Social Cues: Definition, Types, Interpretation

Social cues allow people to communicate with one another, especially in group settings. When correctly interpreted and recognized, these signals help convey your thoughts and feelings more easily.

When social cues are missed or unacknowledged, this can lead to misunderstandings or challenges in relationships. 

People communicate social cues through facial expressions, tone of voice, body language, and personal space. Even pointing a finger in one direction or directing a gaze in another can communicate cues to people and provoke a response. That’s why learning what they are and how to understand them is so important. 

People use social cues to communicate how they feel or what they’re thinking in any given situation. There are four types of social cues, which include:

• Facial expressions: One of the most common ways people communicate is through facial expressions. They may show emotions like amusement, fear, disgust, happiness, confusion, and anger. A smile can express happiness, a frown can mean sadness or displeasure, and a raised eyebrow can signify surprise or suspicion.
• Personal space or boundaries: How people angle their bodies or how tall they stand can serve as social cues. Leaning in toward someone can show interest, while leaning out or moving away can communicate the need for space or disinterest.
• Body language and gestures: People often communicate using gestures or by positioning their arms. They may move their hands around rapidly when excited or cross their arms when feeling closed off. Other times, people may slump their shoulders when feeling insecure or shrug when they don’t know an answer.
• Tone of voice: How people say things, which words they emphasize, and their tone or volume are all considered social cues. If a person mumbles, they may be nervous, while a person with a higher pitch in their voice may be excited. People can also express sarcasm, anger, frustration, condescension, and criticism with their voice.

Social cues help promote successful social interactions within your relationships. They provide insight into what others are thinking and feeling and guide how you should respond during conversations. Here are some ways you might read social cues:

• Observe people during conversations: Look for cues like facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, tone of voice, and body posture
• Practice active listening: Listen attentively to what someone is saying, acknowledge their thoughts, and ask questions to clarify something or continue the conversation
• Consider the context: Think about your relationship with the other person, the cultural norms, or what is happening at the moment to help you interpret or read social cues
• Assess personal space: Recognize how far someone is sitting or standing next to you, as this can help you understand their boundaries and comfort level when engaging in a conversation
• Ask questions: Inquire more thoughts after someone is done speaking to help clarify their remarks or ensure that you’re interpreting the conversation correctly

Correctly interpreting social cues can build social competence, improve interactions with others, and strengthen relationships.

With social competence, you can effectively evaluate social situations and get insight into what is expected or required of you. It also allows you to recognize the feelings and intentions of other people and respond with empathy and understanding.

These skills can also improve other areas of your life. Good social skills build self-confidence and a sense of belonging and can contribute to overall happiness. It can also lead to being sought out, included in groups, or promoted at work.

Interpreting social cues can be instinctive for some people, but mastering them may be more challenging for others. People with underlying neurological or psychological conditions may communicate differently and not pick up on typical social cues.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Autism can sometimes make it difficult to interpret social cues. If you live with ASD, you might also display social cues that are different from what is considered typical.

With autism, you might avoid eye contact, have facial expressions that don’t match what you’re saying, or use a tone of voice that people may not expect. That doesn’t mean anything is wrong with how you interact with others; it just means your brain processes relationships and social situations differently—and that’s valid.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

If you live with ADHD, you may be aware of social norms and expectations, but you might still experience some difficulty understanding social cues. ADHD can often cause symptoms like distraction, inattentiveness, and impulsivity, which makes it easy to miss social cues and misinterpret conversations with others.

Social Anxiety

One hallmark characteristic of social anxiety disorder is the feeling that other people are watching or judging you. This may make it easy to feel uncomfortable in social situations. You might also feel like their eye contact is judgmental when they actually intend to be approachable.

Intellectual Disabilities

An intellectual or learning disability can affect how you process and understand social cues. Some disabilities can affect communication. For example, you may have difficulty understanding language, expressing emotions, or taking turns in a conversation.

Overuse of Social Media

Overusing social media, especially during your developmental years, can negatively affect your understanding of social cues.

A lack of face-to-face interaction limits your exposure to different facial expressions, tones of voice, and body language, making it difficult to learn how to interpret social cues and participate in conversations or social situations.

Social-Emotional Agnosia

Social-emotional agnosia is a rare condition that causes you to lose the ability to perceive facial expressions, body language, and various tones of voice. With this condition, you may notice challenges in recognizing emotions and picking up on social cues.

Brain Injury

Neurological injuries like a stroke or traumatic brain injury (TBI) can greatly change your ability to communicate and, thereby, affect your interpretation of social cues.

These injuries can make it challenging for your brain to understand language, find words, and recognize emotions and facial expressions. Proper treatment and therapies can slowly help you regain your communication abilities.

When recognized and interpreted, social cues can be powerful communication tools. They help you understand what others may be thinking and feeling and know how to respond. While reading social cues may not come naturally to some people, this does not mean that it can’t be taught.

Some ways to improve your social cues include asking for feedback and observing people during conversations. You can also pay attention to how you communicate to see what social cues you use. Consider these strategies:

• Observe someone else: Pay attention to how a friend or family member responds to social cues in a group setting. Note how they stand, where they direct their eyes, their tone of voice, and how they respond to others.
• Role-play with others: Find someone to mentor you on social cues and to practice using and interpreting cues. They can take you through different scenarios and guide you on what to look for or how to respond.
• Ask for feedback: Talk to loved ones to determine how well you interpret social cues. They can help you identify areas where you might need improvement and help with any challenges you might be experiencing.
• Observe your social cues: Record a video of yourself talking with others and then play it back. Pay attention to where your eyes are directed, your facial expressions and posture, how you move your hands, and your tone of voice. These recordings can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses in communicating.
• Take a social skills class: Taking a class intended to improve social skills can be helpful. Look for one in your area. If you cannot find a class, look for books or online videos to help you hone your skills.
• Get help from a mental health professional: Some people find that working with a therapist helps improve the ability to identify social cues. They can also help you address any mental health or neurological conditions that may be affecting your understanding of social cues.

Social cues allow people to communicate their thoughts and feelings through facial expressions, tone of voice, gestures, and body posture. Accurately recognizing and interpreting these cues can help strengthen your relationships and boost self-confidence.

Understanding social cues comes naturally to some but can be challenging for others. People with trouble interpreting social cues can learn to recognize them by practicing with others, observing themselves, and asking for feedback.