228 W H A T EVERY BODY IS SAYING
proach their captors. This behavior is also seen in individuals who say
something when they want you to believe them. During a discussion,
observe the person with whom you are speaking. When she makes a
declarative statement, note whether her hands are palm up or palm
down. During regular conversation in which ideas are being discussed
and neither party is vehemently committed to a particular point, I expect
to see both palm-up and palm-down displays.
However, when a person is making a passionate and assertive decla-
ration such as, “You have to believe me, I did not kill her,” those hands
should be face down (see figure 90). If the statement is made palms up,
the individual supplicating to be believed, I would find such a statement
highly suspect. While this is not definitive, I would question any declara-
tive statement made with the palms up. The palm-up position is not very
affirmative and suggests that the person is asking to be believed. The
The palms-up or “rogatory” position usually indicates the
person wants to be believed or wants to be accepted. It is
not a dominant, confident display.Fig. 89