While reading chapter 11 the section that I found most interesting was the "Importance of Nonverbal Cues" and "Body Language and Gestures". This caught my attention because I feel that you can learn a lot about a person based on how they carry themselves as well as their body language. Many times, you can detect how someone is feeling based on their facial expression even if they are trying not to show it. For example, if someone is trying to figure out a difficult math problem they may feel that they are thinking hard but look expressionless. However, someone watching them finish the math problem may see them with a puzzled face or tapping their pencil on the desk and perceive the person as being confused. Also, often times people are judged based on their body language such as during a job interview. Employers look for someone that is confident and now slouching down in their chair. A weak hand shake to an employer or a lack of eye contact may represent that you are intimidated or nervous. As you can see, body language plays a large role in presenting yourself and first impressions. It is important to be conscious about how you portray yourself when in certain situations. Below is a link to a website with further examples of decoding body language.
http://www.forbes.com/2009/06/23/body-language-first-impression-forbes-woman-leadership-communication.html
I think that body language and behavior is a key factor when meeting someone, watching someone, or interacting with someone. There have been many instances in which I have been engaged in a conversation with someone and based on their body language, I interpret what they are telling me or discussing with me in a completely different way. For example, when I first met a girl on the first day of high school I thought she was very mean and uninterested in being friends, based on her stand offish and uninterested body language. However, after getting to know her over time, as well as having heard from others that she is a very nice, but shy person right when you meet her, I came to realize that she never intended to come across that way. In actuality, she really did want to be friends and she never meant to seem uninterested. This is why body language is so important, and also why first impressions make the world of a difference. If this experience happened in a different situation such as an important job interview or meeting someone who is much more important than just a new friend, one's body language could drastically alter the outcome of event. This is extremely helpful to keep in mind when engaging in these first meetings and impressions!