V3 — HANDS, PALMS & THUMBS
The HIGHEST resolution (it gives the exact moment) but LOW fidelity (the easiest of all to act).
17 phenomena · 92 possibilities listed
17 phenomena
3.01Palms up while explaining
E Environment
The cause is in the room, not in the person. Fix the environment, then measure again.
- Holding out / handing over an object
- Low table → the palms turn up naturally
N Neurological
The ONLY column that is scored and enters a cluster. Record the topic being discussed with it.
- Sincerity, openness (level 1 of the three-level scale)
T Inert
Belongs to the body or to a lifelong habit. Fold it into the baseline; from then on only its acceleration counts.
- REHEARSED — this is the EASIEST signal to fake in the whole system
- Presentation culture (lecturers, sales, politics)
- A high-gesture habit (lower status → more gesturing)
P Disambiguation test
Run the tests in gate order — rule out environment and inert causes first; what remains is neurological.
- Do NOT use it as evidence of honesty. Use only its ABSENCE (hidden hands) as an indicator, and only with a cluster.
Once you have assigned a label: Pease: 'showing the palms to try to look sincere is very easy to learn'. Weight it zero in the true/false column.
V3 · 3.01
3.02Palms down / index-finger pointing
E Environment
The cause is in the room, not in the person. Fix the environment, then measure again.
- Pointing at a document on the table
N Neurological
The ONLY column that is scored and enters a cluster. Record the topic being discussed with it.
- Imposing authority (level 3). Pointing = the most antagonising of all gestures
T Inert
Belongs to the body or to a lifelong habit. Fold it into the baseline; from then on only its acceleration counts.
- Culture: Malaysia/the Philippines use the THUMB instead of the index finger — not more polite, simply the convention
- Occupational habit (pointing at a board, at a map)
P Disambiguation test
Run the tests in gate order — rule out environment and inert causes first; what remains is neurological.
- T2: change who they are speaking to → if the palm goes down with ONE person only, it is N (the relationship), not T (habit).
Once you have assigned a label: A good substitute: the fingertips gathered against the thumb — assertive without being aggressive.
V3 · 3.02
3.03A sudden palm reversal UP → DOWN mid-sentence
E Environment
The cause is in the room, not in the person. Fix the environment, then measure again.
- Switching to holding / pointing at a real object
N Neurological
The ONLY column that is scored and enters a cluster. Record the topic being discussed with it.
- (A) Bad faith / turning to deception: the open layer is dropped for imposition
- (B) Entering a DOMAIN OF MASTERY: they have just moved onto ground they know well, so the voice turns didactic/assertive
T Inert
Belongs to the body or to a lifelong habit. Fold it into the baseline; from then on only its acceleration counts.
- Tired arm, a mechanical change of posture
- The habit of emphasising with the palm down
P Disambiguation test
Run the tests in gate order — rule out environment and inert causes first; what remains is neurological.
- The A/B branch is mandatory: ask a DEPTH-TESTING question inside that same domain. A detailed answer, with figures and exceptions → B. A generic answer that echoes your own words → A.
Once you have assigned a label: This is the root diagnosis of the 4 txt files. It must not be read one way only.
V3 · 3.03
3.04Hiding the hands (in the pockets, behind the back, under the table) while explaining
E Environment
The cause is in the room, not in the person. Fix the environment, then measure again.
- Cold
- Hands sticky/dirty/wet
- The pockets are where the hands usually go when standing
N Neurological
The ONLY column that is scored and enters a cluster. Record the topic being discussed with it.
- Withholding information — the 'nothing on show' level of the palm scale
- Covering a tremor / damp hands
T Inert
Belongs to the body or to a lifelong habit. Fold it into the baseline; from then on only its acceleration counts.
- Embarrassment about the hands (nails, marks, a skin condition)
- The habit of pocketing the hands
- A profession that protects the hands (artists, musicians, surgeons)
P Disambiguation test
Run the tests in gate order — rule out environment and inert causes first; what remains is neurological.
- T3: hand them an object to hold or offer a drink. If the hands still hide → N.
Once you have assigned a label: Room design: a glass table / no table at all makes this region observable.
V3 · 3.04
3.05Rubbing the palms together
E Environment
The cause is in the room, not in the person. Fix the environment, then measure again.
- Cold hands (fast rubbing, with blowing on them and hunched shoulders)
- Hands just washed / wet
N Neurological
The ONLY column that is scored and enters a cluster. Record the topic being discussed with it.
- Optimistic expectation. SPEED tells you WHO BENEFITS: fast = the listener benefits; SLOW = the person gesturing benefits (the sly look)
- Slow, prolonged rubbing = pacifying (Zone 8)
T Inert
Belongs to the body or to a lifelong habit. Fold it into the baseline; from then on only its acceleration counts.
- A thinking habit
- Dry skin, applying cream
P Disambiguation test
Run the tests in gate order — rule out environment and inert causes first; what remains is neurological.
- T5: the speed, plus hunched shoulders/blowing on the hands (E) or a slight smile and bright eyes (N).
Once you have assigned a label: The same movement; speed reverses the meaning completely. Measure the speed, not the presence.
V3 · 3.05
3.06The two hands clenched together
E Environment
The cause is in the room, not in the person. Fix the environment, then measure again.
- Keeping the hands from shivering with cold
N Neurological
The ONLY column that is scored and enters a cluster. Record the topic being discussed with it.
- Frustration, restraint, suppressed negativity — EVEN WHILE SMILING
- HEIGHT = degree of frustration: high/middle is harder to negotiate with than low
T Inert
Belongs to the body or to a lifelong habit. Fold it into the baseline; from then on only its acceleration counts.
- The habit of clasping the hands while listening (check at baseline)
- Finger joint pain
P Disambiguation test
Run the tests in gate order — rule out environment and inert causes first; what remains is neurological.
- Measure the HEIGHT (in front of the face / on the lap / in front of the stomach) and the CHANGE in height by topic — T2.
Once you have assigned a label: This is the most frequently missed signal, because it comes with a smile.
V3 · 3.06
3.07The steeple (the fingertips braced against each other)
E Environment
The cause is in the room, not in the person. Fix the environment, then measure again.
— no significant cause in this group, which makes this behaviour easier to read than the rest.
N Neurological
The ONLY column that is scored and enters a cluster. Record the topic being discussed with it.
- Confidence, certainty. An EXCEPTION to Law 1 — it counts even STANDING ALONE
- AFTER a positive cluster → 'go ahead and propose'. AFTER a negative cluster → confidence in REFUSING
- Raised steeple (when speaking) / lowered steeple (when listening, used more by women)
T Inert
Belongs to the body or to a lifelong habit. Fold it into the baseline; from then on only its acceleration counts.
- The postural habit of frequent presenters
- Resting the hands so they do not tire
P Disambiguation test
Run the tests in gate order — rule out environment and inert causes first; what remains is neurological.
- Read it by WHAT CAME BEFORE. The steeple itself carries no sign; the sign is in the cluster immediately before it.
Once you have assigned a label: The classic application: a finger on the chess piece — if your opponent steeples, DO NOT MOVE.
V3 · 3.07
3.08Hands clasped behind the back, palm holding palm
E Environment
The cause is in the room, not in the person. Fix the environment, then measure again.
- Walking, hands at rest
- A tight space with more room behind than in front
N Neurological
The ONLY column that is scored and enters a cluster. Record the topic being discussed with it.
- Confidence, authority: exposing stomach–heart–groin–throat = 'I fear nothing'
T Inert
Belongs to the body or to a lifelong habit. Fold it into the baseline; from then on only its acceleration counts.
- Police who are NOT armed use it a lot; armed ones have no need of it → read it against the job
- The walking habit of older people
P Disambiguation test
Run the tests in gate order — rule out environment and inert causes first; what remains is neurological.
- Separate it from 3.09 by WHERE THE GRIP IS: gripping the palm = confidence; gripping the wrist/forearm = frustration.
Once you have assigned a label: From a distance the two postures look almost identical but mean the opposite. You have to see where the grip is.
V3 · 3.08
3.09A hand gripping the wrist / forearm / upper arm behind the back
E Environment
The cause is in the room, not in the person. Fix the environment, then measure again.
— no significant cause in this group, which makes this behaviour easier to read than the rest.
N Neurological
The ONLY column that is scored and enters a cluster. Record the topic being discussed with it.
- Frustration, holding oneself in check. THE HIGHER THE GRIP, THE ANGRIER: wrist < forearm < upper arm
T Inert
Belongs to the body or to a lifelong habit. Fold it into the baseline; from then on only its acceleration counts.
- Shoulder pain, self-stretching
- A habit of standing and waiting
P Disambiguation test
Run the tests in gate order — rule out environment and inert causes first; what remains is neurological.
- Measure the HEIGHT of the grip point — a 3-step scale that can be read off directly.
Once you have assigned a label: A rare quantitative scale in Zone 3: usable straight away.
V3 · 3.09
3.10Thumbs hooked into the waistcoat / coat pocket / belt
E Environment
The cause is in the room, not in the person. Fix the environment, then measure again.
- The pockets are where the hands go
- Tired arms
N Neurological
The ONLY column that is scored and enters a cluster. Record the topic being discussed with it.
- High status, self-possession, superiority. The cowboy stance (belt) = framing the genital area: 'I can dominate'
- The complete cluster: a man + thumbs in the belt + dilated pupils + one foot pointing at the woman → an unmistakable intention
T Inert
Belongs to the body or to a lifelong habit. Fold it into the baseline; from then on only its acceleration counts.
- Habit (Napoleon, Prince Charles)
- Clothing with a waistcoat / a wide belt
P Disambiguation test
Run the tests in gate order — rule out environment and inert causes first; what remains is neurological.
- T6: read it only as a 3-element cluster. Thumbs in the pocket on their own are T in a great many people.
Once you have assigned a label: Pease: most women 'see straight through' this cluster.
V3 · 3.10
3.11Trembling hands / trembling fingers
E Environment
The cause is in the room, not in the person. Fix the environment, then measure again.
- COLD
- Just exerted themselves / carried something heavy
- Hunger, low blood sugar
N Neurological
The ONLY column that is scored and enters a cluster. Record the topic being discussed with it.
- Adrenaline — an autonomic response, it CANNOT be faked (Group C)
T Inert
Belongs to the body or to a lifelong habit. Fold it into the baseline; from then on only its acceleration counts.
- CAFFEINE, nicotine, alcohol, prescription drugs
- Pathology: Parkinson's, hyperthyroidism, essential tremor
- Advanced age
P Disambiguation test
Run the tests in gate order — rule out environment and inert causes first; what remains is neurological.
- T3 + T4 are mandatory before scoring: ask what they have drunk; measure at baseline. Substances and pathology CONTAMINATE the whole of Group C.
Once you have assigned a label: Group C is the most trustworthy in mechanism, but the most easily contaminated by substances. Always run filter #14 first.
V3 · 3.11
3.12Cold, clammy hands / sweating palms (picked up on the handshake)
E Environment
The cause is in the room, not in the person. Fix the environment, then measure again.
- A cold room
- Just come in from the heat outside
- Just washed the hands / held a cold glass
N Neurological
The ONLY column that is scored and enters a cluster. Record the topic being discussed with it.
- Blood withdrawing from the skin capillaries → preparing to fight or flee. The palms have more sweat glands than any other part of the body
T Inert
Belongs to the body or to a lifelong habit. Fold it into the baseline; from then on only its acceleration counts.
- 1 in 20 people have a rheumatic condition that causes CHRONIC SWEATING (filter #8)
- Hyperthyroidism, perimenopause
- Medication
P Disambiguation test
Run the tests in gate order — rule out environment and inert causes first; what remains is neurological.
- T3: shake hands AGAIN at the end of the session, once the pressure is off. If it is just as damp → T (pathology).
Once you have assigned a label: One handshake is not enough data. You need two readings.
V3 · 3.12
3.13Fiddling with an object (pen, ring, watch strap, phone, cup)
E Environment
The cause is in the room, not in the person. Fix the environment, then measure again.
- The object really does need attention (pen out of ink, phone vibrating)
N Neurological
The ONLY column that is scored and enters a cluster. Record the topic being discussed with it.
- Pacifying: 'it allows insecurity, fear, impatience and lack of confidence to be transferred into that object'
- It accelerates on a hot topic → use it as a HEAT MAP
T Inert
Belongs to the body or to a lifelong habit. Fold it into the baseline; from then on only its acceleration counts.
- A hand habit (many people do it all day long)
- ADHD / a high baseline need to move
P Disambiguation test
Run the tests in gate order — rule out environment and inert causes first; what remains is neurological.
- T4 is the main disambiguation test: measure the BASELINE FREQUENCY over the first 5 minutes and count only the excess. T2: map the heat by topic.
Once you have assigned a label: This is the most misread behaviour, because everyone does it. Only the DERIVATIVE means anything, not the absolute value.
V3 · 3.13
3.14Drumming the fingers on the table / tapping the hand
E Environment
The cause is in the room, not in the person. Fix the environment, then measure again.
- Keeping time with music in the room
N Neurological
The ONLY column that is scored and enters a cluster. Record the topic being discussed with it.
- IMPATIENCE — NOT boredom. The faster the beat, the greater the impatience → it is time to close
T Inert
Belongs to the body or to a lifelong habit. Fold it into the baseline; from then on only its acceleration counts.
- A habit of tapping while thinking
- Caffeine
P Disambiguation test
Run the tests in gate order — rule out environment and inert causes first; what remains is neurological.
- T5: steady drumming = impatience; the head propped on the hand = boredom. Two different scales, do not mix them.
Once you have assigned a label: A small distinction that changes the action completely: impatience → close; boredom → draw them in.
V3 · 3.14
3.15A handshake off the norm (stiff-arm, pulling you in, palm down, the 'dead fish', the bone-crusher)
E Environment
The cause is in the room, not in the person. Fix the environment, then measure again.
- Dirty/wet hand → a token shake
- Holding something in the other hand
N Neurological
The ONLY column that is scored and enters a cluster. Record the topic being discussed with it.
- Palm down = imposition; pulling you in = safe only on their own territory / wanting to unbalance you; stiff-arm = keeping distance
- The two-handed shake ('the politician's handshake') = claiming more closeness than actually exists
T Inert
Belongs to the body or to a lifelong habit. Fold it into the baseline; from then on only its acceleration counts.
- ARTHRITIS / rheumatism → a soft handshake is unavoidable (filter #8)
- A profession that protects the hands → a 'perfunctory' shake
- Rural origin → the stiff arm is baseline
- A culture of small personal zones → pulling you in is normal
P Disambiguation test
Run the tests in gate order — rule out environment and inert causes first; what remains is neurological.
- T3: offer a second handshake on parting. Painful joints stay soft every time; imposition shifts on the second shake according to how the session went.
Once you have assigned a label: The three attitudes transmitted subconsciously can only be read once joints and occupation have been ruled out.
V3 · 3.15
3.16Picking lint off one's clothes (preening) while someone else is speaking
E Environment
The cause is in the room, not in the person. Fix the environment, then measure again.
- There really is lint (a new garment, a woollen coat)
N Neurological
The ONLY column that is scored and enters a cluster. Record the topic being discussed with it.
- DISAGREEMENT / CONTEMPT — Navarro: a sign of dissent masked by a harmless task
- With the eyes down and the head turned slightly away from the speaker
T Inert
Belongs to the body or to a lifelong habit. Fold it into the baseline; from then on only its acceleration counts.
- The habit of adjusting one's clothes
- Someone fastidious about clothing
P Disambiguation test
Run the tests in gate order — rule out environment and inert causes first; what remains is neurological.
- T6: with the eyes down + no nodding = N. Picks it off, looks up and goes on nodding = E/T.
Once you have assigned a label: How to handle it: open your palms, ask 'What do you think?' then SIT BACK AND WAIT.
V3 · 3.16
3.17The fingertips gathered against the thumb on a point of emphasis
E Environment
The cause is in the room, not in the person. Fix the environment, then measure again.
— no significant cause in this group, which makes this behaviour easier to read than the rest.
N Neurological
The ONLY column that is scored and enters a cluster. Record the topic being discussed with it.
- Assertive, not aggressive — GENUINE emphasis (Navarro's Domain 2)
T Inert
Belongs to the body or to a lifelong habit. Fold it into the baseline; from then on only its acceleration counts.
- Italian / Mediterranean culture uses it heavily, with a different meaning
- A presenting habit
P Disambiguation test
Run the tests in gate order — rule out environment and inert causes first; what remains is neurological.
- Cultural trap #7: in some places this is a gesture with a meaning of its own. Check origin.
Once you have assigned a label: GENUINE emphasis comes BEFORE or AT THE SAME TIME as the stressed word; acted emphasis comes AFTER.
V3 · 3.17