human behavior Human behavior is the potential and expressed capacity (Energy (psychological), mentally, Physical activity, physically, and Social action, socially) of human individuals or groups to respond to internal and external Stimulation, stimuli throu ...

, a mannerism is a peculiar, distinctive habit of a person.Mannerisms
/ref> In particular, the term refers to an affected or

exaggerated Exaggeration is the representation of something as more extreme or dramatic than it is, intentionally or unintentionally. It can be a rhetorical device or figure of speech, used to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression. Ampl ...

speech or actions. Often mannerisms are subtle and subconscious. They may be expressed in

body language Body language is a type of nonverbal communication in which physical behaviors, as opposed to words, are used to express or convey information. Such behavior includes facial expressions, body posture, gestures, eye movement, touch and the use o ...

, manner of speech, tone of the voice, etc. Examples of mannerisms are twirling hair, tapping fingers, particular facial expressions. Some mannerisms of a person may be indicative of an attempt to call attention to themselves. In

psychopathology Psychopathology is the study of mental illness. It includes the signs and symptoms of all mental disorders. The field includes Abnormal psychology, abnormal cognition, maladaptive behavior, and experiences which differ according to social norms ...

, mannerisms that look unnatural and weird may be a

syndrome A syndrome is a set of medical signs and symptoms which are correlated with each other and often associated with a particular disease or disorder. The word derives from the Greek language, Greek σύνδρομον, meaning "concurrence". When a sy ...

of various

personality disorder Personality disorders (PD) are a class of mental health conditions characterized by enduring maladaptive patterns of behavior, cognition, and inner experience, exhibited across many contexts and deviating from those accepted by the culture. ...

s.Martin Brüne
Ethological remarks on mannerisms. Conceptualisation and proposal for a definition
Mannerisms should be distinguished from

tic A tic is a sudden and repetitive motor movement or vocalization that is not rhythmic and involves discrete muscle groups. Tics are typically brief and may resemble a normal behavioral characteristic or gesture. Tics can be invisible to the obs ...

s: the former are fluidly integrated into person's behavior, while tics are sudden, repetitive, and abrupt.

References

Psychological concepts Human behavior {{sociology-stub

See also

References