Soft Skills Soft Skills - Communication Non-Verbal Communication Cues Questions and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: During a team meeting, a colleague crosses their arms tightly and leans back in their chair while you present an idea. What does this body language most likely indicate?
- They are cold and trying to stay warm
- They are feeling defensive or resistant to the idea (Correct answer)
- They are relaxed and comfortable
- They are preparing to take notes
Correct answer: They are feeling defensive or resistant to the idea
Crossed arms combined with leaning back typically signals defensiveness, disagreement, or resistance to what is being communicated.
Question 2: Which type of eye contact pattern is most effective for building trust during a one-on-one professional conversation?
- Staring continuously without breaking gaze
- Avoiding eye contact entirely to reduce pressure
- Maintaining eye contact about 60-70% of the time with natural breaks (Correct answer)
- Looking at the person's forehead instead of their eyes
Correct answer: Maintaining eye contact about 60-70% of the time with natural breaks
Maintaining eye contact roughly 60-70% of the time strikes the balance between showing attentiveness and avoiding the discomfort of unbroken staring.
Question 3: A job candidate smiles frequently but their smile does not reach their eyes and fades immediately after each response. What non-verbal concept does this illustrate?
- Mirroring
- A Duchenne smile
- A social or masking smile (Correct answer)
- Proxemics
Correct answer: A social or masking smile
A social or masking smile engages only the mouth muscles without crinkling the eyes, often used to conceal true feelings or nervousness.
Question 4: In a negotiation, your counterpart suddenly shifts from an open posture to touching their neck and looking away. What shift in communication does this most likely signal?
- They are becoming more confident in their position
- They feel uncomfortable or uncertain about the current topic (Correct answer)
- They are signaling agreement with your terms
- They are trying to end the conversation politely
Correct answer: They feel uncomfortable or uncertain about the current topic
Self-touching gestures like neck touching combined with gaze aversion are pacifying behaviors that typically indicate discomfort or anxiety.
Question 5: Which non-verbal cue is most associated with conveying authority and confidence when entering a room?
- Walking quickly with small steps and hunched shoulders
- Standing tall with shoulders back and taking up appropriate space (Correct answer)
- Keeping hands in pockets and avoiding eye contact
- Fidgeting with clothing or accessories
Correct answer: Standing tall with shoulders back and taking up appropriate space
An upright posture with open shoulders and spatial confidence projects authority because it signals comfort and self-assurance.
Question 6: A presenter notices several audience members checking their phones, shifting in seats, and glancing at the clock. What should the presenter interpret from these collective non-verbal cues?
- The audience is multitasking because they find the content easy to follow
- The audience is disengaged and the presenter should adjust their approach (Correct answer)
- The audience is taking notes on their devices
- The audience is impressed and checking the time to see how much content remains
Correct answer: The audience is disengaged and the presenter should adjust their approach
Multiple signs of restlessness such as phone-checking, shifting, and clock-watching collectively indicate audience disengagement or boredom.
