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Everyone knows waving at another person or shaking their hand is a way of greeting however, there are many other forms of greeting body language used you may not be as aware of. Greeting body language can be used as a secret signal passed between individuals to indicate a type of unity. For instance, many gangs have a secret handshake ritual or hand gesture used showing their commonality. Grade school children often have their secret little club hand shakes as well. Depending on the culture you were raised under, some forms of greeting body language may not be acceptable or even considered an insult.
It is said that you can tell a lot about a person through their handshake. That is questionable to say the least to the person, type of day the person is having and several other factors. A firm handgrip in a handshake is meant to show confidence where as a limp wrist with a light grip is thought to show timidity. However, elderly women especially, lose their grip and can have a light grasp, as well as many may use a lighter grasp in hopes the receiver will also do so in order not to have their hand squeezed off!
The double grip hand shake where not only is the extender shaking the hand but with their other hand gripping the persons elbow or encompassing the others hands between both of theirs is meant to show dominance. However, there are several people who while shaking the hand of someone they are truly grateful to will encompass the persons hand in both of theirs to show sincerity. Other body language greeting signs thought to be a gesture of dominance are shaking another hand with the palm down, where as the palm up shows submission and palms sideways shows equality.
Extended handshakes where one person makes it difficult for another to end the greeting is also a sign of dominance. If you pay attention to photographs of politicians, or of people in authority positions, handshake photos will be taken with the individuals standing shoulder to shoulder with their arm/hand stretched out across their front to greet the others hand. The dominate person will stand to the left of the other person, shaking with the right hand, so that when the picture is taken it is their back of the hand that appears visible in the picture.
Other forms of greeting through hand body language is the "high five" where two people slap hands in the air, tapping fronts of fists, or a touch as a person walks by another say at a party to show acknowledgement. Other forms of greeting body language are in the form of honor, such as the salute where the hand is brought up towards the forehead or a brim of a hat and back down to the side again.
Military use salutes to show respect to those in higher ranks. The boy's scouts also have their own special salute. The raising of the hand to the heart when reciting the Pledge of Allegiance is another form of honor salute. Bowing can also show honor or it can show appreciation or thanks such as at the end of a performance. In Japan, if you do not bow at a greeting it is a form of disrespect.
Hugging and kissing are also other forms of greeting body language, but should be used under advisement. Greeting a person you do not know with a hug or a kiss could wind you up in a world of trouble. Society is also more accepting of women hugging other women in a greeting then they are men hugging one another unless closely related. When a hug becomes more of a body grind, it has gone way past that of a greeting and can border on sexual harassment or even assault if one is not a willing recipient.
In some cultures, it is expected to greet another with a kiss, such as the cheek-to-cheek kiss done in France and in some cultures, it can be socially acceptable and expected to be done by either gender to either gender. Greeting kisses are short like a peck on the lips or the cheek of another individual. Greeting a friend may involve a hug while at the same time administering a kiss to the lips or the cheek. Any kiss of any length and on the lips, with open or closed mouth is considered more of a romantic kiss, no longer a greeting.
One can read a person greeting approach by their facial expressions as well. A frown would be a good indicator that something is wrong, where a tensed face with clenched jaw should indicate to you that the person is quite upset or angry at you. A smiling face will indicated that the person is happy to see you where as a blank facial affect can indicate that the person could care less about you or that you are present.
When you see another person squeezing their eyebrows together, more then likely they are trying to recall your name before approaching you. This is a great time to go up, remind them politely what your name is, and greet them with a friendly handshake. Other forms of body language greetings are tipping the hat as a form of acknowledgement and rubbing noses as in an Eskimo kiss.
It is said that you can tell a lot about a person through their handshake. That is questionable to say the least to the person, type of day the person is having and several other factors. A firm handgrip in a handshake is meant to show confidence where as a limp wrist with a light grip is thought to show timidity. However, elderly women especially, lose their grip and can have a light grasp, as well as many may use a lighter grasp in hopes the receiver will also do so in order not to have their hand squeezed off!
The double grip hand shake where not only is the extender shaking the hand but with their other hand gripping the persons elbow or encompassing the others hands between both of theirs is meant to show dominance. However, there are several people who while shaking the hand of someone they are truly grateful to will encompass the persons hand in both of theirs to show sincerity. Other body language greeting signs thought to be a gesture of dominance are shaking another hand with the palm down, where as the palm up shows submission and palms sideways shows equality.
Extended handshakes where one person makes it difficult for another to end the greeting is also a sign of dominance. If you pay attention to photographs of politicians, or of people in authority positions, handshake photos will be taken with the individuals standing shoulder to shoulder with their arm/hand stretched out across their front to greet the others hand. The dominate person will stand to the left of the other person, shaking with the right hand, so that when the picture is taken it is their back of the hand that appears visible in the picture.
Other forms of greeting through hand body language is the "high five" where two people slap hands in the air, tapping fronts of fists, or a touch as a person walks by another say at a party to show acknowledgement. Other forms of greeting body language are in the form of honor, such as the salute where the hand is brought up towards the forehead or a brim of a hat and back down to the side again.
Military use salutes to show respect to those in higher ranks. The boy's scouts also have their own special salute. The raising of the hand to the heart when reciting the Pledge of Allegiance is another form of honor salute. Bowing can also show honor or it can show appreciation or thanks such as at the end of a performance. In Japan, if you do not bow at a greeting it is a form of disrespect.
Hugging and kissing are also other forms of greeting body language, but should be used under advisement. Greeting a person you do not know with a hug or a kiss could wind you up in a world of trouble. Society is also more accepting of women hugging other women in a greeting then they are men hugging one another unless closely related. When a hug becomes more of a body grind, it has gone way past that of a greeting and can border on sexual harassment or even assault if one is not a willing recipient.
In some cultures, it is expected to greet another with a kiss, such as the cheek-to-cheek kiss done in France and in some cultures, it can be socially acceptable and expected to be done by either gender to either gender. Greeting kisses are short like a peck on the lips or the cheek of another individual. Greeting a friend may involve a hug while at the same time administering a kiss to the lips or the cheek. Any kiss of any length and on the lips, with open or closed mouth is considered more of a romantic kiss, no longer a greeting.
One can read a person greeting approach by their facial expressions as well. A frown would be a good indicator that something is wrong, where a tensed face with clenched jaw should indicate to you that the person is quite upset or angry at you. A smiling face will indicated that the person is happy to see you where as a blank facial affect can indicate that the person could care less about you or that you are present.
When you see another person squeezing their eyebrows together, more then likely they are trying to recall your name before approaching you. This is a great time to go up, remind them politely what your name is, and greet them with a friendly handshake. Other forms of body language greetings are tipping the hat as a form of acknowledgement and rubbing noses as in an Eskimo kiss.
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