Better Body Language

Hi All,

Body Language.  Have you heard of it?  No? Yes!  Possibly?  Well, if you haven't, click on this link and you'll get a quick and brief introduction to what body language - and what it is not.  Basically, body language refers to various forms of nonverbal communication, where a person may reveal clues as to some unspoken intention or feeling through physical behavior.  Behaviors can include body posture, gestures, facial expressions, and eye movements...

Pretty cool stuff - and it works. Reading body language accurately can help you get insight into what another person is 'really' thinking - without having to actually say what they are thinking.

For example, have you ever been talking to someone who constantly 'looks through you' and never makes eye contact?  Or what about talking to someone who explains things with an over-emphasis of hand movements?  What about talking to someone who has his/her hands crossed over their chest?  Yep - it all has to do with body language. 

And, for the folks who are sensitive enough to (and who can process the information in real-time) recognize these forms of nonverbal communication it can be a big advantage in situations as varied as dating, business and other inter-personal relationships. 

With that all send, here is a link to help you improve your own body language - it comes from Inc Magazine - a notable business/entrepreneur magazine - which will help you understand the context of the article. The title of the article is '8 Powerful Ways to Improve Your Body Language'.

From Wikihow, comes this article entitled, 'How to Read Body Language'.  Interesting, but the article is definitely geared toward dating and not particularly business oriented.

For another perspective on body language - and how to feel more confident even when you are not - click on this link from a TED talk given in October 2012. 

Psychology Today is a very well-known, professional publication for Psychologists.  Click on this link to go to an article aptly titled 'Understanding Body Language'.  It is a series of smaller articles on a wide variety of sub-topics of body language...interesting stuff.  And thorough!



Now...that all said, you might want to click on this link to the library card catalog to find actual books about body language and nonverbal communication.  Click on this link to go to the library card catalog.


Here's to helping you not reveal your inner thoughts via nonverbal communication.  Hope the links help!

Regards,
Stu

The Highbrow Post

Hi All,

Since I know that this might be considered the 'highbrow post', I wanted to make it short and sweet.

Arts & Letters Daily (from the Chronicle of Higher Education) can be found by clicking on this link.

What is it you ask? Indeed, good question. As the masthead of the website proclaims, 'philosophy, aesthetics, literature, language, ideas, criticism, culture, history, music, art, trends, breakthroughs, disputes, gossip' - it is all here on the site.

Basically it is lots of current events and news on a very, very wide variety of topics.

ALD is set up to read like a traditional newspaper - hence the section on 'Articles of Note', 'New Books', and 'Essays and Opinion'. There are also many links to other world famous newspapers and magazines like American Heritage, American Journal Review, Atlantic Monthly, First Things, Foreign Affairs, History Today, The Humanist, National Journal, National Review, New York Times, Newsweek, Der Spiegel, Utne Reader, WSJ Opinion and many more.

If you are looking for a website that covers the world of ideas, thought and commentary, then this site is for you! Note that there is no overriding bias to the site. Conservatives, liberals and centerists alike can find something to like and dislike on the site.

Finally, if you are looking for a website that is graphics intensive (think lots of pictures) you have come to the wrong site. ALD has - for the most part - very few pictures. Much of the site is text, text, and more text. If you are looking for words and ideas then you've come to the right place!

Enjoy!

Stu

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Body Language

Hi All,

Just had a brilliant - just brilliant - idea for a blog post. I'm working here at the reference desk and I just realized that I get to see patrons in their very natural condition. Patrons walk in from the parking lot and well, 'act normally' in their environment.

I like to learn - and I like to learn about people. I also like to learn how people think, behave and why they act the way they do...

So, with that somewhat vague (but hopefully intriguing)...what is the subject of todays' blog entry?

Body Language! Also known as 'non-verbal communication', body language is a subtle way to 'read' into people thoughts and communications...

The following blurb comes directly from About.com since their description is written so well.

"Does crossing your arms indicate that you're feeling defensive? Do shifty eyes mean that someone is telling a lie? The things we communicate without words can carry as much meaning as any verbal expression...

Body language refers to the nonverbal signals that we use to communicate. According to experts, these nonverbal signals make up a huge part of daily communication. From our facial expressions to our body movements, the things we don't say can still convey a tremendous amount of information."

Click here for a link to a comprehensive description of what 'body language' is and more from About.com!

Click here to read an article from About.com on 'Understanding Body Language'.

Okay, so if people can read body language when just talking to people; what about using body language to ones' advantage in business and in job interviews? Hmmmm.

Click here for a brief article entitled, 'Inside the Office' from (again) About.com. What about using body language to help you present (and to read the interviewer) at an job interview?
Click here for an article on just that very same subject from CareerBuilder.com entitled, 'The Job Interview: Body Language Do's and Don'ts. Click here for another article (this time from Fortune magazine) entitled, "Is Your Body Betraying You in Job Interviews?"

If you can understand what people are really thinking in a job interview, could you use body language in the area of love and romance? You bet, click here for a somewhat generic article on body language. Click here for another article - entitled Romance and Signs of Attraction.

Finally, click here for one last article from Wikihow entitled, 'How To Read Women's Body Language for Flirting'. Not to be sexist...here is an article entitled, "How Men Flirt - is He Really Interested'.

Okay, one last set of links...We have a very good collection of books that might help you decipher other peoples' body language! Finally, if all these articles have you itching to learn more about the topic of body language and non-verbal communication, click here to see the various books that we have on the topic of body language at the Farmingdale Public Library.

Enjoy!
Stu