Body Language Greetings 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When someone offers a handshake with their palm facing downward, what dominance signal are they sending?
- Submission and deference
- Equality and partnership
- Dominance and control (Correct answer)
- Nervousness and anxiety
Correct answer: Dominance and control
A palm-down handshake is a classic dominance gesture, as it forces the other person's hand into a submissive upward position.
Question 2: What does it typically signal when someone leans their entire body forward during a greeting?
- Discomfort with the interaction
- Enthusiasm and engagement (Correct answer)
- Territorial aggression
- Cultural formality
Correct answer: Enthusiasm and engagement
Leaning forward during a greeting indicates enthusiasm, openness, and a desire to engage more closely with the other person.
Question 3: In American professional settings, how long should a standard greeting handshake last?
- Less than one second
- Two to five pumps or about two to three seconds (Correct answer)
- Ten or more seconds
- Until the other person pulls away first
Correct answer: Two to five pumps or about two to three seconds
A professional handshake in the US typically lasts two to five pumps or roughly two to three seconds before releasing.
Question 4: What body language cue typically accompanies a genuine smile during a greeting versus a polite but insincere one?
- Raised eyebrows only
- Crow's feet wrinkles around the eyes (Correct answer)
- Showing the upper teeth only
- A slight head tilt
Correct answer: Crow's feet wrinkles around the eyes
A genuine Duchenne smile engages the orbicularis oculi muscle, creating wrinkles (crow's feet) around the eyes that are hard to fake.
Question 5: When someone greets you but keeps their arms crossed throughout the introduction, what is the most likely interpretation?
- They are cold or physically uncomfortable
- They are defensive, closed off, or uncomfortable (Correct answer)
- They are in a position of power
- They are being respectful
Correct answer: They are defensive, closed off, or uncomfortable
Crossed arms during a greeting create a physical barrier that typically signals defensiveness, discomfort, or emotional withdrawal.
Question 6: What is the significance of mirroring someone's greeting posture back to them?
- It signals disagreement with their status
- It builds rapport and signals alignment (Correct answer)
- It is considered rude in most cultures
- It indicates you want to end the interaction
Correct answer: It builds rapport and signals alignment
Mirroring body language during a greeting unconsciously signals empathy, agreement, and social bonding.
Question 7: During a greeting, someone shakes your hand but avoids making any eye contact at all. What does this most commonly suggest?
- High confidence and dominance
- Cultural superiority
- Shyness, dishonesty, or discomfort (Correct answer)
- Extreme enthusiasm
Correct answer: Shyness, dishonesty, or discomfort
Avoiding eye contact during a greeting often signals shyness, low confidence, discomfort, or in some contexts an attempt to conceal something.
Body Language Greetings 2
When someone offers a handshake with their palm facing downward, what dominance signal are they sending?