Crossed fingers meaning. Gestures around the world

Raised index finger, cross-legged, crossed arms ... Is this an accident? Of course not! Every gesture, every movement of the body conveys a message and reveals our emotional state: inspiration, disagreement, feelings, deception, aggression.

What do the gestures mean?

A polite word can sometimes hide not so kind intentions, but they will certainly be betrayed by behavior and gestures. If the words do not match the behavior, pay attention to the information that the gesture carries. The body will never deceive!

“What I see speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you are saying,” Shakespeare wrote. The meaning of demeanor and the importance of gestures in communicating with people fundamental!

First, a person is seen, then he is heard, and then he is perceived in one way or another. The human brain perceives incoming information by 84% - through sight, by 9% - through hearing, and by 7% - by other senses: touch, smell, etc.

Learn to recognize gestures

According to Edward Hall, an outstanding American specialist in the field of communication, in everyday communication when transmitting information, the gesture accounts for 55% of the meaning, the voice (which reflects the totality of the manner of speech, loudness and intonation) accounts for 38%. Whereas the real meaning of words is expressed only by 7% of the sense perception!

All this speaks of the great importance of visual contact in communicating with people. To be convinced of the validity of this conclusion, it is enough to remember how difficult it is to say delicate things on the phone due to the lack of gestures and looks.

To simplify relationships with clients and partners, learn to guess the intentions of your interlocutors, check them, and also make the right impression yourself - use our recommendations. You will gain invaluable experience that will come in handy more than once in life.

Hand gestures

Observing the work of professionals: politicians and TV presenters, you notice how stingy they are with gestures. Only crossed arms, or pencils or wedding rings, which they sometimes fiddle with in order not to betray their emotions. However, such gestures indicate hidden thoughts that they are trying to hide. Pay special attention to the correspondence of gestures to the meaning of speech:

• If they say: “yes, yes you are right! I just think about it " crossing your arms or buttoning your jacket buttons - be careful, your interlocutor is insincere!
• Index finger pointing at another, on the floor, or raised up - means a desire to seize the initiative in a conversation. That is, you are dealing with a tough nut to crack.
• Raised palms - a gesture of sincerity, reconciliation, reassurance. Means that the connection is established and there is no ill will or "back" thoughts.
• Palms facing outward and in front of you - a sign of protection or rejection of the interlocutor. This way they keep their distance. Therefore, do not believe if at this moment they tell you: "I will help you, you can count on me."
• Fingers crossed - the meaning of the gesture is transparent. Indicates a desire to end communication. This is a break, rejection of an idea or interlocutor.
• Hands raised to mouth (if a person covers his mouth with his hands) - this is a kind of protection, and a desire to hide intentions.
• Crossed arms - means an obstacle like a bulletproof vest, with which a person defends himself from his interlocutor. The more expressive this gesture, the greater the obstacle. This behavior is typical in a tense environment. Shows that the person feels threatened and insecure.
• Hands in front of you, placed on the table - show that a person expresses his point of view, is affirmed in his thoughts, but not aggressively.
• Hands are down and not touching ... With one hand, the interlocutor freely leans on the table, the other put on his thigh - this is a sign of emancipation. The person feels at ease. He trusts you and does not need proof and facts.

Any conversation is mobile, it develops. When you are expressing your thoughts, it is natural to accompany your speech with hand movements. These movements indicate the strength of your conviction. Conversely, if the hands are motionless, this is a sign of a certain indifference or self-control, behind which something may be hiding.

Foot gestures

The most eloquent types of behavior:

• Crossed legs - an ordinary defensive position. But if they are braided under a seat or behind a chair leg, this is a sign of anxiety and indecision.
• Leg to leg - means an expression of superiority over the interlocutor.
• Legs extended in front of you or in front of the seat - a sign of ease. Says that a person is exploring someone else's territory, but without any hostility. Indicates a certain conviction in what the conversation is about.

Gait gestures

Our gait speaks for itself, it reveals our essence. Learn to decipher the meaning of gait.

Lie, be able to identify it

Once a person begins to lie, certain details in their behavior indicate this. What is the lie:

Breath - a change in the rhythm of breathing shows a lack of conviction in their words or just a lie. So having lied to a person, you need to "clear" your conscience (of course, unconsciously). This is followed by a stronger exhalation that betrays embarrassment.

Eyes - if you carefully observe a lying person, you will notice that the moment he cheats, his pupil changes. It shrinks and becomes narrower. This is all the more obvious if the person wears glasses.

Gestures - lying is often accompanied by touching the face, mouth, and other parts of the body. If a person rubs the bridge of his nose or the folds around his lips, then this eloquently accuses him of lying. Another unmistakable indicator of deception is that a person starts scratching his head, rubbing his ear or hand. Take note of this!

Three main signals of sign language

The psychology of gesture

Interlocutor verification system. It is not always possible to recognize the cause of the barriers that people put in communication. But the posture adopted in conversation can define further development events. By understanding the psychology of this gesture, you can predict or correct the situation. Learn to decipher the signals that come from your interlocutors, clients or partners through their postures, facial expressions and gestures. This is not only very useful, but sometimes quite entertaining.

For instance:

The interlocutor tries to get closer to you - leaning forward says without any doubt that he likes you. It means that mutual understanding has arisen between you.

The interlocutor moves away from you, creates distance and shows your disagreement with what you are saying. Perhaps the conversation just became uninteresting for him. Or he wants to cool your ardor. Try to determine what caused this reaction to correct the situation.

Head tilt left or right - the interlocutor appeals to your feelings, looking for points of contact in order to get what you want.

The interlocutor rests his head on his fists - the gesture "obstacle", expressing dislike. Your interlocutor was stubborn. Better to change the subject and not insist on what triggers that reaction.

Putting your hand on your forehead - he just concentrates on what you are saying. He is interested in the topic of the conversation.

Touching the forehead with several fingers - concentration of attention on a certain moment, the work of thought requires an effort to activate memory. Do not skimp on explanations, work out the topic.

Rules of conduct for business meetings

Communication with gestures

Currently, HR professionals actively use the interpretation of job seekers' gestures. Sometimes you react completely involuntarily to what is said. The body can confirm with its posture agreement, or, on the contrary, a divergence of views. Although you may not even notice it. How do you behave to avoid the pitfalls?

How can you

Try to act naturally. Be open and receptive. The more you are in agreement with yourself, the more consistent and natural your gestures will be. But as soon as you begin to control yourself, a clamp, awkwardness will appear in your gestures, which means inconsistency with what you say. And it will immediately become noticeable. Therefore, practice your interview at home first.

How impossible

• Sluggishly stretch out your hand when shaking hands, or vice versa, squeeze the fingers of your interlocutor.
• Look away. Look directly in the face of your interlocutor. After all, you are referring to him.
• Keep your head down while talking. On the contrary, keep your head straight, tilting it slightly forward.
• Become defensive at all times with "closed" gestures such as crossed arms or legs.
• Grab onto the chair, braiding your legs over the chair legs.
• Sit motionless throughout the conversation. You need to periodically "peel off" from the seat to show interest in the conversation.
• Hide your legs by tucking them under the seat. This is a sign that you are feeling uncomfortable. And also that you lack the entrepreneurial spirit.
• Speak with your index finger raised, cross your arms, or turn your palms outward. The interlocutor will immediately realize that you are building a barrier.
• Rub your hands constantly. This gesture feels false!
• He is worried about his appearance, brushing imaginary specks of dust from his sleeves, fiddling with, straightening a dress or accessories.

Perceptions of gesture in different cultures

The same gestures can sometimes have different meanings, depending on the country and its culture.

Sight : in Western culture, it is customary to look the other person in the eye. This is a way of expressing concern for another person, respect for his words.

Then, as in Japan, it is impolite to look your interlocutor in the eye. The gaze should focus on the level of the tie or scarf.

Head shaking : in our country, this expresses some doubt "yes" - "no". And in Bulgaria the same wiggle means yes.

Distance: Europeans always keep a certain distance when addressing another person. It is customary among the Arabs to speak at close range. They always approach the interlocutor, bending their arm, and almost touching him. Women behave in the same way. They love contact, closeness and often refer to other women as friends.

Cross your fingers instead of pain relief

Superstitious people often cross their fingers. This gesture, according to legend, at the same time promotes good luck, protects from trouble or invalidates a person's oath ... Recently, scientists from University College London conducted a study that proved that this is not a tradition that goes back centuries, but also a way ... to dull pain!

"Grill illusion"

Historians claim that the custom of crossing fingers originated in the era of early Christianity: this sign, symbolizing the cross, helped Christians to recognize each other. Subsequently, the belief was born that crossing fingers saves believers from going to hell. In the 16th century, Londoners began using this original "sign of the cross" to ward off evil spirits. It was customary to cross fingers and when someone coughed and sneezed, as this action was associated with the wiles of the devil.

Research team leader Patrick Haggard and colleagues suggested that superstition did not arise out of nowhere and is associated with getting rid of pain.

The experiment was based on the well-known trick called the "grill illusion", invented over a hundred years ago by the Swedish doctor Thorsten Thunberg. A blindfold was put on a person and his index and ring fingers were lowered into a warm liquid, and the middle one into a cold one. After a while, he began to feel a burning pain with his middle finger. By the way, the same happens if we touch snow or food that has just been taken out of the freezer. The thing is that our the brain is deceived by the temperature difference, and we perceive cold as fire ...

The authors of the experiment used special equipment that was attached to the fingers of the participants. The appliances created the same effect as the "grill illusion", and the volunteers experienced quite painful sensations. But at the same time, when the subjects were asked to cross the index finger, middle and ring fingers together, the pain practically receded and returned only when the index and ring fingers cooled.

Mirror therapy

Experts believe that human brain When processing signals coming from the members of the body, they take into account not only their position on the body, but also the position they occupy in space. Most likely, this feature is also associated with the phenomenon of phantom pain, when a person's missing organ or limb hurts.

It is said that the legendary medieval physician Paracelsus sometimes sat his patients in front of a mirror and "persuaded" their illness to go to a double on the other side of the glass ... How effective this treatment was is unknown, but even today mirrors are used to heal some ailments, especially painful sensations.

The thing is that the brain perceives our physical body as a virtual image, which is formed from sensations "coming" from the senses. Previously, scientists believed that in the case of injuries and injuries, painful people send signals directly to the corresponding brain centers. However, in the mid-60s of the last century, it became clear that our brain is able to reduce the intensity of these signals and even completely block them, producing special substances - endorphins.

How does mirror therapy work? Take people suffering from complex regional pain syndrome... It is common for such patients to experience acute pain in the limbs, which is aggravated by movement or touch. So, the patient is seated in front of a mirror in such a way that only a healthy limb is reflected in it, and they are asked to move a healthy arm or leg, while looking at the mirror image. The patient perceives it as if he were moving the diseased limb, but does not feel painful sensations ... This leads to the fact that over time he ceases to feel pain in the other limb.

Phantom pains, when amputated limbs "hurt", are treated in a similar way. After all, a healthy limb cannot hurt, which means that the pain disappears ... This technique proved to be especially effective when it came to patients who suffered from two to five months, and the pain sensations decreased after the very first session.

Conspiracy or touch?

It was also found that the amount of endorphins increases with hugs. When touched, the brain area responsible for the production of endorphins is activated. Remember how your mother in childhood, blowing on your bruised knee, used to say: "The cat has pain, the dog has pain, but Sasha has no pain!" Oddly enough, "talking" often had its effect, and the pain subsides ... But do not forget that at the same time, mother usually stroked the bruised area, thereby stimulating the brain's production of a "natural pain reliever" ...

Ours is a rather complex system, and it does not always require potent drugs to solve problems, often with negative side effects. Perhaps psychotherapy will be much more effective ...

Each of us wants luck to be his constant companion. It is believed that crossed fingers is one of the techniques for attracting her into your life.

Good luck symbol

The question of the nature of this gesture, its origin is quite interesting. Most people cannot logically explain why two fingers crossed is a guarantee of achieving their goals. However, this does not prevent them from actively using this technique and even feeling some moral satisfaction and calmness from the ritual performed.

An apt remark is that in this way, luck certainly will not slip out of hand. Still, a small obstacle has been created for her. Fingers crossed will hold her. But it’s interesting all the same, where did such a peculiar tradition come from, and what caused it.

Many rituals have long become a habit and are used unconsciously. It is curious that from childhood, many people begin to cross their fingers.

Story

When you catch yourself using this gesture, you involuntarily ask yourself the question "Why and why am I doing this?" There is enough information in this topic that can give an exhaustive answer.

The history of this tradition is very ancient. Of course, a direct connection can be traced here with the symbol of the cross. Moreover, the very one on which Jesus was crucified. Since ancient times it was used as protective symbol, it was also believed that crossed fingers can be equated with a wooden or metal crucifix, with which they drove away demons, devils, all kinds of ailments and bad thoughts. First of all, it is a security symbol.

Protection

This was especially true when Christianity was still developing, and the wearing of special signs on the neck was not so widespread. Also, since the adherents of this belief had to hide from the Romans pursuing them, the crossed middle, ring fingers were some kind of password and a sign that a like-minded person was nearby.

They did not forget about this technique during the Middle Ages, when they also believed that with its help it was possible to drive away demons and wicked spirits from oneself. In our time, when, in principle, many spheres of human life are becoming less and less connected with religious aspects, and this phenomenon, among other things, no longer carries the background of faith. If any supernatural powers are implied, they are not directly identified with biblical god... Today it is believed that crossed fingers are a magnet for luck and an enemy of the evil eye.

Variations

It is known that customs in different states can vary greatly. The same goes for this gesture. For example, even living in Russia, not many people know that until very recently, crossed fingers meant the truthfulness of a person's words.

Having visited Vietnam, you can find out that in this way the inhabitants of this country can make serious problems, because the symbol is considered indecent and offensive. It is associated with elements of the female reproductive system. Once in Turkey or Greece, you can find out that this is a sign of the end of a friendly conversation. For Icelanders, this is a way of remembering something forgotten. Residents of Denmark use this combination when they swear to something. There is a metaphor here that a promise is tied with a knot.

Of course, figuring out what crossed fingers mean in the realities of the Western world, you can most often come across the meanings associated with attracting good luck. It is believed that in this case, all plans should go well. Who knows, maybe this is just a placebo effect, allowing people to believe not so much in magic power gesture, how much in their own strength, backed up by some guarantees of a higher order.

The right combination

What should be done so that luck does not leave you for sure, and dreams surely turn into reality? You also need to be able to cross your fingers for good luck. Attracting positive energies is not an easy task. Many, imbued with this issue, begin to wonder which of the fingers should lie on top, and other similar details, which are given a truly sacred meaning.

Again, if you go back to the original source, that is, Christianity, it is worth looking at the work of an artist named Francisco Ribalt, who hails from Spain. Of all his works, the most famous is The Last Supper, which he created in 1606. It depicts the Savior himself and those closest to him.

His palm forms exactly the combination in question. Christ is above average. It is believed that just such an arrangement is correct.

A purely Western version of this gesture is its interpretation behind the back of the one who uses such a maneuver. Here we are talking about those situations when a person is lying. Thus, he tries to protect himself from evil spirits, which supposedly should bring punishment for lying.

Healing properties

You can still find interesting information about what crossed fingers mean in medicine. Insidious entities are images that are quite far from human ideas. Much closer to people their own physical bodies, the pain in which they feel as realistic as possible.

Scientists in England have found that this combination is extremely useful in combating painful sensations. P. Haggard says that a person is subject to control of his own nerve endings. It is important to learn this skill. For this purpose, a movement of impulses must be initiated.

T. Thunberg, who devoted quite a lot of time to studying somewhat different from those that we feel when struck or similar situations, also investigated this issue in detail. Fundamental work has been carried out, during which it was proved that with negative physical sensations, you can cross your fingers and significantly improve your well-being. Thus, it becomes clear that this gesture is given a meaning much more serious than just a magnet for good luck.

It is used as a national lottery symbol in Great Britain, as well as in Ireland, Oregon, Virginia (this sign is very common in other states of the United States).

As they say, our life is in our hands, so that all goals are real and achievable.

Through the eyes of a child

Parents or those who often come into contact with children may have noticed that babies often use this symbol unconsciously. Immediately it becomes interesting why and why the child crosses his fingers.

Mothers and fathers, of course, wonder whether this is pathology, whether it means something bad. Child psychologists most often answer that this phenomenon is not considered a cause for concern. For a child, rather, you need to rejoice, because from a young age he has been practicing mudra at number 20, practically doing yoga on his fingers. It can even be concluded that children, due to their purity and sensitivity to the world around them, subconsciously feel what position their fingers should take to establish peace of mind.

In the process of growing up, such connections are cut off, and a person's ability to feel the world so subtly is erased.

Children's wisdom

So in the situation described above, adults should rather learn from their children than wean them from a habit that many mistakenly begin to consider harmful, looking for a negative background in it. Sometimes there is more natural wisdom in children than in us adults.

A child is a concentration of spiritual warmth and light energy. It is worth following him on the path of contact with nature, at a time when he follows you, knowing all the features of this cruel world.

Thanks to mudra number 20, you can get rid of a lot of harmful diseases. It is also useful as a preventive measure for colds. It is used at a time when there are complications in the functioning of the nasopharynx, lungs, respiratory tract (in the upper part). Children cross their fingers quite often when they get a cold.

Worldwide distribution

This one sign simultaneously combines protection from demons and evil spirits, a symbol of health and mental well-being, and, of course, the success so much desired by every person, good luck, throwing the necessary cards into the deck. After all, it is known that although much depends on us, various factors, unknown to us, also have a significant impact on the course of things.

It is important to come to the right place at the right time, but first you need to have such a point exist at all. So you can use this gesture to turn the situation in your favor. In any case, even if he does not have real power to influence circumstances, the confidence that a person feels is worth a lot, I understand that he has already made some contribution to his own business, in a way he insured himself, putting an end to all empty doubts and uncertainties yourself. Moreover, it cannot be a coincidence that the sign was given great importance both in Christian circles and in the East since antiquity.

Such similarities, as a rule, relate only to those things and facts that have a real and material background.

Superstitious people often cross their fingers in the hope of good luck - before a difficult exam, an important interview, or a fateful meeting. They use this gesture when they make a promise, even though they know they will not keep it. Or when they lie, but want to somehow justify themselves.

The tradition of crossing fingers dates back to early Christianity and was used to get fugitive believers to recognize one another during times of persecution. Later, a superstition arose that crossing fingers (an allusion to the Christian cross) would certainly save one from hell. In the 16th century, Londoners began to use this gesture to ward off evil spirits. Even the British crossed their fingers when someone coughed or sneezed.

New research by scientists from University College London proves that not all superstitions are anti-scientific. It turns out that the Christian tradition helps to confuse the brain and reduce pain. British researchers advise:

next time, hitting your fingers with a hammer, simply cross them.

The researchers believe their discovery will help patients suffering from chronic pain. According to Patrick Haggard, the head of the work, "pain can be manipulated by moving some parts of the body in relation to others."

The experiment was based on the famous trick of the Swedish doctor Thunberg. More than a hundred years ago, Thorsten Thunberg invented the illusion that produces a phantom sensation of pain. Subsequently, the trick was called the "grill illusion" and became extremely popular among young people.

The illusion is as follows: you need to take two containers - with a warm and cold water, ask the participant to blindfold and lower his index and ring fingers into a warm liquid, and the middle one into a cold one.

After a while, the person will begin to feel a burning pain with the middle finger.

The same experiment can be repeated with sausages: you need to take cold and hot meat products and, alternating them with each other, carefully lay out on the table. Then ask the participant in the experiment to put his hand on the sausages and wait until he cries out from the sharp and unpleasant pain.

We feel the same pain when we lower our hand into a snowdrift or substitute limbs numb in the frost under cool water. Painful sensations arise because the brain is deceived by the difference in temperature signals.

Scientists attached special equipment to the fingers of the experiment participants, creating a feeling of warmth and cold. The principle of operation completely repeated the "grill illusion". Most of the participants reported painful sensations. "This pain has nothing to do with tissue damage," says Angela Marotta, one of the organizers of the experiment. “Pain is a perception that is only in general outline related to the actual sensations, ”says Giandomenico Yanneti, professor.

The researchers found that when participants in the experiment crossed middle finger with a nameless or index, the sensation of pain disappeared.

Painful sensations returned only if the authors of the study cooled the ring and index fingers of the subjects.

According to the study authors, the human brain doesn't just receive temperature data. He, processing signals from each finger, uses their position in space, and not their location on the hand. Scientists believe that crossing fingers will relieve not only phantom pain, but also real pain.

According to Patrick Haggard, earlier studies have shown that how the human brain thinks about the body plays an important role in the sensation of pain. An example is the illusory pain that occurs in amputated limbs after surgery and that goes away over time as the brain changes its way of thinking about the body.

When you are traveling abroad and do not know the language of the country you are visiting, sign language often comes to the rescue.

You can use it to hail a taxi, buy groceries at the store, or ask for the right direction.

However, sometimes translation difficulties arise even with gestures that are familiar to us, which have a completely different meaning in other parts of the world.

Here are 10 typical gestures that might sound rude overseas.

1. Gesture two fingers "Victory"

The gesture "Victoria", which is shown with the index and middle fingers of the hand in the form of the letter V, in many countries means victory or peace... However, if at the same time the palm is facing the person, then in the UK, Ireland and Australia, the V-shaped gesture becomes an offensive gesture, which is non-verbal the equivalent of the phrase "fuck off!".

2. Gestures with palms ("muntsa")

The outstretched palm, which is often used to say "stop", takes on a different meaning in Greece. Palms directed towards the interlocutor, called "muntsa", are an offensive gesture that is used when they want express extreme indignation or roughly "send" the interlocutor.

This gesture comes from Byzantine times, when smoke was smeared over the face of a criminal to make him an object of ridicule.

3. Thumb up gesture

This gesture of agreement and approval often erases language barriers, and hitchhikers often vote on the road. However, in Thailand, it is a sign of condemnation. Although the gesture itself is more childlike, like sticking out your tongue, it should be avoided. In Iran, this is an offensive gesture the equivalent of which is the extended middle finger.

4. Alluring gesture with the index finger

A beckoning sign with the index finger that says "come to me" is taboo in Asian countries. In the Philippines, this gesture only appropriate for dogs and says that you consider the interlocutor below yourself. In addition, the use of this gesture can lead to arrest in this country.

5. Stroking the head

Patting a child on the head is usually a gesture of friendliness and affection. However, in Buddhist religion, the crown is highest point body, that is, the place where the soul dwells. Touching the crown is aggressive invasion into the space of a child or an adult. This gesture should be avoided in countries where most people are of the Buddhist religion.

6. "Okay" gesture

Ring of thumb and forefinger "OK" meaning "it's okay!" or "right", in France means "zero" or "worthless"... In Greece and Turkey, this gesture is very vulgar, meaning a similar hole in the human body or serves a hint of homosexuality... In some countries in the Middle East, such as Kuwait, "OK" means the evil eye.

7. Gesture "Fig"

The gesture "fig", "shish" or "fig" is not entirely harmless, and is often used in case of refusal or disagreement. In Brazil, this is a more benevolent gesture and is used to good luck wishes and protection from the evil eye. In Turkey, he has an aggressive and rude character, the equivalent of which is the middle finger.

8. Left hand gesture

In many countries, people do not pay attention to which hand they use to offer something to other people. However, in India, Sri Lanka, Africa and the Middle East, left hand considered "dirty" designed for wiping in the toilet. Even a left-handed person should eat right hand, since only it is considered suitable for eating. This also applies to shaking hands and handing over objects.

In Japan, giving with both hands is considered polite, while a one-handed gesture may imply disdain.

9. Crossing fingers

In many Western countries, people cross their index and middle fingers for luck or the evil eye. In Vietnam, this gesture is offensive, especially if you are looking at or addressing it to another person. Crossed fingers are believed to be represent the female genital organs.

10. "Goat" gesture

The gesture "Goat" or as it is also called "horns", "folding" or "corna" is often used by musicians and their fans. However, you should not show this gesture in Italy, especially to a man, since he alludes to his wife's infidelity("cuckold").

Bonus: obscene middle finger gesture

This is the most famous and recognizable obscene gesture in the whole world, which is English language corresponds to the swear word "Fuck You" ("go to ...!"). In addition, it is one of the most ancient gestures, which used by the ancient Greeks and Romans, as well as by monkeys.

To put it bluntly, a raised middle finger symbolizes the phallus, and the pressed fingers - the scrotum. By showing it, you seem to be offering another person a "male genital organ" or rudely refusing a request. Also, the analogue of this gesture is elbow gesture when the left hand is placed on the fold of the right hand.

In Asian countries, however, the middle finger is sometimes used to indicate something.