Friday, 22 April 2016

Role of facial expressions in social interactions

Think once, whom do you remember? your expressionless drill master or your most interactive English teacher. Answer would be obvious. Expression not only makes impressions, but prints a photo in listener memory.


A facial expression is worth a thousand words.Communication is a central aspect of everyday life, a fact that is reflected in the wide variety of ways that people exchange information, not only with words, but also using their face and body. Scientists found out that we are able to recognize facial expressions in motion -- for example, in a movie -- far better than in a static photograph. The video sequence needs to be at least as long as one tenth of a second to gain this dynamic advantage.

It's well known that good communication is the foundation of any successful relationship, be it personal or professional.It's important to recognize, though, that it's our nonverbal communication—our facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, posture, and tone of voice—that speak the loudest. The ability to understand and use nonverbal communication, or body language, is a powerful tool that can help you connect with others, express what you really mean, and build better relationships.

When we interact with others, we continuously give and receive wordless signals. All of our nonverbal behaviors—the gestures we make, the way we sit, how fast or how loud we talk, how close we stand, how much eye contact we make—send strong messages. These messages don't stop when you stop speaking either. Even when you're silent, you're still communicating nonverbally.

Oftentimes, what comes out of our mouths and what we communicate through our body language are two totally different things. When faced with these mixed signals, the listener has to choose whether to believe your verbal or nonverbal message, and, in most cases, they're going to choose the nonverbal because it's a natural, unconscious language that broadcasts our true feelings and intentions in any given moment. So be careful with your boly language and non verbal communication. If you say Yes to something and if your body gesture shows NO then the listner will consider your No rather than your word Yes.


The way you listen, look, move, and react tells the other person whether or not you care, if you’re being truthful, and how well you’re listening. When your nonverbal signals match up with the words you’re saying, they increase trust, clarity, and rapport. When they don’t, they generate tension, mistrust, and confusion.

There are many different types of nonverbal communication. Together, the following nonverbal signals and cues communicate your interest and investment in others.

  • Facial expressions
  • Body movements and posture
  • Gestures
  • Eye contact
  • Touch
  • Space
  • Voice

Unfortunately, many people send confusing or negative nonverbal signals without even knowing it. When this happens, both connection and trust are damaged.

Learning how to manage stress in the heat of the moment is one of the most important things you can do to improve your nonverbal communication. Stress compromises your ability to communicate. When you’re stressed out, you’re more likely to misread other people, send confusing or off-putting nonverbal signals, and lapse into unhealthy knee-jerk patterns of behavior. Furthermore, emotions are contagious. You being upset is very likely to trigger others to be upset, making a bad situation worse.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by stress, it’s best to take a time out. Take a moment to calm down before you jump back into the conversation. Once you’ve regained your emotional equilibrium, you’ll be better equipped to deal with the situation in a positive way.




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