Humans are social creatures who communicate with each other in a wide variety of ways including body language. You how someone doesn’t have to explicitly state that they’re angry, it’s just written all over their face? Well, this one is pretty obvious, but there are many more cues that you don’t always consciously pick up on due to how subtle they are. Or that they don’t always mean what we’ve been led to believe. And if you do, keep in mind that they don’t always mean what you think. Now let us have a look at some of the coolest things you may have not known about body language.

1. Crossed Arms Are Self-Soothing, Not Blocking

We’re often told that someone crossing their arms is a sure sign that they’re not interested in conversing with you as they’re trying to set boundaries and widen the distance. But not everyone’s feeling a sense of discomfort or fear as they’re doing this. So what else might it be? Well for some people, it’s more of a self-soothing mechanism, one they naturally resort to when they’re trying to think. Other times, it could simply be that you’re just tired and need something to do with your arms. 

2. You Ventilate When You’re Upset

The act of ventilating one’s self is automatically seen by most people as a clear indication of deception. You know, like when someone’s pressed with an uncomfortable question and they start overheating and pull out their collar in response. But one reason for ventilating that’s often overlooked is anger—sometimes, a person will attempt to manage or lessen their stress by doing the above. Other times, they’re simply uncomfortable but not necessarily dishonest.

3. Your Eye Direction Doesn’t Indicate Deception

Breaking eye contact isn’t always an obvious sign that someone is lying—in fact, some of the best liars will look you dead in the eyes while doing so. It is also said that looking up to the left or the right means that you’re trying to access the corresponding part of the brain to either recall a memory or fabricate a lie. In reality, this sort of “clue” is completely unreliable, so it’s not always a great tactic to rely on when sussing out the truth.

4. Blink Rate 

The average adult is said to blink about 15 to 20 times per minute. But this number drastically changes when you’re not being honest—up to three to four times the average. Take for instance Bill Clinton who was filmed blinking up to nearly 100 times per minute when he was giving his disposition. Even car dealers and other professionals will pay close attention to your eyes. In other words, they will know when you’re stressed and will respond by turning up the heat on you.

5. Arms Akimbo is About Dominance

Just what is “arms akimbo?” It’s basically this move when you place your hands on your hips, with your elbows sticking out and your thumbs pointing to the back. This posture is one of authority and dominance, and doing so unconsciously lets others know that you’re feeling in charge of a situation. Now if you move your fingers back and your thumbs out, you’re letting them know that you’re no longer trying to run the show but are curious and interested in what’s happening.