76 WHAT EVERY BODY IS SAYING
Each of these movie characters had a distinctive walking style, and their
personalities were revealed, in part, through their gaits. How we walk
often reflects our moods and attitudes. We can walk briskly and inten-
tionally, or slowly in a bewildered state. We can stroll, amble, saunter,
plod, waddle, limp, shuffle, prowl, bustle, march, promenade, tiptoe,
swagger, and so on, to name just a few of the recognized walking styles
(Morris, 1985, 233–235).
For observers of nonverbals, these walking styles are important be-
cause changes in the way people normally walk can reflect changes in
their thoughts and emotions. A person who is normally happy and gre-
garious might suddenly change his or her walking style when told a
loved one has been injured. Bad or tragic news may cause a person to
sprint out of a room in desperation to help out or it may cause the indi-
vidual to walk out phlegmatically as though the weight of the world is
on his or her shoulders.
Changes in walking style are important nonverbal behaviors because
they warn us that something might be amiss, that a problem might be
lurking, that circumstances might have changed—in short, that some-
thing significant might have occurred. A change tells us that we need to
assess why the person’s gait has suddenly changed, particularly since such
information can often aid us in dealing more effectively with that indi-
vidual in upcoming interactions. A person’s walk can help us detect
things he or she is unknowingly revealing (see box 17).
Cooperative vs. Noncooperative FeetIf you are dealing with a person who is socializing or cooperative with
you, his or her feet should mirror your own. If, however, someone’s feet
are pointed away from you while his body faces toward you, you should
ask yourself why. Despite the direction of the body, this is not a genuine
cooperation profile and is indicative of several things that must be ex-
plored. Such a pose reflects either the person’s need to leave or get away
soon, a disinterest in what is being discussed, an unwillingness to further
assist, or a lack of commitment to what is being said. Note that when