Psychology Facts

▲ Body Language ▲

》Body language encompasses the nonverbal cues we use to convey information and communicate. These cues constitute a significant portion of everyday communication.

》Examples of body language include facial expressions, eye contact, gestures, posture, and body movements. Often, what we leave unsaid can communicate a great deal of information.

》Body language may account for between 60% to 65% of all communication.

》Just a few examples of emotions that can be expressed via facial expressions include:

Happiness
Sadness
Anger
Surprise
Disgust
Fear
Confusion
Excitement
Desire
Contempt

》A study discovered that the most trustworthy facial expression includes a slight raising of the eyebrows and a faint smile. According to the researchers, this expression conveys both friendliness and confidence.

》Facial expressions are one of the most universal forms of body language. The expressions for conveying fear, anger, sadness, and happiness are remarkably consistent across different cultures.

》Research even suggests that we make judgments about people's intelligence based upon their faces and expressions.

》One study found that individuals who had narrower faces and more prominent noses were more likely to be perceived as intelligent. People with smiling, joyful expression were also judged as being more intelligent than those with angry expressions.

》Mouth expressions and movements can also be essential in reading body language. For example, chewing on the bottom lip may indicate that the individual is experiencing feelings of worry, fear, or insecurity.

》When evaluating body language, pay attention to the following mouth and lip signals:

Pursed lips. Tightening the lips might be an indicator of distaste, disapproval, or distrust.

Lip biting. People sometimes bite their lips when they are worried, anxious, or stressed.

Covering the mouth. When people want to hide an emotional reaction, they might cover their mouths in order to avoid displaying smiles or smirks.

Turned up or down. Slight changes in the mouth can also be subtle indicators of what a person is feeling.
When the mouth is slightly turned up, it might mean that the person is feeling happy or optimistic. On the other hand, a slightly down-turned mouth can be an indicator of sadness, disapproval, or even an outright grimace.

》The eyes are frequently referred to as the "windows to the soul" since they are capable of revealing a great deal about what a person is feeling or thinking.

》As you engage in conversation with another person, taking note of eye movements is a natural and important part of the communication process.

》The best way to read someone's body language is to pay attention. Look out for any of the following eye signals.

Eye Gaze

When a person looks directly into your eyes while having a conversation, it indicates that they are interested and paying attention. However, prolonged eye contact can feel threatening.

On the other hand, breaking eye contact and frequently looking away might indicate that the person is distracted, uncomfortable, or trying to conceal his or her real feelings.

》A common form of body language is mirroring another person's gestures and mannerisms; mirroring also includes mimicking another person's speech patterns and even attitudes.

》People who are attracted to one another indeed copy each other's movements and mannerisms. In fact, many animals mirror as well. That is why cats circle each other, and why chimpanzees stare at each other before intercourse.