Whether someone's lying to you, hitting on you, or bossing you around, you can read their intent and emotional state in their body language — if you know what to pay attention to.
According to UCLA professor Albert Mehrabian, 55% of what you convey comes from body language, 38% from the tone of your voice, and only 7% from the words you say.
So how do read between the lines? We've compiled tips from Psychology Today, research journals, and other publications to help you understand what people are telling you, far beyond their words.
Look for a lack of crinkles around the eyes to detect a fake smile.
Making a genuine smile — also known as a Duchenne smile — is nearly impossible to do on command. It's why family photos tend to look so awkward.
The smile, it turns out, is all about the crow's-feet around your eyes. When you're smiling joyfully, they crinkle. When you're faking it, they don't.
If someone's trying to look happy but really isn't, you won't see the wrinkles.
Raised eyebrows are often a sign of discomfort.
In the same way that real smiles shape the wrinkles around your eyes, University of Massachusetts professor Susan Krauss Whitbourne says worry, surprise, or fear can cause people to raise their eyebrows in discomfort.
So if someone compliments your new hairstyle or outfit with their eyebrows raised, it may not be sincere.
If their voice goes up or down, they're likely interested.
Whether you know it or not, your vocal range shows your interest.
"Once a conversation begins, besotted women slip into sing-songy voices,"Psychology Today reports, "while men drop theirs an octave."
See the rest of the story at Business Insider