We study the psychology of our body: gestures, human facial expressions

Man is such an interesting creature that all manifestations of his essence, personality and feelings are perceived with interest. Facial expressions, for example, can tell a lot of interesting details about people, even if they themselves are silent. Gestures can also reveal someone else’s state. By observing people, you can learn many interesting details that will help you understand the truth or lies, emotions, mood and other characteristics of those around you. The psychology of facial expressions is truly extensive. To study it fully, one article or even a book is not enough. Nevertheless, some rules and tips will help you learn at least basic psychological “tricks” for use in the future.

General information and definitions

Physiognomy is the art of reading a person by his external signs, in particular by his face, his expression, features and facial expressions. You can determine both internal qualities and some psychological data, as well as health status. This method cannot be called completely scientific, but many are very seriously interested in it due to its certain validity. Facial expressions are facial expressions in which a person reveals his inner sensations, experiences, feelings, mood, emotions and other spiritual qualities. Gestures are body movements, most often with the hand/hands, that accompany or replace the words of the individual performing them. Posture is the position of the body. A person sits, stands or lies the way he likes/convenient/comfortable.

Gestures, postures, facial expressions - all this plays an important role in people's lives. Not a single person can live without them, and therefore, if you learn to recognize them correctly, life will become easier and more interesting. Facial expressions and gestures in communication are used everywhere and automatically; not everyone is able to control them. Thanks to this, more observant and attentive individuals have the opportunity to study people.

Face and facial expressions

What tells you best about a person? Of course, the face. It is this that is capable of giving away a person when he experiences some emotions, reacts to something, lies or tells the truth, etc. The language of facial expressions is rich and varied. It can be difficult to remember absolutely everything, but elementary features of sincere joy, for example, or disappointment can be retained in memory. And also learn to hide your own feelings. Despite the fact that human facial expressions and gestures are closely interrelated, they will be considered separately. So, let's go.

Oval face in physiognomy

People with oval face shapes are people of impulse and inspiration. They are intellectually developed, inquisitive, quick to learn and grasp everything on the fly. However, such individuals can quickly “burn out” in their work. They are difficult to manage and for effective leadership you need to find your own special approach to each. Such people are distinguished by creativity, they make excellent artists or other specialists in creative professions. Disadvantages include lack of practicality and perseverance; they can abandon a task without completing it.

Reactions

Human facial expressions manifest themselves in different ways, and most often they can be seen in human emotions. The latter, in turn, are shown in reactions. Depending on their manifestation, you can find out what a person experiences from the information received. The difficulty is that some are afraid, others don’t want to, and still others are embarrassed to show their own emotions. Because of this, you will have to have time to notice the quick, involuntary reaction that appears very first. It is often almost impossible to completely control it, especially for an unprepared person. Therefore, you can determine the real feelings of your interlocutor, which he will most likely remove from his face in seconds, if you act quickly and extremely carefully.

Rectangular face in physiognomy

As a rule, those with rectangular or square faces are people of strong character. They can be stubborn, harsh and energetic. Such individuals speak little, but are always to the point. They clearly know what they want and how to achieve it. Practical and pragmatic logicians have the gift of persuasion and can often reach the point of sophism in disputes. Such people are strong analysts and always complete their work thanks to their innate patience and perseverance. They rarely give in to feelings and emotions. Among the negative qualities, one can note some rigidity and steadfastness of character; stinginess and greed are also possible.

Emotions

So let's continue. As mentioned just above, facial expressions in communication are manifested through the expression of emotions emanating from a reaction. Below are the most striking and significant of them, as well as ways of expressing them:

• Joy happiness. The eyebrows and lips are relaxed, the corners of the latter are raised on both sides, the cheeks are also raised, and there are small wrinkles in the corners of the eyes.
• Anger, irritation. The eyebrows are tense, brought together and lowered, the mouth is tightly closed. Often the teeth are brought together, as are the lips, the corners of which look down during anger or strong dissatisfaction.
• Contempt. Smirk. The corner of the mouth is raised on one side and a slight squint is visible in the eyes.
• Astonishment. The lips and face are generally relaxed, the eyes are rounder than usual, the eyebrows are raised up, and the mouth is slightly open.
• Fear. The eyebrows and upper eyelids are raised, and the lower ones are tense, like the whole face as a whole, the eyes are wide open.
• Sadness, disappointment. Slightly lowered upper eyelids and raised eyebrows, relaxed lips with corners looking down, as well as an empty, dull look.
• Disgust. The upper lip is tense and raised, the eyebrows are brought together, forming a small fold, and slightly lowered, the cheeks are also slightly raised, and the nose is slightly wrinkled.

Among other things, pictures will help you deal with emotions. The facial expressions on them are depicted well, which clearly demonstrates the inner feelings and experiences of the people depicted. Smiles, by the way, were also not invented in vain. Their facial expressions are often quite good, which is why they are in demand when trying to convey emotions via the Internet. After all, communication here mainly takes place in letters, which are not always able to convey the sensations experienced at one time or another.

Triangular face in physiognomy

Those with a triangular face are extremely extraordinary individuals. They are very resourceful, creative and smart. Such people are excellent speakers and have a wonderful sense of humor. They are bursting with energy for new achievements. However, some representatives of this type are prone to mood swings, rapid “burnout” and loss of strength. Freedom-loving individuals who do not recognize authoritarian power over themselves. Disadvantages include a possible tendency to embellish reality and criticism.

Human condition

Sometimes it is enough to observe people a little to see what they are like. Facial expressions affect a person, and not only “one-time”, but for the rest of his life. The more clearly your interlocutor showed himself, the more you can find out about him. — Smart people most often have a large forehead. This does not mean that their knowledge is great in everything. Sometimes it happens that a person knows a lot of information in one area, but is completely ignorant in another. If your friend has a large forehead, but does not show any signs of special intelligence, perhaps he simply has not yet found his business.

— Brilliant eyes and a lively look mean that a person is passionate about someone/something. This usually happens to curious children who are interested in everything in the world. On the contrary, if a person’s gaze is dull and indifferent, it means that he is depressed, perhaps close to depression.

— If a lot of wrinkles appear in the corners of the eyes when laughing, this means that the person is kind, cheerful and cheerful.

— Bitten lips mean that a person likes to think and is most often nervous when making a decision. Sometimes people automatically begin to act this way right in front of their interlocutor, because they cannot decide something.

— A firm, developed chin (often square) shows a person’s strong will. Because people, when achieving their goals (even in an argument), tense the lower part of the face, it begins to develop. With frequent victories, the chin becomes strong and firm, which proves a person’s ability to achieve his goals. Based on this, if the lower part of the interlocutor’s face is soft, weak and undeveloped, it can be assumed that he is easy to break. He will not go to the end if a serious obstacle appears ahead.

— The more various bulges, irregularities, “hollows”, “protrusions”, etc. on the face (sunken cheeks, prominent cheekbones, for example), the more emotional and hot-tempered a person is. He can easily fall into a state of passion and vividly and vividly throw out his experiences on those around him.

Round face in physiognomy

Incredibly energetic, proactive and impulsive individuals. Unwavering optimists. Possessors of a fast and lively mind; generous and noble natures. Such people, as a rule, are always full of new ideas and goals, but they get down to business too quickly without fully thinking through all the details and the possible consequences of failure. One of their main negative character traits is improvidence and risk-taking. Those with a “round” face are usually very power-hungry and vain individuals. They make excellent leaders who are able to “energize” their team for success.

Gesticulation

Both facial expressions and gestures in communication make it clear what and how a person says:

• Open palms signify trust and openness. If a person periodically exposes the inside of his hand to you, it means that he has nothing to hide from you, and he feels good in your company. If the interlocutor constantly hides his hands in his pocket, puts them behind his back, or makes other similar “secretive” movements, he is probably not very comfortable. This could be either dislike towards you or guilt/shame for past actions.
• Hands placed near the cheek mean thoughtfulness. Usually at such moments a person thinks intensely about something, tries to figure out what to do in a given situation, etc.
• When nervous or, more likely, lacking self-confidence, a person begins to touch either his neck or objects on it such as a pendant, chain, etc. In addition, he may begin to chew on the handle.
• A nod of the head signifies agreement. Sometimes people nod uncontrollably, thereby communicating on a subconscious level that they like someone else's opinion. Shaking your head, on the contrary, means that the person does not agree with you. Just like nodding, sometimes it happens automatically.

Poses

Open facial expressions and gestures in communication are, of course, good, but we must not forget about the postures a person takes during a conversation:

• If a person sits relaxed, with his legs stretched forward, in your direction, this means that he is in a favorable mood. Approaching your interlocutor with a chair has the same meaning: a predisposition towards you personally and the conversation as a whole.
• Sometimes a person unfastens buttons, or even takes off clothes, such as a jacket. This proves his trust and open attitude towards you.
• If your interlocutor draws something simple on a piece of paper, often looks at one point, fiddles with a pen, shakes his leg, taps his fingers, does not express any special emotions, etc., it means that he is not very interested in you, because this signs of boredom. Change the topic of conversation or try to add liveliness to the dialogue.
• Crossed legs or arms (on the chest, for example) mean closedness, withdrawal, reluctance to communicate and open up. Perhaps the person simply feels uncomfortable, and this condition will soon pass, or perhaps it is unpleasant for him to be in your company.

How to recognize truth and lies from a person

That’s why many people are interested in the details of our article - everyone wants to know how to read a person’s facial expressions, how to see when they are blatantly lying to you, and when they are telling the pure truth. Some ways to expose a liar are given below, but remember that, perhaps, the liar has known about such tricks for a long time, and therefore uses them skillfully and dexterously, deceiving others in such a way that a mosquito will not undermine his nose.

1. When a person tells a lie, his pupils involuntarily constrict. If you have previously noticed the initial state of the interlocutor’s eyes, then you will understand that he is being disingenuous after the pupils become smaller.
2. When a person lies, he looks away. This happens because he is subconsciously ashamed of the false information he says.
3. When a person is lying and knows about the previous method, he looks intently into the eyes. Most often, he gets so “played” that he barely even blinks. This can also reveal a liar.
4. The gaze of a lying person moves from one object to another, without stopping at one thing. Sometimes it's just a sign of nerves, but more often it's a sign of lies.
5. Thanks to the compression of the zygomatic muscles, a kind of half-smile, half-grin appears on the face of the lying person.
6. The direction of your gaze will also tell you whether you are hearing the truth or a lie from your interlocutor. If a person looks to the right, most likely, you are being presented with a lie, if to the left, the truth. However, this rule applies provided that the speaker is right-handed, otherwise read backwards.

Features of foreign language of facial expressions and gestures

Not everywhere they communicate in the same ways as here. Of course, this does not mean human language, but the language of gestures, postures and facial expressions. The list below, indicating specific countries and incorrect actions, will help you avoid getting into trouble with foreigners. Asia. Watch your arms and legs. You should not be the first to touch someone else’s head and hair, because for Asians this is the most sacred thing in a person. The legs, in turn, also don’t need to be loosened, though not at all. Even an accidental touch (to any part of the body) can cause panic and even anger on the part of Asians. This is because, unlike the head, the legs are considered the “lowest” thing in the human body. Near East. Giving a thumbs up is the same as giving a person a punch in the ass. Children, however, often show this gesture, thereby trying to tease others. Brazil. The “everything is okay” gesture (the thumb is connected to the index finger, forming a zero, and the remaining fingers stick out “out”) here has approximately the same meaning as our middle finger. Venezuela. The “everything is okay” gesture here denotes homosexuality. Italy. The “Goat” gesture from rock music here signifies betrayal and failure. That is, if you show this sign to someone, you are hinting that you consider him a complete loser who is being cheated on by his other half. In northern Italy you are also not allowed to touch your chin, as this means you are giving the person the middle finger. Fiji. A handshake is considered a trademark of the republic, which is why you should not be afraid if the interlocutor holds your hand tightly and for a long time in his. This is just a sign of politeness, and it can really last a considerable amount of time, right up to the end of the conversation. France. The “everything is okay” gesture here denotes homosexuality, and scratching the chin is the same middle finger.

Body position

Dominance and voluntary submission can be read very simply by their posture: it’s easy to understand, by their straightened shoulders and look down, that a person is confident in himself.

Also a strong signaling system is interaction in communication areas. Intrusion into the intimate communication zone (about half a meter) confuses and confuses a person. This, for example, is used by intelligence agencies to throw the interrogated person off balance.

Knowledge in the field of psychology of sign language and facial expressions is useful not only for communication, but also for self-control. Over the course of life, the expression of his dominant emotion is fixed on a person’s face. Therefore, to make your face attractive, make sure that it expresses more positive emotions.

Tsygvintseva Anastasia · 08 Aug, 2018