What do crossed legs mean

They could be pushed off a chair easier than they could in any other position. The person's legs take up as little space as possible in this pose, which makes it very submissive. The standing variations are similar to the sitting ones. We usually see one of two main versions. This version has the legs straight with one crossed over the other. The feet are touching or very close. This standing posture is most often seen from young teens and kids.

It gives a person poor balance, and doesn't allow for quick movement. It also takes up less space than a regular stance. That's two more submissive features.

In this position, all the weight is on one leg. The other is bent with only the toes touching the floor. This version has less self-contact, offers slightly better balance, and takes up a bit more space than the previous one. This position is interesting because it looks relaxed.

However, it has the hallmarks of a comforting, submissive position, so the person assuming it probably isn't completely at ease. Crossed legs standing with one leg bent and toes touching the ground.

Women do this more often than men. People notice women's legs more so than men's, so they have more reason to draw attention to them. This probably isn't being done on purpose. It would be worth noticing whose attention the person is trying to get. In general, crossed legs reliably signals some anxiety and submission.

This is safe to assume as long we realize these feelings are usually within a normal range. Crossed legs certainly doesn't mean someone is a nervous wreck or afraid.

As always, remember to consider physical reasons first. The person could be seeking a little comfort because they're cold. The sitting version with ankle on ankle and the legs straight, and the standing version with one leg bent fit the bill.

With both of these, the person seems to be trying to indicate they're relaxed. Their position indicates they aren't quite there. If you're feeling defeated and want to change your mood, adopt the legs apart stance, with your head held high, and your shoulders back. By adopting this powerful position, you can create the matching feeling. From the Middle Ages to the middle of the 19th century, men of elevated position and high social status adopted a stance which conveniently displayed the inner part of the leg - one of the body's erotic zones.

Gentlemen and posers would bear their weight on one leg, presenting the other with the inner thigh facing. The fashion designs that saw men's dress move from hose to tight breeches accessorized with fine shoes, permitted and encouraged men to indulge their desire to preen and pose, showing off their legs and their masculinity. Today, redcarpet celebrities know how to position their legs to display them to their best advantage, turning their feet outward to reveal their inner thighs, the softer and most erogenous part of their legs.

This a valuable clue to a person's immediate intentions, because we point our lead foot in the direction our mind would like to go and this stance looks as if the person is beginning to walk. In a group situation, we point our lead foot at the most interesting or attractive person but when we want to leave, we point our feet at the nearest exit.

The next time you attend a meeting with men and women you will notice some groups of people standing with their arms and legs crossed.

Look more closely and you'll also see that they are standing at a greater distance from each other than the customary social distance. This is how many people stand when they are among people whom they don't know well. If you interact with them you would find that one or all of them are unfamiliar with others in the group.

While open legs can show openness or dominance, crossed legs shows a more closed, submissive or defensive attitude as they symbolically deny any access to the genitals. For a woman, positions like the scissors stance and the single leg crossed stance send two messages: one, that she intends to stay, not leave; and two, that access is denied.

When a man does it, it also shows he'll stay but wants to be sure you don't 'kick him where it hurts'. Open legs display masculinity; closed legs protect masculinity. If he's with men he feels are inferior to him, the genial display feels right; if he's with superior males, however, this gesture makes him look competitive and he feels vulnerable. Studies show that people who lack confidence also take leg crossed positions.

Imagine now that you notice another group of people standing with arms unfolded, palms visible, relaxed appearance and leaning back on one leg with the other pointing towards others in the group. All are gesturing with their hands and moving in and out of each other's personal space.

Closer investigation would reveal that these people are friends or are known personally to each other. The first group of people with the closed arms and legs may have relaxed facial expressions and conversation that sounds free and easy, but the folded arms and legs tell us that they are not as relaxed or confident with each other as they are trying to appear. Try this: join a group where you know no one and stand with your arms and legs tightly crossed and wear a serious expression.

One by one the other group members will cross their arms and legs and remain in that position until you, the stranger, leave. Walk away and watch how, one by one, the members of the group assume their original open poses once again.

Crossing the legs not only reveals negative or defensive emotions, it makes a person appear insecure and causes others to react accordingly. Some people will claim that they are not defensive or feeling insecure when they cross their arms or legs, but do it because they're cold. When someone wants to warm his hands he'll thrust them under his armpits rather than tucking them under the elbows, as is the case with a defensive arm-cross.

Second, when a person feels cold he may use a type of body hug and when the legs are crossed they are usually straight, stiff and pressed hard against each other as opposed to the more relaxed leg posture of the defensive stance or position. People who habitually cross their arms or legs prefer to say that they are cold rather than admit that they could be nervous, anxious or defensive. Others simply say they're 'comfortable'. That's probably true - when someone feels defensive or insecure, crossed arms and legs feel comfortable because it matches their emotional state.

As people begin to feel more comfortable in a group and get to know others, they move through a series of movements taking them from the defensive crossed arms and legs position to the relaxed open position. This standing 'opening-up' procedure tends to follow the same sequence everywhere.

It begins with the closed position, arms and legs crossed image 1. As they begin to feel comfortable with each other and rapport builds, their legs uncross first and their feet are placed together in the parallel stance. Next, the arm folded on top in the arm-cross comes out and the palm is occasionally flashed when speaking but is eventually not used as a barrier. Instead, it may hold the outside of the other arm in a single arm barrier.

Both arms unfold next, and one arm gestures or may be placed on the hip or in the pocket. Finally, one person takes the foot forward position, showing acceptance of the other person image 2. This is the normal crossed leg position used by most European and Asian cultures. When a person crosses both legs and arms they have emotionally withdrawn from the conversation and it can be futile to try to be convincing when they sit like this. In business contexts, we have observed that people sitting like this talk in shorter sentences, reject more proposals and can recall less detail of what was discussed than those who sit with their arms and legs in an open position.

The figure four leg position resembling the number four as viewed from above is used often by American men and increasingly by younger men within cultures that have been exposed to American entertainment and news media. It can reflect competitive or an argumentative attitude. This genital display arises also in the primate world, negating the damage that might be inflicted in a physical fight as male chimps or monkeys constantly reorder group hierarchy.

While less common in Europe it is arising diverse cultures around the world. Men sitting in this posture are perceived as being more dominant, relaxed, and youthful. This is one posture that is commonly seen with men and women in the military.

In this position, the person spreads the legs apart and the feet is placed firmly on the ground. This is a posture of dominance. This posture may look good and dignified in the armed forces, but sometimes it can also look intimidating to other people, because the person taking a dominant stand may appear to be authoritative.

This posture is generally suited for situations when a person who is junior in rank is meeting a person senior in rank. This posture conveys no commitment to stay or leave. This posture, therefore, shows that the person is neutral towards the situation and that they have no closed or negative opinions.

Care must also be taken while sitting. This is done mainly to show that the person is occupying space and is trying to be assertive, yet it gives away an altogether opposite message.

This posture shows that the person is not confident and is trying to protect himself or herself by creating a barrier between him or her and the other person. Tapping of foot is also a big problem with many people that needs to be worked on.

The habit of repeated foot tapping on the floor is symbolic of anxiety and impatience. When people wait to receive exam results or medical reports or anything that has a lot of uncertainty associated with it, they begin to tap their foot repeatedly.

This can cause pain in the lower back. It could also lead to a misalignment of your spine over time. When you have improper posture, your muscles are forced to compensate. This means they work harder then they need to, which can lead to pain and stiffness. Learn more about the best postures for sitting. However, it can cause a temporary increase in your blood pressure and lead to poor posture. For optimum health, try to avoid sitting in any one position, whether you cross your legs or not, for long periods of time.

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