I spent eleven years employed as a federal agent.  Part of my training involved learning to read peoples body language.  I attended the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center's (FLETC) advanced interviewing course which focuses on body language analysis.  One of the course objectives was to learn how to build rapport during an interview.  If you build rapport with the person you are interviewing they are more likely to open up and provide you information during the interview.  One way to build rapport is to mask the person’s body language.  

What is masking a person’s body language?

Masking body language is simply displaying similar body language as the person you are talking to.  People like people like themselves so if you display similar body language as the person you are talking to they are more likely to trust you and like you.  Do not mimic their body movements but mask about 70 to 80% of how they display themselves.  Example:  If their hands are in their pockets you could mask this behavior and put your hands in your pockets.  You can also cue in on things like how they hold their arms, their head, eye contact, crossed legs, crossed arms; hand on hip, etc…  The more alike you appear the more likely they will accept you and like you.

Try “Masking” the Behavior of Your Date or Spouse.

After I came home from the interviewing techniques training I decided I would try this technique on my wife.  My wife and I went out on a date and I purposely masked about 70% to 80% of her body language.  Guess what?  It worked.  My wife appeared to be very “excited” by my mere presence.  Near the end of the meal I told her about my training and that I had been masking her body language.  She told me she had an idea that something was “wrong” because I had never been so in tune to her:.)  She said it really did work.

Recommendation:

Mask your date’s body language.  It might just have a huge positive effect on the mood and outcome of the date.