A handshake is the easiest way to touch the lines of life. Handshake rules. School of non-verbals. All the secrets of handshakes

A handshake is a very important thing. When you shake someone's hand, your brain releases the trust hormone oxytocin. You open up to communication, trust each other more, and even consider your handshake partner to be a nicer person. The same thing happens in his head. But it’s important not just to shake hands, but to do it correctly. How exactly - said Vanessa Van Edwards, psychologist and author of the book “The Science of Communication”.

1. Keep your hand vertical

During a handshake, the hand should be in a vertical position. This puts you and the other person on an equal footing.

Equality

If someone turns your hand over so that your wrist is visible, then they are trying to dominate. Never start a handshake from this position yourself. This is how you show your weakness.


Domination

2. Make eye contact

Eye contact is not a direct part of a handshake, but it has a huge impact on first impressions.

When you look into the eyes of another person, it is as if you are saying: “I want to communicate with you.” This look is much more important than the first words when meeting someone, because, just like a handshake, it provokes the production of oxytocin. At a subconscious level, a person is perceived as open, pleasant, convincing and memorable. People will want to see you again and get to know you better.

If there is no eye contact at the first meeting, then for the brain it is like a red rag for a bull. The person gets irritated, thinks that something is being hidden from him, and treats you with suspicion.

3. Don't squeeze your hand too tightly

Squeeze your hand tightly: Limp handshakes are unpleasant and people will perceive you as an untrustworthy person who does not want to communicate. But don't do it too much so as to make anyone nervous. Handshakes that are too strong can be intimidating and uncomfortable.

4. Don't hold your hand for too long

The ideal handshake lasts 3-5 seconds. Taking too long causes confusion and awkwardness. Too short and abrupt - the feeling is that the person is not at all in the mood for communication and wants to leave quickly. But if you are really in a hurry and meet while running, then such a handshake would be appropriate.

5. Don't reach out with a wet hand

Shaking a wet palm is not a pleasant thing, but that’s not the only point. Your hands sweat when you're nervous, and being nervous won't produce good things. Do not extend a wet hand to greet, do not show your excitement to the other person. Carry tissues with you just in case.

6. Evaluate what is better in a particular situation: a handshake or a hug

When you meet an old friend, you can shake his hand and even hug him. Everyone will be comfortable. But when it comes to new people around you, you can get into an awkward situation and confuse the person. You need to know in advance what type of greeting will be appropriate.

Watch their body language when someone approaches you. If your arms cover your torso or one arm is extended towards you, then a handshake is appropriate, but a hug should not be done.

Have you decided to create your own business? Or maybe you are interested in psychology? In both cases, you may be interested in the types of handshakes. People rarely think about sign language. Nevertheless, our body is very talkative, and its message is always subconsciously interpreted by the interlocutor. This article will talk about how to greet people correctly.

The most common type of handshake is the greeting, in which people hold their hands vertically. Such a gesture can be interpreted as equality of partners. People who treat their acquaintance well and feel quite relaxed in his company always resort to this type of greeting. Friends and colleagues greet in a similar way. Since the types of handshakes play an important role in psychology, even many women today resort to this type of greeting in order to be accepted by a man on equal terms. Therefore, business women should always watch their palm. If a girl wants communication to take place on equal terms, she should not lay down her palm and should not allow a man to do this. And if everything goes to the point that your partner is trying to seize the initiative, it won’t be very rude if you free your hand.

Do you want to show your superiority? Then you can offer your hand for a handshake, palm down. Your interlocutor will have no choice but to obey you and turn his palm up. When the hand is on top, a person involuntarily develops an association with dominance. Such psychological pressure can significantly affect all future dialogue. The dominant type of handshake is used by confident businessmen. They are used to subjugating people and want their whole life to proceed according to a pre-written script. If the person described above is not you, but you have such a person around you, you need to behave with her carefully. Don't go too far, but don't obey either. How to do it? When greeting, extend your hand first. Present your palm vertically. When the interlocutor answers the greeting, move his hand downwards. This way, you will be able to unobtrusively seize the initiative.

As you probably already guessed, losers prefer this palm position. Think about what type of handshake you greet your acquaintances with? If your hand automatically turns over, then you have problems with self-esteem. The same can be said about acquaintances who initially occupy the position of a subordinate. This handshake can be found at work, when office employees greet the director. Does the fact that people obey him please his vanity? Certainly. But keep in mind, you will never get a promotion if you don't greet the person as an equal. You should never take the position of a subordinate. Don't bend over backwards. Raise your self-esteem and present your palm vertically.

Considering the types of handshakes and their meaning, it is impossible not to mention how close friends greet each other. Usually it goes like this. One of the other returns the handshake, and then one of the friends covers both joined hands with his palm. It turns out to be a kind of glove in which the hand of one of the interlocutors is clamped. Such a gesture can be considered as sincere cordiality. Usually after such a handshake there is a hug. This is how father and son, close relatives, for example, brothers or friends who have not seen each other for several years, can meet each other.

But this gesture can be used for other purposes. For example, when your interlocutor deliberately lowers your hand, taking a dominant position, you can outwit your opponent. Cover his hand with yours. Such a gloved handshake will have a powerful effect of defusing the atmosphere.

This greeting is most often found among strangers. Finding out what matters different kinds handshakes, you need to mention squeezing only the fingertips. Thus, a person wants to show his interlocutor that he has no intention of getting closer. Such detachment often slips between male and female business partners. The representative of the stronger sex shakes the lady's fingers, as if demonstrating with such a gesture that he does not consider his interlocutor as an equal partner. What can be done to improve the situation? Take one step closer to your partner. By this act you show that you are crossing the border of his personal space and have the intention to become closer.

Do you want to be perceived as a confident person? Then the handshake should be energetic and strong. There is no need to squeeze the other person’s hand in a vice, but don’t greet your acquaintances simply out of inertia. Start greeting more consciously. After all, you need to start building self-confidence gradually. Don't let go of the other person's hand right away. You need to shake it well several times. This will show the person that you want long-term communication. To make a good impression, keep your hand vertical and do not curl it into a dominant position.

People who have no ambitions are used to going with the flow. Therefore, when considering different types of handshakes, you need to pay attention to individuals who are accustomed to “lazy” greetings. It seems that the person is not very happy to see you when he offers his hand. He will shake it lightly and try to return his palm to his pocket as quickly as possible. Such a person’s lack of self-confidence and lack of ambition are visible to the naked eye. If you notice that someone you know fits the description, talk to them. Perhaps the person has become depressed and simply needs help and support. If you notice signs of a limp handshake in yourself, immediately contact a psychotherapist, even if there is no other reason to worry. The subconscious can hide from consciousness problems that need to be solved.

Quick handshake

Confident people will not take long to greet you. They have a busy work schedule and will not want to waste time on long foreplay. Exist different types handshakes. Some people try to pull their hand away almost instantly, others wait two or three seconds. The second type of people are the self-confident people discussed above. But people who try to get rid of you right away are individuals who do not want to communicate with you. They may smile welcomingly, but this smile should be viewed as a mask. Hostility is difficult to hide on a non-verbal level; it is too obvious if you know where to look.

Handshake with bent arm

How to understand that a person wants to hide something? Look at his hand as he shakes hands. If the elbow is bent and pressed to the body, this is a signal. Another person practicing such a handshake can pull his hand down, thus trying to disengage the handshake. A confident person who has nothing to hide will never greet in this way. But a person who lies or tries to hide something always tries to hide his palms. His hands will look down, and immediately after the greeting they will hide in his pockets. During a handshake, your interlocutor will look at the floor and not at your eyes.

Exceptions

You can see the welcoming gestures in the photo. The types of handshakes and their meaning discussed in this article may not be entirely reliable. After all, as you know, there are exceptions to any rule. People may behave in unusual ways if they have reasons for doing so. For example, it is foolish to expect a firm handshake from a person with arthritis. But at the same time, his business acumen can be more than confident. Musicians and neurosurgeons protect their fingers, so they won’t bother with a strong and long handshake. And a woman who is not involved in business may not understand a man if he shakes her hand and does not kiss her.

There is a version that with a handshake or a hand movement resembling a handshake, our distant ancestors wanted to demonstrate that they had no weapons in their hands. In Russia, this method of greeting is most common among men; women usually use it only during business meetings.

There is a version that with a handshake or a hand movement resembling a handshake, our distant ancestors wanted to demonstrate that they had no weapons in their hands. In Russia, this method of greeting is most common among men; women usually use it only during business meetings.

What does a handshake mean?
A handshake is a symbolic gesture that is used when greeting, farewell, congratulating, concluding an agreement or as a sign of reconciliation. This gesture consists of a slight squeeze of the right or left hands and may be accompanied by a slight sway.

How should you shake hands?
When shaking hands with the person you decide to greet in this way, you need to look straight into the eyes and not look away, at least until you open your hands. Press your hand firmly, but without using force. Do not leave your palm open; your fingers should not hang in the air. The nature of the handshake can set the tone for all subsequent communication, so do not underestimate its importance.
It is usually not customary to shake hands in the toilet, bathhouse, or dining room. In the dining room, this especially applies to those cases when one person is already sitting at the table and eating, and the second is just approaching.

How to determine a person's character by a handshake?
Many experts claim that a person’s handshake can determine his character.
So, for example, if you are handed a limp, lifeless hand to shake hands, perhaps there is a person in front of you possessing weak character and lacking self-confidence. A handshake that is too strong (to the point of crunching your fingers) characterizes hard and aggressive person : He deliberately causes discomfort and even pain, wanting to demonstrate his strength and ability to apply pressure.
Calm, balanced people with adequate self-esteem give your hand fairly firmly, but not too harshly. If you feel that the hand offered in this way is very suitable for ours, before you a confident person. He knows what he wants, but he also knows how to adapt to other people.
The manner of greeting with a “frozen”, as if wooden, hand betrays a tough person who is not ready to meet halfway and demands that others adapt to him.
If the handshake feels like a grab and you have to jerk your hand a little to get free, it's likely that you're facing - a person with a strong possessive instinct.
If a man not inclined to get closer, he can demonstrate a kind of truncated handshake: he gives his partner only the tips of his fingers, protecting his palm from grasping with his thumb. ABOUT trying to keep distance The opposite situation is also true, when a person does not shake the hand you extend completely, but only the fingers. Reluctance to get close a person also demonstrates if he extends his straight arm far forward, expanding the space between you.
When the hand is extended from the side in a broad gesture, it is a typical friendly handshake, showing a certain closeness of relationships, informality of communication. But this gesture contains a swing, which in a situation with an unfamiliar person can be regarded as aggression. If a person always exchanges such a handshake, he probably simple-minded, not tactful enough, inclined to impose himself.
However, the type of handshake can depend not only on the character of the person, not only on his attitude towards the interlocutor, but also on his mood at the moment, so sometimes you should not make hasty conclusions about his intentions.

Andrey Vetoshkin

Different Types of Handshakes

A dominant handshake is the most aggressive type of handshake, because... it gives a person little chance of establishing relationships of equal partnership. This type of handshake is typical of an aggressive, domineering man who always initiates the handshake and the palm-down gesture forces the man to comply because he has to respond with the palm-up hand.

There are several ways to handle a dominant handshake. You can use the step-by-step method described above, but sometimes it is difficult to apply because... Usually the hand of the author of the gesture is stiff and tense, which does not allow such a maneuver. A very simple way is to grab the person's hand from above by the wrist and then shake it (Fig. 26). With this method, you become the master of the situation, because take over the other person's hand, and so. While this may confuse someone with authoritative intentions, we recommend using this handshake with certain precautions.


The following grasping gesture, called the glove, is commonly used by politicians. The author of this gesture tries to emphasize that he is honest and can be trusted, but if you use this gesture when meeting someone, you can produce the opposite effect. The recipient will treat you with suspicion and caution in this case. This glove gesture should only be used towards people you know well.



Some handshakes can be so detached and unemotional that it feels like you're touching a dead fish, especially if the hand is cold and clammy. Touching the lifeless, limp body of a dead fish is known to leave an unpleasant sensation, and people usually associate this with a person's spinelessness, especially since such a person's hand gives in easily to pressure.

It's amazing that many people who have this handshake don't know it, so it makes sense to ask your friends to describe your handshake to you before deciding which handshake to use in the future.



A firm handshake, even to the point of cracking your fingers, is distinctive feature aggressive, tough person.

Unfortunately, there are limited ways to respond to such a handshake, unless you respond with a curse or a punch to the nose!



A handshake with an unbent, straight hand, like a dominant one, is a sign of an aggressive person. Its main purpose is to maintain distance and prevent a person from entering your intimate area. This handshake is also used to protect their personal territory by people who grew up in rural areas and have a wider intimate area. Villagers, however, will lean forward or even balance on one leg.



Shaking the fingertips is reminiscent of shaking a straight, unbent hand, not fully completed: instead of a hand, by mistake, only the fingers are placed in the palm. Even if the initiator of the greeting is friendly towards the recipient, in fact he is not confident in himself. As in the previous case, the purpose of this handshake is to keep your partner at a comfortable distance.



A handshake in which the initiator pulls the recipient's hand towards himself can mean one of two things: either he is an insecure person who feels safe only within his own personal zone, or he belongs to a nation characterized by a narrower intimate zone, and in this case he behaves normally.

A handshake using both hands immediately expresses sincerity, trust or depth of feeling towards the recipient. Here it is necessary to pay attention to two significant points. Firstly, to convey the overflow of feelings that the initiator wants to express, the left hand is used, which is placed on right hand recipient. The degree of this overcrowding will be expressed by the place on which the hand is placed. For example, if the initiator’s left hand takes the partner’s elbow (Fig. 33), then this expresses more feeling than when clasping the wrist (Fig. 32).



If the hand is placed on the shoulder (Fig. 35), then this expresses more feeling than when it is on the forearm (Fig. 34). Secondly, the behavior of the initiator’s left hand means a violation of the intimate and especially intimate zones of the recipient. In general, clasping the wrist and shoulder is possible only between close friends and relatives and only if the initiator’s left hand penetrates only into the intimate area, without touching a particularly intimate area.

Touching the shoulder (Fig. 35) or forearm (Fig. 34) affects a particularly intimate area and can lead to a rapprochement or touching of bodies. This is only possible between people experiencing a particularly emotional uplift at the moment of shaking. If the feeling experienced is not mutual , or if the initiator has no particular reason to greet with both hands, then the recipient may feel mistrust or suspicion about the initiator's intentions. It is often seen how politicians greet their constituents with this gesture, or sales agents greet their clients. with both hands, not realizing that this means political suicide or a ruined deal for them.



A handshake between two people can truly be much more truthful and informative - even a thousand words.

The habit of shaking hands as a greeting gesture is present in almost all cultures. But if in ancient times the ritual of greeting different nations could differ significantly, but now, in the era of globalization of any processes, including cultural ones, we have received a universal and quite standard way to greet another person - a handshake.

But only at first glance - this simple action is typical and does not contain any individuality. In fact, there are a great variety of handshake options. And depending on the situation, the attitude towards the interlocutor and the nature of the situation, each of us chooses one or another way to shake the hand of another person.

Based on the characteristics of the greeting, one can draw conclusions about how the greeting people actually relate to each other, what emotions they experience, and what they intend to do. Many of these hidden signals are unknown not only to outside observers, but also to the participants in the greeting ritual themselves.

And now we will look at all types and characteristics handshakes, which can be very useful in life - and when you try to understand who is in charge among politicians, how your colleagues, boss or relatives treat you.

Hand position during a handshake

The first thing to start with is the position of your hands during a handshake. With a standard handshake, which is neutral in nature, the hands of the participants in the greeting are in the same position. They are perpendicular to the surface of the earth and the degree of angle in the area of ​​the elbow joint for each will be approximately the same.

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Such a handshake indicates the neutral attitude of those greeting each other. In any case, the participants in the greeting do not experience any vivid emotions. People who shake hands in this way are prone to compromising, rational behavior (unless their handshake is excessively forceful, but more on that later).

The handshake shown in the figure below has a completely different meaning. One person’s hand is turned down, and the other’s hand, on the contrary, looks up with the open part. These are examples of classic opposing types of behavior. Participant A demonstrates his arrogant attitude towards participant B, which in turn demonstrates a willingness to submit.


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On the left is participant B, on the right is participant A

Position participant A often indicates powerful and authoritarian individuals. IN in this case we can say that A shows his authority, his higher social status. This does not always correspond to the actual state of affairs. Rather, what you want. After all, people endowed with power and authority do not often demonstrate it - even with such almost unconscious gestures. So their handshake is often neutral.

This type of handshake often indicates a desire to receive something from your interlocutor. Moreover, we are talking mainly about intangible acquisitions. Participant A may be aimed at obtaining confirmation of submission, agreement with some opinion or attitude. Position participant B says otherwise. Such a handshake speaks of demonstrated friendliness, peacefulness, willingness to make concessions, willingness to sacrifice one’s interests and resources for the interests and goals of the interlocutor. People who offer their hand in this way strive to find favor with their greeting partner and are ready to step on the throat of their pride for this. This type of handshake is called a "sycophant handshake." Natural amplifiers of such a sycophantic position are an outstretched arm, a bent back, an ingratiating smile, and bent knees.


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Sometimes we have to deal with the fact that we offer our hand for a neutral handshake, and our partner demonstrates participant A's position, trying to drive us deeper under the plinth and force us to give a “sycophant’s handshake.” What to do in such a situation?

The answer lies in the realm of nonverbal communication. You need to take half a step towards your unfriendly interlocutor without breaking hands. This will force the other person to rotate their hand to a normal vertical position. Then you can take a step back and only then stop shaking hands. In this way, your interlocutor will receive a rebuff on an unconscious level, and this will make him treat you more carefully and respectfully. The effect can be enhanced by a “friendly” pat on the shoulder or touching the interlocutor’s arm with your left hand. Typically, after such contact, the unfriendly interlocutor appears discouraged and does not show any signs of authoritarian behavior.


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Second hand during a handshake

When shaking hands, not only the hand with which you greet is important, but also your left hand (if you are right-handed), since it much more accurately expresses your attitude towards your interlocutor.

Let's start from a neutral position. The left arm is relaxed and hangs along the body. There is no point in interpreting anything here. The usual even attitude. You shouldn’t expect anything extraordinary from a person whose left hand is not involved in any way at the time of the handshake.

If the interlocutor begins to connect his left hand to the handshake process, this indicates that the process begins to carry more emotions and more personal relationships. In such cases, likes and dislikes, hidden and obvious intentions, a desire to show sympathy, provide support, get rid of someone's presence, or a desire to enter into closer relationships are manifested.


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In ordinary communication, the distance at which communication occurs matters. The farther your interlocutor is from you, the more formal and neutral your relationship is. The closer he comes, the warmer feelings he expects. The exception, of course, is the option with a deliberately extremely negative attitude, when we close the distance not out of a desire to hug, but out of a desire to strangle the interlocutor.

In a handshake, the distance remains the same. Especially when we use the left hand in the ritual.

First, let's look at touching the area of ​​the hand. Long distance.

In this case, touching the hand serves as a sign that the interlocutors do not have the closest relationship. Most likely, they are in the nature of one-time social transactions. The interlocutor, touching the hand of another person with his free hand, is not currently in a close relationship with him, they feel a distance.

Now let's look in more detail at various types touches.

1. During a handshake, your interlocutor clasps your hand with his left hand. This situation is called "grip glove".


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Although such capture is generally perceived negatively, it nevertheless has a positive meaning. In this way the interlocutor expresses his best disposition. Depending on the strength of the handshake, we can also talk about the delight of the meeting that overwhelms a person. The harder they shake your hand, holding it in a “glove,” the greater the joy they feel from communicating with you. This handshake is often awarded to pop and movie stars.

Additional markers confirming this mood are the distance and tilt of the interlocutor’s body.

A long distance speaks of a cautious, one might even say touching, attitude. But if your hand is caught in such a grip, and the interlocutor approaches at a very short distance, this means that some preferences are expected from you: acceptance, mutual disposition, reciprocal signs of attention.

If, after such a handshake, your interlocutor brings his palms folded together to his face, as if covering his lower part, we can say that he is experiencing incredible delight from the meeting.

2. Palm from below

In this case, the interlocutor’s left hand is like a platform on which your hands rest when shaking hands. This situation speaks of an unconscious desire to provide support, help, comfort, and advice. In fact, this gesture demonstrates readiness to help. If you are faced with this position of your hands, you can undoubtedly ask your interlocutor for help - he will help.


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3. Palm on top

The palm of your left hand covering your hand from above at the moment of a handshake means an expression of care and concern.


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This is almost always true when shaking hands between people of different genders or ages. At the same time, if you observe such a position of the hands during a handshake between two men of approximately the same age and social status, then the situation may have a completely opposite meaning.

Also in this case, you need to pay attention to the context of the situation. If a person puts his palm on top immediately during a handshake, then we are probably talking about expressing deep positive feelings towards the interlocutor. If this gesture is formed as a response to any words or movements that arose during the conversation (and the hands do not break contact), then most likely this indicates an attempt to show one’s ego, a desire to show who is in charge here.


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The handshake is done in the manner of equal partners, but there are two nuances that indicate Obama's superiority. 1. With his left hand, Obama pats Yatsenyuk on the shoulder. This is a gesture of invading the personal space of a communication partner. Yatsenyuk is not making similar attempts, which only enhances the effect of Obama's influence. 2. Yatsenyuk’s back is so tense that it seems that he stretched out in front of Obama like a recruit in front of a sergeant. Overall, the photograph demonstrates Yatsenyuk’s tension and his recognition of the higher status of his interlocutor. However, one should not get carried away with interpretations and argue that Yatsenyuk is demonstrating some signs of subordination. There is respect, there is tension in the pose, there is tightness, but there is no subordination in this photo

In addition, such a gesture can also arise as a consequence of a reaction to the unfriendly behavior of the interlocutor or his intrusion into an intimate area.

Is there a difference between the position of the palm from below and from above? Undoubtedly. A person with their palm on the bottom is more likely to provide any help and support you ask for. But the person whose palm is on top usually already understands perfectly well what exactly will be necessary and useful for you at this moment and in this situation. That is, the difference between the placement of the palms reflects the presence or absence of an initiative position. The palm from below is a sign of acceptance of your initiative. The palm on top is a sign of readiness to show your own initiative.

This doesn't always happen. The position of the body can turn this interpretation on its head.

Touching the interlocutor. Close range

A person can touch his interlocutor with his left hand both in the area of ​​the forearm and in the area of ​​the elbow joint. And in some cases, we place our hand on the shoulder or even put our arm around the back of the person we greet.


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This is where the laws of distance come into force. The closer to the body the place where the hand of your interlocutor is fixed, the greater the need for communication he feels. Touching the forearm and touching the shoulder have different degrees of expression of those feelings. The most extreme level is, of course, hugs. Well, or patting your interlocutor on the back.

Do not forget that hugs can also have the nature of subcultural characteristics. Young people of athletic appearance who greet each other with tight hugs do not always have very warm feelings for each other. Most likely, this type of greeting is a consequence of their own rituals. That's how they do it. In any case, to assess the relationship between people based on their handshake, the context of the situation and the influence of cultural and social characteristics should be taken into account.

Strength and duration of handshake

In addition to the handshake itself, several other factors matter.

1. Handshake strength. The harder they shake your hand, the more emotional energy the interlocutor is ready to pour into communication. At the same time, a limp handshake is not yet a sign of hostility. Maybe the person is just not feeling well. And a strong handshake, accordingly, is not always a sign of a good-natured disposition. The force of compression only indicates the willingness to spend a certain amount of muscle energy during communication with you. But what will be the nature of the use of this energy depends on completely different factors.

2. Duration of contact. There is a direct correlation here with the time that the interlocutor is willing to spend communicating with you. The longer he shakes your hand, the longer the conversation he expects. The shorter the handshake, the faster the opponent is ready to “resolve” all issues and move on to others, more important matters. Often a brief handshake indicates the desire of your interlocutor to quickly move on to solving the issue for which you met. In this case, brevity will indicate a reluctance to waste time on formal procedures.

Errors in interpretation

When you analyze nonverbal communication, you understand that not a single gesture or sign is one hundred percent reliable. Moreover, sometimes the same gesture in different situations can have completely opposite meanings.

In order to make fewer mistakes in interpreting gestures (and it will not be possible to completely get rid of them), you always need to make allowances for the context of the situation, cultural characteristics and social group, a combination of gesture with posture and facial expressions. But the key features of a handshake remain the same in most cases.

Main:

1. A handshake expresses an attitude towards the interlocutor. And if a person can lie in words, then through a handshake the truth has a much greater chance of being correctly interpreted.

2. Handshake distance only means how much contact they intend to make with you. A short distance does not necessarily mean a positive disposition.

3. The stronger the hand shake, the greater the desire to make contact. And the more emotions overwhelm your interlocutor.

4. The main signs of a formal handshake: long distance, limp handshake, short time of contact with hands. This indicates disinterest in communication.

5. If the left hand is used in a handshake, this is a sign that the interlocutor puts more personal relationship into contact with you than in other cases and with other people.

I also suggest watching and trying to analyze videos of real and interesting handshakes between President Petro Poroshenko and Catherine Ashton, Vladimir Putin, Nursultan Nazarbayev and Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk - using only acquired knowledge.

And now - checking the conclusions made. So, Ashton expresses support for Poroshenko by performing the “glove” handshake gesture, covering the Ukrainian president’s palm on top. Poroshenko shows a positive attitude towards Ashton by smiling, but the time of eye contact with her is very short. Before the handshake with Ashton ends, his gaze already jumps to Putin.

The handshake with Putin is defiantly cold. Too abrupt, theatrical transition from a smile addressed to Ashton to tense walking nodules and a petrified look addressed to Putin.

The next second, the tension in Poroshenko’s posture begins to subside and the routine handshake with Nazarbayev already takes place under the auspices of a light smile. And Lukashenko gets all the emotional stash from Poroshenko - a smile, a shoulder-to-shoulder turn, and a caring “glove” when shaking hands.

The conclusion is that Poroshenko’s coldness towards Putin is feigned, emphasized, and somewhat exaggerated. And this was done in contrast to the smiles of other meeting participants specifically to emphasize the negative attitude towards him.