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[NF] NFs: Do you gesture a lot?

OrangeAppled

Sugar Hiccup
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Mar 20, 2009
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Specifically to INFPs: Do you gesture with your hands a lot when you speak?
Other NFs can answer this also.


I talk with my hands a lot. I've noticed this trend in other people typed as INFP (mainly celebrities...I've met few IRL). It makes sense to me because the Fi Ne thought process can be visual at times, so you feel a need to mime out the thought along with the words.
 

Manimal

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hmm yes and no, it depends how engaged in the conversation i am.
 
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Yep. The main reason I do know they move is because they go dead when I'm out of steam, but they kickstart themselves once I do start talking. Though I can't recall if they're sharp/large/slow/small/whatever in any balanced way. I'm probably as dramatic as possible without realizing it.
 

tibby

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Someone said it relates to being a "visual learner", I don't know about that then. I do, a lot.
 

neptunesnet

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Yessss.
I didn't realized I did until my friends started mimicking me.
 

compulsiverambler

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I do quite a bit, but I don't think it's an NF thing. The person who does this more than anyone else I've ever known seems much more likely ISTJ.
 
P

Phantonym

Guest
I gesticulate quite a lot when I'm excited about the topic or when I have to quickly come up with things on the spot and I feel pressured to talk, when all the attention is on me and I haven't got the time to think things through. I don't even notice it, or I notice it with a delay, after I start to analyze what I said and what I felt and how people might have perceived me during that. I guess I use it as some sort of a support mechanism to help me concentrate. And the faster I talk, the more I gesticulate.
 

Little Linguist

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YES!!!!!!! And actually I know it is a natural (not a learned/acquired) habit because I still remember my 2nd and 3rd grade teachers saying, "Are you playing the piano or what?" And I said, "Huh? What do you mean?" Then, they made the same gestures I was while speaking, and I turned beet red and said, "Oh, I didn't realize I was doing that." After they did that, I was self-conscious and did not gesticulate for about five minutes, and then went back to the same old habit....

I'd take it one step further and say when I have a class I really love and am really enjoying - you know, the kind where you can feel the good energy just swirling around like crazy that you can just feed off of - I start talking a bit louder, a bit faster, and start moving around the room a lot and really gesticulating. Then, the class starts laughing, and I calm down a bit. But yeah....

LOL And when you realize that I teach in GERMANY, in WESTPHALIA, where people are generally really reserved - um, yeah, it can shock the hell outta people. I think they learn to tolerate/deal with/maybe even enjoy it because they know it is natural and just my wacky character.

But then you have people saying to you on Friday (like today) "Trinken Sie nicht zu viel, Frau B----." (Don't drink too much, Ms. B---) and I just think, "DAMN IT, I don't drink at all. I'm just wacky like that..." GRRR!!! :blush::blush::blush::blush::blush::blush::blush:
 
B

brainheart

Guest
I do, but more than that I make strong facial expressions, I guess. But both of those only if I'm excited or feeling something strongly. Otherwise i am a blank slate or frowning, apparently, arms pulled in close.
 

Biaxident

Charting a course
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Only if it's someone I like, and somewhat trust.


If I don't like you, or trust you. No.
 

Snuggletron

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No. Only if I'm excited about what I'm talking about. Most everyday conversation is boring to me so, you'll only see me wave my arms around like an idiot if you get me on a topic I have interest in.
 

mwv6r

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Yes I talk with my hands all the time. I read online once that this 'hand talking' is very common among INFJs. Maybe other NFs too, the article was focusing on INFJs though. I'll try to find the link...

As someone else mentioned, the hand talking is a long-time, deeply ingrained thing for me. I remember friends teasing me for doing it in middle school. I always am completely unaware that I'm doing it until it's pointed out.
 

speculative

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If I am open in the conversation, I talk with my hands. If I am closed in the conversation, then I will hold my hands still, either folded, or down on the table, etc.
 

Little Linguist

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^^^ OMG Yes! Me too lol. Even sometimes on Vent or in IM, especially if I'm particularly frustrated about something....I'll just throw my hands up in the air as if to say, "WTF is wrong with you?" :blush:
 

Charmed Justice

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:laugh:If I don't know a person, then I'm much more physically reserved. With good friends and good conversation(or debate), I get all into it.
 

cascadeco

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No, I don't gesture very much.
 

Little Linguist

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Side note: I'm really surprised you can say 'gesture' and mean it that way. I was almost sure that you had to say 'gesticulate'? I know it's right, but it sounds oh, so wrong...
 

Lady_X

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hmm...i have no idea!
 
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