Individuals who shake their legs when sitting, do so unconsciously. This little, jerky action, commonly referred to as regarding this kind of fidgeting as leg bouncing or jigging, is usually called leg bouncing. Psychological and behavioral science research indicates that fidgeting has the ability to communicate emotional expressiveness, energy and personality. Although it does not feature a conclusive personality examination, some tendencies have frequently been linked with this habit. There are ten different qualities that are commonly associated with habitual leg shakers as indicated below.
High Nervous Energy
Individuals with high frequency shaking legs are commonly high in baseline energy levels. This is associated with slight restlessness or an increase in physiological arousal. Small repetitive motions will dispose of this surplus energy when the body becomes stimulated- by stress or anticipation, or even by caffeine. It is not always anxiety but it tends to indicate a busy nervous system and wants to constantly be regulated by movement.
Tendency Toward Anxiety
Shaking of legs is normally linked with nervousness. Behavioral psychology argues that repetitive motor movements may be self-soothing. In cases where one is unsure or anxious, minor body movements are used to cope with the internal stress. This is not an indication that all leg shakers are limited to having an anxiety disorder, just the indication of a potential connection between leg shakers with their extreme level of emotional reactivity or their stress reactivity.
High Mental Activity
Most leg shakers are serious contemplators. The body at times replicates the speed of the mind, when the mind is on high alert or processing thoughts, solving problems or even anticipating the result. The evidence available concerning fidgeting has revealed that it tends to escalate when doing something that demands concentration. By doing so, leg bouncing can be a sign of an active personality that is engaged.
Impatience with Inactivity
Individuals who do not like sitting long will tend to shake his legs. It is a sign of discomfort with waiting or idleness. Passive situations can be discouraging to people who believe in hard work and progress. That inner drive to do something finds the expression needed by the physical movement when circumstances would otherwise dictate stasis.
Strong Goal Orientation
Amusingly, other researchers attribute light restlessness to high-achiever personalities. People that are result-oriented and goal-oriented might have trouble with relaxing completely. The movement of their legs may be an indicator of what is expected in the next task or milestone. This habit is in a way consistent with ambition and desire to continue moving on in life rather than laziness.
Sensitivity to Environment
Individuals who shake a leg might be more sensitive to the external stimuli like temperature, noise or social tension. Over stimulating conditions could enhance fidgeting. This implies an increased awareness and sensitivity. Although this aspect can enable one to be observant and keen to detail, it can also enable him or her to be more easily distracted in noisy situations.
Problems with Long-lasting Attention
Though leg shaking might occur during the concentration, it is prevalent among people who have a problem with sustained attention. Improvement of alertness through physical movement has proven results in research into the regulation of attention. Some people, especially those with attention related issues, find it beneficial to use small movements to keep their mind engaged in activity that may seem to be boring.
Emotional Expressiveness
Internal states are expressed through parts of personalities and are not spoken out. Emotions, like excitement or frustration or anticipation, may be expressed in leg shaking. The body speaks in terms of motion as opposed to talking about their feelings externally. This characteristic is common among individuals who are emotionally responsive but it does not necessarily translate to them having the ability to express their inner selves explicitly.
Adaptability Under Stress
Leg shaking may be a symptom of stress, but it may also represent a stress coping strategy. Minor repetitive gestures assist in tension control without interfering with social contexts. In this respect, habitual leg shakers might have elaborated in devising minor mechanisms to deal with pressure. Their nervous energy is released without much noise, and this enables them to also work efficiently even in harsh environments.
High Energy Personality
Lastly, movement of legs is a common phenomenon of the generally energized individuals. These individuals can lean towards activities and can be dynamic. The fact that they are physically restless is actually a sign of vitality and not negativity. When in a productive activity, the leg shaking is reduced in most instances since their energy is being utilized productively.
