Body Language in Context

The details of any situation are the Rosetta Stone for which body language is interpreted.

Photo by Jatniel Tunon on Unsplash

Bodies Speak Louder Than Words

The fact that the study of body language is not more practised and established is a great detriment to our society and its ability to communicate at its most effective and informed. It has certainly boomed in recent years — even entering the realm of pop culture — although just because it's present now in 'pop' i.e. popular culture, doesn't mean it is, in fact, popular and common knowledge; only the existence and general purpose of body language as a field of study and knowledge has become more known in the modern era.

If the average person could appreciate the importance of body language in their and everyone else's lives, we would all be better attuned to each other and there would be less friction, misinterpretation, and miscommunication. 

Context Is Key

No communication takes place in isolation: there is the context of the communicators' personal situations, their connection (or lack thereof) to each other, the particular environment in which they are communicating, and anything that may have taken place, is taking place, or is perceived to be about to take place. All of this and more comprises the context; all details involved in any situation make up the context in which the situation occurs — it is your frame of reference to be used to interpret and understand your fellow interlocutor, and it is of the utmost importance specifically in the realm of non-verbal communication, namely, body language.

To grasp its necessity, it is helpful to observe a hypothetical of its absence: body language without context. Imagine you have just met your potential employer at your job interview and you appear to have a natural rapport from the off: you have many things in common, have similar goals, and have a genuine connection as like-minded individuals. Things are so swell that you're invited for a casual stroll to avoid the rigid, uncomfortable boss versus worker environment; you go for a walk-and-talk. All is well until your could-be employer stops to lean back against a wall, you're still talking about yourself and what you wish to accomplish together, only now, their arms are crossed. Without any consideration of context- the details, your connection, what you've said and done, what the environment is like- you jump to the conclusion that you have just blown your chance to form a positive impression, and stop talking to await the doomed verdict and words that cut like daggers. Only, you end up getting the job; a smile, an uncrossing of the arms once the boss felt like moving again, and a flurry of positive affirmations and words that instead fell like petals on a peaceful lake.

What happened? Your rash jump to the conclusion that you had blown it was caused entirely by the fact that you ignored context.

The truth of this situation was that your boss just feels comfortable when standing, especially leaning in a relaxed way, with his arms crossed. You couldn't have known this; you've just met. However, you have all the other available information which makes up the context for the body language you witnessed, which to refer to in order to correctly interpret your employer's body language. You know you hadn't done anything disagreeable (nothing changed and you were getting along great), you certainly hadn't said anything wrong (you were saying the same positive things which your boss was agreeing with you on earlier, and which you established a rapport over), and nothing in the environment (like a drop in temperature or something which would prompt anxiousness or uncertainty) changed to affect the body language you saw. So it is clear, with a very basic example, how the context in which body language is expressed is essential, completely necessary to interpret a person's true feelings correctly and successfully read them. Without a frame of reference, it is impossible to interpret body language: you're guessing at best. In a lot of cases, you won't even be afforded a guess.

Context's Loneliness in a Modern World

This exploration of the necessity of context in the field of communication in general, especially non-verbal communication through body language, inspires an interesting thought. In today's ever-detached world, due to long-distance communication via technology, what is the effect of having context but without the all-revealing body language? Texts, emails, calls- quite literally with the exception of video calls where you can handily see your interlocutor- any absence of sight of who you are communicating with leaves you with only context: details without visuals. Have you ever noticed how people speaking on the phone still use hand gestures? This is a testament to the neurobiology of body language: it is an innate and universally hardwired part of our brain and behaviour. It is also an illustration of how you are missing the aspect of communication — non-verbal — that is more important than the words themselves, i.e. verbal communication. You have the context of the personal connection, your situation, your environment and what's happening, but you lack the non-verbal element which will not only give you the most information but also the most truthful information: this means you are going to struggle to interpret, misinterpret or not even be able to interpret at all what your conversational partner is saying because you're devoid of the biggest and most honest piece of the communication puzzle — what their body is saying.

Conclusion

Just remember to be extra clear when not being in person with your conversational partner/s so as to avoid difficulty, friction, or outright misinterpretation (if at all) of the messages expressed. Keep in mind that body language only takes place in context; that is, the details of the situation are ever-present to any communication, and it is context that serves as your frame of reference, most of all in body language, which helps you to gauge and clarify what is exactly being expressed.