Introduction
Apart from the ability to express thoughts with the help of speech, people can express their emotions non–verbally through the use of gestures. Sometimes it is essential to show an interlocutor one’s interest or sympathy and there are ways to do it. The most important ways to show one’s interest in an interlocutor comprise turning the body towards the speaker and looking an interlocutor in the face. Moreover, such gestures as slightly knitting one’s eyebrows, nodding, and putting one’s hands parallel to each other with the palms up serve to portray involvement.
Discussion
First of all, when a person is really interested in what is happening, his or her body is likely to be slightly tilted forward and turned towards the speaker. Vice versa, when a person is bored, they may cross their legs or arms and pull the hood of the jacket over their heads. Secondly, an interested person looks into the face of an interlocutor attentively. Segerstråle & Molnár (2018) say that, to demonstrate a genuine interest, about 80% of the time a person should look at the interlocutor, 20% – to the side. If one looks anywhere but not at the speaker, it is perceived as a lack of interest. Moreover, the absence of eye contact in a dialogue can lead to the extinction of communication between people and even to the deterioration of relations.
Thirdly, slightly knitted eyebrows often demonstrate concentration and a serious attitude to what is happening. However, it is essential not to frown too much as it can be perceived as a sign of unfriendliness or even anger. Fourthly, nodding and repeating phrases are seen as signs of active listening. When a person is sitting without movement, an interlocuter may believe that he is lost in his or her thoughts and not interested in the topic of the conversation.
Conclusion
Finally, if a person wants to demonstrate their involvement, they should put their hands parallel to each other, no matter on the table or on the knees, keeping the palms up. Human gestures are in most cases involuntary, and their meaning is interpreted by people unconsciously. Therefore, knowing the gestures that are used to portray interest, people will be able to both “read” the interlocutor and intentionally use the described gestures in conversation to make the necessary impression.
Reference
Segerstråle, U., & Molnár, P. (2018). Nonverbal communication: where nature meets culture. Routledge.