What It Means When You Talk A Lot With Your Hands
Everyone communicates differently. Some people are an open book who want everyone to know everything they're thinking — often to the point of oversharing. Others may be more reserved and quiet.
Then, of course, there are the folks who tend to communicate a lot with their hands. What does it all mean? Let's delve into the phenomenon and figure out what people are really saying when they talk a lot with their hands.
It enhances communication.
People who use their hands when they talk are really adding more to the conversation, as the hand gestures provide something that the spoken word simply cannot.
When people use their hands as they communicate, they're adding richness — and often clarity — to the words that they speak. This might come through in the emphasis of key points, or could simply be a way to make their overall message more engaging.
It means they're highly expressive.
It almost goes without saying, but a person who expresses a lot using their hands is, almost by default, a highly expressive person. Oftentimes, it means that they're emotionally expressive in general, and passionate about the particular topic they're talking about.
In other cases, it may be the sign of a person who isn't normally highly expressive but is particularly engaged in a certain subject — think of a meteorologist discussing the weather, or a doctor discussing their recent research.
It helps with memory retention.
According to a National Institutes of Health study, when humans use hand gestures during encoding (or communicating), it helps others retain the message — even if the content of the actual words is minimal.
It seems that hand gestures serve as a kind of prompt to anyone in the conversation — one that spurs them to better remember what's being discussed. It's similar to the way that doing an action helps the brain remember the action.
It's positively aligned with active thinking.
Tied to the point above, when people speak while simultaneously using hand gestures, it helps the brain process and organize information in an efficient way.
Think of it like this: Hand gestures provide a simple visual aid to accompany the spoken words. This visible activity mirrors the way that thoughts are being converted into structured sentences. In this way, hand gestures are a real-time demonstration of active thinking.
It helps keep the audience engaged.
There's a reason that you're told to actively communicate with your hands when you make a speech or engage in any kind of public speaking: It helps improve audience engagement.
These dynamic hand gestures go a long way towards captivating an audience — while (hopefully) the content of the spoken words does the rest of the work. Hand gestures can make ideas more visually stimulating, which in turn will help the overall message resonate.
It demonstrates confidence.
If one speaker keeps their head down and their hands in their pockets, while another makes eye contact and frequently gestures with their hands, which one appears to be more confident?
In almost every case, it's going to be the latter speaker. Deliberate hand gestures, when they're aligned with what's being said, convey confidence. Open hand gestures show honesty and approachability, while purposeful movements emphasize control. The key in either case is to move naturally, not stiffly.
It reflects cultural norms.
In many cases, hand gestures while talking can come down to one's cultural background. Italians are famous for gesticulating with their hands during everyday interactions, while other countries are known for being more reserved during conversations.
Whatever the case, understanding these cultural nuances can go a long way toward avoiding miscommunication. After all, someone's hand gestures — or lack thereof — might come down entirely to the community they were raised in.
It builds a sense of rapport.
Speaking alone can create a sense of connection between the speaker and the listener, but hand gestures help add to this connection — especially when they're aligned with what's being said.
They create this connection by making the discussion more relatable and engaging. Likewise, in a back-and-forth conversation, mirrored hand gestures — whether done consciously or unconsciously — help foster a sense of rapport and mutual understanding between the parties involved.
It creates a sense of authenticity.
While it's true that in some cases hand gestures can seem overly rehearsed and unnatural, natural and spontaneous hand gestures are often interpreted as a sign of authenticity on the part of the speaker.
This is because they help make the speaker appear to be authentic and not robotic, which in turn helps their message resonate as being truly authentic. Of course, it stands to reason that anyone who's seen as authentic in their communication will be better at building trust and deeper connections.
It helps with complex explanations.
Have you ever tried to explain a complex idea — how to start a finicky engine, or directions to an out-of-the-way meetup spot — without hand gestures? It can feel very limiting.
Hand gestures aren't always abstract waves and gesticulations. They can also add valuable context to complex explanations. This can be seen with scientists or educators who often use hand gestures to help break down complicated ideas into manageable chunks.
It's a shortcut to understanding personality.
How do you get a read on a person when you meet them for the first time? Even if you don't realize it, body language — especially hand gestures — can play a huge role in first impressions.
People who use frequent hand gestures are generally seen as enthusiastic, open-minded, and creative. Likewise, people who are more reserved and sparing with their hand gestures might be viewed as introverted or methodical. These impressions aren't always accurate, but they often are.
It serves as an outlet.
Sometimes, hand gestures while talking have nothing to do with adding context to an explanation or forging a better connection with an audience. For nervous people, hand gestures provide a much-welcomed outlet for their anxious energy.
By gesturing with their hands, or even just moving their hands frequently while talking, nervous and anxious people provide themselves with a sense of grounding. In these cases, the action is often subconscious.
It's an aid to storytelling.
When a speaker is telling a story — think of a parent or teacher reading a book, or simply a public speaker who has an interesting personal anecdote to tell — the experience is generally improved with the use of frequent hand gestures.
These gesticulations might be used to depict characters or settings, or even to pantomime an action that's relevant to the narrative. An act as simple as pointing to an imagined horizon can help the audience better visualize the story.
It helps with language barriers.
People find a way to communicate, even when neither party speaks the same language. We've all had the experience of communicating with someone when there's a significant language barrier, and in these interactions, hand gestures become important very quickly.
While words in a specific language carry no universal context, hand gestures do. That's why gestures such as a shrug, wave, thumbs-up, or pointing in a certain direction can do a lot of heavy lifting when there's a significant language barrier at play.
It can signify leadership.
Leaders can lead quite effectively without overly dramatic hand gestures — but in general, leaders will use intentional and controlled gestures to at least some degree when they're conveying a message.
These gestures serve as a way to command respect and attention. A raised hand might signal silence to their audience, whereas deliberate pointing gestures might be a way to assign responsibility for a certain task.
It's a way to organize thoughts on the fly.
When we talk, we're usually thinking on the fly as we speak — subconsciously sorting out ideas as we attempt to effectively convey a given message. This is true of almost all speaking situations outside of prepared speeches.
Gestures can help reveal how people process these thoughts and sort through multiple streams of information simultaneously. Explaining a concept while using hand motions to delineate the steps involved shows that the speaker is actively organizing thoughts and transforming them into words and visuals.
They make arguments more persuasive.
While a solid argument can win an audience over on its own merits, hand gestures can subtly win over and persuade an audience that otherwise would be undecided — just look at how lawyers and prosecutors communicate with the jury in a courtroom setting.
Hand gestures that are aligned with the tone and content of a speech give the impression that the speaker is compelling and sincere. This is also why we see charismatic celebrities and politicians gesticulate when they pitch an idea.
They're a sign of creativity.
One hallmark of creative individuals is that, in almost all cases, they have a vivid imagination. When someone has a creative mind, their hand gestures will often reflect this.
In these situations, gestures serve as a way to externalize abstract thoughts. Ideas that are intangible and tough to pin down suddenly become relatable and easier to visualize through the use of hand gestures.
They help moderate the pace of speaking.
Have you ever found yourself speaking too quickly about something you're passionate about? The next time this happens, try using deliberate hand gestures as a means to slow yourself down.
Hand gestures can serve as almost a metronome, helping speakers regulate their speech tempo — not only to keep things from moving too quickly but also to keep the momentum of the conversation going. Simply pausing your speech for a moment to make a hand gesture is a great way to gather your thoughts before moving on to the next point.
It's often a sign of high emotional intelligence.
Hand gestures during a conversation often serve as an indicator of empathy and emotional intelligence. In some cases, these gestures can convey a certain feeling, while a more subtle variation can come in the form of mirroring another person's movements.
In either scenario, these hand movements are a good way to show that the speaker is tuned in to the emotions, needs, and overall reactions of those around them.
They emphasize nonverbal communication.
We've discussed what it means when someone uses their hands when they talk, but what about when they use their hands just before — or just after — they talk? This nonverbal communication can say a lot about a person.
For instance, clenched fists are an immediate indicator that a person might be angry or determined, whereas open-handed gestures might convey that a person is prepared to be honest and open.
They can facilitate group dynamics.
In situations with multiple speakers — think of group therapy or a community meetup — hand gestures have a way of keeping the wheels of social engagement churning.
Hand gestures are a great way to guide the flow of conversation and keep everyone involved in the discussion. Gesturing towards different members of the group encourages an inclusive attitude while directing attention, which in turn helps make these group interactions more collaborative.
They can help reinforce key ideas.
Communicating a message might entail using hundreds or thousands of words, but in most cases, the key messages boil down to a couple of bullet points. Communicating with one's hands is a way to draw the audience's attention to these key ideas.
Strategically using hand gestures can help the audience understand the biggest takeaways by ensuring that they stand out. For instance, gesturing towards oneself during a personal anecdote can reinforce the connection between the story and the speaker.
They show comfort with a topic.
It's generally pretty apparent if a speaker is comfortable and conversant with the topic they're exploring, and this often comes through in the way that they use their hands.
When a person is comfortable with a given topic, their hand gestures will usually flow naturally in a way that complements their speech. In essence, it comes off as something organic rather than rehearsed. Likewise, if a speaker isn't comfortable with their topic, their hand gestures will likely be more stiff.
They help with spatial descriptions.
For a story or description with a lot of moving parts — for instance, a person breaking down a car accident they witnessed — it's almost necessary to use involved hand gestures.
Hands might indicate where someone was in relation to the story they're telling, or simply indicate 'left' or 'right' in a given story. This can be expanded to aid with descriptions of physical objects, as the hands can help show how big or small one thing is in comparison to another.
They suggest an open mind.
A person who uses their hands a lot while they talk might not be open-minded — but the frequent use of their hands certainly suggests this trait. It's all part of their overall body language.
A person who opens their palms as they talk gives the impression that they're open and willing to engage in dialogue. This can go the other way, of course, as a person with crossed arms and closed body language will appear to be less open to new ideas.
It shows that they want to connect.
Do you ever worry that, deep down, the person you're talking with doesn't really want to be there talking with you? If so, take note of what they're doing with their hands.
If they're using frequent hand gestures, it shows that they're not only engaged in the conversation, but that they also want to be talking with you. It means that they're not only communicating with you, but that they're enthusiastic for the chance to talk with you.
They show adaptability.
Frequent hand gestures can show that a person is adaptable in their thinking and willing to entertain new ideas in real time. As these hand gesticulations change, it demonstrates a knowledge of the audience, context, or both.
One example of this is when a person mirrors another with their hand gestures, or subtly adjusts them to better align with what they think will resonate with the audience.
It's a sign of charisma.
One hallmark of the vast majority of charismatic people is the fact that they're generally good storytellers and good communicators — and hand gestures go hand-in-hand with this.
From waving hands to express strong emotions to using deliberate actions to underline a point, charismatic figures often use gesticulations as a way to exude energy and magnetism. A truly charismatic person usually strikes the right balance between organic and rehearsed when it comes to these interactions.
They support problem-solving.
Most of us have found ourselves in situations where we use hand gestures simply to organize our own thoughts — for instance, hand gestures can help manifest abstract ideas, or categorize concepts in physical space.
This can all be done without words and without other people in the room. But when it comes time to brainstorm with others or explain abstract ideas, these same gestures can help in a group setting as well.
