Movements reveal people's personality traits and drive social interactions

People who make similar movements to others will find it easier to interact and coordinate, scientists say.

Their study, published in scientific journal Interface, is part of the EU-funded AlterEgo project. Its aim is to come up with a new robotic-based clinical method to improve social interaction of people suffering from social pathologies such as schizophrenia, autism, or social phobia. The scientists believe that patients facing artificial agents similar to them will increase their engagement in social interaction.

This latest study is just the stepping stone to produce such artificial agents. It is a first attempt at describing how movements drive social interactions, and at proving people are better able to communicate with others when they share a kinematic resemblance (the same way of moving).

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I wonder how much of it is down to environment and/or genetics . Why do some of us find it much harder to engage with others outside of the family circle? Are the movements of family members more similar due to genetics hence why interactions with family members are more enhanced irrespective of ability to engage outside the family circle?

I found that I tend to look at someone’s eyes when I greet them then I look away past them. Other times if I am meeting someone knew, I look at them from the bottom up to see if they interest me. I don’t know of anybody else who does this. Maybe I picked it up from my Dad as we copy each other a lot.

I think firemonkey is talking about body language here. I am awkward and clumsy when it comes to body language. I feel like a fool. I constantly run into furniture.
I like to eye women. I look at their bodies, but always return to judging them on the basis of their faces. I never understand other people’s space either. Should I stand close or, as I prefer, far way?
I don’t get along with family at all. I prefer the company of other people to family.
Just give me a robot to try this stuff out on. I’ll probably run into “him” or trip over “him.” I don’t think “they” mind such things.