© PICTURE 2006 Return to How to Interview

APPENDIX C: Body Language Checklist

Pay attention to how your interviewees answer your questions.
Their body language will tell you what they really mean with their words.

Use the Body Language Checklist by looking at the video of a model interview conducted by two Dutch students with an British man they found in Amsterdam. The first question the students asked was: "How proud are you to be a British citizen? The Brit makes a very long answer, that can be divided into three parts, as indicated by his oral signals (words, exhalations, sighs...).

 

British man interviewed outside the University of Amsterdam
© PICTURE project, 2006

First part

Second part

Third part

1. ORAL SIGNALS:
all expressive sounds (words, sighs...) No sound is also a signal.

"I..." Exhalation
"I don't know whether I am... erm... very..."

No, no, not really, I... I'm not really proud to be..."

"Tsk!"
"I just am."

2.PROSODIC SIGNALS:
the rhythm and intonation of words are also signals.

      

3. GESTURAL SIGNALS:
any hand movement, even formless, is a signal.
 

      

4. HEAD SIGNALS:
facial expressions, head position, gaze are signals.
 

      

5. BODY SIGNALS:
posture, body movement, distancing are all signals.