Reading Body Language Predatory Looks
with Greg Williams
Summary
In this insightful episode of "The Human Behavior Podcast," titled "Reading Body Language Predatory Looks," hosts Brian Marren and Greg Williams explore Greg's specialized concept of "predatory looks." Greg explains that these are not dictionary definitions but terms he developed to describe observable biometric and atmospheric cues an individual's body exhibits just before acting on sinister or malicious intent.
He distinguishes these crucial signals from simple anticipation, illustrating with examples like a game show contestant licking their lips in anticipation of a correct answer versus the involuntary physiological responses that signify preparation for a confrontation. Greg details the specific physical indicators, such as flaring nostrils and a pumping chest for oxygenation, lowered eyebrows for protection, and hunched shoulders to guard vital areas. The discussion highlights that these are subconscious, pre-event preparations for a fight-or-flight scenario, emphasizing the critical importance of recognizing these subtle yet profound warnings. The hosts warn that modern distractions, particularly phones, diminish our "functional field-of-view," making us prone to missing these vital pre-attack indicators.
Here are the key takeaways from the discussion:
- "Predatory Looks" Defined: Greg Williams' concept of "predatory looks" refers to distinct, observable body language and physiological changes that signal an individual's sinister or malicious intent before they act.
- Distinct from Anticipation: Unlike simple anticipation of a positive outcome (e.g., licking lips before food), predatory looks are involuntary physical preparations for an aggressive, confrontational, or dangerous event.
- Key Biometric Indicators: Signals include flaring nostrils and a pumping chest (for oxygenated blood), lowered eyebrows (for eye protection), and hunched shoulders (to guard vital areas like the jugular).
- Crucial Pre-Event Warnings: These involuntary shifts are critical atmospheric and biometric cues that serve as advance warnings of impending danger or a fight-or-flight response.
- Impact of Distraction: Common modern distractions, particularly screens, limit our "functional field-of-view," making us significantly less likely to perceive these vital pre-attack indicators.
Key Takeaways
Transcript
Well, define predatory looks, because I'm getting sounds that sounds like, "Okay, a predator is bad." What exactly are predatory looks, then?
Real quick, just for lexicon buffs that are out in the audience: these are my words. So you're going to go to a dictionary and try to find them, and you're going to go, "Hey, I haven't found it." You'll find them in media, U.S. Department [reports], and that kind of stuff. You'll find them in court records and stuff, but these are terms that I made up to name something that people couldn't name.
When it comes to predatory looks, I want you to think about this: almost always when I'm taking a look at something, my brain is processing it for the outcome. So, for example, if I'm looking at a plate of food or I'm going to open a sandwich... Like the other day, I was watching this game show – I rarely watch TV, but when I'm typing, it helps, you know, fill the house with sound. And so, on Road Manor, I got a big TV set, and there's some ridiculous game show. And just before the person answers, they lick their lips.
That's an anticipation signal. That's just like taking your hands and either going slowly or going fast. Tell your kid they're going to Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor, and you'll see. Those anticipation signals come from the brain's chemistry changing and anticipating a positive outcome. Things are going to go good. The guy's licking his lips. He wasn't nervous – totally different in the context of an interview, do you know what I'm saying? Where you get the big gulp and a guy licking his lip. Lack of episodic saliva means the person is going to be deceitful. But in this instant, where the person buzzed in and they licked their lips, it meant, "Oh, I know the answer!" You could have predicted that. You could have stopped the camera, and certainly you did.
So, the antithesis of that – the opposite side of that coin – is a predatory look. When I have sinister intent, when I have salacious intent, and I'm going to force [myself] on somebody... When I come into a room and all of a sudden I lock eyes and I go, "There's that purse that I'm going to steal," or I'm carrying a gun and I'm going to pull out my gun. And all of a sudden, I'm going to do this robbery, so I have to pump myself up. So the nostrils flare because I want to get oxygenated blood ready for the battle. My chest pumps up because I want to take in more oxygenated blood so I can fight to the death or flee or do any of the things – because "freeze" is an option, right? People that don't train are overwhelmed or overcome by emotion or by the event.
All of a sudden now, the eyebrows come down. The eye might get hit, and I want to make sure that I don't bleed or sweat into my eye and I'll be able to see. And my shoulders hunch up a little bit because they want to block my jugular and carotid from [damage] they can damage in that initial fight. So I'm anticipating fighting and running, and my quadriceps are ready, and everything else.
And again, if you think of yourself, "You're going to play it cool. I'm like ice." What I'm trying to say, "I'm Ice Cube over here." And then everybody else watching is going, "Hey, what's with this guy?" So if you're watching, but if you're doing this, you're not going to see any of these pre-event indications.
So the problem is that functional field of view. When it's tied to a phone or your iPad, or out your window screen, which becomes a television screen, and now all you can see is the front bumper of the car in front of you, you lose focus.
So predatory looks are those looks which we will see just before an event, leading up [to it with] atmospheric and biometric cues that the human body will always give off. Watch a gymnast before they do the vault. Watch a swimmer before they jump into the pool. You'll actually see their entire bodies reconfigure before that starting gun. And that's what you need to look out for before a person attacks.