吳漢昭
Computer Science and Information Engineering 資工四乙
　

People can’t live alone without other people; in other words, we are social beings. In order to communicate with others, we always use various kinds of communication, suck as spoken and written language. But studies done in the field indicate that: 5% of the communication consists of body language, 8% is expressed through tone of voice, and only 87% is communicated through words. Obviously, besides spoken language, there is still something in communication, for instance, body language.

    As a matter of fact, how we come across to others is decided only for a small part by the words we speak. Body language plays a big role in intuition as it gives us messages about the other person in the sixth sense. During a meeting, everybody who is present expresses non-verbally how he or she feels about the subjects, so that the speaker can know whether his listeners agree with or are interested in him. In a job interview, before a word has even been spoken, your body language will have already given people their first impression of you. A couple of lovers, young and old alike, show they love each other deeply by hugging, kissing, and looking at each other all the time. In short, we use our bodies to communicate with others everyday.

On the basis of the above reasons, we know that every one must learn some useful techniques. Here are several parts of body language:

1.      Eye contact: one of the most important aspects of dealing with others,
  especially people we meet for the first time. Eye contact at the right
  moment will give people a feeling of comfort and genuine warmth.

2.      Face: the most expressive part of the body. If you are feeling anxious
  about something then your facial expression may lead you to appear
  aloof, disapproving, or disinterested. You can break this
  misunderstanding by making a conscious smile.

3.      Posture: get your posture right and you'll automatically start feeling
  better. The way you hold yourself, your posture makes a big
  contribution to your body language and conveys your level of self-
  confidence. A relaxed body posture will help you appear and feel more
  relaxed and confident.

4.      Arms:  It gives away the clues as to how open and receptive we are to
  everyone we meet and interact with. Keeping your arms out to the side
  of your body or behind your back shows you are not scared to take on
  whatever comes to you. So, try to take a natural balance and keep your
  arm movements.

5.      Distance: Distance between you and others is important, too. When
  standing too close, you will be marked as "Pushy" or "In your face". If
  you stand or sit too far away, you will be "Keeping your distance" or
  "Stand offish". Neither are what we want, so always stand or sit in a
  proper distance from others, and both of you will feel better.

In summary, our face, eyes, hands (gestures), and posture express what is going on inside of us. They give clues to others to whether the words we say are consistent with what we are really feeling. Being aware of our body language can allow us to send a consistent message. So using our body to communicate with people frequently and carefully can help us be more friendly and benevolent.

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