cles makes the body’s surface feel cooler (see box 22) (LeDoux, 1996, 131–
133). For example, in the interview mentioned earlier in which the young
man clutched the pillow, he complained of being cold the whole time we
were there, even though I turned the air conditioner off. Both his father
and I were fine; he was the only one complaining about the temperature.
The Torso BowBowing at the waist is performed almost universally as a sign of subservi-
ence, respect, or humility when feeling honored, such as with applause.
Notice, for example, how the Japanese and, to a lesser extent in modern