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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 throughout the entire lige. 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.

As with facial expressions, so with entire body body language! Body language go through several subtle changes in the adulthood due to external influence, mimicking, learning, pressure of mannerism and a lot of real world experiences around bold and clear expressions.

Also, we try to hide, minimize, suppress or even fake facial expressions for our own best interest. Additionally, 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.

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

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