Getting Direction

"We point at things that are of interest to us and feet, being down on the ground are often not noticed."

http://changingminds.org/techniques/body/parts_body_language/feet_body_language.htm

      The above quote is of course talking about one of the most honest parts of the human body. The feet. Paying attention to another persons foot direction can potentially let you know who is interested in talking to you and in general will give you insight on to where a particular person would prefer to go / be.

     This post will be considerably short, as this particular analysis is very simple. Using the above picture as an example we will see a business man and business woman each with their feet pointed directly towards the other person. What this tells us is that, at least for the moment, these two people are generally interested in meeting with each other.

    If the business woman had one of her feet pointed outward away from the business man, this would tell us that while she is interested in what the business man has to say, she would also like to start heading in whatever direction her foot is pointing.

     Often you can see this non-verbal communication in action during a presentation. You can see if a person would prefer to leave, if their feet were pointed towards the door. If their feet are pointed towards the listeners this may signify that they are comfortable enough that they would like to communicate their point.

      So, the next time you stop someone in the hall to talk, try to notice their feet. They may prefer to continue walking instead of stopping to talk. Observing and utilizing information of non-verbal behaviors like this could help another persons subconscious image of you.

     Animators: This could potentially help you in the subtlety department. Using hints with a foots direction, you can essentially give a very subtle and early anticipation to almost any character.

     Reference:
Lane, C. 2006. Business meeting [photograph]. Retrieved September 15th, 2010 from:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/colleen-lane/4523323053/