social cue
Nonverbal interpersonal signal
A social cue is a signal—verbal or nonverbal—that communicates information about a person's feelings, intentions, or expectations in social situations.
These include facial expressions, tone of voice, body language, and conversational timing.
Reading social cues is fundamental to navigating interactions smoothly; missing them can lead to awkwardness or misunderstanding.
He didn't pick up on the social cues that she wanted to end the conversation.
Unspoken physical expression
- facial expressionEmotive muscle positioning
- gestureCommunicative body movement
- eye contactDirect visual connection
- postureBody position, alignment
microexpression · kinesics · nod · smile · frown · wink · shrug · glance
Quality of sound
- intonationPitch variation in speech
- inflectionWord form alteration
- pauseTemporary cessation of activity
- silenceTotal lack of sound
small talk · greeting · farewell · laughter · sarcasm · hint · implication · innuendo
Customs of polite conduct
- protocolPrescribed conduct rules
- decorumFitting social conduct
- proprietyCorrectness of conduct
- courtesyRespectful, considerate behavior
politeness · formality · tact · civility · grace · decency · comportment · refinement
Interpreting written text
- perceptionMental interpretation of stimuli
- awarenessState of perceiving reality
- sensitivityResponsiveness to stimuli
- misreadingIncorrect interpretation of text
obliviousness · intuition · inference · recognition · attunement · empathy · theory of mind · mindblindness
Context of events
- situationState of affairs
- atmosphereGaseous layer around planets
- moodPrevailing emotional condition
- timingArt of choosing moments
occasion · audience · relationship · hierarchy · power dynamics · in-group · out-group · cultural norm
body language
Unspoken physical expression
- facial expressionEmotive muscle positioning
- gestureCommunicative body movement
- eye contactDirect visual connection
posture · microexpression · kinesics · nod · smile · frown · wink · shrug · glance · stare
tone
Quality of sound
- intonationPitch variation in speech
- inflectionWord form alteration
- pauseTemporary cessation of activity
silence · small talk · greeting · farewell · laughter · sarcasm · hint · implication · innuendo · subtext
manners
Customs of polite conduct
courtesy · politeness · formality · tact · civility · grace · decency · comportment · refinement · savoir-faire
reading
Interpreting written text
- perceptionMental interpretation of stimuli
- awarenessState of perceiving reality
- sensitivityResponsiveness to stimuli
misreading · obliviousness · intuition · inference · recognition · attunement · empathy · theory of mind · mindblindness · neurodivergence
setting
Context of events
- situationState of affairs
- atmosphereGaseous layer around planets
- moodPrevailing emotional condition
timing · occasion · audience · relationship · hierarchy · power dynamics · in-group · out-group · cultural norm · unwritten rule
social, cue, socially, sociable, sociably, unsociable, antisocial, asocial, socialize