Head And Face
- Catch micro-expressions and eyebrow flashes
- Read gaze aversion as discomfort
- Note lip press and thinning lips
- Treat rapid blinking as cognitive load
Upper Body
- Watch shoulders rise toward the ears
- Read leaning back as withdrawal
- Note a closed, shielded chest
- Treat rigidity as tension or anxiety
Hands And Arms
- Spot tightly clasped hands seeking comfort
- Read fidgeting as nervous energy
- Note concealed palms hiding something
- Treat jabbed fingers as aggression
Lower Body
- Read crossed legs as defensiveness
- Note feet pointed toward the exit
- Treat tapping as impatience
- Read excessive movement as agitation
Spatial Behavior
- Read closeness as pressure or dominance
- Note distance as discomfort
- Treat mirroring as rapport
- Watch barriers placed between you
Physiological
- Watch shallow breathing under stress
- Note swallowing and dry throat
- Read sweating as rising tension
- Track flushing or sudden pallor
Baseline First
- Establish each person's normal early
- Watch without judgment to calibrate
- Match cues to context and intel
- Test hypotheses and keep updating