The head tilting belongs to the categorized MICROPOSITIVES, meaning the positive small nonverbal cues humans send to each other and conveying engagement, rapport, curiosity, support, listening, attention.
The American MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) researcher Mary P. Rowe (see picture) categorized this way the micro expressions in 1973 and she's showing herself a head tilting position on this photo.
When someone communicates micropositives to us, like in this case, we feel cared for, included and listened to.
This is called a head tilt, and it is a great micropositive.
Any time we're trying to hear something better, we tilt our head over to the side and expose our ear.
We all know the expression lending an ear to someone, meaning that you listen carefully and sympathetically. Or saying that you are all ears meaning that you are listening very attentively.
You will also see that even our four-legged friends tilt their head like this when they are trying to better hear something.
Due to the shape of dogs' ear canal and the outer ear, shifting head and ear positions helps them hear sound better as well as figure out where sound is coming from.
You can use this yourself to show others that you are listening. You can also note down that when you see this signal in someone else, it means they are truly listening to you.
But mind the way you do it because head tilting could be interpreted differently like :
a) to appear innocent b) to flirt with someone.
Angling your head to the side, associated with other nonverbal cues like smiling and shrugging your shoulders, is a way to play the cutesy.
In the same way, inclining your head to the side, tied with a cheese smile and lifted eyebrows, can convey a coyness message.
Bottom line: to make the best use of the micropositive "head tilt" to communicate your interest and listening, don't exaggerate your tilting and renforce your good intentions with other nonverbal cues like a light smile, a steady stare and no moving hands.
Comments