Facial expressions what is a simple definition. Symmetrical relaxed smile, eyebrows relaxed, muscles in the corners of the eyes tense: joy

Oral or written speech helps a person convey his feelings and thoughts to others. In the first case, not only voice transmission of text is used, but also non-verbal means of communication, such as gestures or facial expressions. They enliven speech, giving it a more emotional coloring. The ability to correctly read nonverbal signals allows you to understand the true motives of your interlocutor, since it is facial expressions in communication that express a direct attitude to what is happening.

The meaning of facial expressions in human life

Nonverbal communication does not involve the use of speech, only sensory or bodily contacts: facial expressions, touch, gestures, gaze. They are the ones who help people achieve mutual understanding at the emotional level. Research has found that we transmit only 35% of information to each other through speech. The remaining 65% comes from non-verbal signals: body movements, gestures, gaze, facial expressions. They complement spoken phrases, enhancing their significance.

In fact, non-verbal means of communication are quite capable of replacing. This is what happens to deaf-mute people. For them, nonverbal communication through gestures and facial expressions is a common way of communicating with others. The same can be said about children who have not yet learned to speak. People use nonverbal communication techniques to establish communication connections with representatives of the animal world.

The importance of facial expressions in the communication process cannot be underestimated. After all, sometimes a facial expression, coupled with other nonverbal signals, carries more information about the feelings or mood of the interlocutor than words. People are used to controlling what they say. However, nonverbal manifestations are difficult to hide. Many movements occur reflexively, before the emotion is evaluated by the brain. By learning to capture and interpret facial expressions and other nonverbal signals, you can understand not only what the interlocutor wants to say, but also what he is trying to hide.

Expressions of feelings and emotions through nonverbal signals

Gestures, pantomime and facial expressions are means of communication that are classified as optical-kinetic. This system of nonverbal signals includes appearance, voice timbre, hand or head movements, and body position in space. Successful establishment of contact depends not only on what the interlocutor says, but also on how confident his facial expressions, voice, and gaze are. This is what explains the interest in studying the meaning of nonverbal signals on the part of psychologists, businessmen and people who want to build a career.

What will facial expressions tell you?

The most important element of nonverbal communication is facial expressions. American psychologist Paul Ekman developed Facial Affect Scoring Technique or FAST for short, which allows you to determine the emotional state of the patient visually. The professor suggested conditionally dividing a person’s face into three zones:

forehead and eyes,
nose and area around it,
mouth and chin.

According to the FAST method, the meaning of nonverbal facial expressions is considered only in the totality of changes in at least two of these areas. Such a simple analysis of a non-verbal signal allows, for example, to distinguish a feigned smile from sincere joy.

There are six basic emotions, most clearly expressed through facial expressions:

joy,
anger,
astonishment,
disgust,
horror,
sadness.

Involuntary or reflexive facial expressions These are nonverbal manifestations that the person himself does not control. It is she who reflects the true emotional state.

We propose to consider the most significant non-verbal manifestations of feelings reflected in facial expressions, which are schematically depicted in the picture:

Emotion joy reflected on the forehead and mouth area. The corners of the lips are raised, the teeth are slightly open. Light wrinkles appear around the eyes. The eyebrows also rise slightly in relation to the bridge of the nose.
The face of a man who is experiencing happiness, relaxed. This is expressed by half-closed upper eyelids, slightly raised eyebrows, and a radiant gaze. The corners of the lips are drawn towards the ears.
For surprise Characteristic features are raised eyebrows, rounded eyes, and a slightly open mouth.
Doubt expressed in a person’s gaze shifted to the left. It is the left hemisphere of the brain that is responsible for analyzing the situation. The position of the lips resembles a sarcastic grin, that is, only one edge of the lips is raised.
Sullenness or despondency expressed by lowered eyebrows and corners of the mouth. The look is dull, indifferent.
The face of a frightened man is tense. Fear expressed in raised eyebrows, wide open eyes. Teeth are partially visible through parted lips.
Rounded eyes, slightly open mouth, raised eyebrows - this is how facial expressions express shock.
A one-sided grin, a sideways glance, narrowed eyes and a raised eyebrow - this is what it looks like mistrust.
The look of a person thinking about a problem, directed upwards. The corners of the lips are slightly lowered.
Wide-open, excitedly shining eyes, raised eyebrows and a slightly open mouth express joy about a brilliant idea came to mind.
Human, pleased with himself, looks relaxed. His eyebrows and eyelids are lowered, and his lips are folded into a half-smile.
ABOUT insidious plans tells the story with a squinted look, raised outer corners of the eyebrows, lips compressed into a string, forming a tight smile.
Sly squints his eyes and looks away. The left or right corner of his mouth rises.
Demonstrating determination, the man purses his lips, clenches his jaw tightly, looks from under his brows. His pupils may narrow sharply, his gaze becomes threatening.
Embarrassed, people look down, smile with closed lips so that one corner of the mouth rises. The inner tips of the eyebrows creep up.
Resentment expressed in pursed lips, low eyebrows and eyelids. The gaze is directed away from the interlocutor.
Concentrated When thinking, most people move their eyebrows so that a crease forms on the bridge of their nose. At the same time, the gaze seems to be directed inwards, the chin is tense, the mouth is motionless.
Uncertainty is expressed in a slightly confused, wandering gaze, raised eyebrows. At the same time, the corners of the lips are lowered.
Expression daydreaming on the face is characterized by highly raised inner corners of the eyebrows. The gaze is directed upward, the corners of the mouth are located asymmetrically.
Fatigue is expressed in complete relaxation of the facial muscles, including the eyelids. The lips take on a horseshoe shape, with the tips pointing downwards.

To accurately determine the emotional state by facial expressions or by a combination of non-verbal signs, it is necessary to take into account such details as the direction of gaze and the state of the pupils. If a person experiences strong antipathy towards the interlocutor, he involuntarily squints. A liar averts his eyes to the side; he is betrayed by frequent blinking or, on the contrary, by an unblinking gaze. Insincerity is evidenced by facial asymmetry and too mobile facial expressions.

Conclusion

Interpretation of people's nonverbal behavior through facial expressions or gestures depends on many factors. These are the cultural traditions of the country, gender, age of the interlocutor, the situation in which it occurs. It is worth remembering that nonverbal gestures and facial expressions differ between European and Asian residents. In addition, most adults have good control over their nonverbal reactions. To capture genuine emotions from the facial expressions that flash on the face in a matter of seconds, a certain skill and observation is required.

Facial expression is a classic area of study for the physiognomist. Not knowing her data means being subject to serious physiognomic errors. Often we happened to change, using the data of facial expressions, the diagnosis made by studying the forms.

Facial expressions are the main indicator of the speaker’s feelings.

Facial expressions help you better understand the person with whom you are communicating. Facial expressions are also very important in relationships, as they allow you to understand what feelings people experience towards each other. For example, raised eyebrows, wide open eyes, downturned lips are signs of surprise; drooping eyebrows, curved wrinkles on the forehead, narrowed eyes, closed lips and clenched teeth indicate anger.

Closed eyebrows, dull eyes, slightly lowered corners of the lips speak of sadness, calm eyes and raised outer corners of the lips speak of happiness and contentment.

For any participant in communication, the ability to decipher the facial expressions of the interlocutor is very important. But at the same time, no less important is the ability to master facial expressions yourself, to make them more expressive, so that the interlocutor better understands the intentions and motives. This skill is especially necessary in the practice of business interaction.

While the morphological type is created by investigation, facial expressions are the result of education. If the Jupiterian in our example had spent his childhood in an environment where he was taught to want to express himself, he would not have become a neuropath and his facial expressions would have expressed a strong nature. This statement is a powerful support for those who observe signs of moral weakness in themselves. By improving our mental culture, we improve our nature, and this is a worthy goal.

People who are not subject to strong passions have calm facial expressions.

On the faces of always trembling people, as well as on the faces of always busy people, wrinkles often appear already in youth. The deeper the wrinkles, the more they emphasize the ideas they represent.

“The depth of the fold of any material indicates its frequent and daily use,” noted Delestre.

Of course, you need to be able to distinguish mental wrinkles from those that appear from rapid weight gain.

The movements of the forehead are closely related to the movements of the eyebrows.

“The forehead of a good man,” says Delestre, “bears the clarity of his conscience.” If the forehead is without wrinkles, it is the forehead of weak-willed, indecisive people. The forehead rises above their light brown arched eyebrows, which are usually thin and emphasize the simplicity of their owner and the lack of reactions on the part of their passions.

Neuropaths have horizontal wrinkles on the forehead that are the result of frequent raising of the eyebrows - a well-known gesture of constant surprise. The smallest work causes them to wrinkle their foreheads.

Balanced natures have the smallest number of horizontal wrinkles on their foreheads, because they do not wrinkle in surprise: their foreheads are wrinkled vertically in the area where intense, volitional attention is expressed, that is, between the eyebrows at the root of the nose. Thus, vertical wrinkles go hand in hand with horizontal and thick eyebrows. The depth of the vertical wrinkle and wrinkles generally determines the size of mental control.

If the vertical wrinkle in question is very deep, it means a capricious and even violent will. In this case, it is accompanied by thick and unruly eyebrows. This type of forehead and eyebrows is found in people who are not amenable to any discipline. Delestre saw many such faces in prisons.

Until now, society firmly holds the opinion that physiognomy, graphology, palmistry, phrenology and similar sciences are the legacy of medieval obscurantism, that they have nothing in common with true science and therefore should be thrown out of modern knowledge as superfluous and useless suitable ballast.

And indeed, there was a time when such a harsh review was partly fair - then these sciences, together with magic, astrology, cabalism and other so-called occult knowledge, were engaged in predicting the more or less distant future. However, in our time, these sciences have come into close connection with purely positive sciences, such as anatomy, physiology and anthropology, and, using their data, have adopted a positive method of research.

The soul of a person emerges especially sharply in his appearance, or physiognomy - it is not for nothing that people have an idea of the face as a mirror of the soul. And in fact, our habits, our aspirations, our passions, in a word, everything that makes up our personality, our “I” - all this is reflected on the face, giving it one or another feature, often elusive, but unconsciously striking to the experienced observer .

The ancient art of face reading began thousands of years ago during the time of the Yellow Emperor, when it was used by Eastern healers to diagnose diseases. The purpose of this alternative medicine was - and is - to prevent health problems and provide recommendations regarding nutrition, exercise and meditation in order to stop diseases when they first appear.

This art has been around for centuries and its popularity is based on the fact that it can help people better understand themselves, their work colleagues, friends and family members.

Physiognomy

Physiognomy- These are the characteristic features and facial expressions of a person. The face is divided into three zones – upper, middle and lower.

Intelligent- the upper part of the face, it occupies the entire forehead, starts at the hairline and ends at the eyebrow line. The size and shape of the forehead determine mental activity and real understanding of life.
Emotional– the middle part of the face, includes the space below the eyebrows to the very tip of the nose, i.e. equal to the length of the nose. It reflects the degree of sensitivity, spiritual depth and inner content.
Vital- lower part of the face. It starts from the line of the nostrils, consists of the lips, chin and gives an idea of a person’s energy, his love for pleasure and base instincts.

Therefore, in order to understand a person by his face, we need to figure out which zone of the three is more pronounced, and having learned this, we can assume what drives the personality - instinctuality, emotions or intellect.

The main facial area of the face is the eye area. Its expressiveness is determined by the contraction of three main muscles: the frontal belly of the occipitofrontal muscle, the corrugator muscle, and the upper part of the orbicularis oculi muscle, i.e., the superciliary muscle. The work of these muscles ensures closing the eyes, opening them and modeling the position of the eyebrows and eyelids. The functional reserve of facial expressions here is very large: from the expression of strong will to confusion and grief. But, perhaps, the facial expressions of attention are most clearly expressed.

External manifestation of attention, of course, requires the mobilization of all senses, but in this case the expression of the eyes stands out most sharply. They are used to assess the degree of emotional mood, and the level of understanding of what is happening is read from them. The outer corners of the eyes and the ends of the eyebrows lowered down express sadness, and raised up they convey an expression of joy to the face. Concentration and will are unmistakably recognizable in a subject whose gaze is fixed, the facial muscles are tense, and the eyebrows are shifted to the bridge of the nose.

If the eyebrows are raised and brought together, and the transverse wrinkles on the forehead, connecting with the longitudinal ones in the shape of the Greek letter “omega,” signal a painful attempt to concentrate, then we can definitely talk about an expression of grief. This pattern of wrinkles is typical for the face of melancholic people - “omega melancholic people”.

By eye movement you can read grief, pleasure, rage, sympathy, compulsion. Eye movements are involved in maintaining contact with the interlocutor. By the nature of the gaze one can judge the intention of the interlocutor, the stages of the conversation, and the level of the relationship. With your eyes you can express approval, agreement, prohibition, permission, encouragement.

When analyzing the expression of the eyes, their size, direction of gaze, condition of the eyelids, folds around the eyes, and position of the eyebrows are taken into account. In a calm environment, raised eyebrows, horizontal wrinkles on the forehead and opening of the eyes give the face a surprised expression. Bringing the eyebrows together indicates absorption in thought, in solving a complex problem.

Close attention and full understanding of what is happening is unthinkable without a fixed, focused gaze. On the contrary, a wandering gaze is observed in people who are not interested in the essence of the issue: such a look also indicates impatience, indifference, and disappointment.

The inability to focus the gaze on something specific (“shifting eyes”), even in response to a call for attention, suggests emotional imbalance and unpreparedness for consistent, logical thinking. Very temperamental people with a sanguine character are distinguished by a lively look, harmoniously combined with the play of facial muscles. Very tired people have a heavy, sluggish, and sometimes meaningless look. Sometimes it is turned into the distance, sometimes downward, the eyebrows are drawn together, and vertical folds form on the forehead.

To accurately judge a person’s emotional state, it is necessary to take into account all components of facial expressions. Thus, with strong excitement, tense eyelids and dilated pupils are combined with stretching of the wings of the nose and clenching of the jaws. Further excessive concentration may be accompanied by opening of the mouth. A person seems to be listening to something, in this case he is more comfortable with breathing through his mouth.

Organs that are heavily loaded and trained for certain, specific facial expressions are marked by a better ability to perform their usual functions. This applies primarily to the eyes, which are controlled by involuntary muscles (iris and ciliary body), and voluntary muscles, subordinate to the III, IV, VI and VII cranial nerves. The brilliance and expressiveness of the gaze make the eyes important detectors of a person’s cheerfulness and capacity.

Emotional nuances are also captured by the direction and stability of the gaze. A person in a state of thoughtfulness looks into the distance. The depth of perception is consistent with a steady gaze in the direction of the object being studied. It seems typical to have a firm gaze from a subject evaluating or inspecting an object.

The direction of gaze depends on the contraction of the muscles of the eyeball. When the superior rectus muscle of the eye contracts, one can read on the face an expression of pride, surprise, and pious humility. The expression of feelings of shame, sadness, and oppression is caused by contraction of the inferior rectus muscle of the eye when the eyeballs turn downward. When the external rectus muscle of the eye contracts, a facial expression of contempt appears on the face: the gaze is averted to the side, the contraction of the medial rectus muscle of the eye contributes to the expression of lust.

The direction of gaze when people communicate often reflects subordination. People in a dependent position often hide their gaze. Psychological imbalance gives rise to instability of gaze (the desire to look away, hide your eyes). Functional disorders of the nervous system are also accompanied by instability of gaze. Changeability of gaze is one of the components of facial expressions.

Facial expressions

Facial expressions– integral process. It involves the reactions of individual muscles, but they are connected by a common basis, a single purpose. If a natural smile appears on a person’s face, then the state of satisfaction, joy, and delight is simultaneously reflected in other facial features. They are combined into a single complex according to the law of correspondence. It is obvious that a person’s emotional state cannot be reflected only in any one area of the face. The entire ensemble of the face must be included in the expression of emotions.

The shape of the face is inherited, it reflects genetic characteristics and is part of a complex of constitutional characteristics. The genetic determination of the reactions of the facial muscles expressing emotional experiences is confirmed by the early maturation of their motor complexes. All facial muscles necessary for expressing emotions are formed in the fetus by the 15-18th week of life. And by the 20th week, facial reactions can be observed in the embryo. By the time a child is born, the mechanism of facial expression is already fully formed and can be used in communication. The innate nature of facial expressions is also indicated by its similarity in blind and sighted infants. But with age, in a child born blind, the reactivity of the facial muscles fades.

Throughout life, a person acquires new facial features under the influence of speech, perception, illness, and profession. The facial expression also changes, reflecting the signs of all previous facial processes. Living conditions (climatic, material, social, family) significantly influence the facial appearance of the individual.

Changes in facial expressions throughout life are determined by the characteristics of facial muscles. Unlike all muscles of the human body, facial muscles are unique in their anatomical structure and function and differ from both striated or skeletal muscles and smooth muscles. They differ from the skeletal system in the places of origin and attachment, and also in the fact that in the complex, despite the external differences of individual muscles, they represent a single integrative system, parts of which are localized around the natural openings of the face: the mouth, eyes, external nose and ear. The anatomical features of the facial muscles also include the presence of oral and orbital sphincters, which generally do not have a direct origin on the bones.

Facial muscles differ from skeletal muscles in their development in phylo- and ontogenesis. If the latter, as a rule, originate from the muscular part of the somites of the mesoderm, then the facial muscles originate from the mesenchyme of the 2nd branchial arch (the region of the hyoid arch). This mesenchyme migrates cranially and pulls with it the branches of the 7th cranial nerve and the external carotid artery, which initially innervated and supplied the hyoid arch.

The main difference between facial muscles and skeletal muscles is their function. If the purpose of skeletal muscles is to strengthen and move parts of the skeleton, then the function of facial muscles is much more complicated. Initially, as in previous stages of phylogeny, they complemented the functions of the digestive and respiratory systems. However, subsequently, in parallel with the development and complication of the structure and function of the central nervous system (CNS), they began to perform the functions of facial expressions, i.e. reflections on the visceral (facial) part of the skull of the emotional state of the central nervous system. In essence, facial muscles become a means of communication between highly developed biological entities at the level of the 1st signaling system. What systems and pathways establish the connection between the state and level of psycho-emotional activity of the brain and facial muscles? When expressing an emotional state, a very differentiated, sometimes multidirectional and at the same time coordinated work of several muscles simultaneously occurs, serving the different above-mentioned facial openings. Facial expression, associated with the correction of the activity of various facial muscles, is a reflection of 6 basic emotions, which are based on processes occurring in the brain, in particular in the limbic system, starting with the hypothalamus, where the primary centers of positive and negative emotions are located, corresponding to the effects of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. A special role here is given to the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system, which, unlike the sympathetic division, primarily carries out targeted innervation of individual organs. A number of facts testify in favor of this. At the beginning of its course, the facial nerve is mixed, consisting of efferent somatic, parasympathetic and efferent taste fibers. Then the bulk of the efferent fibers is divided into two parts and switched to the pterygopalatine and submandibular parasympathetic ganglia. There are known connections between the intermediate nerve and the trigeminal, vestibulocochlear, glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves, as well as with the somatic part of the facial nerve itself. It is known that a number of peripheral somatic nerves always contain efferent parasympathetic nerve fibers. They are present in the oculomotor, auriculotemporal branches of the trigeminal nerve. The autonomic component of the innervation of the facial muscles is also supported by the fact that the muscle tissue of the initial parts of the digestive and respiratory systems, which include the facial muscles, developed from the mesenchyme of the gill arches, the innervation of which, as for all internal organs, is carried out by the autonomic nervous system.

The participation of the nervous system in the mechanism of facial expressions has long been proven, although much in this matter remains unclear. The phylogenetic antiquity of the external expression of vital signs, the reflection of the reaction effect in the movements of the facial muscles indicates their direct connection with those parts of the brain that formed earlier than others. These include the nuclei of the brainstem, the reticular formation, and the old ancient cerebral cortex. The role of the neocortex is clearly visible at the stage of formation of external nervous activity, when facial expression is both realized and directed. Human facial expressions have reached incomparable perfection and have become an important tool of communication, a source of information about the spiritual life of a person.

The localization of anatomical and physiological regulators of facial expression in the cerebral cortex and subcortical nuclei and their connection with facial muscles through the facial nerve system is proven by clinical observations and experiments on animals. It is quite obvious that the filigree plexus of branches of the facial nerves makes possible extremely variable play of the facial muscles. From the nerve branches, bundles of nerve fibers are released, and behind them are single fibers, along which effector impulses are distributed, causing individual parts of the muscles to contract. Simultaneously with such conductors of the cerebrospinal (animal) nervous system, autonomic nerve conductors approach the vessels of the face. They initiate automatic reactions of the vessels of the eye muscles, which is manifested by the expansion of the lumen of these vessels and redness of the face, for example, with a feeling of shame. In addition, the contraction of facial muscles occurs in many cases not at all according to a signal from external nerve centers, but as if involuntarily. Thus, it is necessary to allow for the possibility of transfer of excitation from the nuclei of the facial nerve in the brain stem to the facial muscles in unforeseen situations.

The results of experimental studies on animals lead to the conclusion that the thalamus, as the most important regulatory link in the diencephalon, is responsible for involuntary, unconscious movements of facial muscles during emotional stress.

Mimic expressiveness is reproduced as an unconditioned reflex. Its formation requires the participation of: a stimulus (contact, distant, associative), the peripheral end of the analyzer (receptors) and the central nuclei of the analyzers (subcortical formations, cortex), means of muscle control and the facial muscles themselves, on the contraction or relaxation of which facial expressions depend. Regardless of a person’s consciousness, the subcortical innervation of the facial muscles causes increased tone of the facial muscles and their group contraction under certain conditions.

Involuntary contractions of facial muscles under the influence of emotional stimuli are a special type of motor reaction characteristic of the facial region of the human body. The transverse striation of a muscle does not yet indicate its absolute correspondence to other striated muscles, which is observed, in particular, in the myocardium.

The special position of the facial muscles does not cause any controversy. The reason for the automaticity of facial reactions, interpreted as expressive, is probably the subordination of their innervation to the diencephalic nuclei, which are part of the extrapyramidal system responsible for the tone of facial muscles. Automatic contractions of the latter in response to various stimuli are caused by effector impulses through the thalamus and striatum.

Involuntary, subconscious facial expressions of a person are restrained and inhibited. It is subordinate to the functions of the cerebral cortex. It is therefore quite natural that the participation of the face in various types of expression should be considered not only from the standpoint of facial motor skills, but also in the light of higher nervous activity. The cerebral hemispheres, according to I.P. Pavlov, are the most reactive and supreme part of the central nervous system, depending on the state and activity of which four psychological types are distinguished:

sanguine– this is a strong, balanced, mobile type;
choleric– strong, unbalanced (excitable), mobile type;
phlegmatic person– strong, balanced, inert type;
melancholic– weak, unbalanced type, nervous processes are inactive.

Consequently, based on facial expressions and movement patterns, one can draw a conclusion about the type of nervous activity.

Facial Expression Identification (FAST)

In the 70s of the last century at the University of California, P. Ekman and his colleagues developed a technique for identifying emotions by facial expression (Facial Affect Scoring Technique - FAST). FAST has atlas of photo standards facial expression for each of the six emotions - anger, fear, sadness, disgust, surprise, joy - in statistical form. The photo standard for each emotion is represented by three photographs for three levels of the face: eyebrows - forehead; eyes – eyelids and lower part of the face. In addition, there are options to accommodate different head orientations and viewing directions. When using FAST, the subject looks for the similarity of emotions with one of the photographic standards, like a witness taking part in drawing up a sketch of a criminal.

Facial Activity Coding System (FACS)

The second method for assessing emotions was developed by P. Ekman together with U. Friesen (1978). It is called the Facial Action Coding System (FACS). The method is based on a detailed study of the anatomy of the facial muscles. The FACS system identifies 41 motor units, of which 24 response patterns of individual facial muscles and 20 patterns reflecting the work of muscle groups, for example, those involved in lip biting, are composed. Each unit has its own number and description not only in statistical, but also in dynamic indicators. The system also records the start and end times of each muscle activity.

P. Ekman owns a neurocultural theory of emotions, which takes into account both the innate nature of facial expression and the influence of cultural and national traditions on the expression and recognition of emotions. The model assumes that the expressive manifestation of the six basic (basic) emotions is universal and does not depend on culture, nationality and race. All people use their facial muscles in the same way when expressing basic emotions. Reflections of emotions similar to humans are also observed in animals.

Ancient Eastern system "Yin and Yang"

The art of reading faces, as mentioned above, has its roots in ancient Eastern diagnostic medicine. Doctors believed that all existing objects and the Universe are connected by a constant flow of energy. This energy is known in China as “qi”, in Japan as “ki”, in India as “prana”. Energy exists in the form of yin energy and yang energy. Yin is described as a more passive form of energy, while yang is more active. Yin and yang attract each other, like opposite poles of a magnet. Yin and yang relate to everything in the universe, and everything around us is made up of a combination of these two qualities, although some objects and phenomena are more yin, while others are more yang. Facial features may be more “frost” or “yang”, as well as emotions and character traits associated with each feature. Thin lips, for example, are considered more yang (and the character traits associated with this trait - hard work and responsibility), while full lips (and the associated tendency to relax, enjoy) are considered more "frost".

Some people may be too yin or too yang in general. A person who is easily irritated and angry becomes "yan". To correct the imbalance, such a person should incorporate more yin energy into their lifestyle by consuming yin foods (light meals such as salads and fruits, as well as more fluids) and engaging in relaxing “yin” activities such as reading, yoga and walks.

According to ancient Eastern ideas, it is believed that the left and right halves of the face are associated with different types of qi energy. For most people, the chi energy on the left side of the face tends to be more active and therefore more yang energy, while the chi energy on the right side of the face tends to be calmer - more yin. The right half of the face is considered the feminine side and typically reflects the facial features of the mother and grandmothers, while the "yang" left half represents the masculine aspect and is associated with the father and grandfathers. The feminine, right side of the face is associated with the earth's chi energy and is typically more pronounced than the left side and represents our core emotions and point of view, as well as our personal, inner character and creativity. The masculine, left half of the face is associated with the heavenly chi energy and represents logical thinking and accepted social masks. It reflects controlled emotions and represents the personality we wish to appear to the outside world.

The effect of functional brain asymmetry on human facial expressions

To see this better, you need to create two images using photographs of the right and left half of the face, which will show a noticeable difference in the facial expressions of each of the photographs. There are practically no perfectly symmetrical faces. Anisokyria also indicates facial asymmetry (facial expressions). According to E.S. Velkhover and B.V. Vershinin, anisocoria occurs in practically healthy individuals in 19% of cases, in patients with somatic diseases - in 37%, in individuals with central nervous system pathology - in 50-91% of cases. Moreover, in the vast majority of somatically ill and healthy people, the right pupil is wider than the left.

Currently, the difference in facial expressions between the right and left halves of the face is explained by the fact that the right and left hemispheres of the brain perform different functions. This was especially clearly proven in the 50s of the twentieth century by American researchers who achieved success in treating continuously occurring attacks of epilepsy by separating the right and left hemispheres of the brain through surgery - destroying the bridge between the hemispheres (corpus callosum). This operation was performed on several patients, really alleviated their suffering and at the same time led to a major discovery, awarded the Nobel Prize in 1980. It was received by R. Sperry.

Although the connections between the two hemispheres of the brain were disrupted, the person ate, performed everyday activities, walked and talked with other people without serious visible deviations in behavior. True, several observations made shortly after the operation were alarming: one patient complained that he behaved strangely with his wife and was unable to control his behavior - while his right hand hugged his wife, his left hand pushed her away. Another patient noticed the strange behavior of his left hand before visiting the doctor: while he was using his right hand to get dressed and put himself in order, his left hand was trying to unbutton and take off his clothes. Then it was noted that the right hand could not redraw the simplest geometric shapes, it could not put together simple structures from cubes, it could not find simple household objects by touch. The left hand coped with all these tasks perfectly, but could not write, even very clumsily, a single word.

Thus, the right hemisphere, which controls the left hand, was superior to the left hemisphere in all activities except writing. But the right hemisphere turned out to be inaccessible, except for writing, to the function of speech. The right hemisphere was significantly superior to the left in the ability to navigate in space, in the perception of music, in recognizing complex images that cannot be broken down into simple components - in particular, in recognizing human faces and emotional expressions on these faces.

In this regard, the following study is interesting. A group of architects were connected to electroencephalographs (EEGs). The architects received a task in which they had to make an arithmetic calculation.

The EEG showed increased activity in the left hemisphere, and when it came to completing a project for the façade of a building, the activity in the right hemisphere increased. Consequently, there are differences in the functions of the right and left hemispheres (functional asymmetry of the brain). The function of the left hemisphere is to operate with verbal-sign information (logical operations, reading, counting). The function of the right hemisphere is to operate with visual images (object recognition, imaginative thinking, intuition).

Currently, a large number of experimental and clinical data have been accumulated on the different roles of the cerebral hemispheres in the regulation of mental abilities and emotions. The study of the functions of the left and right hemispheres revealed the existence of emotional asymmetry of the brain, manifested, among other things, in facial expressions. According to V.L. Deglin, temporary switching off of the left hemisphere by an electroconvulsive electric shock causes a shift in the emotional sphere of a “right-hemisphere person” towards negative emotions. His mood worsens, he assesses his situation pessimistically and complains of feeling unwell. Turning off the right hemisphere causes the opposite effect - an improvement in the emotional state. T.A. Dobrokhotov and N.N. Bragin found that patients with lesions in the left hemisphere are anxious and preoccupied. Right-sided damage is combined with frivolity and carelessness. The emotional state of complacency, irresponsibility, and carelessness that occurs under the influence of alcohol is associated with its predominant effect on the right hemisphere of the brain.

For a harmonious combination of a person with the world around him, there must be a consistency of intuition and logic, spirit and mind, in which a person with his logic (the function of the left hemisphere) can realize his intuition, images (the function of the right hemisphere). From a psychological point of view, a person’s harmony corresponds to the degree of his psychological protection from life’s shocks and illnesses.

Consequently, the most complex facial reactions, reflecting the subconscious and conscious reactivity of the corresponding centers of the brain, can be carried out only if there are diverse anatomical and physiological connections between all the central and peripheral components of this integral system, carried out by neuroconductors of both the somatic and autonomic parts of the nervous system. In contrast to the somatic fibers of the facial nerve, most of which cross in the brain stem and when the cortical centers are damaged, heterolateral paralysis of the facial muscles develops mainly in the lower part of the face, emotional reactions associated with the autonomic nervous system, in relation to the cerebral hemispheres, are mainly manifested homolateral.

The part of the motor nucleus of the facial nerve that innervates the facial muscles of the upper part of the face (frontalis, orbicularis oculi) has cortical innervation from both hemispheres of the brain. In contrast, the inferior part of the nucleus, which innervates the inferior facial muscles, receives cortical innervation primarily from the contralateral precentral gyrus. Therefore, when the precentral gyrus is damaged on the opposite side, paresis of the facial muscles of only the lower part of the face occurs, but the function of the facial muscles of the upper part of the face, which have bilateral cortical innervation, is not impaired.

Thus, the state of the right hemisphere is reflected on the right half of the face, and the state of the left hemisphere is reflected on the left. This is especially important for the eyes. Until now, it was believed that the state of the two hemispheres of a person’s brain is reflected on his face “crosswise” - the left hemisphere on the right side of the face, and the right hemisphere on the left side of the face. This circumstance did not allow scientists to develop an adequate methodology for testing psychotypes. Therefore, for example, the “James Express Test” is not reliable and has not been successfully used in practice.

In healthy people, facial expressions on the left side of the face reflect the emotional state to a greater extent than facial expressions on the right side. The more pronounced expression of emotions on the left half of the face is confirmed in special model experiments, in which it was shown that emotions are more recognizable in photographs composed of the two left halves of the face. To determine the mental state, we use the method of video-computer diagnostics. Using a video camera, a computer builds two new human faces. One portrait is made up of the right halves of the face (spiritual, genetic portrait), the other - from the left (life, social portrait).

The “genetic portrait” shows the determination and readiness for action of this person, and the “social portrait” shows fatigue, depression, which is manifested by drooping corners of the eyes, eyebrows, etc. Next, these portraits are compared in a computer using a special algorithm, and according to this program, the computer assigns this person to one of 49 psychological types and gives a percentage of complete personal characteristics, professional characteristics and recommendations for harmonizing personality, changing lifestyle, and effective interaction with other people. , the surrounding world.

Video-computer diagnostics, along with questionnaires, are used to determine the mental state of somatic patients (bronchial asthma, arterial hypertension, peptic ulcer disease, etc.), for more effective treatment of these patients, taking into account the mental status (anxiety, depression).

Using this method, psychophysical self-regulation of a person can occur based on visual biofeedback. If a person looks at these two portraits of himself, then he begins to realize his subconscious (repressed from consciousness) feelings. As a result of this biofeedback, the emotions in the two portraits become positive and aligned. In practice, mental processes are stabilized, a person’s intuitive and logical abilities are leveled, and the degree of personal harmony increases. At the same time, the face and eyes become more symmetrical, psychosomatic disorders decrease, the process of rejuvenation occurs (if aging occurs prematurely), the person returns to his life program, to himself.

One of the significant advantages of this method is the ability to study a person in the past. The study of early photographs, starting from early childhood, allows us to identify periods of mental trauma and the dynamics of the development of disorders. During psychocorrection, with the help of portraits synthesized from early photographs, the best of the previous states is restored.

What do you pay attention to when making your first impression of a person? Various options come to mind: clothes, physique, timbre of voice, behavior and... face. Yes, it’s where people spend their gaze the longest. Facial features are a kind of calling card and reveal the full range of a person’s character. Some will doubt this until they remember that the face consists of muscles. And frequently used muscles leave an imprint of lived emotions and feelings on the face.

The face will tell not only about character - it will reveal the truth if there is reason to doubt the truthfulness; will convey real emotions in the face of hypocrisy and, most importantly, the face will not deceive, unlike words. Psychology has made great progress in this direction. Now everyone has the opportunity to develop the ability to understand human non-verbal language.

To learn how to read facial and body signals, first find the answer to the questions - what is facial expression and how is it related to speech. There is a lot of information on this topic on the Internet, but not all of it is truthful and comprehensive. In this case, it is better to take lessons from professionals in the field of psychology so as not to store useless garbage in your memory.

It is worth paying attention to the German management coach - Vera Birkenbiel. She has made advances in the study of how the brain works and has developed lessons based on her research.

Her book “The Language of Intonation, Facial Expressions and Gestures” was compiled over several years, where Birkenbill voiced the results of observations and experiments with facial expressions and gestures. Therefore, the book gives a detailed description of the processes that occur with the face and body when a person experiences emotions.

Birkenbill refers to the definition of facial expressions as changes that occur on the face, including psychosomatics, head movement, direction of gaze and posture.

In an easy and understandable form, the author lays the foundation for understanding body language: the book is structured as a question and answer game. Certain information is given, and then tasks for consolidation. Vera Birkenbiel describes the types of emotions, and then suggests choosing a family photo and reading the emotions of all family members. So, with the help of this book, it will become much easier for beginners to step further and find out what secrets psychology hides.

Facial expressions and gestures in communication

The language of gestures and facial expressions is complex, so one book is not enough to understand it correctly. Often the expression of emotions is mixed - at one moment there is a signal of anger, then joy, and then a second of surprise. So, by isolating a specific emotion, all that remains is to guess what the person actually felt. Therefore, after learning the basics, you need to learn how to combine all human signals into one whole.

Let's consider the basic facial emotions that are often present in conversation:

Astonishment. Is a sudden and short emotion. Few people know that surprise is neutral, it does not belong to the definition of joy or sadness. The fact is that a person is influenced by the following emotion, which replaces surprise in a split second.

Signs: The emotion affects three parts of the face and differs in external features. The eyes open wide, while the lower eyelid remains relaxed. The lips part slightly and the eyebrows rise high. With reserved people, surprise is expressed only by eyebrows with a neutral face.

Fear. A vividly experienced negative emotion that causes changes in the human body. The skin turns pale and sweats, the pulse increases sharply, and the hands tremble. This emotion constrains a person and makes it difficult for him to move. Fear is depleting from the inside, so it cannot be experienced for a long time.

Signs: Eyes are open and tense. The lower eyelid is slightly pulled up. The eyebrows are raised, but not as much as in the case of surprise. The lips are tense and the corners of the lips droop down. If only the eyes indicate fear, then the fear is weak or controlled.

Disgust. People experience this emotion differently. For one it will cause nausea, and for the other it will only make a slight wince in the face. Disgust is often experienced along with anger. Anger appears at something or someone for causing disgust.

Signs: Disgust is mainly transmitted through the nose and mouth - the upper lip rises, which leads to the wrinkling of the nose. With strong disgust, the mouth opens, sharply indicating the nasolabial folds and tense cheeks.

Anger. Refers to dangerous emotions because it provokes harm. During outbursts of anger, this emotion overrides the mind, and a person commits actions that he later regrets. Also, anger affects the somatic processes of the body - the skin turns red, veins on the face and neck stand out, and the body leans towards the offender. The duration of anger depends on self-control. The stronger the internal control, the less time it will take to come to your senses.

Signs: Usually all parts of the face are involved. The eyebrows move and form folds on the forehead. The eyes may be squinted or wide open. The mouth is either tightly clenched or tense, as if the person wants to scream.

Joy. A positive emotion that makes people feel good. The meaning of joy is different for everyone and is caused in four cases: Pleasant sensations; relief; improvement; excitation.

Signs: Lips are stretched and the corners are raised up. The cheeks are tense, the nasolabial folds are clearly marked, and wrinkles are formed on the temples.

Chagrin. Caused by three reasons - disappointment, loss and a feeling of hopelessness. It proceeds passively. The face turns pale, the shoulders droop, the head hangs on the chest, and the lips and cheeks droop under the influence of their own weight. The effects of grief or sadness can last from a few minutes to several years.

Signs: The inner corners of the eyebrows are raised, the eyelids are relaxed, the corners of the mouth are downturned or trembling.

Some human emotions can intertwine with each other and form mixed ones. For example, anger can appear simultaneously with sadness and disgust. Then you should pay attention to the facial expressions and gestures that appeared last.

Depending on the sincerity of these emotions, types of facial expressions are distinguished:

involuntary (caused reflexively);
arbitrary (conscious or as an element of art).

Gestures and facial expressions of a man in love

A person who shows sympathy changes his facial expressions, gestures, intonations, posture and movement. A man himself does not understand his non-verbal signals of sympathy, but the female nature is very receptive to them, so the woman is the first to figure out what these signals mean.

When a man is next to a woman he finds attractive, his body unconsciously turns towards her. He wants to appear better, so he smooths his hair, adjusts his watch, tie, or brushes off non-existent specks of dust from his clothes.
One of the most striking gestures of sympathy is putting your thumb in the belt of your trousers to give meaning to your gender. He also emphasizes physical strength in front of a woman, due to the space he takes up - keeping his hands on his hips or stretching his legs forward.
In conversation, his intonations will become lower and chesty, and eye contact will increase. Sympathy will also affect facial expressions. The man will smile more often, sometimes even intensely, his eyes will open wider and his lips will part.

Female psychology is much more complex, so she uses more enticing techniques, from straightening her hair to swaying her hips and intimate glances.

TV series "Lie to Me"

For such fans, the scientific series “Lie to Me” was filmed, based on the research of Professor Paul Ekman. This series is a complex work, where the key thread is the psychology of people and solving crimes, through reading facial expressions and gestures. If you read Paul Ekman's book on The Theory of Lies, you can better understand what certain moments that characterize the series mean.

The main character is sure that the definition of a lie is visible in every person. Based on barely noticeable signs - facial expressions, intonation and gestures, the doctor and assistants help in police investigations. They analyze what posture, rapid breathing and heart rate indicate. The series clearly shows what human psychology hides and how to detect a lie through careful observation.

The ability to understand facial expressions and gestures will change your life. You will improve your relationships with colleagues and become closer to your relatives. Learn to distinguish truth from lies and achieve success in your career. It's surprising that one in three people don't value these skills.

Moreover, there are many ways to obtain information - books, magazines, the Internet, films, documentary programs and even TV series. You don't have to make sacrifices to make life better - open a new page in the book and life will open a new page for you!

To correctly understand the speaker, it is advisable to evaluate what is being said in the inextricable connection of words, speech, pantomime and other “accompanying” communication, bringing your perception to some completeness.

People usually express the emotions they experience in their souls:
conventionally (standardly accepted in a given communication environment);

Spontaneously (involuntarily).

When a partner tries not to reveal how he feels about what is being communicated, everything can be limited to a simple conventional non-verbal hint, which is sometimes true, but more often misleading.

People often weigh their words and control their facial expressions, but a person is able to simultaneously monitor no more than two or three of all reactions born within. Thanks to this “information leakage”, if you have the appropriate knowledge and experience, it is possible to identify those feelings and aspirations that the target would prefer to hide.

The reactions that arise involuntarily in people are purely individual and can be clearly read only with excellent knowledge of the partner. Failure to understand this point can lead to fatal self-deception in understanding another person.

When assessing personal expression, not only innate differences are taken into account, but also the influence of traditions, upbringing, environment and general life culture. It is desirable to be aware of both the background state (mood) of the individual and his reaction to some emerging stimulus (probe, action, situation).

Much more clearly than in men, the emotions present in women are visible, which are usually (though not always) easy to read. Success in hiding one’s feelings depends on the person’s nature (it is more difficult for a choleric person than for a phlegmatic person), accompanying circumstances (affectedness, surprise) and the experience of the perceiver.

When stimulating personal feelings, all expressive means are usually used in excess for greater persuasiveness. Don't forget this fact when assessing the sincerity of other people and trying to portray your experiences.

The experiences that arise in the soul of a person are highlighted in his appearance and movements in a very definite way - this is probably the simplest and least contradictory zone. We have found that many people do not understand at all that facial expressions can communicate. They never tried to understand how this happens.

During business negotiations, one can observe a wide range of facial expressions: at one extreme is the aggressively tough person who views negotiations as a place where it is necessary to “do or die.” This one usually looks you straight in the eyes, his eyes are wide open, his lips are firmly compressed, his eyebrows are furrowed, and he even sometimes speaks through his teeth, almost without moving his lips. At the other end of the spectrum is someone with impeccable manners, a childish look from under closed eyelids, a slight veiled smile, peacefully arched eyebrows, without a single wrinkle on the forehead. He is likely to be a capable and communicative person who believes that collaboration is a dynamic process.

Under the influence of the feelings experienced by the individual, coordinated contractions and relaxations of various facial muscles are born, which determine the facial expression that perfectly reflects the emotions being experienced. Since it is not difficult to learn to control the state of the facial muscles, they often try to mask or even imitate the display of emotions on the face.

The sincerity of a human emotion is usually indicated by symmetry in the display of feelings on the face, while the stronger the falsehood, the more different the facial expressions of its right and left halves are. Even easily recognizable facial expressions are sometimes very short-lived (fractions of a second) and often go unnoticed; To be able to intercept it, you need practice or special training. At the same time, positive emotions (joy, pleasure) are recognized more easily than negative ones (sadness, shame, disgust).

A person’s lips are particularly emotional, and they are not difficult to read (increased facial expressions or biting of lips, for example, indicate anxiety, while a mouth bent to one side indicates skepticism or ridicule).

A smile on the face usually shows friendliness or a need for approval. A smile for a man is a good opportunity to show that he is in control of himself in any situation. A woman's smile is much more truthful and more often corresponds to her actual mood. Since smiles display different motives, it is advisable not to rely too much on their standard interpretation:

Excessive smiling - the need for approval;
a crooked smile is a sign of controlled nervousness;
a smile with raised eyebrows - readiness to obey;

A smile with lowered eyebrows is an expression of superiority;

A smile without lifting the lower eyelids is insincerity;
a smile with constant widening of the eyes without closing them is a threat.

Typical facial expressions that communicate emotions are:

Joy: the lips are curved and their corners are pulled back, small wrinkles have formed around the eyes;

Interest: The eyebrows are slightly raised or lowered, while the eyelids are slightly widened or narrowed;

Happiness: the outer corners of the lips are raised and usually pulled back, the eyes are calm;

Surprise: raised eyebrows form wrinkles on the forehead, the eyes are widened, and the slightly open mouth has a rounded shape;

Disgust: eyebrows are lowered, the nose is wrinkled, the lower lip is protruded or raised and closed with the upper lip, the eyes seem to be squinting; the person seems to be choking or spitting;

Contempt: eyebrows are raised, your face is drawn, your head is elevated, as if a person is looking down at someone; he seems to distance himself from the interlocutor;

Forcing sound - tension, deception.

Non-verbal sounds are significantly informative:
whistling (obviously not artistic) - uncertainty or fear;

Laughter that is inappropriate for the moment is tension;
unexpected spasms of the voice - tension;
constant coughing - deceit, self-doubt, anxiety.