(Bk Business) Carol Kinsey Goman Ph.D.-The Nonverbal Advantage_ Secrets and Science of Body Language at Work -Berrett-Koehler Publishers (2008)

Chapter 4: Face to Face
75
Reading Lips
Mouth movements can give away all sorts of emotional
clues. When people are nervous, their mouths become dry,
so lip touching or licking becomes a pacifying behavior to
cope with anxiety or concern. Biting the lower lip is also an
indicator of stress, often seen when people are trying to hold
back a comment.
Pursed lips (sometimes twisted to the side) are a common
gesture when thinking over options. Pursing one’s lips can
also be a signal that the person is in disagreement with someone
or something. This is often seen in court trials. While
one attorney speaks, opposing counsel purses her lips in disagreement.
Judges also do it as they
disagree with attorneys at sidebar
conferences.
Pressing lips tightly together
occurs when someone is angry,
frustrated, dismayed, or trying to
hold back information. Tight lips
are almost always associated with
She’s considering her options.
He’s holding
something back.