Dr. Abbie Maroño Website

Dr. Abbie Maroño

Body Language & Nonverbal Communication Expert

Dr. Abbie Maroño is a behavioral and social scientist based in Orlando, FL. She is acknowledged by the U.S. Department of State as a top 1% expert in her field and has delivered specialized behavioral analysis training to representatives from 29 U.S. federal agencies, including the U.S. Secret Service, FBI, and Department of Homeland Security. Dr. Abbie is the creator of The Upper Hand, a proprietary framework for understanding human decision-making and influence. After delivering this training, the U.S. Secret Service recognized her expertise with an award for outstanding contribution to their forensic services. ​Dr Abbie earned her PhD in psychology from Lancaster University and became a Professor of Psychology at 23, now serving as Director of Education at Social-Engineer, LLC, specializing in behavior analysis. She contributes regularly to Forbes, Court TV, and Apple News and has been featured on BBC News, Fox News, WIRED, and Forbes Breaking News.

Education

  • Lancaster University, UK, PhD in Psychology

Professional Achievements

  • Top 1% Extraordinary Abilities in the Sciences, United States Department of State
  • Outstanding contribution to forensic services, United States Secret Service
  • Creator of The Upper Hand, a proprietary framework for understanding human decision-making and influence
  • Outstanding Reviewer Literati Award, Journal of Criminal Psychology
  • Highly sought-after expert witness, retained for high-profile cases, including lawsuits involving A-list celebrities

Favorite Piece of Advice

Every dream is achievable, but only if you’re willing to work for it and make the necessary sacrifices. Success isn’t magic, it’s math. You have to decide how much you want it compared to what you’re willing to give up for it. Once you know that, it’s about creating a plan, taking action, and being prepared for the opportunities you’re working toward.

wikiHow's Editorial ProcesswikiHow partners with over 1000+ experts from a wide range of fields to ensure our content is accurate and based on well-established research and testimony. Content Managers conduct interviews and work closely with each expert to review information, answer reader questions, and add credible advice. Learn more about our editorial process and why millions of readers trust wikiHow.

Forum Comments (3)

Signs that someone is hiding their feelings for you?
It's hard to see non-verbal body language signs for this. I recommend looking over time to see if they do little things that explicitly consider you.

But for non-verbal signs, try to deal with what you're seeing. If it looks like they're not engaged with you, assume they're not engaged. If it looks like they are engaged with you, assume they're engaged.
How do I know if a girl wants me to touch her?
There are some key signs to pay attention for. See if they're getting closer to you, making lots of eye contact, or looking at your lips a lot. These are often signs a girl wants you to touch them. Try to gauge as they move closer, and you reciprocate moving closer, does it look like their discomfort increases or their comfort increases?

When you do touch them, try a soft touch on the shoulder. If they do not flinch, if they do not pull back, and if they look like they lean into it, then you can try a light touch on their leg and see how they respond. Make sure to back off as soon as you notice any signs of discomfort, and never go straight into touching someone's leg.
What should I say when asked "what are your salary expectations?"
Be confident but not dominant. Try to show them that you are collaborative but also stand your ground. Be patient, calm, and polite. This will ensure they are receptive to you.

Q&A Comments (1)

Co-authored Articles (17)

How to

Make Friends

Behavioral and social scientist Dr. Abbie Maroño shares tips on how to get someone to like youFriends are so wonderful sometimes. They make you laugh, they go on adventures with you, and they're there for you when times...

A Guide to the Different Types of Smiles & What They Really Mean

Learn which smiles convey happiness, attraction, & contemptWhile we tend to associate smiling with happiness, smiling is actually a complex gesture that can express a wide range of emotions like agreeableness, attraction...

How to Caress Someone: Best Ways to Touch Your Partner

Body Language Expert Dr. Abbie Maroño teaches you how to respectfully caress someoneCaresses can be an amazing way to bond, experience pleasure, or enjoy some foreplay. You may have already heard that sensual caressing ...

What Does It Mean When Someone Puts Their Hands behind Their Back?

Body language & nonverbal communication expert Dr. Abbie Maroño explains how to interpret this poseWhen someone puts their hands behind their back, it can be interpreted several different ways depending on the situation...

How to Interpret Someone’s Eye Expressions, Signals & Behavior

Plus, how to use your own eye "body language" to your advantage They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, hinting at our truest feelings and most private thoughts. But what do certain movements and gestures really m...

How to

Read Body Language

Reading body language, or non-verbal cues, is a way to infer things about people you see around you or have interactions with. When you know how to do it, reading body language can tell you a lot about someone's feelings...

How to Improve Body Language to Send the Right Message

How open body language gets your point acrossWe all know just how important it is to choose your words wisely. But did you know that your body language, or non-verbal communication, is just as important? The mannerisms t...

How to

Respond

Behavioral and social scientist Dr. Abbie Maroño shares tips on how to reply to people in conversationHow you choose to respond to someone can affect the way they and other people view you. Fortunately, knowing how and ...

How to

Make Eye Contact

Making eye contact can be tricky, especially if you are shy, or nervous, but good eye-contact is important for building trust and engaging an audience. Even if you struggle to hold eye-contact now, all it takes is a litt...

How to

Roll Your Eyes

Rolling your eyes is a way to tell someone that you're annoyed or frustrated. It is a personal and sometimes provocative expression that you can use to great effect in social situations. The motion itself is simple, once...

How to

Be Charming

Charm is the art of having an attractive personality. Some people charm others the moment they enter a room, while others earn a reputation as a charmer over a period of time. While everyone is born with differing amount...

How to Interpret Crossed Arms

Learn about the possible meanings of crossed arms in different contextsFrom crossed arms to furrowed brows, the majority of our communication is nonverbal, which means that knowing how to interpret body language is essen...

How to Hold Eye Contact and Keep a Confident Gaze

The basics of making, maintaining, and breaking eye contact Making eye contact is a lot trickier than it seems. The need for perfect timing can make eye contact a challenge. Too much eye contact can come across as aggres...

Why You Shouldn’t Tuck Your Hair Behind Your Ears & How to Stop

Body language & nonverbal communication expert Dr. Abbie Maroño shares psychological reasons why people touch their hairFor those with long hair, tucking it behind the ears is a hard habit to break. Whether it be a nerv...

How to

Read Others' Emotions

When it comes to communication, what you hear is only a fraction of what’s being said. Just like an iceberg, the majority of what’s being communicated lies below the surface. Reading people’s emotions is like a fin...

35 Morning Meeting Greetings that Students & Teachers Will Love

Plus, tips to keep your class engaged during morning meetingsMorning meetings are an engaging way to start the school day and build a sense of community among the students in your class. Greeting games are an excellent w...

How to

Act Like You Are Very Social

Ever feel like people are more socially active than you? If yes, here are a few ways to act like you are very social.