Dx

The Behavioral Decodex

by Chris Michael
A comprehensive reference for reading bodies — head to toe, scored on the Deception Rating Scale.
316 elements · 193 Decodex additions · 123 from Hughes BTE 2022 · merged with Navarro Dictionary of Body Language

How to Read the Decodex

The Decodex is a periodic-table-style reference for body language. Every cell is a single behavior; rows are body regions head→toe; columns are stress/deception likelihood low→high. Hover any cell for full metadata. Below: the cell key, the chart's architecture, and how to use it to read deception in real time.

The Cell Key

Lb
2.0
Lip Bite
↑ Hover or tap this example to see the full metadata panel.
  • Symbol2–4 letter code
  • Nameshort label of the behavior
  • DRSDeception Rating Scale, top-right, 1.0–4.0
  • Colorgesture type (see below)
  • Gold cornermarks Decodex extensions (vs original BTE 2022)

Hover any cell for the full record: confirming, amplifying, and conflicting gestures; the microphysiological signal; cultural prevalence; sex skew; and number of variants.

Gesture Type (color)

Open — comfort, openness
Closed — pacifier, withdrawal
Aggressive — anger, dominance
Unsure — ambiguous; depends on cluster

Color is your fastest read. A face full of green/amber suggests comfort. Red appearing in a baseline-comfortable region is a flag. Slate (Unsure) cells need cluster context to interpret — never read them alone.

Architecture

Rows are body regions, head to toe: head, forehead, eyes, gaze, nose, mouth, lips, cheek/jaw/chin, face, neck, shoulders/arms, hands (gestural), hands (pacifier), torso, hips, legs/feet. The bottom two rows are voice/verbal and object interaction.

Columns within each row run left to right by Deception Rating Scale (DRS), from baseline/comfort (1.0) to strong tells (4.0). The most stressful behaviors live on the right edge of each row.

1.0 baseline
2.0 mild
3.0 high
4.0 max-tell

Timeframe (B / D / A)

For each cue we note when in the question/answer cycle to expect it:

  • B — Before answering (preparation, leakage)
  • D — During the answer (live cue)
  • A — After the answer (release, regret, scan)
  • BDA — can appear in any phase

The most diagnostic deception cues fire after an answer (Looking-for-Acceptance, Duping Delight, Cathartic Exhale). Cues that fire before an answer often signal preparation to deceive.

Reading Deception

Single cells are weak signals. Body language is read in clusters across a question/answer scenario.

Rule of thumb: tally the Deception Rating Scale value of every behavior observed during a question and its answer. Cluster total > 11 = high deception likelihood.

  • Watch for any cell at DRS 4.0 — these are anchors and mark the entire cluster as high-stakes.
  • A confirming gesture (per the Confirming field) and a conflicting one cancel each other out.
  • Always benchmark against the person's baseline — deviations matter more than absolute behaviors.

Baseline First

Before you read any single cue, spend the first 30–60 seconds observing the person at rest. How fast do they normally blink? Where do their hands sit when nothing's happening? How loud, how fast, how relaxed are they when the topic is neutral?

That is their baseline. Every cell on the Decodex tells you what a departure from that baseline likely means — not what an absolute posture means. A still hand on someone fidgety is a red flag; a still hand on someone naturally still is nothing.

The 5 C's of Behavior Reading

Five filters every Decodex read should pass through:

  • Context — the environment, the situation, what was just said. A scratched nose during allergy season means nothing.
  • Clusters — behaviors don't appear alone. One cue is noise; three pointing the same direction is signal.
  • Congruence — do the body, voice, and words agree? Mismatch (Fin, Nx, Easm, Dd) is itself a tell.
  • Consistency — how does what you're seeing match the person's baseline pattern?
  • Culture — the same gesture means different things across cultures (Esf, Pf, Cpt, Ts).
Above all five: CHANGE
The most diagnostic moment in any read is the instant a cue shifts — pace changes, posture breaks, gaze cuts away, breath catches.
Note what changed and when, not just what's there now.

Reading Clusters (Decodex)

The Decodex names three cluster patterns the BTE leaves implicit:

  • Confirming cluster — multiple cells from the same Confirming list fire together. Strongest read.
  • Amplifying cluster — a primary cell + amplifiers raises its effective DRS.
  • Conflicting cluster — incongruent signals (face vs body, words vs face). Itself a high-confidence tell. Flagged by Fin (Facial Incongruence), Nx (Nod Contradiction), Easm (Emotional Asymmetry), Dd (Duping Delight).

The fastest live use: build a 30-second baseline of the person at rest, then watch for departures from it. The Decodex tells you what kind of departure each behavior represents.

Variable Factors (VF)

Each cell carries a VF score from 1–4 — the number of distinct presentations the behavior takes. It's not a confidence rating; it's a count of how many different forms of the same cue you'll need to learn to recognize in the wild.

  • VF 1 — single canonical form. Spot it once, you've got it. e.g., Ear Lean, Earlobe Pull.
  • VF 2 — two main variants, usually mirrored or context-shifted. e.g., Head Tilt, Hair Tuck.
  • VF 3 — three or more, often with strong baseline dependence. e.g., Blink Rate, Breath Rate, Happiness/Smile.
  • VF 4 — highly polysemous; you need pattern memory across all forms. e.g., Eye Accessing Cues, Facial Touch, Hugging.

High-VF cues earn extra cluster discipline: the more presentations a behavior has, the easier it is to misread one of them in isolation. Pair them with their Confirming and Amplifying cells before drawing a conclusion — never read a VF 3 or VF 4 cell alone.

Open Closed Aggressive Unsure Decodex extension DRS 1.0 → 4.0 (least → most stress / deceptive) · hover any cell for full metadata
No elements match the current filters. to see them all again.
👆 Tap or click any cell to see the full breakdown — confirming/conflicting gestures, microphysiology, cultural & sex skew, timeframe, and DRS detail.
01Head / Hair / Ear19 cells
Eln
1.0
Ear Lean
Hkt
1.0
Hair Tuck (behind ear)
Hl
1.0
Hair Flip
Hpo
1.0
Hair Play (palm out)
Ht
1.0
Head Tilt
Elp
1.5
Earlobe Pull
Hb
1.5
Head Back
Hp
1.5
Hair Play (palm in)
Hpt
1.5
Head Pat (back)
Hsc
1.5
Head Scratch
Hst
1.5
Head Stroke
Ye
1.5
Vertical Shake (nod)
Hf
2.0
Fingers Through Hair (M)
Hs
2.0
Head Support
Hvw
2.0
Ventilating Hair (F)
Hd
2.5
Downcast
Tu
2.5
Turtling
Hr
3.5
Reach For Head (stupefied)
Nx
4.0
Nod-Verbal Contradiction
02Forehead / Eyebrows13 cells
Ef
1.0
Brow Flash
Fbt
1.5
Forehead Tension
Fps
1.5
Forehead Slap
Bn
2.0
Brow Narrow
Ebc
2.0
Brow Arch + Chin to Neck
Ffr
2.0
Forehead Furrow
Fms
2.0
Forehead Massage
Eat
2.5
Brow Arch (tense)
Eba
2.5
Brow Asymmetry
Fph
2.5
Press Hand on Forehead
Fsw
2.5
Forehead Sweat
Tv
2.5
Temple Vein Throbbing
Pf
3.0
Point at Forehead (insult)
03Eyes — Orbit / Lids / Pupils17 cells
Br
1.0
Blink Rate (baseline)
Ece
1.0
Eyes Close for Emphasis
Erx
1.0
Relaxed Eyes
Eyf
1.0
Fatigued Eyes
Pd
1.0
Pupil Dilation
Egl
1.5
Glazed Eyes
Pc
1.5
Pupil Constriction
Eflt
2.0
Eyelid Flutter
Er
2.0
Eyelid Rub
Ot
2.0
Orbit Tension
Sq
2.0
Squint
Sqs
2.0
Slight Squint
Ebn
2.5
Eyes Closed + Bridge Rub
Eq
2.5
Quivering Under Eyes
Ewi
2.5
Eyes Wide (stiff)
Ecl
3.0
Closed Eyes (sustained)
Ecv
3.5
Cover Eyes (hand)
04Gaze — Direction / Duration17 cells
Ecn
1.0
Eye Contact (baseline)
Ecs
1.0
Eye Contact Seek
Gge
1.0
Gaze Engaging (warm)
Gsu
1.0
Gaze Superiority
Eac
1.5
Eye Accessing Cues
Fol
1.5
Far-Off Look
Elw
2.0
Eyes Lowered
Ep
2.0
Eye Point (under finger)
Lcs
2.0
Look Ceiling/Sky
Lst
2.0
Long Stare
Lka
2.5
Looking Askance
Edt
3.0
Eye Darting
Erl
3.5
Eye Roll
Lfa
3.5
Looking For Acceptance
Cg
4.0
Confirm Glance
Eav
4.0
Gaze Absence
Stg
4.0
Aggressive Stare
05Nose / Breath13 cells
Bre
1.0
Breath Rate (baseline)
Wd
1.0
Wing Dilation (nostril)
Nhh
1.5
Nose High Hold
Pph
1.5
Philtrum Play
Nbr
2.0
Nose Brush (subtle)
Sgh
2.0
Sigh
Bnp
2.5
Bridge-of-Nose Pinch
Cex
2.5
Cathartic Exhale
Nri
2.5
Rapid Nose Inhale
Sai
2.5
Suck Air In (corners)
Hbt
3.0
Hold Breath
Lse
3.0
Loud Short Exhale
Ncv
3.5
Cover Nose (both hands)
06Mouth / Tongue / Teeth14 cells
Tpr
1.0
Tongue Protrude (concentr.)
Yn
1.0
Yawn
Cgm
1.5
Chew Gum (rate change)
Tic
1.5
Tongue in Cheek
Cct
2.0
Cough/Clear Throat
Dm
2.0
Dry Mouth
Sw
2.0
Swallow
Td
2.0
Tongue Dart
Ts
2.0
Teeth Suck
Om
2.5
Object-Mouth
Hom
3.0
Hand-over-Mouth
Mjs
3.0
Mouth Open + Jaw Side
Mst
3.0
Mouth Stretch
Tj
3.0
Tongue Jut
07Lips / Smiles15 cells
Ha
1.0
Happiness (smile)
Hat
1.0
True Smile (Duchenne)
Lgh
1.0
Laughter
Lb
2.0
Lip Bite
Llk
2.0
Lip Lick
Hfa
2.5
False Smile
Hns
2.5
Nervous Smile
Lc
2.5
Lip Compress
Lps
2.5
Lip Purse
Lpx
2.5
Lip Purse (to side)
Lwd
2.5
Lip Withdraw (sucked-in)
Lq
3.0
Lip Quiver
Lr
3.0
Lip Retract
Udl
3.0
Upside-Down Lips
Lpd
3.5
Compressed Lips Pulled Down
08Cheek / Jaw / Chin21 cells
Cf
1.0
Cheek Frame
Cpt
1.0
Chin Point
Csm
1.0
Cheek Strum
Cup
1.0
Chin Up
Bms
1.5
Beard/Mustache Stroke
Jd
1.5
Jaw Displace
Cp
2.0
Cheek Puff
Cs
2.0
Chin Stroke
Csh
2.0
Chin Shift
Acp
2.5
Angry Chin Perch
Cts
2.5
Chin to Shoulder
Fl
2.5
Flushing
Jmp
2.5
Jaw Muscle Pulse
Cdm
3.0
Chin Dimple
Cds
3.0
Chin Drop + Slump
Cw
3.0
Cheek Wipe (face drag)
Jc
3.0
Jaw Clench
Cmq
3.5
Chin Muscle Quiver
Jj
3.5
Jaw Jut
Ct
4.0
Chin Thrust
Ft
4.0
Facial Touch
09Face — Expressions / Overall17 cells
Sp
1.5
Surprise
Ga
2.0
Gesture Absent
Fav
2.5
Face Avoidance
Easm
3.0
Emotional Asymmetry
Fbl
3.0
Face Blocking (hands)
Pr
3.0
Protecting
Sa
3.0
Sadness
Sh
3.0
Shrug
Dg
3.5
Disgust
Fr
3.5
Fear
Sit
3.5
Serenity in Turmoil
Ag
4.0
Anger
Co
4.0
Contempt
Cry
4.0
Crying
Dd
4.0
Duping Delight
Fin
4.0
Facial Incongruence
Ss
4.0
Single Shrug
10Neck / Throat14 cells
Nex
1.0
Neck Exposure (cant)
Nst
1.5
Neck Stretch
Vh
2.0
Ventilation
Hfn
2.5
Hold Fist Front of Neck
Mvn
2.5
Massage Vagus Nerve
Nt
2.5
Neck Touch
Nvp
2.5
Neck Vein Pulse
Pn
2.5
Play with Necklace
Psc
2.5
Play Shirt Collar
Tkt
2.5
Tie-Knot Touch
Bon
3.0
Back of Neck
Csn
3.0
Cover Suprasternal Notch
Aa
4.0
Adam's Apple Bob
Ttc
4.0
Throat Clasp
11Shoulders / Arms23 cells
Ah
1.0
Arms-Hips (Akimbo)
Apx
1.0
Armpit Expose
Bb
1.0
Behind Back
Bh
1.0
Behind Head
Eil
1.0
Elbows Interlocking
Eo
1.0
Elbow Out
Etd
1.0
Elation/Triumph
Hug
1.0
Hugging
Swd
1.0
Shoulders Widen
Asp
1.5
Arm Spread
Sah
1.5
Single Hand on Hip
Cr
2.0
Constant Raise
Eflx
2.0
Elbow Flex (akimbo flap)
Rsh
2.0
Raise Shoulders + Plea
Wp
2.0
Single Wrap
Ec
2.5
Elbow Close
Esw
2.5
Excessive Sweating
Hsh
2.5
Hold Shoulders High
Scr
2.5
Shoulder/Clavicle Rub
Sll
2.5
Sit Lower & Lower
Achw
3.0
Arms Cross + Hold Wrist
Shg
3.0
Self-Hug
Fz
3.5
Freeze
12Hands — Gestural / Declarative22 cells
Bg
1.0
Baton
De
1.0
Digit Ext
Gg
1.0
Guiding
Hra
1.0
Hands Ready/Active
Hsk
1.0
Handshake
Iftu
1.0
Interlace Fingers Thumbs Up
Ok
1.0
OK Sign (precision)
Pe
1.0
Palm Exposure
To
1.0
Thumb Out
Atf
1.5
Akimbo Thumbs Forward
Lf
1.5
Lock Finger
No
1.5
No Lock
Pth
1.5
Politician's Thumb
St
1.5
Steeple
Tww
2.0
Thumb Withdraw
Iftd
2.5
Interlace Fingers Thumbs Down
Pdn
2.5
Palms Down
Thd
2.5
Territorial Hand Display
Fp
3.0
Finger Point (outward)
Pat
3.0
Push Away From Table
Fj
4.0
Finger Jab
Hu
4.0
Hushing
13Hands — Pacifier / Touch23 cells
Po
1.0
Pockets
Df
1.5
Digit Flex
Kk
1.5
Knuckle Crack
Tm
1.5
Thumb Massage
Adgl
2.0
Adjust Glasses
Fct
2.0
Fingers Close Together
Fh
2.0
Finger Holding (own)
Fi
2.0
Fidgeting
Ip
2.0
Inward Point
Nb
2.0
Nail Bite
Tp
2.0
Tapping
Wt
2.0
Wrist Touch
Bar
2.5
Barrier
Bc
2.5
Barrier Cross
Fcn
2.5
Fingers Curl + Nail Flick
Hof
2.5
Hold On Furniture
Hw
2.5
Hand Wring
Lp
2.5
Lint Picking
Wf
2.5
Wrist-Forehead
Grs
3.0
Grasping (x2)
Kw
3.5
Knuckle-White Grip
Sta
3.5
Self-Touch While Answering
Fns
4.0
Finger-Nose
14Torso / Posture17 cells
Fc
1.0
Facing
Ff
1.0
Facing (alt)
Pch
1.0
Palm on Chest
Pem
1.0
Postural Echo (Mirror)
Ps
1.0
Posture (baseline)
Sfw
1.0
Sit Forward
Vf
1.0
Ventral Fronting
Bsl
1.5
Body Slouch
Pt
2.0
Posture Tilt
Tlt
2.0
Tilt
Poc
2.5
Press On Chest
Tch
2.5
Chest Touch
Vc
2.5
Ventral Covering
Vd
2.5
Ventral Denial (turn-away)
Ese
3.0
Ejection-Seat Effect
Do
3.5
Doubling Over
Fpos
4.0
Fetal Position
15Hips / Genitals / Space10 cells
Ge
1.0
Groin Expose
Hod
1.5
Hip-Out Display
Hps
1.5
Hip Shift
Mns
1.5
Manspread
Tst
1.5
Territorial Stance
Gpr
2.0
Genital Pressure
Sdt
2.0
Spatial Distance
Thc
2.0
Thigh Clasp
Ia
4.0
In Air
Tcg
4.0
Territorial Challenge
16Legs / Feet22 cells
Agg
1.0
Toes Up
Bhf
1.0
Bouncy Happy Feet
Kp
1.0
Knee/Thigh Pat (decision)
Ldr
1.0
Leg Drape
Lg
1.0
Crossing (sit)
Pfs
1.0
Playing Footsies
Slc
1.0
Standing Leg Cross
4
1.5
Figure 4
Hlt
1.5
Hold Legs Together
Kcf
1.5
Knee Clasp Forward
Bi
2.0
Binding
Gm
2.0
Grooming
Kr
2.0
Knee Rub
La
2.0
Lock Ankle
Tpi
2.0
Toes Pigeon
Fta
2.5
Foot Turn Away
Kc
2.5
Knee Clasp
Fst
3.0
Foot Stomp
Kh
3.0
Knee Hug
Lrb
3.0
Leg Rub (cleanser)
Esf
3.5
Expose Soles (insult)
Fw
3.5
Foot Withdraw
17Voice / Verbal23 cells
Vt
1.5
Vocal Tic
Fls
2.0
Filler Sounds (uh/um)
It
2.0
Incessant Talking
Upt
2.0
Uptalk
Stt
2.5
Stutter/Stammer
Iar
3.0
Interruptive Argument
Rw
3.0
Repetition of Words
Inc
3.5
Incongruent Talk
Am
4.0
Ambiguity
Chr
4.0
Chronology Issues
Exc
4.0
Exclusions
Hes
4.0
Hesitancy
Mc
4.0
Mini-Confession
NA
4.0
Non-Answer
Nc
4.0
Non-Contraction
Oa
4.0
Over-Apology
Pol
4.0
Politeness (excess)
Prn
4.0
Pronoun Absent
Psd
4.0
Psychological Distance
Qr
4.0
Question Reversal
Res
4.0
Resume Statement
Rip
4.0
Rise in Pitch
Spd
4.0
Increased Speed
18Object Interaction16 cells
BcO
1.0
Carelessness (object)
Oi
1.0
Object Interact
Opi
1.0
Other's Property
Sr
1.0
Shoe Removal
Cc
1.5
Covering (pull)
Jb
1.5
Jacket Button
Ob
1.5
Object Barrier
Wc
1.5
Watch Check
Bs
2.0
Security Check
Ca
2.0
Chair Arms
Wg
2.0
Watch Glance (subtle)
Ftb
2.5
Fists on Table
Oc
3.0
Concealment
Jp
3.5
Jewelry Play
Cl
4.0
Chair Legs (lock)
Gs
4.0
Groin Shield
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