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27 Best Books on Body Language
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He says that's his best offer. Is it?She says she agrees. Does she?The interview went great—or did it?He said he'd never do it again. But he did.Read this book and send your nonverbal intelligence soaring. Joe Navarro, a former FBI counterintelligence officer and a recognized expert on nonverbal behavior, explains how to "speed-read" people: decode...
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Available for the first time in the United States, this international bestseller reveals the secrets of nonverbal communication to give you confidence and control in any face-to-face encounter–from making a great first impression and acing a job interview to finding the right partner. It is a scientific fact that people’s gestures give away their tr...
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9 Best Body Language Books (or Courses) | The Power Movesthepowermoves.com
The Definitive Book of Body Language Summarywhatyouwilllearn.com
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Without Saying a Word explains how even the subtlest motions have meaning. Distilling decades of research, the book deciphers these unspoken signals. One wrong move can undercut your message. Believe it or not, our bodies speak louder than our words. Postures, gestures, and expressions convey reams of information—and often not what you’d expect. A ...
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Discover the ways you have been inadvertently communicating negative, positive, neutral, or mixed messages with the simple body movements you habitually make without even thinking about it. Know when someone is lying to you!Do you ever feel that someone's gestures are telling you something different than the words they are saying? Has a cashier ask...
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Nationally renowned body language expert Tonya Reiman illuminates what until now has been a gray area in interpersonal communication: harnessing the power of your nonverbal cues to get what you want out of every aspect of life, from professional encounters to personal relationships.
Unlike other books on this fascinating topic, The Power of Body La...
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Three former CIA officers--among the world's foremost authorities on recognizing deceptive behavior--share their proven techniques for uncovering a lieImagine how different your life would be if you could tell whether someone was lying or telling you the truth. Be it hiring a new employee, investing in a financial interest, speaking with your child...
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“Louder Than Words takes us from an understanding of nonverbal behavior to an understanding of something far more valuable for success—nonverbal intelligence.” — Robert B. Cialdini, author of Influence: Science and Practice“Joe Navarro brings together the art and science of nonverbal communications for the business sector with the edge of a former ...
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The Unique System of Nonverbal Skills Used by the Most Effective Leaders in Business Today CONTROL THE CONVERSATION, COMMAND ATTENTION, AND CONVEY THE RIGHT MESSAGE--WITHOUT SAYING A WORDWhether you're presenting an idea, delivering a speech, managing a team, or negotiating a deal, your body language plays a key role in your overall success.This in...
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What people say is often very different from what they think or feel.
Body language by Allan Pease is just what you require to know those feelings which people often try to hide. This book adds a new dimension to human communication.It is a must for anybody whose business or personal life involves face-to-face interaction with other people. How to ...
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Read Body Language: Books to help you understand people in a better way | Most Searched Products - Times of Indiam.timesofindia.com
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Now You’re Talking!Do you want to be bulletproof at work, secure in your relationship, and content in your own skin? If so, it’s more important than ever to be aware of what your body is saying to the outside world.
Unfortunately, most of what you’ve heard from other body language experts is wrong, and, as a result, your actions may be hurting, not...
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Body Language Mastery by Brandon Cooper
The Silent Language of Leaders by Carol Kinsey Goman
Body Language by Harvey Segler
The Secret Language of Your Body by Inna Segal
The Like Switch by Jack Schafer
Body Language For Dummies by Elizabeth Kuhnke
Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Captivate by Vanessa van Edwards
Grandparents' Bag of Stories by Sudha Murty
7 Divine Laws to Awaken Your Best Self by Swami Mukundananda
THE PRESIDENTIAL YEARS by Pranab Mukherjee
Pandemonium by Tamal Bandyopadhyay
Truth and Lies by Mark Bowden
Body Language by James Borg
Unfinished by Priyanka Chopra Jonas
11 Best Body Language Books Ranked and Reviewed
These are the top books on body language, ranked and reviewed.
Also, see my book guides on social skills, conversation skills, and self-confidence.
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The best body language books overall
1. Top pick overall
2. Top pick for revealing lies and deception
3. Top pick as a complete reference dictionary
4. Top pick on improving YOUR OWN body language
5. Top pick on understanding facial expressions
6. Top business pick
The best books on reading body language
1. The Definitive Book of Body Language
2. What Every Body Is Saying
3. The Dictionary of Body Language
4. Emotions Revealed
5. Improve Your Social Skills
The best books on improving your own body language
1. You Say More Than You Think
2. Louder Than Words
3. Improve Your Social Skills
4. The Power of Body Language
Top pick overall
1. The Definitive Book of Body Language
Author: Barbara Pease, Allan Pease
This is a great book on body language.
It covers both how to read cues and how to adjust your own body language. It contains a LOT of illustrations which helps tremendously.
It could be a bit more detailed, and the humor is pretty childish at times. But because of how comprehensive and well-researched it is while still being non-technical, it was easy to choose this one as my top pick.
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Do buy this book if…
1. You want something that covers it all.
2. You want something that’s simple to read.
3. You want a book with lots of illustrations (Best illustrations of the books I’ve reviewed)
Do NOT buy this book if…
1. You want something specifically about business. If so, read Louder than Words.
2. You want something even more comprehensive. If so, read The Dictionary of Body Language.
3. You want something specifically on revealing deception. If so, read What Every Body is Saying.
4.5 stars on Amazon.
Top pick for revealing lies and deception
2.
What Every Body Is SayingAuthor: Joe Navarro
The flavor of this book, in comparison to The Definitive Book of Body Language, is that this one is more focused on conflict, deceit, deception, etc. The Definitive Book is more applicable in day-to-day life, and that’s why I put that one as my top recommendation and this one as my secondary.
Some of the stuff felt obvious but that’s the case with all body language books. Therefore, this is my top pick on lies and deception.
A recommendation
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Do buy this book if…
You want to be better at reading people who might deceive you
Do NOT buy this book if…
You want something that covers relationships and understanding of day-to-day interaction. Instead, get The Definitive Book of Body Language.
If you want something that covers social interaction from an Aspergers perspective, I’d recommend Improve Your Social Skills.
4.6 stars on Amazon.
Top pick as a complete reference dictionary
3. The Dictionary of Body Language
Author: Joe Navarro
This book is literally a dictionary where you can look up what each thinkable gesture means.
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Opposed to Navarro’s previous book What Every Body is Saying, this isn’t just about figuring out of someone lies, but all kinds of body language.
I wouldn’t recommend this as a first book, but rather as a reference book to go back to.
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Do buy this book if…
You want a reference list of all thinkable kinds of gestures.
Do NOT buy this book if…
You’re looking for your first read. First, read The Definitive Book of Body Language if you want general skills or What Every Body is Saying if you want to be better at picking up on lies.
4.6 stars on Amazon.
Top pick on how to improve YOUR OWN body language
4. You Say More Than You Think
Author: Janine Driver
The book is great. As opposed to the other books, this one only focuses on how to adjust your own body language. The writing is great but the illustrations could be better.
Do buy this book if…
You want to improve your own body language but aren’t that interested in being better at reading others
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Do NOT buy this book if…
You want good illustrations. If so, get The Definitive Book of Body Language (Which also covers how to work with your own body language, but less in-depth).
4.5 stars on Amazon.
Next level understanding of facial expressions
5. Emotions Revealed
Author: Paul Ekman
I read this book many years ago and I still go back to it for reference. It’s not the standard body language book – this one’s focused purely on facial expressions and the emotions they represent.
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The book is about how to read very small nuances in people’s faces. It has helped me become more empathetic and it’s considered a cult classic on reading people’s emotions.
4.5 stars on Amazon.
Do buy this book if…
You want the best book on picking up on people’s facial expressions.
Do NOT buy this book if…
You want something about body language in general.
Top business pick
6. Louder Than Words
Author: Joe Navarro
Joe Navarro is really milking his past as an FBI agent and he’s written no less than 5 books on the topic. But the books are indeed good so why not.
This book is about understanding body language cues in a business setting. It’s very similar to What Every Body is Saying so no need to read both.
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Do buy this book if…
You specifically want a business-focused body language book.
Do NOT buy this book if…
You want to be better at body language in general. Instead, read The Definitive Book of Body Language.
4.6 stars on Amazon.
If you have Aspergers
7. Improve Your Social Skills
Author: Daniel Wendler
This book is about social skills in general and has become somewhat of a cult book for people with Aspergers. It has a chapter about body language, and therefore, I also add it to this list.
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Also note that a lot of people with Aspergers also like The Definitive Book of Body Language, because it’s so comprehensive.
Read my review of Improve Your Social Skills in my social skills book guide.
8. The Power of Body Language
Author: Tonya Reiman
This is a decent book but the ones at the top of this guide are better.
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While those are more comprehensive books for someone who really wants to master body language, this one’s more for the mainstream. There’s also a lot more focus on reading the opposite sex.
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It’s lacking in illustrations.
Do buy this book if…
You want a less in-depth introduction to body language, or you mainly want to be better at body language related to dating.
Do NOT buy this book if…
You want something in-depth. Then The Definitive Book of Body Language is better.
4.4 stars on Amazon.
9. Body Language
Authors: Harvey Segler, Jacob Jerger
There are so much better books on body language than this one. It’s not a terrible book, it’s just that it covers nothing new.
I’d recommend the top books of this guide over it.
4.0 stars on Amazon.
10. The Secrets of Body Language
Author: Philippe Turchet
This is an OK book on body language, but there are better ones (Like the ones by the beginning of this guide) that are more actionable.
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It covers all the usual stuff, like how to pick up on what others mean and how to improve your own body language. On the upside, it has great illustrations, which is why I think it deserves a place on this list.
3.18 stars on Goodreads. Amazon.
11. Without Saying a Word
Author: Kasia Wezowski
This book has great ratings on Amazon but it turned out to be a mediocre book. After examining the reviews closer on Amazon and comparing with the reviews of Goodreads, I’m pretty sure that the Amazon reviews are fake.
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This book goes through all the stuff that the other books go through, and also pick stuff from Emotions Revealed about micro expressions.
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There are much better books on the subject, but since this book has an artificially high rating, I thought I’d mention it in this guide so you have a chance to hear my opinion on it.
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Allan Pease - Body language. How to read the thoughts of others by their gestures read online
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Allan Pease
Body language. How to read the thoughts of others by their gestures
Chapter I
General understanding of body language
By the end of the 20th century, a new type of social scientist, specialist in the field of non-verbalism, appeared. Just as an ornithologist enjoys observing the behavior of birds, so a non-verbalist enjoys observing non-verbal signs and signals when people communicate. He watches them at formal receptions, at the beach, on TV, at work, wherever people interact. He studies the behavior of people, seeking to learn more about the actions of his comrades in order to learn more about himself and how to improve his relationships with other people.
It seems almost unbelievable that in over a million years of human evolution, non-verbal aspects of communication began to be seriously studied only from the beginning of the sixties, and the public became aware of their existence only after Julius Fast published his book in 1970 year. This book summarized the research on the non-verbal aspects of communication done by behavioral scientists before 1970, but even today most people are still unaware of the existence of body language, despite its importance in their lives.
Charlie Chaplin and other silent film actors were the founders of non-verbal communication, for them it was the only means of communication on the screen. Each actor was classified as good or bad based on how they could use gestures and other body movements to communicate. When sound films became popular and less attention was paid to the non-verbal aspects of acting, many silent film actors left the stage, and actors with pronounced verbal abilities began to predominate on the screen.
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As regards the technical side of the study of the problem of body language; Perhaps the most influential work of the early 20th century was Charles Darwin's "The Expression of the Emotions in Humans and Animals", published in 1872. It stimulated modern research in the field of "body language", and many of Darwin's ideas and his observations are recognized by researchers today. all over the world. Since that time, scientists have discovered and recorded more than 1000 non-verbal signs and signals.
Albert Meyerabian found that the transmission of information occurs through verbal means (only words) by 7%, by sound means (including tone of voice, intonation of sound) by 38%, and by non-verbal means by 55%. Professor Birdwissle has done similar research on the proportion of non-verbal means in human communication. He found that the average person only speaks words for 10-11 minutes a day, and that each sentence lasts no more than 2.5 seconds on average. Like Meyerabian, he found that less than 35% of the information in a conversation is verbal, and more than 65% of the information is conveyed through non-verbal means of communication.
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Most researchers share the opinion that the verbal (verbal) channel is used to convey information, while the non-verbal channel is used to “discuss” interpersonal relationships, and in some cases is used instead of verbal messages. For example, a woman can send a murderous look to a man, and she will clearly convey her attitude to him without even opening her mouth.
Regardless of a person's cultural level, words and the movements that accompany them coincide with such a degree of predictability that Birdwissle even claims that a well-trained person can tell from the voice what movement a person is making. the moment of pronouncing a particular phrase. Conversely, Birdwissle learned to determine what voice a person is speaking by observing his gestures at the moment of speech. nine0003
Many people find it difficult to accept that man is, after all, a biological being. Homo sapiens is a species of large, hairless monkey that has learned to walk on two legs and has a well-developed brain.
Like other animals, we are subject to biological laws that control our actions, reactions, body language and gestures. Surprisingly, the animal man rarely realizes that his posture, gestures and movements can contradict what his voice says. nine0003
Receptivity, Intuition and Premonitions
When we say that a person is sensitive and intuitive, we mean that he (or she) has the ability to read another person's non-verbal signals and compare these signals with verbal signals. In other words, when we say that we have a premonition, or that our “sixth sense” tells us that someone has told a lie, we really mean that we have noticed a discrepancy between the body language and the words spoken by this person. Lecturers call this the feeling of the audience. For example, if listeners sit deep in their chairs with their chins down and their arms crossed over their chests, the receptive person will have a premonition that his message will not succeed. He will understand that something needs to be changed in order to interest the audience.
And an unreceptive person, accordingly, will not pay attention to this and will aggravate his mistake. nine0003
Women are usually more sensitive than men, and this explains the existence of such a thing as female intuition. Women have an innate ability to notice and decipher non-verbal signals, to capture the smallest details. Therefore, few of the husbands can deceive their wives, and, accordingly, most women can find out the secret of a man in his eyes, which he does not even suspect.
This feminine intuition is especially well developed in women who are involved in the upbringing of small children. nine0003
For the first few years, a mother relies solely on nonverbal communication with her child, and women are thought to be better negotiators than men due to their intuition.
Congenital, Genetic, Acquired and Cultural Signals.
Although much research has been done, there is heated debate about whether non-verbal cues are innate or acquired, whether they are genetically transmitted or acquired in some other way.
Evidence has come from observations of blind, deaf, and deaf-mute people who could not learn nonverbal language through auditory or visual receptors. Observations were also made on the gestural behavior of various nations and the behavior of our closest anthropological relatives, monkeys and macaques, was studied. nine0003
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Read online “Body language. The ABC of Human Behavior, Julius Fast - LitRes
1
The body is a message
Kinesics
Recently, a new fascinating science has emerged - kinesics (from Greek kinesis - movement). Her subject was the study of body language. It studies the reflection of human behavior in a non-verbal (extra-verbal) form: body movements (gestures, facial expressions) used in the process of human communication. nine0003
Kinesics as a science was born in the second half of the 20th century, so there are not too many scientists dealing with these problems.
Research has shown the boundaries between body language and verbal communication. A classic example is a young woman telling a therapist that she loves her friend very much, while shaking her head from side to side, indicating subconscious denial.
The study of body language also shed new light on the nature of interfamily relationships. For example, a picture of the members of a family in full assembly may reveal some of its essential features only by the movements of the arms and legs. If the mother crosses her legs and everyone else follows her example, then we can conclude that she occupies a leading position in the family, although these movements occur, probably unconsciously. Moreover, she can sincerely deny her leadership - after all, she consults with her husband or children, but the non-verbal signal "follow the leader" will be unmistakably detected by anyone who is familiar with kinesics. nine0003
A new signal from the subconscious
Dr. Edward H.
Hess talked about a recent conference at the American College of Medical Hypnosis where a new kinesic signal was reported - involuntary pupil dilation at the sight of something pleasant. On a utilitarian level, this can be of help, for example, when playing poker, if the player is familiar with this fact. When the partner's pupils dilate, you can be sure that he has a good combination of cards in his hands. The player is probably not even aware of his ability to pick up this signal, and neither is his partner, who sends a "telegram" of his luck. nine0003
Dr. Hess found that the pupil of a normal human eye doubles in size at the sight of an image of a naked woman. The scientist notes the use of this new kinesic signal to determine the effectiveness of commercial advertising on television. During the demonstration of the commercial, the eyes of the audience were photographed. Later, the photographic film was carefully studied with a specific goal: to find out at what point the pupil dilation occurs.
In other words, when there is a spontaneous joyful response to advertising. nine0003
Body language can include any reflex or non-reflex movement of part or all of the body as an expressed human emotion.
To understand this non-speech language, kinesic experts must constantly take cultural and social differences into account. An ordinary person who is not familiar with these features often misinterprets gestures, facial expressions, and body movements.
How to understand a girl at a distance
Allen, a young man from a small town, came to the big city to visit Ted. In the evening, on his way to a friend's house for a big cocktail party, he saw a pretty young brunette crossing the street. Allen followed her, attracted by her wonderful walk. If he had ever received a silent message, this was it! nine0003
He followed her, realizing that the girl felt his presence, and noticed that she did not quicken her pace. Allen was quite sure it was a call.
Red light comes on.
Allen plucked up courage and, approaching the girl, said with a friendly smile: "Hello."
To his surprise, she turned her angry face towards him and said through her teeth:
- If you don't leave me alone, I'll call the cop.
As soon as the green signal came on, she disappeared. Allen was petrified and blushed in embarrassment. nine0003
He hurried over to Ted's where the party was in full swing. While Ted was pouring whiskey, Allen told him about this unfortunate incident. Ted laughed:
- Yes, old man, you're out of luck.
- But damn it, Ted, no girl in my area would allow herself to walk like that without a purpose.
- These are our Spanish-speaking neighbors. Most girls, despite their appearance, are very decent,” Ted explained.
Allen did not understand that in the culture of many Spanish-speaking countries, where there are strict rules of behavior in society, a young girl can freely demonstrate her seductiveness and look catchy without fear of getting into an unpleasant story.
In fact, the gait that Allen considered inviting should have been considered quite natural, and the restrained, even prim manner of an American woman in the same circumstances would probably have looked devoid of grace and unnatural. nine0003
Allen walked among the guests and gradually forgot the unfortunate oversight.
As the party drew to a close, Ted took him to a corner and asked:
- Do you like anyone here?
“There, Janet,” Allen sighed. - Old man, I really like her...
- Well, that's great. Ask her to stay. There will be some margin left, and we'll have dinner.
- I don't know. She's just... It seems I'm unlikely to get reciprocity.
- Come on! nine0003
- No, no, all evening she seemed to be saying: "Stay away."
– Yes, Janet likes you. She told me about it.
“But…” Allen objected, bewildered, “then why is she so… so… I don’t know, she looks like she wants to tell me not to come near.
- Well, that's Janet.
You just didn't understand her.
"I'll never understand this city," Allen said, still bewildered but already pleased.
As Allen found out, in Catholic countries, girls can send signals with their behavior to suggest flirting, but they are always under the supervision of escorts, and no physical contact is possible. In countries where it is not necessary to accompany a young girl, she defends herself from annoying harassment with a series of non-verbal messages that mean: "Hands off." When the situation is such that a man cannot, in accordance with the rules of conduct, approach an unfamiliar girl on the street, she can move fearlessly and freely. In a city like New York, where you can expect anything, especially at a cocktail party, you have to learn a number of non-verbal cues to protect you from all sorts of harassment. To make this clear, the girl will assume a characteristic frozen posture, modestly crossing her legs if standing, or, if sitting, crossing her arms over her chest and using other protective gestures.
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The fact is that in every situation there are two elements: sending a message and receiving it. Had Allen been familiar with this, he would not have been embarrassed in one case and would have avoided uncertainty in another.
To touch or not to touch
Body language, in addition to sending and receiving messages understood and used accurately, also serves to break through defenses. I'll tell you about a businessman who went a little overzealous in his pursuit of a very profitable deal. nine0003
“It was a deal,” he told me, “good not only for me, but also for Tom. Tom arrived in Salt Lake City from Bountiful, which is located nearby, but there is a huge difference in cultural traditions between them. This is a tiny town, and Tom was sure that in a big city everyone only thinks of how to fool the visitor. I think deep down he was convinced that the deal was good for both of us, but he just didn't trust my approach. In his imagination, he pictured me as a businessman from a big city, successful, but not clean in business relationships, and he felt like easy prey and a simpleton who was about to be hooked.
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I tried to break through his distrust by placing my hand on his shoulder. This cursed gesture completely destroyed everything.
My businessman friend destroyed Tom's protective barrier with one move. With his body language, he tried to say, “Trust me. Let's make contact." But he "succeeded" only in committing a non-verbal insult. By ignoring Tom's defense, the overzealous businessman ruined the deal.
Touch is often the most accessible and most obvious gesture. By touching the hand or placing it on the shoulder, a shorter and faster contact can be established than with the help of eloquence. But such a gesture is effective at the right moment and in the right context. nine0003
Sooner or later, every young man learns that touching a girl at the wrong time can turn her away.
There are people who force contact by touch, who seem completely deaf to their interlocutor's defensive responses, oblivious to non-verbal demands not to do so.
A touch of loneliness
However, a touch or affectionate gesture can be a powerful signal in itself.
The touch of an inanimate object can be a very loud and disturbing signal or a plea for understanding. nine0003
Take the case of Aunt Grace. The future of this elderly lady was actively discussed by the whole family. Some felt that it would be better for her to move to a good nursing home in the neighborhood, where she would not only be looked after, but her social circle would expand.
Other family members thought it looked like a desire to get rid of Aunt Grace.
She had a very considerable income and a beautiful apartment, and she still had not lost the ability to serve herself. Why shouldn't she live where she used to, rejoicing in her independence and freedom? nine0003
Aunt Grace herself did not participate in the discussion. She sat in the center, stroking her necklace and nodding, touching the little plaster paperweight every minute, running her fingers over the velvet of the couch, feeling the wood carvings on it.
“Let the family decide,” she said softly, “I don't want anyone to get in trouble because of me.
The family continued to argue while Aunt Grace continued to gently touch everything she could reach with her hand. nine0003
Relatives did not immediately understand this very obvious message. Aunt Grace's constant habit of gently touching objects began precisely from the time she began to live alone. She stroked everything she could reach. The family immediately noticed this, but only now they all, one by one, began to realize what her gestures were saying: “I am alone. I'm hungry for communication. Help me!"
Aunt Grace was taken in by her nephews and completely changed.
Like Aunt Grace, we all send our small but sometimes desperate messages to others in one way or another: “Help me, I'm lonely. Pick me up, I'm at your disposal. Leave me alone, I'm depressed." And very rarely these messages are realized. We express our state in a non-verbal way: we raise one eyebrow in disbelief, we rub our nose in curiosity, we clench our hands in front of our chest to isolate ourselves or defend ourselves, we shrug our shoulders, demonstrating indifference, we wink conspiratorially, we drum our fingers in impatience, we slap our foreheads when we discover our oversight.
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Numerous gestures. And while some are completely intentional, others are almost intentional, there are others: rubbing a finger over the upper lip, clasping hands to protect oneself - these gestures are completely unconscious.
The understanding of body language is the study of the complex of all its movements, from the completely conscious to the completely spontaneous, from those that exist in separate communities to those that cross all cultural barriers.
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About animals and territories
Ritual battles
Only now are they beginning to understand the connection between communication in the animal world and communication among people. Much of our ability to penetrate nonverbal communication has come from experiences with animals. Birds communicate with each other in song, invariably in their arsenal the same set of notes, the same simple or complex melody. For a long time, scientists believed that these notes, these bird songs, were hereditary, like the tongue of a brown dolphin (porpoise), the "dances" of certain species of wasps and the croaking of frogs.
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Now, however, there is some doubt that this is the case. Experiments seem to prove that birds are taught to sing. Ornithologists separated a group of birds from the rest (within the same species), isolated chicks failed to reproduce the chirp characteristic of their species.
Curiously, the scientists who conducted this experiment were able to teach selected individuals a fragment of a popular song instead of the one that is characteristic of the species. Such chicks do not develop properly, since the songs of birds are associated with the general process of their growing up. nine0003
There is a certain type of animal behavior that has long been called instinctive, the so-called dog fighting. When two males meet, they can react to each other in different ways, but the most characteristic growl, a simulation of a fierce fight. The observer of this picture is usually alarmed by such behavior and may even try to separate the apparently angry animals. The owner, who knows their habits, understands that this is a ritual fight.
It cannot be said that she is not real. Two dogs fight for dominance. One will win because it is more aggressive, perhaps delivering stronger bites. The fight ends at the moment when both realize that one of them is the winner, while the skin of both is intact. Then a curious thing happens. The defeated dog lies down, rolls over on its back and exposes its neck to the winner. And he just stands over the prostrate, baring his fangs and growling for a while. Then both dogs scatter in different directions, and the fight is forgotten - the ritual is completed. By non-verbal means, the vanquished says: “I yield. You are stronger, and I expose to you the most vulnerable part of the body - the throat. The winner says: "Indeed, I am stronger, and I growl and grin, now let's play." nine0003
By the way, it is interesting to note that in almost none of the most highly developed species of animals one does not kill another, although they can fight each other for various reasons. Among male roe deer, during the mating season, such semi-ritual fights can become heated to a real struggle, and then, oddly enough, instead of attacking each other, they will begin to attack a tree growing nearby.
Certain species of birds, after scolding and flapping their wings - an angry prelude to battle - settle their differences by enthusiastically starting to build nests. Antelopes can grapple with their horns and fight for supremacy, but although the struggle can be fierce, it does not always end in death, more often just the victory of one of them. Animals have learned the art of acting out such scenes, which are like a ritual. nine0003
There is a discussion about the described fights between dogs and other animals: whether such behavior is hereditary, as instincts are inherited, imprinted in the genetic code of the species and passed down from generation to generation, or each animal learns it anew from the elders.
I have mentioned that birds of one species must learn to sing from their own kind, but birds of other species do indeed sing instinctively. Linnets learn to sing, while reed buntings inherit this ability whether or not they are in contact with other buntings as they mature.
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We must be careful when studying animal behavior and not be too quick to generalize. What is true for one species may not be true for another. What is characteristic of animals is not necessarily characteristic of people. Many scientists have argued that ritualistic dog fighting is hereditary, and I knew one specialist who assured me that this behavior is the result of training:
- Watch a bitch when her puppies fight. If one wins, but, continuing the fight, tries to harm the other, the mother will immediately beat the winner in order to restore justice: the victor should not bite the weak. It is only allowed to measure strength. nine0003
On the other hand, there are the Eskimo dogs of Greenland, which seem to be very difficult to train in dog "ethics". Niko Timbergen, a Dutch naturalist, says that each pack controls a certain territory. Young males constantly violate these boundaries and as a result are constantly punished by older dogs who set boundaries. However, puppies do not seem to learn how to respect territory boundaries when they are young.
