Humans - We're Whack

I have always found body language and the art of reading people quite fascinating, in all of it's analytical glory. I have had numerous conversations regarding this, and always intend on researching the matter further, to no avail. Wait - Scratch that. I merely skim over a few websites, but never really delve into it. Right at the minute, I have only scratched the surface of this dig site. I plan to get all excavation-esque (not a word, I know) on human behaviour.. And finally feed that hungry rodent inside my curious, yet generally lazy mind.

There are two aspects of this topic that greatly interest me. I find the assessment of human behaviour in conversation - the unspoken language, the subliminal messages sent – interesting, debatable and always present.

I also find the ability to read people through ‘energy’ and ‘instinct’ completely compelling, yet, like the previous – always debatable.

Not only two days ago, did I have a conversation with a friend of mine about an indication of lying. He mentioned, as have many websites, that you’re hiding something, lying, etc, when you look left, and also when you touch certain areas of your face (nose touch = alarm bells). I, however had a non-related conversation not 20 minutes after this with somebody else, and they asked where I lived, and, as I told them, I noticed that I glanced left and touched my nose when answering the simple question. Now, unless I have completely lost my mind, I definitely ‘live’ in Melbourne (although most of my time is spent where I work, which is in Western Australia). So then, how are glances left and having a snoz-taps ‘tells’ that one is possibly lying? This opened up a whole can of worms in my little mind – I found myself rudely half-listening to the rambles of this poor dude I’ve just met, wondering why the hell I seemingly lied… I know it’s happened before, but why? Habit? Disinterest? Am I hiding something? Do I doubt my own answers?

Referring back to my previous mention of conversations with my friend regarding indications of lying, we were discussing whether it has any real evidence, whether there are any concrete tells, and what they are, and also whether said ‘tells’ vary between left and right handers (regardless of the fact that we’re using the right side of the brain to be conniving)… Could this play a part, and then, in turn, affect my left glances, as I am a left hander? A nice light conversation over a few beers after work, right?

Current, clueless and meagre conclusion as at April 2011: Merely that I need to do some research. I’m all questions and assumptions, no substance.