KINESICS - Walking styles Including Leg and Feet Postures

KINESICS - Walking styles Including Leg and Feet Postures

Style of walking can help detect the type of personality traits of individuals. However, walking style alone should not be used as the determining factor. This has to be taken together with other postures, gestures etc. Some of the common styles of walking are:
(i) Walking with hands in pocket
This is a portrayal of a macho image. He may be shy, withdrawn and critical of happenings around.
(ii) Walking with hands in pocket, disorganized walk with head bent
The person may be depressed.
(ii) Walking with hands in pocket, disorganized walk and kicking an
imaginery object
The person might be upset and angry.
(iv) While walking, his eyes are focused on the ground
The person is lost in his thoughts.
(v) While walking, his eyes are focusing in the air
He is pre-occupied and is looking for solution to problems.
(vi) Strutting style of walking
He is a person of extreme certainty of opinion and very confident of himself.

Like arms and hands, legs and feet also play significant roles. A few important and common postures are:

(i) Leg Postures

(a) Standard leg-cross posture
In this posture, one leg neatly crosses over the other leg – usually right leg over the left for men and left leg over the right for women. This posture indicates nervous, reserved and defensive attitude. This is a supportive gesture and occurs with other postures and should not be interpreted in isolation. It is common among the audience listening to a lecture. It also happens during cold weather. If it happens with arms folded in front of the chest, it will be foolish to expect any positive outcome from the interaction.
Standing leg cross posture
When attending a meeting or a function, one finds a number of persons standing with cross legs and folded arms in front. They also stand at a distance from one another indicating they are strangers to one another. This group would remain well buttoned up. You will also notice another group who are standing with arms unfolded, coats unbuttoned and more relaxed than the previous group. They know one another well, moving in and out of each others‟ intimate distance frequently.
(e) Cold or defensive posture
Many persons claim that they cross legs and arms because they feel cold. This is often a cover-up because there is a difference between the two. When a person feels cold, he puts his arms under the armpit and not under the elbows. When one feels cold, a person folds his arms in the form of a body hug and legs are crossed but straight, stiff and pressed hard against each other.
(f) Ankle-lock posture
Ankle lock is also a negative gesture similar to cross leg and cross arm posture. In male version, ankle lock is combined with clenched fists on the knees or with hands tightly gripping the arms of the chair and feet are together near the ankle. In the female version, knees are held together and legs crossing below the knees. Hands are either on the thighs next to each other or one above the other. This kind of posture is common among candidates for interviews. They try to hold back negative thoughts, emotions and nervousness. Litigants sit with ankle lock in the court. Girls in miniskirts sit in that position and observers are likely to misinterpret!

(ii) Feet postures

(a) Foot-lock posture
This posture is almost exclusive to women – toes of one foot lock around the other leg. It is a defensive position. In this posture, women become a mental recluse, retreating like a tortoise in to the shell.
(b) Standing erect with evenly distributed weight on both legs
Person is confident
(c) Standing with tilted body weight
It is a clumsy and casual posture
(d) Standing with drooping shoulders and sagging body
It is a timid and weak personality.
(e) Standing with arms held loosely by the side of the body
Person is open and friendly.
Postures represent ones‟ personality. Observers are able to recognize persons from a long distance because of the familiarity with their standing postures even before they are able to see them clearly.