Small self-touching movements such as rubbing the hands or stroking the arm that help to soothe nerves.
Waiting for results a candidate quietly rubs the back of one hand with the thumb of the other. The movement is almost absent minded, a private attempt to settle the nerves while the wait drags on.
Read a rise in adaptors as a sign of stress, anxiety or the effort to manage inner tension. The point at which they increase usually marks the moment the pressure begins to bite.
Some adaptors are mere habit, so look for an increase from the normal level rather than the act itself. A person who always fiddles with a ring is not necessarily more anxious than anyone else.
Hand movements that accompany speech and paint the shape, size or rhythm of what is being said.
ExploreGestures with a fixed meaning that can stand in for words, such as a thumbs up or a beckoning hand.
ExplorePressing the fingertips of both hands together to form a shape like the roof of a building.
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