Looking out at an audience, do you see legs being stretched? (as the audience loses interest) or perhaps chins are being lightly stroked, heads titled? (signs of contemplation). Let’s look at how to decode an audience.
In a normal conversation, the speaker hears audible back-channelling signals such as ‘uh-huh’, ‘yeah’ and ‘mmm’. When addressing an audience however there may be muted audible back-channelling, especially if the talk elicits no laughs, but the back-channels are being used, you just need to know what to look for.
First off, It is important to acknowledge that any audience is made up of a group of individuals, each with different interests, attention spans and moods. To that end, any one action, even an individual falling asleep, is a distraction best ignored by the speaker. Instead, they should be looking for patterns of behaviour that can help them understand the predominant feeling of the group, allowing for adaptation.
And, as with decoding any behaviour, context should be considered. The room temperature, the audience’s proximity from the speaker, the length of the speech/presentation, even the type of chairs used, all affect the audience. And there’s another key factor to be aware of, the contagion affect. Think back to your school days. If the teacher has lost discipline and your mates are messing about (or not paying attention), then there’s a good chance you did the same. Likewise a well-behaved attentive group will promote better attention on your part.
So, what should speakers be looking for?
#1 Heads You Win
Tilted heads show an interest in what’s being said, indicating that the speaker has the ear of the receiver. They may be curious, empathetic or even doubting but they are listening. Unless the tilted head is heavy and supported by a hand, as this signals boredom or a lack of interest. [1] Humans only tilt their heads when they feel safe as the act exposes the neck. This vulnerability is often countered by tucking the chin in or touching the neck on feeling discomfort. So telling is a sideways tilting head that it’s a difficult posture to adopt when feeling uncomfortable. [2]
Dropping the chin (lowering the head) appears to be a universal sign of submission, [3] and in the case of an audience member this may signal disengagement. Chins jutting forward, in advance of the forehead, are more likely to be displays of arrogance or aggression, whereas raised chin displays show a confidence that may be taken as a feeling of superiority.
Acceptance and agreement can be seen in the form of nodding heads but the rate of nodding is relevant. A slow nod shows agreement, acceptance or that something significant has been acknowledged. [4] Quick, repetitive nodding can mean impatience, whilst the constant nodder should be seen with scepticism (so check that the nodding is occurring at appropriate times for the content of the talk). [5]
Shaking heads are not ideal – often denoting disagreement - but see how they relate to the speaker’s words. Slow nodding could simply be signalling shared incredulity.
Our heads, like our bodies and feet, tend to angle or point towards that which interests us and away from that which repels. [6] So, regardless of the tilt, the head is at its most attentive when facing the speaker with both ears visible to the speaker.
#2 The Eyes Have It
Human brains are attuned to direct gazes and we have a dedicated neural network to notice and process eye contact. Speakers should notice where the audience’s is looking. People look where they’re interest takes them so staring out a window, at the floor or eyes on a watch, clock or phone are all causes for concern. A speaker should be aware that eye contact can be difficult for some - and extended eye contact is intimidating for most people - so care should be taken not to stare at any one audience member for long, and any breaking of eye-to-eye contact should not concern the speaker. It’s also worth noting that distance affects the amount of eye contact, [7] in that audience members who are positioned farther from the speaker find it easier to maintain eye contact. It’s to be expected that eye contact is less forthcoming from members of the front row.
It may be difficult to spot but pupils dilate with interest and constrict with discomfort/repulsion (or a lack of interest).
If an audience is disagreeing with the information expressed there might be evidence of ‘eye blocking’. [8] If a speaker notices eye rubbing, the pulling at eyelids or simply fingers heading towards eyes, they should be aware that these can be signs of stress and a change of tact may be required. Squinting is another warning sign (assuming there’s not light shining in their eyes) as this form of blocking suggests disagreement or scrutiny. Blinking follows a similar eye blocking purpose but the fascinated also blink more frequently.
Eyebrows that flash are a more welcome display, signalling recognition. The eyebrow flash may be taken as an idea hitting its mark. When furrowed brows are presented, a variety of negative states such as confusion and anger may be assumed, but furrowed brows can also suggest rumination or contemplative thought. This is where context has its place. If the talk is supposed to be funny, furrowed brows are not likely to be welcome, but a challenging talk would expect to elicit this action. People have been found to put greater effort into a task if they do so with a furrowed brow. Smilers show less effort and intensity. [9] Keeping eyebrows lowered for an extended time, combined with a lowered gaze, can indicate insecurity. [10} Arched eyebrows however, reflect positivity. [11]
#3 Look at the Lips
To paraphrase Joe Navarro, “If the lips disappear, trouble is near”. Pursed lips accompany negative feelings. They may signify rejection, disagreement, frustration or general displeasure. If a speaker notices several pursed lips then it might be worth a change of tone. The antithesis of this, a relaxed mouth, signals ‘no biting’ and indicates comfort. [12]
The obvious lip action a speaker wants to witness is a smile (assuming the nature of the speech makes this appropriate). Smiles often indicate acceptance and agreement but in the case of audience members they often represent politeness, the smiler might not even be paying the speaker much attention.
#4 A Handy Tip
Look for straying hands, especially if they travel to the head, as this often indicates negative feelings. [13] When stressed, conflicted, indecisive, confused or bored, hands busy themselves. These ‘displacement activities’ are done to shift energy to temporarily release discomfort. When a speaker notices people’s hands moving to their heads it may be that they are feeling challenged in some way and perhaps a clearer explanation is be needed. A clearer sign that an audience member is puzzled is when this head touching becomes scratching.
States of confusion can also be assumed when people are spotted picking up items and putting them down again. [14] Fidgeting hands that play with personal belongings: jewellery, glasses, pens (includes doodling), can be a sign of boredom. Even a few audience members fidgeting can be cause for concern as boredom builds. Boredom is more likely if this fidgeting is accompanied by a glazed expression or looking anywhere but at the speaker.
Clasped hands can indicate that a person is carefully considering what they are hearing. They may also reflect an audience member’s urge to communicate, as can the adjusting of clothes, the biting of nails and movement of hands towards the mouth, all of which could be being done to prevent the doer from expressing a thought or emotion.
Hand face (auto contact) is not always a bad sign. Picture an index finger pointing vertically and resting on a cheek, with the other fingers curled and the thumb vertical and under the chin, this is a cue for evaluation. Whilst decision making can be seen in the stroking of the chin. If this chin stroking becomes a chin flick (with the fingers nails flicked outwards) then this can be a tell for rejection (similar to the jutted tongue).
#5 Size Matters
How much space is each member of an audience taking up? If people are making themselves small – feet tucked under their chair or feet together, arms crossed or hands in laps, elbows in, ankles locked, head down – then they are withdrawn. Crossed limbs might simply mean the room is cold but people sat with their arms folded (which provides a protective barrier) and legs crossed (which also gives them a limb surface comforting pressure) reject more and recall less. By asking people to join in, put their hands up if… or take a handout, it can help them open up and become more receptive.
Open body language – square on, trunk displayed, palms open – are receptive signals but large ‘space filling’ body language isn’t always good. If people are spread out, they may be feeling dominant, arrogant, relaxed or all of the above. Comfort and confidence are good to see but when feet are stretched out in front (or wide apart) and hands are behind heads, it could be that the listener is being dismissive of the speaker.
A sign that an audience may be losing interest is when people begin sitting back. Slumping is a similar reveal. Any relaxed behaviour, such as a leg being flung over an arm rest, can be indifference with dominance and hostility to boot. If this is spotted, a change may be needed. Interested students move or lean forward in their seat, [15] whereas bored students sink lower and support their heads and stretch their legs out. [16]
Speakers want to see an alert audience, sitting upright with a slight forward lean. If bodies are ‘square on’ to the speaker it shows arousal (not that kind) which may be confrontational (even competitive) but is usually a good sign that the receiver is engaging with the speaker, so look for this torso tilting. [17]
#Movement Makers
Attentiveness is generally characterized by an absence of movement, [18] as stillness accompanies concentration. Are eyes are attuned to movement and it’s inextricably linked to meaning. Our brains primarily developed to control movement, to predict the outcome of movement and remember the result of past movements. [19] We move in attempts to block or distance [20] and these can be warning signs for a speaker to see. It’s natural for some movement to occur, especially if people are being asked to sit for long periods of time, but if a speaker notices an increase in audience movement it signals a change in their mood, most likely boredom, as they make efforts to stay alert.
An audience adopts elements of the body language displayed by the speaker. [21] They feed off a speaker’s energy and share their intensity of posture. An anxious looking speaker will spread their anxiety to the audience. Speakers should show the receptive, open and attentive body language they would like to see reflected back at them. Likewise, if a speech carries an emotion, it’s good for the speaker’s nonverbals to reflect this.
The power of this cause and effect (or feedback loop) should not be underestimated. There are similar patterns of brain activity between doing and watching. People naturally mirror the expressions of others with ease, but when asked to show the opposite emotions they find it extremely difficult or impossible. [22]
Check the Changes
A speaker should try to spot changes in an audience’s behaviour. Closed to open postures are welcome signs, open to closed might not be. It’s important to watch as barriers are presented and removed as movement peaks and troughs, and mouths relax and tense, to see how attention levels and perceptions are changing in real time.
It can be overwhelming to try to read an audience. There are so many things to look for in addition to concentrating on performing. But, with awareness and practice, the skill of reading an audience can become a natural process, done automatically with little demand on a speaker. Be aware of the content and expected reaction. Has humour been met with smiles, a challenge with raises eyebrows? Or has the content missed its mark. It’s the real time audience reactions that’ll tell you.
Body language is complex (and I’ve not even touched on cultural displays) but clusters of behaviours will present themselves. Remember, one behaviour or individual counts for little; it’s not a case generalising from the isolated. [23] Speakers should look for patterns before acting on anything seen. And even then, speakers shouldn’t change their speech too much. If a presentation is well planned and practiced the speaker should have faith in its merit and only look to change the pace or tone of the delivery, perhaps adding more variation, rather than abandoning any planned content.
One final point, public speakers share the majority of their focus on the audience members that pay them the most attention, [24] and on the people they like the most (or feel the most comfortable with). In order to better gage an audience, it’s worth spending more energy and eye contact on those whose attention may be drifting. But remember, don’t be distracted by one individual responding negatively, this person can easily take up too much of a speaker’s focus, a problem known as the ‘squeaky wheel’ bias. [25]
[1], [15], [16] Bull, P E (1978) The Psychological significance of posture. Unpublished Ph. D thesis. University of Exeter
[24] Beattie, G (2011) Get The Edge
[17], [10], [25] Bowden, M & Thomson, T (2018) Truth and Lies
[3] Collett, P (2003) The Book of Tells
[20] De Becker, G (1997) The Gift of Fear
[22] Dimberg, U. M Thunberg & K Elmehed (1999) ‘Unconscious facial reactions to emotional facial expressions,’ Psychological Science, Research Report, Uppsala University
[14], [18] Dimitrius, J and Mazzarella, M (1999) Reading People
[19] Griffin, J and Tyrrell, I (2007) Human Givens
[4], [7], [12] Jaskolka, A (2004) How We Read and Use Body Language
[23] King, N (1987) The First Five Minutes
[21] La France, M & Broadbent, M (1976) Group Rapport: Posture sharing as a nonverbal indicator. Group and Organisational Studies, 1, 328-333
[13] Morris, D (1982) Manwatching
[2], [6], [8], [11] Navarro, J (2010) Louder Than Words
[5] Peters, S (2012) The Chimp Paradox
[9] Stepper, S., & Strack, F (1993) Proprioceptive determinants of emotional and nonemotional feelings. Journal of Personality and Social. Psychology, 64, 211–220
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