Ladies...why walk with your arms folded?

I'm a young UK woman and I never walk about with my arms folded. I like having my arms free, don't care if anyone looks at my chest, and I'm not in the habit of wearing so few clothes that I'd need to self-hug to be warm enough.Can't say I've noticed other women doing it either round here but I am incredibly unobservant when it comes to humans I shall observe the arm-folding behaviour of the local female population when I go out later.

OK, I've just spent 45 minutes wandering around the busy little market town where I live, carrying out covert arm-monitoring under the guise of undertaking various chores. I'm afraid I missed your post about stats, Chimp, so my figures are estimates only I saw about 150 women walking about, ranging in age from late teens to 70s, and I would estimate the same number of men. About 60% of both sexes were carrying something in one or both hands (eg a shopping bag, a takeaway drink or a mobile phone). For this subset of people, in both sexes the occupied hands (whether one or both) were held low and relaxed, as were the free hands if they had one.Of the women who had both hands free (that would be about 60 women in total), one had her arms folded across her chest. She was in her thirties, slim, average height, dressed appropriately for the temperature and weather conditions (dry but cool with a moderate north-easterly breeze). I think I looked at her a bit too carefully - there was a noticeable tightening of the arms.I also observed one woman carrying a small parcel rather awkwardly in both hands against her chest, when she could easily have managed it in one hand at her side. She was in her fifties, average build and height, again dressed appropriately for the weather.I also observed one man walking with his arms folded across his chest. He was in his fifties, stockily built, dressed appropriately etc etc.If I remember, I'll look again when I go to the cinema tonight. Perhaps there will be different folding behaviour among people who are going out for the evening, compared to people shopping or going out to get their lunch.Edited by aiki, : No reason given.Edited by aiki, : No reason given.

I'm afraid tonight's results were rubbish. No arm-folding was noted, but it was raining both on the way to and from the cinema so very few people were about, and most of those that we did see were carrying umbrellas This anthropological research malarkey is more difficult than I'd realised.

Good idea, Larni.Based on other interesting observations I made while out looking for arm-folders, I have been inspired to pursue a new direction in my research on human postural behaviour. I'll be conducting a study on whether the wearing of lycra influences the riding stance of young male cyclists.