Gestures: Why do we put our hands on our hips?
updated the 17 August 2015 à 11:26This is the preferred posture of police officers or soldiers when they speak together. It is also what coaches teach women leaders to do to establish their authority. But why?
Placing the hands on the hips is a pretty common posture. Although a rather masculine gesture (just look at the military and the policemen), women have also adopted for certain social situations.
Whether it is the right hand on the right hip, left hand on left hip, or both hands on the hips forming what resembles two pot handles… it is a gesture we have all unconsciously done at some point. But why is this move embedded in us as humans? What are we trying to say when we do it? The answers to these questions are in the book of body language experts Joseph and Caroline Messinger, ‘Savoir parler en public avec son corps’ (How to speak in public using your body) from which are the excerpts below:
The left hand on the left hip:
reveals a unique speaker who invests n his public image or ego, or both.
The right hand on the right hip:
indicates a speaker whose ambition is mitigated by his vanity.
Both hands on the hips:
may reflect anger or pride. It is also puts forward a social image characterized by a lack of assurance, provided that the person does it regularly.
We should also take into account the orientation of the fingers when the hands are placed on the hips:
– The rear-facing fingers or upper buttocks indicate that the speaker is tired.
– The fingers pointed to the ground betray a form of hypersensitivity. This attitude is typical of shy individuals (See the above photo of Marilyn Monroe)
– The fingers facing forward reflect a self-affirmation or highlighting of strengths, as if the speaker had the need to be in control…
