Here are excerpts from Susan Fishman’s article “Reading between the lines,” which picks at the brain of Beverly Hills psychologist and communication expert Dr. Lillian Glass.

“There are four codes of reading people — by the sound of their voice, the content (what they have to say), their facial language and their body language.”

1. Sound of voice.

Verbal communication in part means listening to how a person sounds — does he sound excited, overly excited, bored, nervous, desperate? In terms of dating, getting a person on the phone is the first order of business, says Dr. Glass.

“Email has no emotion, so you should use it to introduce yourself quickly, but the phone is how you really connect with someone,� she says. “Think of email as a vehicle for connecting and try to get that verbal communication going as soon as possible.�

…You can also tell a lot by tone quality, adds Dr. Glass. For example, if someone is very curt — “yep, nope, rightâ€? — and she’s not elaborating or asking questions back, chances are she’s not interested in you.

“Sometimes people even get hostile to try to test you out and see what kind of person you are,� notes Dr. Glass. “Sometimes that hostility is simply fear — fear of getting hurt, or fear of commitment.�

2. Content.

The next thing you need to look at is content — what is this person really saying to you?

“If someone says, ‘I’m really a jerk,’ listen,� says Dr. Glass. “He really is a jerk. If someone says, ‘Oh, boy, I’m a real princess,’ she really is a spoiled princess. And if someone tells you a nasty joke and then says, ‘I was only kidding,’ no he’s not. There’s no kidding; there’s only truth. Humor is more of a development.�

You should also try to understand exactly what a person is asking you. If she asks genuine questions about you as a person, she’s interested in you.

3 & 4. Body and Facial Language.

Once you’ve listened to a person, now you have to look. What is this person doing visually? Is she seated away from you? Is she pulling away when you meet? Is she stiff? Or is he leaning forward with his toes pointed in your direction?

In terms of facial language, does he have a bright smile where he’s smiling with his eyes and his lips?

“That would show that he’s genuinely excited,� says Dr. Glass. “However, if his eyebrows are raised and he has a serious expression on his face when you first meet, then he’s probably not attracted to you. Leave as soon as you can.�

(Click here for more about Glass and her book, “I Know What You’re Thinking, Using the Four Codes of Reading People to Improve Your Life”)