How to Recognizing and Acting on Other People’s Nonverbal Communication?

Recognizing and Acting on Other People’s Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal communication includes all the messages people are constantly sending out aside from their words. Someone’s body language can tell you whether they’re happy and energetic or tired and distracted. Their tone of voice can change a compliment from straightforward to playful teasing. 

Recognizing and Acting on Other People’s Nonverbal Communication Nonverbal communication includes all the messages people are constantly sending out aside from their words. Someone’s body language can tell you whether they’re happy and energetic or tired and distracted. Their tone of voice can change a compliment from straightforward to playful teasing. They may tell you they’re not annoyed, but their angry gestures and facial expression contradict their words. You’ve probably heard that a huge 93 percent of all communication is nonverbal. That precise statistic is a misconception. How much of a message is nonverbal varies depending on the situation. However, the idea it captures is true. You need to have a grasp on nonverbal communication to socialize effectively. As with listening and empathy, being able to read nonverbal communication gives you useful information about the other person, which will help you make smart choices when you’re talking to them. Managing your own nonverbal messages will let you present yourself more confidently and help you keep your communication clear and consistent; you won’t say one thing and have your body language unintentionally say another. This post chapter covers reading other people’s signals. The next post goes into the ones you send out. Reading nonverbal communication is a huge subject in and of itself, so this chapter covers only the core material. It focuses on reading people’s signals in friendly social situations, rather than on more specialized topics like the body language clues that reveal someone is about to concede a negotiation. The post ends with some tips on how you can practice reading nonverbal cues. Some overall points about reading nonverbal communication Sometimes a person’s nonverbals will reveal information they don’t want to share through their words. However, reading nonverbal signals will never let you completely scan someone’s mind. Tuning in to this type of communication is not fully reliable for a number of reasons: People know how to control and disguise the nonverbal signals they send in order to be polite. For example, they’ll put a friendly attentive look on their face, even though they’re not interested in the topic you’re talking about. Sometimes their true intent will leak out, but they can often hide it successfully. People have different styles of communicating nonverbally, depending on their personality, mood, age, gender, and culture. Some are more cheery and animated; others always seem a bit flat and gloomy. Some use common gestures in idiosyncratic ways. If you’ve just met someone, you can’t fully know what their nonverbal signals are telling you. A lot of nonverbal communication is quick and subtle. Most of the time, people don’t feel the intense emotions that lead to obvious unspoken signals. For example, if you say something that mildly surprises them, their eyes may just go slightly wide for a split second. They won’t do a cartoonish double take. Outside forces can interfere with the signals people would normally send. For example, if they find the room chilly, they might come across as more tense and closed off because they’re distracted and hunching up to try to keep warm. All in all, you should try to glean what information you can from people’s nonverbal messages. At the same time, know you’ll never have a perfect understanding of what they’re thinking, so you should focus on going after your own social goals. For instance, if you want to talk to someone in your class but you can’t tell if they’re in the mood to chat, give it a shot and see what happens. Any one nonverbal signal in isolation can be unreliable. Consider the overall picture when attempting to read people. For example, crossed arms can be a sign that someone is bored or guarded, but it could also mean they find the position comfortable. You need to weigh that one piece of information in light of everything else. If they’ve been smiling and eagerly talking to you the whole time they’ve had their arms crossed, it probably doesn’t mean anything. If they suddenly cross their arms while turning away from you and making a disapproving face, that’s another story. Although it’s vital to know how to read negative nonverbal cues, it can be nerve-racking territory if you have shy or insecure tendencies because you’ll tend to overanalyze, assume the worst, and see unhappy signals where none exist. You can read negative meaning into ambiguous signals such as someone having a neutral facial expression. If you find yourself doing this, focus on dealing with those insecure thinking patterns. Some important channels of nonverbal communication When you think of nonverbal communication, you may think that the face, arms, and hands are the only sources of these signals. You can find out much about a person’s thoughts through other means. Consider the following avenues of nonverbal communication: Facial expression: This is a huge source of information because people’s emotions are mainly communicated through their facial expressions. Sometimes a feeling only flashes across someone’s face for a split second. Tone of voice: You could consider tone of voice a part of verbal communication, but it’s included with the other nonverbal signals because it can modify the meaning of someone’s words. A simple “hi” can be injected with any number of emotions, like cheerfulness, tiredness, or polite obligation. Use of eye contact: In Western cultures, people are seen as confident and interested in others when they maintain solid, though not overly intense, eye contact. Less use of eye contact can signal discomfort, distraction, or shiftiness. Open or closed body language: When someone has open body language, their arms are at their sides, their legs are somewhat spread apart, they’re facing you with their torso, and their body generally looks loose and relaxed. It’s a sign they’re feeling comfortable and accepting. Closed body language is tense and protective, with arms either stiffly held at the sides or crossed over the torso, and the legs close together. It could mean they’re feeling guarded, nervous, or skeptical. Leaning: If someone leans in toward you, it’s a sign of their interest and attention. Leaning back is harder to read and can indicate anything from lower interest to just a casual, relaxed attitude. Use of gestures and mannerisms: Individual gestures have their own meanings, like a nod to indicate interest. There are too many to list in this small chapter. Overall, when people are engaged and excited, they’ll tend to gesture more. If they’re tired, relaxed, or uninterested, they’ll be less animated. Fidgety gestures can be a sign of boredom or anxiety. Use of touch: Some people use touch more than others. Normally we’re more touchy with people we like and are close to, and are hands-off when the relationship is more formal. With casual friends, we normally keep touching to the upper back and upper arms. Anything else is for more intimate contacts. You may give a friend a light clap on the shoulder when meeting them or playfully nudge them when they poke fun at you. If someone shrinks from your touch, they may not be sure of you yet or just not used to being touched in general. Use of objects and the surroundings: If you’re talking to someone and they’re playing with their phone or absentmindedly ripping up a coaster, it’s probably a sign they’re not fully engaged with you. If you’re not comfortable with someone, you may move until you’ve put a table between you. Use of personal space: Distances vary between people and across cultures, but we all have a variety of personal space zones. Outside of a crowded subway or really noisy bar, you won’t let a stranger get as close to you as you would your best friend. Closing the space with someone means you feel more familiar and comfortable with them. You tend to feel uneasy and back off if someone gets closer to you than you think the relationship justifies. Body and feet direction: We often unconsciously point our body where we want to go. If you’re interested in talking to someone, you’ll face them. If you want to be somewhere else, you’ll start angling away. Positioning relative to others: In larger groups people can reveal aspects of their mental state based on where they place themselves compared to everyone else. For example, in a larger group discussion, if three people are standing together, it may mean they’re especially close friends or they want to have a side conversation. If another person is standing slightly off to the side, it could mean they’re feeling shy and left out or they’re preoccupied or not interested in what the others have to say. If the entire group is standing away from everyone else at a party, it may mean they want to talk privately. Fashion sense and grooming: The clothes people wear aren’t completely reliable as a nonverbal signal, but people communicate a lot through their clothing choices. For example, they may be sending the message that they want to be seen as artsy and nonconforming, slick and wealthy, tough, or into a certain hobby. How well put together they are on any given day can also give you clues about someone’s mental state (you’d know something was off if your normally well-dressed friend showed up to your house unshowered and wearing yesterday’s outfit). Some important clusters of nonverbal signals to know When reading people’s nonverbal messages, you want to be able to tune in to basic information like what emotions are showing on their face. People also make groups of signals to show their overall mood and comfort levels. Approachability signals You’ll never fully be able to tell whether someone is open to talking to you. Sometimes the most unapproachable-looking person will happily chat to you once you break the ice. Here are some general guidelines: Approachable friendly, happy facial expression open, relaxed body language looking around, as if scanning for people they could talk to standing near other people or in the middle of the room where all the action is smiling or nodding if you catch their eye (for groups) members are arranged loosely and are standing fairly far apart with plenty of room for someone new to join Less approachable less happy or preoccupied facial expression closed body language in their own world, not paying attention to other people standing off to the side, away from everyone else clearly paying attention to something else, like their phone wearing headphones giving you a blank or unwelcoming expression if you catch their eye (for groups) members are standing in a tight, closed circle Nonverbal signs of platonic, friendly interest, comfort, or happiness smiling solid eye contact eagerly nodding and agreeing with what you’re saying learning forward open body language tendency to make more big, animated arm gestures body and feet facing toward you If you’re getting these signals, you can reasonably conclude everything is going well. Continue to watch the person’s nonverbal signals to see if they change. Signs of disinterest, discomfort, or being upset There are a variety of ways someone may show that they’re less than happy in an interaction with you. Again, any one signal is unreliable, but if you pick up a group of them, it’s a sign something is off. You should think about what’s happening in the interaction and whether you can do anything to change its course. Boredom, lack of interest, or indifference glazed or tired expression in the other person’s eyes tired, disengaged facial expression saying “Uh huh” and “Mmm hmm” and nodding along as you speak, but in a dry “going through the motions” way yawning looking around the room checking their phone fidgeting, shifting on their feet, or fiddling with nearby items leaning away from you crossed arms arms hanging leadenly at their side, lack of animation body and feet pointed away from you starting to edge away If you’re getting these signals, try one of these approaches to recapture the other person’s attention: changing the topic to a more mutually interesting one your own energy and enthusiasm considering whether they’ve been talking too long and need a break If you try one of those approaches and get the same result, it’s likely that the other person doesn’t feel like speaking to you, so you should end the conversation altogether. Unease or not being sure about you yet strained, tight, polite smile mildly nervous or suspicious facial expression leaning away from you closed body language flinching or tensing up if you touch them standing away from you or increasing their bubble of personal space putting barriers up between them and you (for example, a table or a drink they’re holding in front of themselves) Here are some suggestions if you’re getting these nonverbals: If you’ve just started talking to someone, give them time to get used to you. Back off a bit if you’re being too touchy or animated, standing too close to them, acting too chummy and familiar, or asking them for personal information. If you’re speaking about a controversial or emotionally charged subject, try switching to a more pleasant or neutral one. If you’re mingling, consider finding someone else to talk to after a few minutes if their signals don’t change much. Nervousness stunned, deer-in-the-headlights facial expression tense, preoccupied facial expression tight or shaky voice struggling to get their words out sighing / exhaling noticeably nodding quickly and saying, “Yeah, yeah, yeah” much more than normal laughing too much at small jokes, laughing when someone normally wouldn’t (for example, “My name’s Bill. Ha ha ha…”) overall tense or closed, self-protective body language fidgeting self-soothing gestures like rubbing their upper arm twitchy, jumpy feet To try to put someone else at ease, try one of these suggestions: Give the person time to calm down in your presence. Act pleasant and subdued, and stick to safe, routine topics that they can respond to easily. Consider whether you’re doing anything that’s making them feel off balance. Offended or disagreeing with what you’re saying look of anger or annoyance look of shock or incredulity (“Did they just say that?”) suddenly closing off their body language suddenly leaning back partially turning away from you If any of these signals arise during your interaction, think about the last thing you said or did. The other person must have found it disagreeable or insensitive. Consider changing the topic, backing off a strong opinion, or apologizing (“Sorry, that joke was tasteless”). How to get better at reading nonverbal communication Humans have a built-in capacity to recognize each other’s nonverbal communication, though some people aren’t naturally skilled at reading it and need to work a little harder to get the hang of it. Here’s what you can do to catch up. Look up what different expressions and mannerisms look like if you have trouble recognizing them intuitively It would be great if this book could include dozens upon dozens of photos of different types of nonverbal communication, but that’s beyond its limits. Some books that contain this information are listed in the Further Reading section. You could also look up pictures of specific expressions online or ask a friend or family member to model particular ones for you. Practice reading other people’s body language Here are some exercises you can try: Put on a movie or TV show and try to identify the emotions and nonverbal messages the actors are portraying. Of course, watch their facial expressions and body language, but also gather clues from the context they’re in. Broad, exaggerated comedies or soap operas tend to be the easiest to read, while nuanced, understated dramas are the toughest. Muting the sound will make the exercise more difficult, because the dialogue won’t give you hints. Do some inconspicuous people-watching in a busy public place like a food court or nightclub and try to read everyone’s moods. Who’s bored? Who’s stressed out? Who’s cheerful? Who’s trying to be the center of attention? Who feels shy? Notice how some people have more expressive or restrained styles of communicating their feelings. Ask a friend or family member to act out various expressions and mannerisms for you to try to read. They can purposely exaggerate them at first, then gradually up the difficulty by making them more subtle. Try to read the nonverbals of people you’re interacting with. If you’re having a friendly chat with someone, they’re not going to show you the wildest anger or the deepest sadness, but you can still try to look for changes in the more subdued expressions they’ll make. Maybe they’ll look a little more stressed as they talk about an upcoming assignment, or seem mildly bored while you’re talking about a topic they’re only half interested in, and then become livelier when the subject switches to one they’re more passionate about.

They may tell you they’re not annoyed, but their angry gestures and facial expression contradict their words. You’ve probably heard that a huge 93 percent of all communication is nonverbal. That precise statistic is a misconception. 

How much of a message is nonverbal varies depending on the situation. However, the idea it captures is true. You need to have a grasp on nonverbal communication to socialize effectively. 

As with listening and empathy, being able to read nonverbal communication gives you useful information about the other person, which will help you make smart choices when you’re talking to them. 

Managing your own nonverbal messages will let you present yourself more confidently and help you keep your communication clear and consistent; you won’t say one thing and have your body language unintentionally say another. 

This post chapter covers reading other people’s signals. The next post goes into the ones you send out. Reading nonverbal communication is a huge subject in and of itself, so this chapter covers only the core material. 

It focuses on reading people’s signals in friendly social situations, rather than on more specialized topics like the body language clues that reveal someone is about to concede a negotiation. The post ends with some tips on how you can practice reading nonverbal cues. 

Some overall points about reading nonverbal communication 

Sometimes a person’s nonverbals will reveal information they don’t want to share through their words. However, reading nonverbal signals will never let you completely scan someone’s mind. 

Tuning in to this type of communication is not fully reliable for a number of reasons: 
  • People know how to control and disguise the nonverbal signals they send in order to be polite. For example, they’ll put a friendly attentive look on their face, even though they’re not interested in the topic you’re talking about. Sometimes their true intent will leak out, but they can often hide it successfully. 
  • People have different styles of communicating nonverbally, depending on their personality, mood, age, gender, and culture. Some are more cheery and animated; others always seem a bit flat and gloomy. Some use common gestures in idiosyncratic ways. If you’ve just met someone, you can’t fully know what their nonverbal signals are telling you. 
  • A lot of nonverbal communication is quick and subtle. Most of the time, people don’t feel the intense emotions that lead to obvious unspoken signals. For example, if you say something that mildly surprises them, their eyes may just go slightly wide for a split second. They won’t do a cartoonish double take. 
  • Outside forces can interfere with the signals people would normally send. For example, if they find the room chilly, they might come across as more tense and closed off because they’re distracted and hunching up to try to keep warm. 
All in all, you should try to glean what information you can from people’s nonverbal messages. At the same time, know you’ll never have a perfect understanding of what they’re thinking, so you should focus on going after your own social goals. 

For instance, if you want to talk to someone in your class but you can’t tell if they’re in the mood to chat, give it a shot and see what happens. Any one nonverbal signal in isolation can be unreliable. 

Consider the overall picture when attempting to read people. For example, crossed arms can be a sign that someone is bored or guarded, but it could also mean they find the position comfortable. You need to weigh that one piece of information in light of everything else. 

If they’ve been smiling and eagerly talking to you the whole time they’ve had their arms crossed, it probably doesn’t mean anything. If they suddenly cross their arms while turning away from you and making a disapproving face, that’s another story. 

Although it’s vital to know how to read negative nonverbal cues, it can be nerve-racking territory if you have shy or insecure tendencies because you’ll tend to overanalyze, assume the worst, and see unhappy signals where none exist. 

You can read negative meaning into ambiguous signals such as someone having a neutral facial expression. If you find yourself doing this, focus on dealing with those insecure thinking patterns.

Some important channels of nonverbal communication 

When you think of nonverbal communication, you may think that the face, arms, and hands are the only sources of these signals. You can find out much about a person’s thoughts through other means. Consider the following avenues of nonverbal communication: 
  1. Facial expression: This is a huge source of information because people’s emotions are mainly communicated through their facial expressions. Sometimes a feeling only flashes across someone’s face for a split second. 
  2. Tone of voice: You could consider tone of voice a part of verbal communication, but it’s included with the other nonverbal signals because it can modify the meaning of someone’s words. A simple “hi” can be injected with any number of emotions, like cheerfulness, tiredness, or polite obligation. 
  3. Use of eye contact: In Western cultures, people are seen as confident and interested in others when they maintain solid, though not overly intense, eye contact. Less use of eye contact can signal discomfort, distraction, or shiftiness. 
  4. Open or closed body language: When someone has open body language, their arms are at their sides, their legs are somewhat spread apart, they’re facing you with their torso, and their body generally looks loose and relaxed. It’s a sign they’re feeling comfortable and accepting. Closed body language is tense and protective, with arms either stiffly held at the sides or crossed over the torso, and the legs close together. It could mean they’re feeling guarded, nervous, or skeptical. 
  5. Leaning: If someone leans in toward you, it’s a sign of their interest and attention. Leaning back is harder to read and can indicate anything from lower interest to just a casual, relaxed attitude. 
  6. Use of gestures and mannerisms: Individual gestures have their own meanings, like a nod to indicate interest. There are too many to list in this small chapter. Overall, when people are engaged and excited, they’ll tend to gesture more. If they’re tired, relaxed, or uninterested, they’ll be less animated. Fidgety gestures can be a sign of boredom or anxiety. 
  7. Use of touch: Some people use touch more than others. Normally we’re more touchy with people we like and are close to, and are hands-off when the relationship is more formal. With casual friends, we normally keep touching to the upper back and upper arms. Anything else is for more intimate contacts. You may give a friend a light clap on the shoulder when meeting them or playfully nudge them when they poke fun at you. If someone shrinks from your touch, they may not be sure of you yet or just not used to being touched in general. 
  8. Use of objects and the surroundings: If you’re talking to someone and they’re playing with their phone or absentmindedly ripping up a coaster, it’s probably a sign they’re not fully engaged with you. If you’re not comfortable with someone, you may move until you’ve put a table between you. 
  9. Use of personal space: Distances vary between people and across cultures, but we all have a variety of personal space zones. Outside of a crowded subway or really noisy bar, you won’t let a stranger get as close to you as you would your best friend. Closing the space with someone means you feel more familiar and comfortable with them. You tend to feel uneasy and back off if someone gets closer to you than you think the relationship justifies. 
  10. Body and feet direction: We often unconsciously point our body where we want to go. If you’re interested in talking to someone, you’ll face them. If you want to be somewhere else, you’ll start angling away. 
  11. Positioning relative to others: In larger groups people can reveal aspects of their mental state based on where they place themselves compared to everyone else. For example, in a larger group discussion, if three people are standing together, it may mean they’re especially close friends or they want to have a side conversation. If another person is standing slightly off to the side, it could mean they’re feeling shy and left out or they’re preoccupied or not interested in what the others have to say. If the entire group is standing away from everyone else at a party, it may mean they want to talk privately. 
  12. Fashion sense and grooming: The clothes people wear aren’t completely reliable as a nonverbal signal, but people communicate a lot through their clothing choices. For example, they may be sending the message that they want to be seen as artsy and nonconforming, slick and wealthy, tough, or into a certain hobby. How well put together they are on any given day can also give you clues about someone’s mental state (you’d know something was off if your normally well-dressed friend showed up to your house unshowered and wearing yesterday’s outfit).

Some important clusters of nonverbal signals to know 

When reading people’s nonverbal messages, you want to be able to tune in to basic information like what emotions are showing on their face. People also make groups of signals to show their overall mood and comfort levels.

Approachability signals 

You’ll never fully be able to tell whether someone is open to talking to you. Sometimes the most unapproachable-looking person will happily chat to you once you break the ice. Here are some general guidelines: 

Approachable 

  • friendly, happy facial expression 
  • open, relaxed body language 
  • looking around, as if scanning for people they could talk to 
  • standing near other people or in the middle of the room where all the action is 
  • smiling or nodding if you catch their eye 
  • (for groups) members are arranged loosely and are standing fairly far apart with plenty of room for someone new to join 

Less approachable 

  • less happy or preoccupied facial expression 
  • closed body language 
  • in their own world, not paying attention to other people 
  • standing off to the side, away from everyone else 
  • clearly paying attention to something else, like their phone 
  • wearing headphones 
  • giving you a blank or unwelcoming expression if you catch their eye 
  • (for groups) members are standing in a tight, closed circle 

Nonverbal signs of platonic, friendly interest, comfort, or happiness 

  • smiling 
  • solid eye contact 
  • eagerly nodding and agreeing with what you’re saying
  • learning forward 
  • open body language 
  • tendency to make more big, animated arm gestures body and feet facing toward you 
If you’re getting these signals, you can reasonably conclude everything is going well. Continue to watch the person’s nonverbal signals to see if they change.

Signs of disinterest, discomfort, or being upset 

There are a variety of ways someone may show that they’re less than happy in an interaction with you. Again, any one signal is unreliable, but if you pick up a group of them, it’s a sign something is off. You should think about what’s happening in the interaction and whether you can do anything to change its course.

Boredom, lack of interest, or indifference 

  • glazed or tired expression in the other person’s eyes 
  • tired, disengaged facial expression 
  • saying “Uh huh” and “Mmm hmm” and nodding along as you speak, but in a dry “going through the motions” way 
  • yawning 
  • looking around the room 
  • checking their phone 
  • fidgeting, shifting on their feet, or fiddling with nearby items 
  • leaning away from you 
  • crossed arms 
  • arms hanging leadenly at their side, lack of animation 
  • body and feet pointed away from you 
  • starting to edge away
If you’re getting these signals, try one of these approaches to recapture the other person’s attention: 
  • changing the topic to a more mutually interesting one 
  • your own energy and enthusiasm 
  • considering whether they’ve been talking too long and need a break 
If you try one of those approaches and get the same result, it’s likely that the other person doesn’t feel like speaking to you, so you should end the conversation altogether. 

Unease or not being sure about you yet 

  • strained, tight, polite smile 
  • mildly nervous or suspicious facial expression 
  • leaning away from you 
  • closed body language 
  • flinching or tensing up if you touch them 
  • standing away from you or increasing their bubble of personal space 
  • putting barriers up between them and you (for example, a table or a drink they’re holding in front of themselves) 
Here are some suggestions if you’re getting these nonverbals: 
  • If you’ve just started talking to someone, give them time to get used to you. 
  • Back off a bit if you’re being too touchy or animated, standing too close to them, acting too chummy and familiar, or asking them for personal information. 
  • If you’re speaking about a controversial or emotionally charged subject, try switching to a more pleasant or neutral one. 
  • If you’re mingling, consider finding someone else to talk to after a few minutes if their signals don’t change much.

Nervousness 

  • stunned, deer-in-the-headlights facial expression 
  • tense, preoccupied facial expression 
  • tight or shaky voice 
  • struggling to get their words out 
  • sighing / exhaling noticeably 
  • nodding quickly and saying, “Yeah, yeah, yeah” much more than normal 
  • laughing too much at small jokes, laughing when someone normally wouldn’t (for example, “My name’s Bill. Ha ha ha…”) 
  • overall tense or closed, self-protective body language 
  • fidgeting 
  • self-soothing gestures like rubbing their upper arm 
  • twitchy, jumpy feet 

To try to put someone else at ease, try one of these suggestions: 

  • Give the person time to calm down in your presence. 
  • Act pleasant and subdued, and stick to safe, routine topics that they can respond to easily. 
  • Consider whether you’re doing anything that’s making them feel off balance. 

Offended or disagreeing with what you’re saying 

  • look of anger or annoyance 
  • look of shock or incredulity (“Did they just say that?”) 
  • suddenly closing off their body language 
  • suddenly leaning back 
  • partially turning away from you
If any of these signals arise during your interaction, think about the last thing you said or did. The other person must have found it disagreeable or insensitive. Consider changing the topic, backing off a strong opinion, or apologizing (“Sorry, that joke was tasteless”). 

How to get better at reading nonverbal communication 

Humans have a built-in capacity to recognize each other’s nonverbal communication, though some people aren’t naturally skilled at reading it and need to work a little harder to get the hang of it. Here’s what you can do to catch up. 

Look up what different expressions and mannerisms look like if you have trouble recognizing them intuitively 

It would be great if this book could include dozens upon dozens of photos of different types of nonverbal communication, but that’s beyond its limits. Some books that contain this information are listed in the Further Reading section. You could also look up pictures of specific expressions online or ask a friend or family member to model particular ones for you. 

Practice reading other people’s body language 

Here are some exercises you can try: 
  • Put on a movie or TV show and try to identify the emotions and nonverbal messages the actors are portraying. Of course, watch their facial expressions and body language, but also gather clues from the context they’re in. Broad, exaggerated comedies or soap operas tend to be the easiest to read, while nuanced, understated dramas are the toughest. Muting the sound will make the exercise more difficult, because the dialogue won’t give you hints. 
  • Do some inconspicuous people-watching in a busy public place like a food court or nightclub and try to read everyone’s moods. Who’s bored? Who’s stressed out? Who’s cheerful? Who’s trying to be the center of attention? Who feels shy? Notice how some people have more expressive or restrained styles of communicating their feelings. 
  • Ask a friend or family member to act out various expressions and mannerisms for you to try to read. They can purposely exaggerate them at first, then gradually up the difficulty by making them more subtle. 
  • Try to read the nonverbals of people you’re interacting with. If you’re having a friendly chat with someone, they’re not going to show you the wildest anger or the deepest sadness, but you can still try to look for changes in the more subdued expressions they’ll make. Maybe they’ll look a little more stressed as they talk about an upcoming assignment, or seem mildly bored while you’re talking about a topic they’re only half interested in, and then become livelier when the subject switches to one they’re more passionate about.
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