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The Book of Tells (Peter Collett)[unlocked]

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THE BOOK OF TELLS<br />

several minutes, a tongue flick usually lasts no longer than<br />

a second - the tongue simply darts out <strong>of</strong> the mouth and<br />

then flicks back again. While the tongue show is associated<br />

with mental concentration and with inaccessibility,<br />

the tongue flick is a tell <strong>of</strong> embarrassment. When someone<br />

is being teased or they feel that they've been caught out,<br />

it's not uncommon to see them flick out their tongue,<br />

sometimes while they're smiling. It's quite possible that<br />

this brief exposure <strong>of</strong> the tongue is also designed to keep<br />

other people at arm's length.<br />

Grooming <strong>Tells</strong><br />

In the world <strong>of</strong> apes and monkeys individuals who occupy<br />

similar positions in the social hierarchy normally take<br />

turns to groom each other by removing insects, lice and<br />

dead skin from each other's hair. This type <strong>of</strong> grooming is<br />

reciprocal: it's an expression <strong>of</strong> friendship and solidarity<br />

between equals. As such, it's quite different from what<br />

takes place when a subordinate individual grooms a<br />

dominant individual. In this situation the grooming is<br />

about the ratification <strong>of</strong> power. That's why it's all one-way,<br />

directed from the subordinate towards the superior, never<br />

the other way round.<br />

When we compare this with human touching, we find<br />

that it's the same between friends, but quite different<br />

between people <strong>of</strong> unequal status. Friends, for example,<br />

frequently reassure and show their affection by touching<br />

each other. However, where power differences are concerned,<br />

human patterns <strong>of</strong> touch are the opposite way<br />

round to what they are with apes and monkeys - because<br />

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