Body Language Dictionary

Body Language Dictionary ::F::

Written by Christopher Philip

Topics: F

F – Non Verbal Body Language Dictionary:

Did we forget a nonverbal term? Suggest it in the comment box or e-mail it direct, and we’ll be ecstatic to add it! With well over 500 terms, the BLP dictionary is growing to be the largest free nonverbal dictionary in the world! Brought to you exclusively by The Body Language Project! Visit our homepage for more free learning.

Face platter (the): A positive gesture used in courtship done by resting the chin on the backside of the hands and propping it up, essentially “serving the face on a platter.”

Facial action coding system or FACT: The Facial Action Coding System is a system that deals with forty-six facial movements classified into more than 10,000 microexpressions. The manual details how the face behaves based on the muscles that control it. The guide is a combination of still images, digital video and written descriptions and is of interest not only to lie detectors, but also to animators, computer scientists who create facial recognition software and other personnel who need to know how the face moves and why.

Face gaze: A type of gaze pattern where a person directs eyes to another person’s face (over say their eyes or body). It can be done in several ways and produce varied feelings depending on the pattern by which it occurs.

Facial expressions: A very important form of nonverbal communication that involve the face in displaying various emotional states. Facial expressions can be voluntary, and at times, involuntary, and others still can flash instantly and disappear just as fast which are called microexpressions. Facial expressions are diverse, and sometimes universal, such as the six expressions – fear, anger, disgust, sadness, surprise and happiness. Research has shown that women are much more perceptive of the minute changes in the faces than men and so tend to be more adept at reading facial expressions.

Fake sexual indicator of interest (fsIOI): Positive sexual body language of interest that are not genuine usually delivered by women (but sometimes by men) who wish to gain favours, such as free drinks, money and so forth from the opposite sex. This is usual for women who work in tip-based industries like severs in bars, restaurants and especially strip clubs who’s sole purpose is to act as if they wish to sleep with their patrons. Fake indicators of interest can also come from men and women in everyday life who wish to gain access to various forms of resources.

False smile: Where the eyes play no part, that is there are no wrinkles in the corners of the eyes as in the Duchenne smile and the mouth is stretched across the face. This smile is not genuine.

Fashion: Clothing is a language in and of itself which provides all sorts of cues about its wearer. It can indicate sex, age, occupation, origin, social class, personality and beliefs. Clothing can also tell others where we are headed as well as what we are about to do. In body language fashion is important to those we wish to impress and also to those whom we pass along the way to meet them.

Fear: Fear is characterized by a quick upward movement of the eyebrows formulating wrinkles in the middle of the forehead, raised eyelids and open mouth. Fear and surprise are easily confused, but fear uses the muscles between the brows called the “grief muscles” as they are activated to express pain as well as when you wish to inflict it.

Fear response: A primal visceral set of nonverbal cues that stem from fear. These cues are usually very honest and are seldom faked which makes them extremely reliable and useful. Fear responses are usually displayed subtly through gesture reduction but can also be extreme where the full body ceases movement and breath is seemingly held.

Fear smile or fearful smile: A smile where the lips are stretched to form a rectangular shape. These muscles sometimes pull the corners of the mouth upwards slightly to produce a grimace. Accompanying the lips stretch is a contraction of the eyebrows together coupled with an upward lift and widened eyes.

Felt smile: A real genuine smile where they muscles surrounding the eyes tighten.

Feigned disinterest: A manipulative body language technique that uses negative body language to attract attention. Turned the back to an attractive female or walking away during a discussion to induce chasing are two examples of feigned disinterest. It is a way to conceal true emotions, yet achieves similar or even better results that what might result from genuine cues.

Fetal position: An extreme form of closed posture where the knees are pulled into the body and hugged. The abbreviated form of this position is to pull the limbs in closer to the body and across the centerline as in the “self hug.”

Fidgeting: Fidgeting is an indication of boredom as the body is given signals to take action and leave the conversation – like the body revving its engine in preparation. Fidgeting is therefore a substitute to walking or running where neither is socially acceptable or the situation warrants otherwise. Fidgeting includes repetitive behaviours such as tapping the toes, swinging the feet with one crossed over the other, or drumming the fingers.

Fight or flight response (the): Better termed the freeze, flight or fight response since it truly reflects the order by which the actions take place. It is telling in body language because bodies that are threatened often show varying degrees of a freeze response, which can be subtle, such as a reduction in gesturing to the more extreme (yet still subtle) such as locking the ankles around a chair. From there, bodies will tend to indicate a desire to flee by orienting toward doorways with toes and torsos. This is followed by fight, but only under extreme circumstances, where bodies tense up, fists clench and chins protrude.

Fig leaf position: The fig leaf posture by either sex is a closed body position. It blocks the private mid section from view. This posture occurs by placing one or both hands in front of the crotch blocking it from view. The hands are usually clasped together. It shows insecurity and occurs when someone is in a novel environment or around people they don’t know and aren’t familiar with.

Figure four seating position (the): This seating position occurs as the ankle is pulled over the knee of the opposite leg forming the figure four position. The figure four is an open, dominant posture, and a seated crotch display.

Figure four leg clamp (the): Done as above where the ankle is pulled over the knee of the opposite leg forming the figure four position except in this case the arm grabs the ankle to lock it in place. It indicates a stubborn individual who’s aim is to resisting opinions.

Filler sounds: Verbal cues that are used to replace actual words when no words come readily. Filler sounds include “mmms” and “ahhs” and “like.” Use of these sounds make a speaker seem less confident and knowledgeable.

Finger pointing or finger pointer: Pointing fingers is a universal gesture that is negative in nature because it is as if the person is throwing spears. Finger pointing usually appears during aggressive verbal arguments.

Finger spreader: The hands are held out and finger splayed apart facing palm to the audience. This is an attempt to make contact with the entire audience.

Fish and lure: Sexual signals put out by available women in a broadstroke fashion, absent of eye contact and direction, sent off into the room at large in efforts to attract solicitors.

Fist clenching: Holding the fists clenched shows aggression, defensiveness and sometimes a readiness to attack. First clenching sometimes happens when no physical attack is immanent and is a restraint posture.

Five cardinal rules of body language: To learn the true story about a person using body language one must use the five cardinal rules which are the ‘rule of four’, congruency, context, baselining, and intuition.

Flashbulb eyes: Happens by dramatically opening the eyes as big and wide as possible. The eyebrows usually arch in unison as well to make the eyes appear even larger. The cue is usually done to indicate surprise and positive emotions such as being excited to see someone, or have been given a promotion.

Flirtation: A form of human interaction between two people expressing a sexual or romantic interest. Flirting body language is numerous and varied and includes hair tosses, preening, smiling and touching.

Flirting: A body language transaction between people that indicates sexual interest. Flirting includes romantic eye contact, increased proximity, touching, laughing or telling jokes, smiling, grooming and conversations with sexual overtones. Women flirt through various nonverbal displays such as hair tossing, lip licking and displays of the neck and men use displays of dominance such as crotch displays and appearing larger through body spreading. Flirting nonverbal communication is not always a prelude to sexual intimacy, it is sometimes used just to test interest, or for pure amusement.

Flow: Body language is like verbal and written language; it has structure. Body language flows, it has its own rhythm, vocabulary, grammar and punctuation. Part of the way things come together is connected to congruence, meaning that the overall body of language comes together seamlessly to produce coherent messages.

fMRI: is the abbreviation for functional magnetic resonance imaging which enables researchers to create maps of the brain’s networks as it processes thoughts, sensations, memories, and motor commands. The fMRI measures blood flow and hence measures which areas of the brain are using up oxygen faster and are working harder. Proponents of fMRI machines in lie detection claim that if you can get hits in all three zones of the brain at the same time you can catch liars.

Forced laughter: Laughter that is meant to disguise hidden anxiety or disagreement, be polite, or in efforts to connect with new people.

Forehead bow: The forehead bow is a posture done by artificially lowering the head, then looking up from under the eyebrows. It is a submissive posture and can be done by anyone but is especially prevalent during courtship. When done by women toward a man it is a “come hither” look and when done by children shows shyness and submission. It has roots in the bow (greeting gesture).

Four minute rule: The four minute rule says that life-long impressions about people are formulated in the mind’s of others within the first four minutes of meeting someone. Once a judgment has been past, people will vigorously resist changing it making that time block the most important.

Foot forward leg stance: A standing position where one foot is placed in front of the other and the weight is shifted to one hip. The pointed foot indicates where the mind wishes to go.

Foot kicking: Foot kicking while seated shows that a person has heard something negative. It is a response to discomfort and is a direct consequence of the fight or flight response.

Follower (the): A type of client who wishes the salesperson to take charge. They are unsure of what they are looking for, usually ask inappropriate questions, show submissive body language, show timidity and nervousness and take up less space than normal.

Friendly clients: A type of client that wishes to build rapport, they use plenty of eye contact, touch, and like to chat. They wish to be sold on the entire package including the sale pitch and the salesman.

Fred Inbau: The most influential manual regarding suspect interviewing was written by Fred Inbau, Reid and Buckley in 2001 “Criminal interrogation and confession” and is the handbook used by police officers in training.

Freeze, fight or flight: The fight or flight response is a misnomer especially as it applies to body language since it is not actually how humans or other animals respond to stress and danger. Most animals, humans included, will naturally sequence freeze, flight and flight in that order. Freezing is important to assess the situation, for how does one know what they are running from, and in what direction, if they don’t first identify the object of their fear and this is reflected in many forms through nonverbal cues.

Frowning: A downward pull of the corners of the mouth and eyelids showing displeasure or disapproval.

F%$k me eyes: A sexual eye pattern usually best accomplished by women who indicate to men that they wish to have sex with them. When most obvious the eye patterns make women appear predatory.

Fugitive (the): A state of mind wherein the body indicates a desire to flee. The body takes up closed body positions and leans back and away from whomever they are with. This indicates boredom or a desire to leave, hence the term fugitive.

Full body steeple or catapult (the): Occurs by placing both hands up and behind the head while seated. It is an extremely dominant and possibly arrogant display. The full body steeple is common to professionals such as lawyers, accountants, managers, bosses, and others that feel superior then their counterparts.

Full body hug: One of two types of hugs. This one is reserved for sexual partners and occurs with full chest to chest and hip to hip contact.

Full lips: Indicates contentment and is opposite to lip pursing.

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The Body Language Project is the result of a decade of personal research including a thorough review of over 60 primary scientific research journal articles. Learning body language forms the perfect foundation for success in ALL your communication.

If you are only picking up on what is being said, you are missing more than half of the message.

For more information on BodyLanguage be sure to check out: BodyLanguageProject.com and the Ebook – The Body Language Guide to Dating, Attraction and Sexual Body Language.