Lesson 13

 

 

   

 

FACIAL EXPRESSION

Facial expressions are probably the variable that we observe the most to obtain information about our speaker's emotions; if we have a high control over our facial expressivity, it seems that, when a person is using a facial expression that does not match their real mood, you will see on their face for a few seconds a sign of their true feelings that often goes undetected by others.

Facial expressivity fulfills the following functions:

•  Indicates emotions: different transcultural studies have shown that 6 basic emotions exist:

•  happiness

•  surprise

•  sadness

•  fear

•  anger

•  disgust/disdain

The facial expression which show these emotions is the same in all cultures and innates, that's to say we are born with the ability to emit these expression, nobody has to teach us how to do them.

Differences between cultures lie in 2 aspects:

•  Unchaining an emotion: what makes you feel happy, surprised, etc. is very different in different cultures throughout the world.

•  Intensity of the emotion: there are cultures that favour more expressivity than others.

You can fake emotions; although we have already previously mentioned that the true emotion appears reflected in the face of the speaker although it might be during a few seconds; besides there are other emotional indicators, like body language or gestures, also uncontrolable variables, like sweating on the forehead, the palms of the hands, all of these things appear when we are nervous, although our faces tell you the contrary.

•  Provide feedback: we will learn later how important understanding the person we are talking to is, we need to attend to the person that is speaking. A way to do this is by using facial expressions according to the contents; for example, making a surprised look when the message is very striking, or a serious face when the story requires it. By using facial expressions we are not interrupting the person that is speaking but at the same time we are sending a message.

•  Expressing attitudes towards others or towards a situation : An image is worth more than 1000 words and in many cases seeing someone's face indicates to us if they feel attraction or repulsion towards something or someone, without needing any words.

•  Providing more expressivity to the verbal content: people that accompany their words with facial expression according to the content are usually considered better communicators.