Social Engineering Blogs

An Aggregator for Blogs About Social Engineering and Related Fields

Body Language & Work

A recent article on an Australian website delineates how a person’s body language is interpreted by others.

Body language expert David Alssema, doles out the five worst body gestures during an interview.  They are:  not enough or too much eye contact, slouching, fidgeting or touching things, crotch display or foot on leg position and hands behind your head or arms folded.

Alssema suggests that one always match the interviewer’s level of eye contact and sit with their hands in their lap.

Suggestions for women in male dominated fields:  have your desk facing the door from a corner in your office, always make eye contact and match a man’s handshake, lean forward when listening and stand straight when speaking.

Alssema goes on to state that women are twice as good at reading body language than men.  Harvard research suggests that when reading expressions and decoding situations, women were correct 87% of the time while men scored only 42%.

What do you think about body language in the work force?

Joe Navarro , a former FBI agent and non-verbal expert, also has some very interesting and insightful remarks on body language and its influence on others.  Here is his video about the Art of Influence.

Click here to view the embedded video.

To learn more about body language check out this video:  David Alsemma Analysis or view our previous post on lying during an interview.

Do you believe Aiden?

This 8-year old boy was subdued by police using pepper spray after threatening his teachers at school. Meredith Viera talks to the young boy and his mother on the TODAY show.

Do you believe them? What do you see when you watch this clip?

Thanks Aaron for the link!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Are You Faking It?

Spring is finally here and that makes a lot of people happy.  The fresh breeze and warm sunshine makes many want to smile.

An article, “Smile Like you Mean It” suggests that positive thinking can create a more positive emotional state, which in turn will allow a person to smile more.  If you smile more, then you will generally be a happier person.  At least that is the consensus.

One study in positive psychology, performed by Harker and Keltner, posited that if a woman had a “Duchenne” smile in her yearbook photo (that is a true mouth and eye smile) then she was more likely to be happily married and less stressed 30 years later.

Dr. Matsumoto has also commented on the “Duchenne” smile, which utilizes the muscles called the orbicularis oculi that raises the cheek bones and forms crow’s feet around the eyes.  He states, “ Remember the Duchenne smile is the only smile that allows for the cheeks to be raised…and you see the eyes twinkling a little bit.”  This is how one can distinguish between a genuine smile and a fake smile.

Many contemporary scientists and ancient philosophers believe that putting on “a happy face” can actually alter a person’s mood.  The Happiness Project website, gives pointers on becoming friendlier and in turn a happier person.

Gretchen Ruben the author of The Happiness Project states that, “Research shows that although we think that we act because of the way we feel, in fact, we often feel because of the way we act.  That’s why one of my Twelve Commandments is to Act the way I want to feel .

How about you; how often do you smile?   Not a fake smile but a real “Duchenne” smile?

If you would like more tips on how to be happy then check these tools and techniques for a happier life.

In the video below Dr. Matsumoto comments  on the “Duchenne” Smile.

Click here to view the embedded video.