An expert in nonverbal behavior, Navarro trained himself to detect when people are lying, turned on or off, threatened, or poised for physical violence.
“Body language is basically a billboard,” says Navarro, who now trains others in this evolving art. “It’s not that hard to tell what someone is thinking.”
Navarro says even this year’s election may have been influenced by body language. He called a win for Barack Obama well before the votes were tallied.
Reading people became Navarro’s passion when he moved to Miami, Fla., at age 8 as an exile from Cuba.
“I began to study what people were saying [with their bodies] because at first I didn’t understand [English],” he says. “I remember noting the difference between teachers who liked me.” Those who were fond of him raised their eyebrows when they saw him, Navarro explains. The teachers who didn’t like him would squint.
The Eyes Have It
When people see something they don’t like, they’ll block it from sight. Squinting, eye rubbing or closing those peepers are all signs of “eye blocking,” cues that a person feels threatened, unhappy or disdainful
We can’t completely control our eyes, and that’s why they’re such powerful indicators of our feelings. When we see something we like, our pupils dilate; when we see something we don’t, the pupils constrict.
Arched eyebrows are another sign we feel confident or that we like what’s in front of us. Lowered brows mean the opposite.
Eye contact leaves a powerful impression – and those who use it seem dominant. What’s the first thing we do when we’re embarrassed or humbled? Look away. Remember that the next time you meet the gaze of your boss or a would-be sweetheart.
If you want to come across as truthful and untroubled, beware how often you blink or flutter your eyelids, Navarro says. Frequency of blinks increases with fibs (gambling bluffers, take note). Meanwhile, eye fluttering, at least outside of a Disney movie, indicates more discomfort than romance
