The Ultimate Body Language Book

avoid eye contact by looking up or to the side, and will hunch over making their bodies seem even
smaller. Reducing body size is a mechanism that turns off the aggression emotion in the mind of a
potential aggressor. As adults, we will adopt similar postures in addition to covering those areas we feel
are most likely to be attacked or are the most vulnerable. Our heads will come back and away if
aggression is strong, effectively putting distance between us and our attacker. We may also drop our
chins to protect us from a blow that might knock us out cold.
Fear or uncertainty which roughly falls into a defensive strategy was covered previously and happens
by crossing one ankle around the other. A variation on this is a clenched fist or tightly gripping the arms
of a chair which can indicate aggression and restraint. If we feel that an attack is imminent our bodies
may become tense or “wired” in effort to become ready to withstand an attack, or mount a counter
attack if necessary. We may also collapse downward to cover our throats if we think a swing is nearing
and when an attack commences, we cover our face and cower. If we think we can win or when escape
is impossible, we draw our fists up and usually swing randomly. Our knees will also come together to
protect our groin and our arms brought inward to the center of our body to protect other vital areas. The
eyes might also be flicked from side to side in effort to locate possible escape routes.
Chapter 9 –Defensive And Aggressive Body Language
Aggressive Body Language
The amygdala is in here somewhere!
Researchers have defied seven major classes of aggression: predatory, inter-male, fear, irritable,
maternal, instrumental (to obtain a goal) and territorial. The amygdala and the hypothalamus, two brain
centers, have been centered out as important motivators in aggressive situations. Thankfully, with the
potential for such conflict we are given tools in the form of body language that help us gauge
aggression in others in order to prevent us from serious injury or death. Since modern humans are
primarily vocal, we often ignore some of the cues signifying aggression, but these become very potent
as conflict escalates and our verbal language deteriorates to uncontrolled screaming and cussing.