19 tricks for reading people's body language

Reading other people's body language is tricky business.

If someone's crossing his arms, for example, you could assume that he's closed off, when in fact he's just cold.

That said, when you're trying to discern what a person is really thinking and feeling, it helps to know what kind of gestures and facial expressions to look for.

Because sometimes, a person's nonverbal displays don't quite match up with what she's telling you out loud.

Below, we've rounded up 19 scientific insights into the significance of body language, pulled from Psychology Today, research journals, and a few awesome books.