People-Watching as an Art for Authors – Pt.6

Part Six: General Health, Eating Habits and Dress

General Health. Observations on the status of a target personality's health are at best superficial and impressionistic, yet combined with other information the4se may well assist in reliable predictions of future physical or mental disability. For instance, peculiarities in gait, stance, or gesticulation may be cues to incipient disease or existing neurological anomaly.

In appraising the target's general health, the observer should be alert to signs of chronic fatigue, tension, irritability or depression, with the intention of eventually exploring the cause: recent illness or surgery, bereavement, economic difficulties, marital discord, etc.

Although it is impractical to list all possible indicators of organic or psychological difficulties, an extremely pale or excessively florid complexion, tremor, shivering, tics, unusual facial movements, exaggerated or irrelevant gestures are potentially interpretable and should be noted by the observer.

Are the signs present at all times or only occasionally? Do they accompany certain topics of conversation that suggest emotional overtones? Do they seem related to the target's pattern of drinking or smoking, or to unusual reliance on tonics, vitamins, tranquilizers or other drugs?

Eating Habits. The target's attitude toward food may indicate certain psychological characteristics. Gluttonous behavior and crude table manners may point to early socioeconomic deprivation, or it may be the target's primary means of coping with excessive stress.

On the other hand, picking at food or an aversion to food might indicate a fetish or some medical need for careful dietary control. In similar manner, much can be learned about an individual by careful observation and subsequent analysis of his smoking and drinking habits.

Dress. Clothes may not make the man, but they do reveal some facets of his personality and tell us something about his social values. Some dimensions along which observations of dress can be made are: style, quality, cost, appropriateness, and neatness or grooming.

Does his choice differ significantly from the customary mode of dress in is group or culture? Is he a narrow lapel man in a wide lapel society? Is he fastidiously conscious of his clothes or exceptionally negligent about his wearing apparel? Is he an Easterner who, unlike his associates, has opted for Western style dress? Does he wear the same suit on every occasion, or does he change regularly and appropriately? If he departs from customary dress, does he do so with a sense of independence, or simply lack taste?

Coming in Part Seven: Expressive Movements and Facial Expressions