TORSO TIPS 101PreeningWhen we are physically and mentally well, we take care of our appear-
ance, preening and grooming ourselves accordingly. Humans are not
unique in this regard, as birds and mammals engage in like behaviors.
When we are physically or mentally ill, on the other hand, the posture of
the torso and shoulders, as well as our overall appearance, may signal our
poor health (American Psychiatric Association, 2000, 304–307, 350–352).
Many unfortunate homeless people are afflicted with schizophrenia and
rarely do they attend to their attire. Their clothes are soiled and grimy,
and many of these individuals will even fight attempts by others to get
them to bathe or wear clean clothing. The mentally depressed person
will stoop as he walks or stands, the weight of the world seemingly
bringing him down.
The phenomenon of poor grooming during illness and sadness has
been noted around the world by anthropologists, social workers, and
health-care providers. When the brain is saddened or we are ill, preen-
ing and presentation are among the first things to go (Darwin 1872,
chap. 3, passim). For example, patients recovering from surgery may
walk down the hospital hallway with hair disheveled and in gowns with
their backsides exposed, not caring about personal appearance. When
you are really ill, you may lie around the house looking more unkempt
than you ever would be normally. When a person is really sick or really
traumatized, the brain has other priorities, and preening is simply not
one of them. Therefore, within context, we can use an overall lack of
personal hygiene and/or grooming to make assumptions about a per-
son’s state of mind or state of health.
Torso SplaysSplaying out on a couch or a chair is normally a sign of comfort. How-
ever, when there are serious issues to be discussed, splaying out is a ter-
ritorial or dominance display (see figure 35). Teenagers, in particular,
often will sit splayed out on a chair or bench, as a nonverbal way of