# I stick my lower lip out when in thought. Do you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 25, 2019, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-stick-my-lower-lip-out-when-in-thought-do-you/845373 "2019-12-25T00:17:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2019, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-stick-my-lower-lip-out-when-in-thought-do-you/845373/1 "2019-12-25T00:17:35Z")
When in thought, or reading, or concentrating, I stick my lower lip out so that it covers my upper lip. In fact, I pull the upper lip into my mouth, inside the lower jaw. It seems strange, but I don’t know if it is. Is there a name for it? It’s involuntary, and I’ve done it all my life. My mother commented that one of my nephews does the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2019, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-stick-my-lower-lip-out-when-in-thought-do-you/845373/2 "2019-12-25T00:37:01Z")
I do pursing and pouting of my lips when I read, paint or letter. I chew my inner cheeks, as well. I don’t know if it has a name. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2019, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-stick-my-lower-lip-out-when-in-thought-do-you/845373/3 "2019-12-25T00:47:42Z")
I migrate to a classic open mouth, slack-jawed, stare-ahead when thinking deeply, or concentrating like on a video game, so you’re luckier than me. ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2019, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-stick-my-lower-lip-out-when-in-thought-do-you/845373/4 "2019-12-25T01:07:22Z")
Focus face. That’s what I’m calling it absent anything else. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2019, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-stick-my-lower-lip-out-when-in-thought-do-you/845373/5 "2019-12-25T04:44:53Z")
In thought or focus of whatever kind my face more freezes into the last position. For really intense consideration I tend to freeze basically my entire body. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2019, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-stick-my-lower-lip-out-when-in-thought-do-you/845373/6 "2019-12-25T05:12:57Z")
The reverse, sort of. I bite at my lower lip. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2019, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-stick-my-lower-lip-out-when-in-thought-do-you/845373/7 "2019-12-25T14:36:36Z")
No, I minimize physical movement when in thought. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2019, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-stick-my-lower-lip-out-when-in-thought-do-you/845373/8 "2019-12-29T19:38:46Z")
I stroke my facial hair. When a thought hits, I cackle. Most amusing. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-stick-my-lower-lip-out-when-in-thought-do-you/845373/9 "2019-12-30T23:43:48Z")
The one I’m more familiar with (as in, have read others having too) is slightly sticking your tongue out. I could see sticking out the lower lip being similar. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-stick-my-lower-lip-out-when-in-thought-do-you/845373/10 "2019-12-31T02:17:05Z")
I chew on my tongue. When I’m caffeine deprived I chew on the inside of my cheeks. ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-stick-my-lower-lip-out-when-in-thought-do-you/845373/11 "2019-12-31T02:23:18Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I do pursing and pouting of my lips when I read, paint or letter. I chew my inner cheeks, as well. > I don’t know if it has a name. > [@River\_Hippie](#): > > I chew on my tongue. When I’m caffeine deprived I chew on the inside of my cheeks. Have you ever hurt yourself? Chewed enough to be painful or to bleed? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-stick-my-lower-lip-out-when-in-thought-do-you/845373/12 "2019-12-31T03:56:22Z")
I chew on my tongue (not enough to bleed). Supposedly I even did this as an infant. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-stick-my-lower-lip-out-when-in-thought-do-you/845373/13 "2019-12-31T18:20:11Z")
I furrow my brow. Forehead slips southward. Looks like a relief map of Turkmenistan. When I’m done, I often have to manually un-furrow. Sometimes it’s painful. My wife thinks it’s odd. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-stick-my-lower-lip-out-when-in-thought-do-you/845373/14 "2019-12-31T20:03:22Z")
> [@Personal](#): > > Have you ever hurt yourself? Chewed enough to be painful or to bleed? Not enough to bleed but enough to be a little sore the next day.