The Body Language of Fear: Actions Speak Louder than Words

Body language is a reaction to an emotion. Further, emotions are a response to a certain personal goal that is at stake. One emotion that can be generated when one feels that a personal goal is in jeopardy is fear. Like all other emotions, fear is something that we all experience on various levels throughout our lives. Fear is a common emotion of not wanting - not wanting to lost something or someone, not wanting to be in pain, or even not wanting to die. Actually, you might think of fear as a natural defense mechanism that holds us back from dangerous situations.

There are varying degrees of fear that are dependent on the situation causing it. These grades of fear can cause excitement, momentary shock, or complete terror. The degree of fear can have different physical side effects on a person, from simply trembling, to having muscle rigidity or flaccidity, to completely fainting. Fear can also vary in its duration. A person can be startled by a loud noise or by a prank, and have a quick reaction such as a shriek or a jump, and then recover just as quickly. If fear builds up over a period of time, though, the low levels of anxiety can cause long-lasting physical symptoms like insomnia, blood pressure changes, loss of appetite, or even panic attacks. If a person feels threatened, his or her reactions can range from completely shutting down, or trying to fight back, known as "fight or flight". It really depends on the individual.

So, what causes fear? Naturally, fear is the body's response to a threat. As previously mentioned, is it an emotion of not wanting pain, loss, or even death. Therefore, the threat doesn't have to be immediate; it can build up slowly over time. As a result, the threat can be perceived as minor to others (such as a phobia), but it can also be something felt by many (such as the fear of death). Fear can be paralyzing, but it can also help bring about action or change.

The Body Language Associated with Fear

We use our bodies - both intentionally and unintentionally - as a way of communicating our feelings with others. We use every part of our bodies to do this: our heads, or hands, our legs, even our torsos. When conveying a feeling of fear, the body can display several outwardly physical signals to the outside world that indicate a person's intentions. These intentions can be defensive (I am going to fight back!) or submissive (I am not going to hurt you! or OK, you win!). Fear is often displayed by certain body postures, hand gestures, and actions of and about the head.

The body is often is a closed stance when signaling fear. Gestures of this type can include:

These are considered defensive, or protective, postures, which can also indicate a person is hiding something. In a dangerous situation, such as a physical attack, other defensive body language might include:

Hand gestures can also be a display of fear or submission. Holding one's hand up above the head with palms open is a way of showing non-aggression or pleading (I'm not armed! or I give up!)

The head and its parts, including the eyes and mouth, are a powerful way to communicate fear non-verbally. The eyes are a most important tool in decoding a person's body language. The way a person looks at you - or doesn't - can indicate a number of emotions, including fear.

Head and facial gestures that signal fear might include:

Body language is a largely automatic response to fearful situations. The behaviors of our body language are mostly innate to us, though some might be "inherited". Either way, we have little knowledge of or control over when our bodies react to fear and how. Depending on the severity of the situation, our fear can excite us, encourage us, shock us, or completely paralyze us. And it will be written all over our faces!

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