How did nodding your head up and down come to be interpreted as “agreement” and nodding side to side as “disagreement” or denial across so many cultures?
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I’d like to add the following theory:
In many social structures (inter-human and inter-animal) if you are being looked at you lower your head and gaze in order to show submission. Of you don’t look at somebody by lowering your gaze the opponent can do what ever he wants, bite you, walk away, turn around and start tea-bagging you – anything is possible – by lowering your gaze you show that you are OK with what ever the communication partner is doing or planning to do.
By lowering your gaze you “accept” by submission.
From the plain lowering of the gaze a more elaborate down and up movement might have developed to be able constantly or repeatedly show your agreement.
Also one might notice that nodding starts with the down motion and then the head comes up again, even doing this only once is a sign of agreement.
If you nod up and then down its more a sign of alertness (up -> alert, down again -> recognition or relaxation) and following relaxation…
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