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September 25, 2011

Child inside us

Irrespective of biological age, we all display different kinds of facial and physical expressions that let the other know about discomfort, anxieties, fear, liking, comfort and joy. However, early childhood brings a lot of challenges and also opportunities that we've to face with the help of our parents, care-takers and teachers.

Even after growing older, the basic patterns of expressions remain almost the same. However, a little fine tuning, mimicking, learning, pressure of mannerism and a lot of real world experiences make the adults to react, express and behave differently than children.

Also, we try to hide, minimize, suppress or even fake expressions for our own best interest. Moreover, we learn languages for communicating with people in replacement for some of the physical and facial expressions, emblems and gestures.

Please look at following pictures and find how children and adults show almost matching facial expressions and emblems. However, given below are a very few examples that came out of my own observations but actually there are many more still to be found.

Ohh! Look at that. (Alertness)

Yuck! I don't like it. (Disgust)

Do you hear that? (Spatial focus)

I'm ready for photo. (Attention seeking)

When this all going to end? (Boredom)

Can you help me out of this? (Sadness)

What's that? (Surprise)

What a stressful life? (Self-soothing)

You are not listening to me. (Grieving)

Anything is not right. (Out crying)

Hey, nice to talk to you. (Cheerfulness)

It's really funny...I like it! (Amusement)

So horrible! (Terror)

Related Articles:
1) Basic emotional expressions 2) Why we smile? 3) Women are body language experts 4) Importance of Touch 5) Social Footsteps

September 20, 2011

Face to Face

Nowadays, in commercial and competitive world, it seems that we overrate "face value". It's all about the way we (try) to look, influence and attract people around us. We're always after enhancing inherited physical aspects, dress up nicely, groom well and even fake something we don't have originally.

Actually, our plain physical appearance, exterior or look doesn't get  the expected results most of the time. So what exactly we miss or ignore while communicating or interacting with people? What are the basic "x factors" our mind looks for?

Everyone knows well that we can't judge or evaluate anything or anybody without observing or sensing it face to face or in a reasonable proximity. Our eyes and other sensory organs play a crucial role in collecting information and trying to understand about anything we come across at every moment.

It's a quite prevalent and an observable phenomenon even in disabled persons that their other senses compensate their nonfunctional or disordered sensory organ(s). It's the process that runs continuously and our survival entirely depends upon the same. Can we ever imagine a person who is living perfectly (without any external aid) after its all senses disabled accidentally?

In the subconscious terms, today’s material, techniques, communication channels and concepts are different than that of ancient world but modern human beings haven't much changed a lot. We're very similar to our remote ancestors. Many a times, we realize that we behave, express, react and respond similarly to what we would have a thousands or millions ago.

In this modern, technological and globalized world; we still follow same rules that date back to the millions of years. Acquaintances and relationships also get developed over time by old rules and ways i. e. by judging mutual comfort, discomfort and trustworthiness. More we perceive a person as favorable for us; more we likely to connect ourselves with the person.

'Bridging' a great gap between each other

It’s almost a dynamic process than a static one and our opinions, judgements and views about each others might alter after every exchange. First impression may not last longer because it is mostly derived from the appearance, look or purposefully adapted avatar. The image gradually builds and keeps changing so there’s an opportunity to be hopeful about.

It may not be noticed consciously but we all express emotions, feelings and intentions about every other person we face or stay around. Perhaps, we couldn’t name each and every unspoken exchange taking place between two persons but our subconscious mind figures it out very preciously. It’s a very snap judgment that depends upon state of mind, outlook, phobias and complexes we develop over time.

Body shows how we evaluate and connect with others.

Face to face or close interaction gives us unique opportunity to know others and let others know about us. It’s the way we evaluate or judge mutually and it’s at the core f every relationship. Our natural defense mechanism jumps into action at fullest the time we get face to face with each other. It becomes very decisive mode of interaction which is full of challenges and opportunities equally.

Related Articles:
1) Facial Feedback: World smiles with you! 2) Social Footsteps 3) My career saving lie detection 4) First Impression and Body Language 5) Confident Body Language