Body Language

Well, today, I'd like to tell you about a study I read about in some science journal I read while in the DMV waiting room. Since it was the DVM, I obviously had enough time to not only read the entire article, but also War and Peace and half of Sun Tzu's "Art of War". (and yes, my license photo does look like I was hung over). Anyway, I found the study also applies to personal security as well as meeting new people. This study was originally conducted to determine if body language and eye contact had a significant role in meeting new people and avoiding others.

It has been said that body language accounts for up to 60 % of communication. The study in question was conducted to determine what effects eye contact and other body language has between strangers and the probability of interaction if eye contact was made or not. The results were quite amazing to me but I can also see how women could or would avoid eye contact to avoid a misunderstanding. The key in this study's result would be body language that accompanies eye contact.

In the study, which was conducted at night, women would be asked to walk into a dimly lit parking lot to a specific vehicle to determine the effectivenes of the lighting. Unbeknownst to them, a male test subject, a neatly dressed and groomed male who was unaware the woman was part of the study, was instructed to walk across the parking from his vehicle to the business at the same time, then asked to describe the woman in parking lot. He was under the impression the study was about the business, the woman in the parking lot was mentioned to him at the time he left his vehicle.

Here's where the results get interesting. Fourteen of the twenty women who saw the male subject walking towards them all made eye contact and acknowledged their presence with the male subjects walking towards them in the parking lot. At this point, the male researchers conclude that appearance was more likely to result in personal contact because of personal appearance and first impressions. It was at this point that a female researcher on the panel then decided to turn the tables and add another aspect to the study and included a threatening looking male subject in the test. Three thug looking males with criminal backgrounds were inserted into the male roles and the test was conducted again. When the male subjects were dressed in grungy clothing and disheveled appearance, Nineteen of the twenty women avoided contact and the women either departed from the direct route or cowered during their route to their vehicle across the lot.

This test, which turned out to prove more than intended, thanks to the woman in the panel, showed that eye contact and body language speaks more than one realizes and can determine the outcome of an encounter with a stranger.

When questioned afterwards, the grungy guys stated that the women who avoided eye contact and showed signs of fear appeared far more vulnerable than the one woman who did make eye contact and showed confidence because they feared the women who made eye contact could more easily identify them or fight back if they attacked first.

This test reenforces my belief that  appearance and confidence will trump a thug's intent because his intent is solely based on either perception or deception. Basically, a woman's confidence and body language will trump a thug's efforts most of the time, mainly because of his fear of failure.

Take this test for what it's worth to you, but I strongly believe that your confidence and your body language with strangers speaks volumes about you and can protect you.

Trust me, if I don't shave for two or three days and walking around in my work clothes, people treat me differently than when I'm clean shaven and wearing a tie and slacks. Perception means a lot but better safe than sorry. Think about that when you leaving the crowded mall to your car after four hours of power shopping!