Kinesics
By Tan Wei Heng, Toh Wei Chuan,
Khor Yuk Liang, Ch'ng Liyang William
Types of Pacifying Behaviours
Pacifying behaviours take many forms. When stressed, we might soothe our necks with a gentle massage, stroke our faces, or play with our hair. This is done automatically.
Some examples of pacifying behaviours:
- rubbing our cheeks or our lips from the inside with our tongues
- exhale slowly
- with puffed cheeks to calm ourselves
Pacifying Behaviours Involving The Neck
Neck touching and/or stroking is one of the most significant and frequent pacifying behavious we use in responding to stress. One person may rub or massage the back of his neck with his fingers; another may stroke the sides of his neck or just under the chin above the Adam’s apple. This area is rich with nerve endings that, when stroked, reduce blood pressure, and can the individual down.
Examples of Pacifying Behaviours (Men):
-
grasping or cupping their necks just beneath the chin with their hands, which in turn slow the heart rate down and have a calming effect
-
stroke the sides or the back of the neck with their finger
-
adjust their tie knot or shirt collar
Pacifying Behaviours Involving The Face
Touching or stroking the face is a frequent human pacifying response to stress. Motions such as rubbing the forehead, or licking the lip(s), can all serve to pacify an individual when confronting a stressful situation. When having a conversation, resting one's head on their hand(s) might also be a pacifying behaviour, with their fingers stroking the side of the face.
Pacifying Behaviours Involving Sound
Whistling can be a pacifying behavior. Some people whistle to calm themselves when they are walking in a strange area of a city or down a dark, deserted corridor or road. Some people even talk to themselves. Some behaviours combine tactile and auditory pacification, such as the tapping of a pencil or the drumming of fingers.
Other Pacifying Behaviours
Excessive Yawning
Sometimes we see individuals under stress yawning excessively. Yawning not only is a form of “taking a deep breath,” but during stress, as the mouth gets dry, a yawn can put pressure on the salivary glands.
The Leg Cleanser
In this calming or pacifying activity, the person places the hand (or hands) palm down on top of the leg (or legs), and then slides them down the thighs toward the knee. Some may do it only once, but often it is done repeatedly or the leg merely is massaged, and it may also be done to dry off sweaty palms. Lastly, this pacifier is one of the more significant ones as it occurs quickly in reaction to a negative event.
One way to try and spot this behaviour is to watch people who put one or both arms under the table. If they are doing leg cleansing, you will normally see the upper arm and shoulder moving in conjunction with the hand as it rubs along their leg.
The Ventilator
This behaviour involves a person (usually a male) putting his fingers between his shirt collar and neck and pulling the fabric away from his skin. This ventilating action is often a reaction to stress and is a good indicator that the person is unhappy with something he is thinking about or experiencing I his environment.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Self-Administered Hug
When facing stressful circumstances, some individuals will pacify by crossing their arms and rubbing their hands against their shoulders, as if experiencing a chill. It is protective and calming action we adopt to pacify ourselves when we want to feel safe.
However, if you see a person with his arms crossed in front, leaning forward, and giving you a defiant look, this is not a pacifying behaviour!
The brain requires the body to do something that will stimulate nerve endings, releasing calming endorphins in the brain, so that the brain can be soothed. People tend to have their personal favourite pacifiers- some choose to chew gum, lick their lips, rub their chins, stroke their faces, play with objects (pens, pencils, lipstick, or watches) etc.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
