Could you tell if a person was submissive or Dominant from just looking at them?

If so, what personality traits or body language characteristics would you see within an everyday situation that would be considered as a dead giveaway?

I'll give you an example: when I've asked people their first impressions of me - a good portion of them would consider my demeanour to be very intense and intimidating.
Even one friend, joked around saying that no doubt they can see me being a Dominatrix however they also can see I have a girly side but that which is dependant on who I interact with.
Could you tell if a person was submissive or Dominant from just looking at them?
Could you tell if a person was submissive or Dominant from just looking at them?
Could you tell if a person was submissive or Dominant from just looking at them?
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Superb Opinion

  • Usually yes, it isn't as easy as if you are talking with them, but if you observe a person from afar and look at things like their body language, you can usually make a educated guess based on your observation.

    With a dominant person, they are typically very confident and composed when walking or being around other people, they aren't shy or skittish and exude a authoritative personality.

    With submissive people, they are typically more reserved when walking around, shy, skittish around others, not confident and body language can include having a more tensed up body and another thing would be having trouble keeping eye contact with people, all signs of lack of confidence which is something dominant people require, so submissive people by default are primarily less confident in many aspects.

    This isn't to say it is a 100% accurate visual giveaway, there are cases where people who seem submissive are actually dominant but only around specific individuals, it could be because they are uncomfortable with how others may see them if they display that personality trait.

    And vice versa, some dominant visual traits could be a submissive person trying to appear dominant in order to keep themselves safe from being bullied and so on.

Most Helpful Guy

  • In my experience, you can OFTEN tell by people's behavior and traits if they're dominant or submissive, but you also need to know that some people you aren't going to be able to read at all, and occasionally, you'll misread someone, because there are definitely people who are one way in public and the opposite in private.

    One thing that IS more reliable is that submissive tend to respond positively and to be attracted to dominants - even when the dominant isn't paying the submissive any particular attention. Dominance tends to be so attractive to submissives that they can't help but react to it - regardless of whether the submissive is male or female, straight or gay.

Most Helpful Girls

  • Sometimes yes and sometimes no.

    With girls it is easier, with guys... not so much :)

    Could you tell if a person was submissive or Dominant from just looking at them?
  • Not always

    Judging by your PFP, you look more dominant and rather lush if honest 😏

    • Judging by my PFP, what am I?

    • Thank you you are kind 🖤 If I was to say by your pose and outfit... submissive.

    • Correct but I will switch on occasion 😘

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What Girls & Guys Said

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  • a lot of men know i'm submissive right away without me saying anything...1st of all i wear a lot of short skirts 2nd i wear a choker often 3rd i'm basically obeidiant... those are just some things that i can come up with

  • I don't think it's always possible to tell. Sometimes the way a person looks or acts is a sign. But I've heard, for instance, that some people in positions of power have a fetish for being dominated in BDSM.

  • Its immaterial which behavior you emit if you're acceptable then all the behavior mannerisms idiosyncrasies etc are accepted with no rejections. It is your preference. You are you. If you need to know what they exhibit its automatic. If you're real you can generally read everybody's body language which in most cases is a dead giveaway.

  • Sure i think you can read in to people and think thst but thats where people stop.. It's kinda like when you ask some one a question , there answer is the truth but it's only the truth they want you to hear it's not the whole truth there's alway more to the story,
    It's like with you I see and kinda know through ur question and answers you are that hot sexy girly girl and loves it but you have also been through some bad or not so good things and have found your voice your strengths and your going to stand your ground and not going to take any crap from and one but girly girl wins until the moment you need to put her away and put on your boots , but when your finish making your point you pull out the their brush brush ur hair take off the boots ,, and go right back in to you

  • Often times a Dom or Sub is the opposite of what they look like to the outside world.

  • The majority of females are submissive and majority of males are dominant so you could easily guess just by those stereotypes who is which but there are the ones that switch those roles so nah you can't really tell unless you ask someone

  • It's usually much easier to tell with guys than with girls. Vast majority of girls are submissive in bed, even among women that play tough, one of the reasons why feminism is full with bullshit. :)

    https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AggressiveSubmissive

    Could you tell if a person was submissive or Dominant from just looking at them?
    • I couldn't agree more.

    • Feminists are getting mad, well it's to be expected. :)

    • Yeah. Just make sure you don’t give these women any money or benefits at all if it’s a casual situation. After all that would be prostitution & they say they hate that.

  • Nope not at all actually.

  • I would have thought so but no. I’ve come to learn that bedroom personalities can differ from public personalities.

  • I think confidence plays a role. If they are more confident they are likely to be more comfortable with being dominate. But thats my humble view without research

    • *dominant

  • You can’t really tell... the most shy person can be dominant

  • not always no, i mean they may be confident and dominant in their daily life but sexually? that they could be very submissive in...

  • I don’t think you can tell.

  • Sometimes submissive play can become so intense that body language in public can give it away. I recall one point when I was a submissive pet to a very dominant woman, she always used riddle-type lessons to keep me thinking and on my toes.

    I was in a convenience store just picking up a thing or two one day, and I noticed a girl staring at me. When our eyes met, she smirked and stared me down until I looked away.

    A few moments later, as she was walking past me, she stopped and whispered "I know what you are... you little bitch" in a very seductive and playful manner. I was shocked and delighted at the same time.

  • From my experience, it is almost impossible to tell if the person concerned wants to conceal that. Once I've known someone at least a little, I would be more able to tell whether they're dominant or submissive in bed, but not from first sight (unless I see them in a context where it is intentionally obvious).

    I have also asked people whether they could figure out what I was (dominant or submissive or neither) when they looked at me. None of them was able to. In fact, they usually guessed the opposite.

  • Dominant in what sense. People are put in various situations every day. In some they are more assertive than others.

    • Well said

  • Maybe the way they act, not sure by how they look?

  • I dont think so, I thought this one guy was submissive but turned out to be dominant

  • People aren’t that easy to read. There is a difference between how someone is in public, and how they are in the bedroom.

  • I believe you can read someone wrong a lot will see my demeanor as submissive only to find out i'm on the dominant side of the spectrum.

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