What Every BODY Is Saying : An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Speed Reading People

DETECTING DECEPTION 229

truthful don’t have to plead to be believed; they make a statement and it
stands.

Territorial Displays and Deception

When we are confident and comfortable, we spread out. When we are
less secure, we tend to take up less space. In extreme circumstances, dis-
tressed people may fold their arms and legs into their own body, assum-
ing an almost fetal position. Uncomfortable conversations and interviews
can evoke a variety of withdrawn postures: arms that are intertwined like
a pretzel and/or ankles that are locked in place, sometimes to the point of
being almost painful to the observer. Look especially for dramatic changes
in body position that could be indicative of deception, particularly when
they occur concurrently with a specific change of topic.

Statements made palm down are more emphatic and

more confident than statements made with hands

palm up in the rogatory position.

Fig. 90