Hand and Arms Gestures

Interestingly, the hands and arms are often employed by humans, either knowingly or unknowingly, to express many feelings, which can say a lot about the state of the human psyche.

For instance, we often see many people rubbing the palms of their hands at what time they expect something good to occur. The waiters at restaurants will often rub their palms in expectation of some tip or reward. Although we do it waiting for a delicious meal, the waiters have different intentions, which all boils down to the same thing. Rubbing thumbnails against an index finger is one of the most common signs of asking for money.

When a person loosely clenched his or her hands, it often indicates his/her confidence and relaxed state of mind. Tightly clenched hands on the other hand (no pun intended!) reveal that a person is frustrated or has a hostile attitude. Contextwise, loosely clenched hands in front of the facial area or on the table may reveal that a positive state of mind is in focus, whereas tightly held hands below the stomach area may represent that the person is negatively thinking. 

Many people have an I-know-it-all attitude, which could be observed by the way their palms are oriented. The corresponding fingers of both palms touching the other palm, which forms a kind of triangle with their thumbs, and index finger, may represent the know it all attitude. These sort of people are those generally who like to bark out orders to other people. At what time the palms are facing upwards could be a clear indication that the person has an I-know-it-all attitude. As opposed to the, at what time the same shape is formed, but facing downwards, it indicates that the person is willing to listen and take orders.

Gripping Hands, Arms, and Wrists:

High-ranking officials like the principal of a school or military and police officials etc. are often seen walking with their head up, chin out and one palm gripping the other behind their back. This gesture signifies superiority and confidence. A person walking in this manner often exposes his stomach, chest, and throat region to others, which is an act of fearlessness. Adopting such a gesture in a stress situation helps a person feel more at ease. This will also boost your confidence. Similarly, palm-in-palm gesture and hands on hips indicate superiority and confidence.

Thumb Gestures:

These are probably some of the most commonly observable gestures. We show a raised thumb to say ‘all the best’ or ‘do well’ to a person. On the other hand, a thumb facing in the downward direction indicates insult or failure.

Arms Gestures:

When a person folds his/her arms about the chest firmly, a feeling of being threatened may exist, since most people may use this gesture as a defensive manouver . This gesture signifies a nervous, negative, or defensive attitude. In addition, when combined with crossed legs posture, it indicates that the person is very tense.

People also fold arms by keeping their thumbs out to indicate superiority. While a folded arms gesture with one palm outside and the other firmly placed between the other arm and the chest may indicate a confused state of mind. In addition, some people fold their arms while keeping their fists firmly clenched to indicate hostility.

The partiallly crossed arm gesture in which one arm swings across the body to hold or to touch the other arm to form a barrier is often made by a person when he/she finds himself/herself lacking in confidence. Holding both your palms just below the stomach can mean that the person either is trying to de-stress himself or is in a position where he has to take orders from someone.