178 W H A T EVERY BODY IS SAYING
most likely as you heard the information your eyelids closed for a few
moments. This type of blocking behavior is very ancient in origin and
hardwired in our brains; even babies innately eye block within the womb
when confronted with loud sounds. Even more amazing is the fact that
children who are born blind will cover their eyes when they hear bad
news (Knapp & Hall, 2002, 42–52). Throughout our lives we employ this
limbic-driven eye-blocking behavior when we hear something terrible,
despite the fact that it neither blocks our hearing nor the thoughts that
follow. Perhaps it simply serves to give the brain a temporary respite or to
communicate our deepest sentiments, but regardless of the reason, the
brain still compels us to perform this behavior.
Eye blocking takes many forms and can be observed at any tragic
event, whether bad news is being broadcast or as tragedy is about to be-
fall us. People may cup a hand completely over both eyes, put one open
hand over each eye, or block the entire face with an object, such as a
newspaper or book. Even internal information in the form of a thought
can compel this response. A person who suddenly remembers he forgot
something important may momentarily close his eyes and take a deep
breath as he ponders his blunder.
When interpreted in context, eye-blocking behaviors can be powerful
indicators of a person’s thoughts and feelings. These distancing clues oc-
cur in real time as soon as something negative is heard. During conversa-
tion, this is one of the best signals to let us know that something spoken
did not sit well with the person hearing the information.
I have repeatedly used eye-blocking behavior as a tell in my work with
the FBI. The “ice-pick” murder and the hotel fire in Puerto Rico, dis-
cussed earlier in this book, are only two of the many, many times I wit-
nessed the significance of this eye behavior. I still watch for eye-blocking
behavior on a daily basis to assess the feelings and thoughts of others.
While eye-blocking behaviors are usually associated with seeing or
hearing something negative that causes us discomfort, they can also be an
indication of low confidence. As with most other tells, the eye-blocking
response is most reliable and valuable when it happens immediately after
a significant event that you can identify. If an eye block occurs right after