- When people want to draw attention to something, we instinctively extend an index finger.
- But pointing is not simply a matter of human nature. How we point is also a matter of culture.
- Other cultures have more conspicuous — and, to Western eyes, more colorful — conventions for pointing without the hands.
Octopuses have long arms and plenty of smarts, but they don’t point. Nor do chimps, gorillas or other apes, at least not in the wild.
Humans, on the other hand, are prodigious pointers. Infants use the gesture before they can talk, often around 1 year of age. By 2, they’ll waddle around, their forefingers sweeping over the world like searchlights.See the rest of the story at Business Insider
NOW WATCH: What ‘Dilly Dilly’ means — and how Bud Light came up with its viral campaign
See Also:
- Teens are watching a surprising amount of hardcore porn — and parents need to start talking to them about it
- The 40 highest-paying jobs you can get without a bachelor’s degree
- A frequent flier reveals the two words that will always get you an upgrade to first class
