The Myth of Body Language and the Fallacies of Body Language Analysis and Training Programs

In general, “body language” refers to one or more nonverbal cues that indicate something specific about people’s personal characteristics, including their character, intentions, emotions, relationships with others, and even their truthfulness. But what started as a catchy little title evolved into a multimillion (if not billion) dollar industry that promotes training programs and countless books and videos on how to “read” people. Further accelerating this industry was the explosion of social media sites which allowed the proliferation of body language material to new and wider audiences than ever before. The goals of the present chapter are fourfold. First, we argue that body language is a myth and that there are no stable, distinct meanings linked to specific nonverbal patterns as often portrayed. Second, we review some of the fallacies used in body language analyses. Third, we provide a critical examination of training programs to learn the “codes” for translating face and body movements into clear messages. Fourth, we address a second myth—that “the body never lies”—an assumption that lies at the core of training programs and countless books, videos, and social media sites on body language. We conclude with advice on how anyone should view claims made by purveyors of body language.