See how she leans her cheek upon her hand! --Shakespeare, Macbeth, II, 2
Gesture. Leaning the head over laterally, toward the right or left shoulder.
Usage: Head-tilt-side may be used a. to show friendliness and
foster rapport; b. to show coyness, as
in courtship; c. to strike a submissive pose (e.g., to show deference to
one's boss); and d. to respond to cute signs (i.e., to
immature cues emanating, e.g., from kittens, puppies, and
babies).
Anatomy. Head-tilt-side involves a.
the scalene muscles, which connect the neck bones (cervical vertebrae)
to the upper two ribs, as well as b. the trapezius,
and c. the sternocleidomastoid muscles. Controlled by
"gut reactive," special visceral nerves (see also PHARYNGEAL
ARCH), the latter two muscles are well equipped to express
emotions, feelings, and moods.
Culture.
In Spain, tilting the head sideways and resting the cheek in the palm of the
hand is a deliberate signal which says, "Sissy!" (Morris
1994:21).
Media. Head-tilting was a signature cue of method
actor, James Dean. Dean's head-tilts seemed to say, as East of Eden
director, Elia Kazan put it, "Pity me, I'm too sensitive for the world" (Dalton
1984:60).
Origin. Head-tilt-side is one of several self-protective gestures stemming from the larger shoulder-shrug display (see also CROUCH).
RESEARCH REPORTS: 1. Head-tilt-side is used
extensively by men and women as a flirting or courtship cue (Eibl-Eibesfeldt
1970; Givens 1978, 1983). 2. Sideward head-tilts have been decoded as
signals of shyness in young children (McGrew 1972), and in adults (Givens
1978). 3. "Females tilted their head [sic] to one side significantly more
than males: 18 out of 20 times recorded. The head-tilt seemed to be more obvious
in male-female greetings" (Kendon and Ferber 1973:152). 4. "This head
[tilt] gesture may convey an attitude of coyness or submissiveness, but it is so
common that one can almost always find such a head position in any group of
women" (Key 1975:152).
See also LOVE SIGNAL.
Copyright 1999 - 2016 (David B. Givens/Center for Nonverbal Studies)
Photo of a head tilted right (see SHOULDER-SHRUG; picture credit: unknown)