Does hiding that you’re nervous make you look cold?
By Yogesh Pandey · 22 October 2026 · 2 min read
Yes, it can. Psychologists who study the fear of being judged found that the little tricks we use to hide our nervousness, called safety behaviours, make people see us as less warm. Looking calm is not the same as looking warm.
Still hands, blank face, perfect lines
You hold your hands still. You keep your face blank. You rehearse every line so nobody sees you sweat.
You are not cold. You are trying really hard not to be seen.
What the research says
Psychologists who study the fear of being judged found that the small tricks we use to hide it make people see us as less warm. This is research on ordinary social worry, not a sign that anything is wrong with you.
Think of the last person who looked super calm and super stiff. Did you feel close to them? Exactly.
How to look warmer when you are nervous
Hide less. Let your hands move. Let your face do what it does. Let them see a little. It makes you human.
- In your next meeting, drop one trick. Just one.
Source: Clark & Wells (1995), the cognitive model of social anxiety.
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