One problem with nonverbal communication is that there are people like me, who consciously express fake 'tells' and expressions just to see if others notice. I may start blinking rapidly and clenching hands and such while saying what I did yesterday, even if I really just stayed in bed all day. Or faking anger over things I don't care much about or, on the contrary, seeming disinterested when I am actually listening. Sometimes I feel like an asshole, but nobody's gone and screamed "I KNOW YOU'RE FAKING!" or even hinted at it yet, so they either buy it or they think I'm an idiot.

 

They probably think you're either a) crazy, b) a bitch, or c) some combination of both. In other words, a woman.

 

I do that a lot my friends not to see if they had caught something or not but for fun and they know very well that I'm kidding them. People might also think that you have some temper problems or emotion related problems and pity you. Either that or they do not care a shit about what crazy things you are doing.

That sums it up, thanks a lot Portus.

Might have tried, mate.

 

If that sounds like the dumbest fucking thing you've ever heard, then you realize what it was like to read what you posted.

 

I think you overestimate a person's ability to control their body language. Sure, you can do a few things deliberately like a nervous twitch or hunching your shoulders etc. but there will be masses of stuff that you can't control all at once. It's just too much to think of. And some of it you can't control even if you want to.

Sweating, pheromones, tiny adjustments to posture, speech tone, speech pattern, eye movement, facial expression, response times, what your choose to say and what you avoid, where you are looking, hand movements and position, the way you're sitting/standing, habits... you simply can't be aware of, and thus controlling, all of this at once.

The reason why no one has called you on it is probably because your attempts to trick people are so lame that they don't even register. If you're blinking rapidly and clenching your hands but the rest of your body says "normal" you're just going to look like a spaz, not some secret genius at faking body language.

 

Yeah, probably. *shrug* I know I act weird even when I'm not trying to, so I guess it's not that bad if they think I'm crazy. In case I really go insane. :awesome

 

I've been attempting to control facial expressions a lot lately, mostly in an attempt to get my poker face under control because we've set up a poker night and I've found I'm pretty pathetic at keeping a straight face. I think it's working; I've managed to convince my friends of my innocence when I was not, in fact, innocent on a few occasions since I started. It's pretty useful, but you have to make sure to control everything from the creases by your eyes to the way you're standing. Takes a lot of concentration.

 

The key to facial expression control is the mind. For example, if you're trying to look innocent, think like you're innocent because what you're think ultimately ends up in your body language and facial expressions. I takes a little practice but it doesn't take too much concentration.

 

Doublethink.

That's the key, really. Force yourself into believing something, and you'll express in that way. Tricky part is when you fuck up and end up thinking about guilt when you're trying for innocent.

 

That's why those who can ignore their consence make the best liars. The can ignore guilt or not feel it at all.