The human brain is hardwired to infer intentions behind words. Every time you engage in conversation, your mind automatically constructs a mental model of your conversation partner. You then use the words they say to fill in the model with that person’s goals, feelings and beliefs.

Humans communicate by integrating and interweaving culturally transmitted codes (spoken or signed language) with nonverbal conventions (e.g., gestures, prosody), nonverbal nonconventions (e.g., interacting with the physical environment), and assumptions about the knowledge and goals of their interlocutor. This integration occurs for both signaler

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Signaling and counter-signaling are hidden methods of communicating with each other. We do it all the time as a way to “prove” we are who and what we claim to be.