S K's Key Ideas from What Every BODY is Saying
by Joe Navarro, Marvin Karlins

Our lymbic system controls our emotional responses and impulsive actions and hence, most of our nonverbal behaviour. We have no control over them, which is why they are so reliable.

We are born with three instinctive behaviours that we use when being confronted with dangerous situations or problems:

1. Our first reaction is to freeze. We stop all of our movements, try to hide ourselves and consider our actions.
2. We go into flight mode. We run away, turn away or try to get out of the situation.
3. If this doesn't help, we go into fight mode. We fight, argue or try to prove our point.

• We tend to control our face the most which is why it is the least reliable. However, our feet are often forgotten, which is why they are most reliable. The deeper the body part, the more reliable it is.
• Body language is dependent on culture. Consider the context.
• Keep in mind the rules mentioned above. Sudden changes in behaviour as a reaction to a question or situation are very reliable. Find out why they occured.
• The first reaction is usually the most authentic and reliable. When behaviour appears both positive and negative, the negative one is often more reliable.

In the book, Navarro goes in-depth on all and more of these behaviours. This is a very brief summary, which is why I highly recommend reading the entire book.

• Behaviour that displays discomfort or stress: Hiding yourself, creating distance, turning away, closing your eyes. This includes self-soothing behaviour such as fixing your appearance or touching your neck or any other body part.
• Behaviour that displays happiness or comfort: Any behaviour that goes against gravity such as lifting your feet up, wide arm movements, raising eyebrows, a smile with the eyes involved.

Detecting lies is very hard as there is no specific behaviour to it. Be very careful with who and why you judge.

Sudden changes in behaviour that display discomfort or stress followed by self-soothing behaviour or fewer movement because of freeze mode might be good indicators.

Watch out whether or not someone's behaviour matches their words and their emotions, for instance:

• Saying they went in the right direction put pointing with their hand to the left.
• Saying they are very sad but lifting their toes up like a happy child.
• Saying "no" but nodding with the head or shaking their head afterwards.