If you spent Valentine’s Day with a significant other, you should have a good idea of how he or she feels about you. But those who are not currently in relationships may not be as certain that their romantic feelings for another are being returned. For these individuals, it can be helpful to analyze the other person’s body language for clues.

Last month, we looked at how eye contact influences dogs. Eye contact also reveals your inner feelings, often unconsciously. Dr. Viren Swami, a Reader in Psychology at the University of Westminster in London, England, explained that people tend to gaze longer at people they like. Not only that, but if couples believe that their partners are not looking at them enough, their attraction to each other often fades. However, men are more likely than women to respond positively to greater gaze.

Then there’s the element of touch. Swami notes that even the most fleeting of touches are often linked to greater physical attraction. Women tend to respond more positively to touch than men do, but the circumstances of the touch are important.

Speaking that Connects trains business professionals to intentionally use nonverbal communication to enhance their messages. But unintentional nonverbal cues are just as important, and reveal unexpressed feelings. Becoming aware of these nonverbal cues is an important skill to help determine a person’s mood and degree of honesty. This knowledge helps build relationships that are important on both personal and professional levels. You can read the full text of Swami’s article here.

Eileen N. Sinett Communications