Kinesics training is offered by a number of companies, although the validity of kinesics itself is a subject of controversy. In his 1970 book, "Kinesics and Context," author Ray Birdwhistell coined the word kinesics to describe a study of human body motion that uses all the senses. Today, this also is known as reading body language or nonverbal communications, and it is used by people such as detectives and jury consultants. However, critics believe the practice is largely unscientific and unreliable.
Theory
Kinesics assumes that everyone reacts to situations nonverbally as well as verbally, even when we aren't aware of it. You likely have employed kinesics when evaluating whether someone is telling the truth when you pick up nonverbal signals he is lying. Nervousness, shiftiness, arms folded tight against the body -- these are some of the motions that a kinesics analyst might consider useful clues.
Uses
A firm such as VisualEmotion offers training for businesses, government agencies and individuals in reading body language and in kinesics interviewing. VisualEmotion says you can become "your own lie detector." The training consists of learning sophisticated observational skills, as well as techniques practiced by top law enforcement and intelligence officers, successful salesmen and journalists.
Research
According to research cited by Stan B. Walter, who owns a firm that teaches kinesics, we only can tell when someone is being deceptive about 50 percent of the time. Walter, who registered the trademark "The Lie Guy" to describe himself, believes we have been taught to look for the wrong body language cues and says there are more reliable signs to use to tell when someone is lying.
Considerations
Lie detector tests are not admissible in court because they are unreliable. Lie detectors don't measure truth versus lying; they measure signs of stress. Critics of kinesics believe it is just as flawed as lie detectors.
In an article published in the "Harvard Business School Working Knowledge," writer Nick Morgan interviews Paul Ekman, author of "Telling Lies: Clues to Deceit in the Marketplace, Politics, and Marriage." Ekman says that behavior, such as not making eye contact, should not be given too much weight. It is the emotions behind the behavior that must be deciphered. Ekman also points out that pathological liars are really good at developing behaviors that make them seem sincere. Morgan concludes, "In the end, body language conveys important, but unreliable, clues."
Member Comments