Social cues are nonverbal and verbal signals that people use to communicate their thoughts, feelings, and intentions. They are expressed through the face, body, voice, motion, and more, and guide conversations as well as other social interactions by influencing our impressions of and responses to others. Social cues include expressions, body language, tone of voice, personal space or boundaries, eye contact, distance, and silence. They are part of social cognition and serve several purposes in navigating the social world. Due to their social nature, humans rely heavily on the ability to understand other peoples mental states and make predictions about their behavior. Especially in the view of evolution, this ability is critical in helping to determine potential threats and advantageous opportunities; and in helping to form and maintain relationships in order to fulfill safety and basic physiological needs.
Kids with social skills issues and other learning and thinking differences may have trouble understanding facial expressions, body language, tone and pitch changes, and personal space. However, there are ways to help kids learn to read social cues. Being able to recognize and accurately interpret social cues can not only help support your social interactions but also help you avoid misunderstandings.
