Body language and facial expressions can help give clues as to how people are feeling and what they are thinking. We make constant movements every second of the day without realizing it. Trying to read facial expressions can be very hard, because they are so quick and most of the time universal. Kinesics, on the other hand, is more easily read. We are taught some very obvious types of body language, like someone is lying when they won't look you in the eye, but there are many more than that. By watching people from a distance, you can usually determine how they feel about each other, whether they are friends, family, or just plain strangers. Body language is something we see everyday that helps us communicate without words.
Kinesics is articulation of the body, or movement resulting from muscular and skeletal shift. This includes all actions, physical or physiological, automatic reflexes, posture, facial expressions, gestures, and other body movements. Body language, body idiom, gesture language, organ language and kinesis acts are just some terms used to illustrate kinesics. Kinesis acts may substitute for language, accompany it, or modify it depending on how you express it. Kinesis acts may be informative and directive in nature, or they may be controversial or empathic movements. Posture is one of the components of kinesics. Posture is broken down into three basic positions: bent knees, lying down, and standing.
"William James did a study of expression of bodily posture. He recognized the relationship of facial expression, gesture, and posture. He declared that studying each one independently was justified for the purpose of analysis, but they should be recognized as a whole unit that function as an expression. He devised four basic kinds, which are: approach, withdrawal, expansion, and contraction. Approach referred to such things as attention, interest, scrutiny, and curiosity.
