BODY LANGUAGE CHECKLIST CIS 115 Information Security, Social Engineering Lab Adrianna Holden-Gouveia, aholdengouveia.name Use this checklist for Part 2 of the Social Engineering lab (the Observation Game). Social engineers watch body language to work out who's in charge, who's likely to help them, and how to make people trust them. In this lab, you're practicing noticing the same things. BEFORE YOU START: READ THIS --------------------------- - Body language is a clue, not proof. One gesture on its own doesn't mean much. Look for groups of signals that point the same way, and for changes, such as someone who was relaxed suddenly crossing their arms. - You can't tell if someone is lying from their body language. Research shows most people spot lies only slightly better than chance. Nervous people often look "shifty" when they're telling the truth. - People are different. Culture, disability, neurodivergence, pain, tiredness, and just being cold can all change how someone stands, moves, or makes eye contact. For example, in some cultures, looking away is a sign of respect, not dishonesty. Some autistic people find eye contact uncomfortable. Describe what you see, and be careful about what you decide it means. - Don't be creepy. Follow the rules in the lab: watch from a normal distance, don't record anyone, and don't write down anything that could identify a stranger. 1. HANDSHAKES AND GREETINGS --------------------------- - Whose hand is on top? Turning your hand so it's on top shows dominance. Offering your hand palm up can look more open, or more submissive. - Grabbing the other person's upper arm or elbow, or covering their hand with your other hand (sometimes called the "politician's handshake") - How long and how firm the handshake is. Who lets go first? - Hugs, fist bumps, waves, nods, or no greeting at all - Who greets whom first? Who waits to be greeted? 2. POSTURE ---------- Taking up space (often confident or dominant): - A wide stance, or hands on hips - Leaning back with hands behind the head, or elbows wide - Arms spread over the backs of nearby chairs - Feet up, or sitting sideways across a chair Making yourself smaller (often less confident, uncomfortable, or cold): - Crossed arms or legs, hunched shoulders - Holding a bag, cup, or phone in front of the body like a barrier - Hands tucked into pockets or sleeves Leaning: - Leaning toward someone often shows interest - Leaning away can show discomfort or boredom 3. EYE CONTACT -------------- - Who holds a gaze, and who looks away first? - Who do people look at when they talk, or when someone tells a joke? The person everyone checks with is often the one in charge. - Looking at a phone, the door, or a clock can show someone wants to leave - Long staring can be a challenge. Rolling eyes shows disagreement or contempt. 4. TOUCH -------- - Who touches whom, and where, such as a shoulder, arm, or back? - People with more power often touch others more than they're touched - A pat on the back can be friendly, or a way of showing who's in charge - Does the person being touched lean in, stay still, or pull away? 5. PERSONAL SPACE ----------------- - Who moves closer, and who steps back? - Close friends and family usually stand closer than strangers - Someone who keeps stepping back may be uncomfortable - Personal space is different in different cultures and places, such as a crowded bus compared with a quiet office 6. TALKING ---------- - Who talks the most? - Who interrupts, and who gets interrupted? - Who gets the last word? - Who changes the subject, and does everyone follow? - Who asks questions, and who answers them? 7. POSITION ----------- - Who is standing, and who is sitting? Who is higher up? - Who sits at the head of the table, or in the middle of the group? - Who is near the door, or on the edge of the group? - When the group moves, who leads and who follows? 8. FACIAL EXPRESSIONS --------------------- - Smiles: does the smile reach the eyes? Real smiles usually make the skin around the eyes crinkle. Polite smiles often only use the mouth. - Frowns, raised eyebrows, squinting, and pressed lips - Quick expressions that flash and disappear, such as a brief frown before a smile - Does the face match the words? For example, saying "that's great" with a flat face 9. HANDS AND GESTURES --------------------- - Pointing at someone, or jabbing a finger, can feel aggressive - Open palms often look honest and friendly - Steepling (fingertips touching, like a church roof) can show confidence - Fidgeting, tapping, or playing with hair, jewelry, or a pen can show nerves or boredom - Touching the face or neck, or rubbing the arms, can show stress 10. MIRRORING ------------- - Do people copy each other's posture, gestures, or speed of talking? - People who get along often mirror each other without noticing - Social engineers sometimes mirror on purpose, because people tend to trust and like someone who mirrors them 11. FEET AND BODY DIRECTION --------------------------- - Feet often point where someone wants to go. Feet pointed at the exit can mean they want to leave. - Is someone's body turned toward the person they're talking to, or only their head? - Is the group in a closed circle, or open so others can join? 12. TONE (IF YOU CAN HEAR IT) ----------------------------- - Volume: who is louder, and who gets quieter? - Speed: rushing can show nerves or excitement - Pitch: does someone's voice go up when they're nervous? - Pauses and silence: who is comfortable with silence, and who fills it? WHY THIS MATTERS FOR SECURITY ----------------------------- - Social engineers look for the person in charge, so they can name-drop them ("Your manager asked me to..."). - They look for people who seem helpful, busy, or stressed, because those people are easier to rush. - They mirror, smile, and keep an open posture to build trust quickly. - Knowing these tricks helps you notice when someone is using them on you. TAKING NOTES ------------ For each conversation, write down: - The date, the time, and the general setting, such as "campus café, Tuesday afternoon" or the name of the show and episode - Who was there, described generally, such as "two coworkers" or "a parent and a teenager". No names or details that identify a stranger. - Which items from this checklist you saw - What you think they meant, and why - Anything that didn't fit, or that you weren't sure about REFERENCES ---------- HelpGuide.org: Body Language and Nonverbal Communication https://www.helpguide.org/relationships/communication/nonverbal-communication Cleveland Clinic: Nonverbal Communication: What It Is, Types & Examples https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/nonverbal-communication Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School: Reading Body Language in Negotiation (mirroring, and why body language can't reliably spot lies) https://www.pon.harvard.edu/daily/negotiation-skills-daily/negotiation-techniques-and-body-language-body-language-negotiation-examples-in-real-life/ Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School: Nonverbal Communication in Negotiation: Are Dominance Displays Effective? (2026) https://www.pon.harvard.edu/daily/batna/nonverbal-communication-in-negotiation-are-dominance-displays-effective/ Joe Navarro, a former FBI agent who studies body language, on Psychology Today. His book is "What Every BODY Is Saying" (2008). https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/contributors/joe-navarro-ma