Difference between Gesture and Posture

Although Posture and Gesture have similar meanings, there are also some key differences between them. When dealing with people, a lot of communication is done through non verbal means. Without realising it, you are constantly sending out messages about yourself through the use of both gestures and posture. Both gestures and postures allow us to communicate important information by using our body rather than words. It will not be wrong to say that a gesture and a posture are two main constituents of our body language. Facial expressions, eye and head movements help the listeners pick up valuable cues during a conversation. Learning to read the body language of another can be quite challenging as most people convey various signals through the use of gestures and posture.

Posture defines the way that is used by an individual to sit and stand. A person relaxing and taking a sunbath uses a certain posture. Similarly a person sitting on a chair uses a different posture. Gesture is a way of explaining difficult concepts by the movement of your head, hands and other parts of the body. Similar to posture, a gesture is performed to communicate valuable information with the viewers or listeners.

Instructions

  • 1

    Posture

    You can either have a tense or relaxed posture depending on your personal mood. An angry posture will help others find out if you are feeling upset. It should be noted that our emotions and feelings play a key role in adopting a posture that sends a clear message to the viewers. Remember that the manner you position your body while communicating often says a lot more about your thoughts and feelings than words. Furthermore, your posture can help other people determine your attitude and alertness when talking to others. Just by looking at someone’s posture, you can evaluate his or her social standing if you are clever. Your posture can also reveal your true confidence.

    - Image courtesy: health.com

  • 2

    Gesture

    Moving your hands when saying hello or goodbye to others is a universal gesture. Similarly when you are admired for your hard work by your colleagues or fans, you wave to them. Making a V with your fingers is a gesture that shows the sign of victory. A person shrugging means that he or she is unable to understand what you are asking. So movement of hands and other body parts is what separates a gesture from a posture. Every culture or religion has its own set of gestures.

    - Image courtesy: shape.com

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