The Book of Tells (Peter Collett)[unlocked]

SMOKING TELLS
Gender is displayed in other ways. When a woman taps
the ash off the end of her cigarette she tends to do so
lightly with an extended forefinger, the man more
vigorously with his forefinger bent. Likewise, when
extinguishing a cigarette: a woman is more likely to stub it
out lightly, while the man is more likely to fold it over and
crush it under his thumb! 4
Background Tells
Smoking can provide clues to someone's occupation.
People who work outdoors, for example, tend to use the
'bunker gesture' when lighting a cigarette. This is done by
forming the hands into a bowl, so that the flame is
shielded from the wind and rain. Those who work outdoors
also hold their cigarettes differently - typically by
using a 'cup hold', where the cigarette is clasped between
the ends of the thumb, index and middle finger, and where
the lit end faces towards, instead of away from, the palm
of the hand. Both the 'bunker gesture' and the 'cup hold'
have evolved as a defence against the elements, but
smokers who employ them often use them indoors as well.
Practically, these gestures provide protection; symbolically
they shield the act of smoking from prying eyes. That's
why they're also favoured by schoolchildren who smoke
behind the bicycle shed - the illicit nature of the act and
the thrill it provides are reinforced by the secretive way the
cigarette is held.
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