Sociology Plus
Definition
Body language is a kind of nonverbal communication that uses gestures, posture, and other indications. Unintentional and intentional body language is used in communication. It is a phrase used in social psychology to describe the body language, facial emotions, and postures individuals employ while interacting with others. Social theorists like Goffman have investigated the optimum body placements in social interactions.
Explanation
Body language uses movements, facial expressions, and posture to convey ideas, attitudes, or emotions. Most of this communication is unconscious, but some are intentional (like waving farewell). When engaging with or watching individuals from other cultures, where the same gesture or expression may have a different meaning, errors are often made in understanding the body language utilized in such cultures.
The concept has swiftly entered common parlance and is not strictly used technically in sociology. It generally refers to the notion that our bodies may represent ourselves and that individuals send out signals that may or may not be consistent with the messages they consciously attempt to convey. Numerous books are published for ordinary individuals on body postures and acts, promising to teach them how to spot whether someone is lying, acting sexually attracted to another, and similar acts. Though to yet, results have been relatively few, conversation analysis has recently focused more on the coordination of speaking and gesture.
Eye contact, facial expression, postures, gestures, touch, facial intensity, timing and place, tone of voice, and sounds are all part of communication and an in-depth understanding of body language. Sociologists, psychologists, and anthropologists pay special attention to this decoding as human interaction is important for a peaceful existence.