What is reading facial gestures called? By nature it is given such properties

Man is such an interesting creature that all manifestations of his essence, personality and feelings are perceived with interest. Facial expressions, for example, can tell a lot of interesting details about people, even if they themselves are silent. Gestures can also reveal someone else’s state. By observing people, you can learn many interesting details that will help you understand the truth or lies, emotions, mood and other characteristics of those around you. The psychology of facial expressions is truly extensive. To study it fully, one article or even a book is not enough. Nevertheless, some rules and tips will help you learn at least basic psychological “tricks” for use in the future.

General information and definitions

Physiognomy is the art of reading a person by his external signs, in particular by the face, its expression, features and facial expressions. You can define it as personal traits and some psychological data and health status. This method cannot be called completely scientific, but many are very seriously interested in it due to its certain validity.

Facial expressions are facial expressions in which a person reveals his inner feelings, experiences, and other spiritual qualities.

Gestures are body movements, most often with the hand/hands, that accompany or replace the words of the individual performing them.

Posture is the position of the body. A person sits, stands or lies the way he likes/convenient/comfortable.

Gestures, postures, facial expressions - all this plays an important role in people's lives. Not a single person can live without them, and therefore, if you learn to recognize them correctly, life will become easier and more interesting. Facial expressions and gestures in communication are used everywhere and automatically; not everyone is able to control them. Thanks to this, more observant and attentive individuals have the opportunity to study people.

Face and facial expressions

What tells you best about a person? Of course, the face. It is this that is capable of giving away a person when he experiences some emotions, reacts to something, lies or tells the truth, etc. The language of facial expressions is rich and varied. It can be difficult to remember absolutely everything, but elementary features of sincere joy, for example, or disappointment can be retained in memory. And also learn to hide your own feelings.

Despite the fact that human facial expressions and gestures are closely interrelated, they will be considered separately. So, let's go.

Reactions

Human facial expressions manifest themselves in different ways, and most often they can be seen in human emotions. The latter, in turn, are shown in reactions. Depending on their manifestation, you can find out what a person experiences from the information received. The difficulty is that some are afraid, others don’t want to, and still others are embarrassed to show their own emotions. Because of this, you will have to have time to notice the quick, involuntary reaction that appears very first. It is often almost impossible to completely control it, especially for an unprepared person. Therefore, you can identify the interlocutor, which he will most likely remove from his face in seconds, if you act quickly and extremely carefully.

Emotions

So let's continue. As mentioned just above, facial expressions in communication are manifested through the expression of emotions emanating from a reaction. Below are the most striking and significant of them, as well as ways of expressing them:

• Joy happiness. The eyebrows and lips are relaxed, the corners of the latter are raised on both sides, the cheeks are also raised, and there are small wrinkles in the corners of the eyes.
• Anger, irritation. The eyebrows are tense, brought together and lowered, the mouth is tightly closed. Often the teeth are brought together, as are the lips, the corners of which look down during anger or strong dissatisfaction.
• Contempt. Smirk. The corner of the mouth is raised on one side and a slight squint is visible in the eyes.
• Astonishment. The lips and face are generally relaxed, the eyes are rounder than usual, the eyebrows are raised up, and the mouth is slightly open.
• Fear. The eyebrows and upper eyelids are raised, and the lower ones are tense, like the whole face as a whole, the eyes are wide open.
• Sadness, disappointment. Slightly lowered upper eyelids and raised eyebrows, relaxed lips with corners looking down, as well as an empty, dull look.
• Disgust. The upper lip is tense and raised, the eyebrows are brought together, forming a small fold, and slightly lowered, the cheeks are also slightly raised, and the nose is slightly wrinkled.

Among other things, pictures will help you deal with emotions. The facial expressions on them are depicted well, which clearly demonstrates the inner feelings and experiences of the people depicted. Smiles, by the way, were also not invented in vain. Their facial expressions are often quite good, which is why they are in demand when trying to convey emotions via the Internet. After all, communication here mainly takes place in letters, which are not always able to convey the sensations experienced at one time or another.

Human condition

Sometimes it is enough to observe people a little to see what they are like. Facial expressions affect a person, and not only “one-time”, but for the rest of his life. The more clearly your interlocutor showed himself, the more you can find out about him.

— Most people have a large forehead smart people. This does not mean that their knowledge is great in everything. Sometimes it happens that a person knows a lot of information in one area, but is completely ignorant in another. If your friend has a large forehead, but does not show any signs of special intelligence, perhaps he simply has not yet found his business.

— Brilliant eyes and a lively look mean that a person is passionate about someone/something. This usually happens to curious children who are interested in everything in the world. On the contrary, if a person’s gaze is dull and indifferent, it means that he is depressed, perhaps close to depression.

— If a lot of wrinkles appear in the corners of the eyes when laughing, this means that the person is kind, cheerful and cheerful.

— Bitten lips mean that a person likes to think and is most often nervous when making a decision. Sometimes people automatically begin to act this way right in front of their interlocutor, because they cannot decide something.

— A firm, developed chin (often square) shows a person’s strong will. Because people, when achieving their goals (even in an argument), tense the lower part of the face, it begins to develop. With frequent victories, the chin becomes strong and firm, which proves a person’s ability to achieve his goals. Based on this, if the lower part of the interlocutor’s face is soft, weak and undeveloped, it can be assumed that he is easy to break. He will not go to the end if a serious obstacle appears ahead.

— The more various bulges, irregularities, “hollows”, “protrusions”, etc. on the face (sunken cheeks, prominent cheekbones, for example), the more emotional and hot-tempered a person is. He is easily able to fall into and brightly and vividly throw out his experiences on those around him.

Gesticulation

Both facial expressions and gestures in communication make it clear what and how a person says:

• Open palms signify trust and openness. If a person periodically exposes the inside of his hand to you, it means that he has nothing to hide from you, and he feels good in your company. If the interlocutor constantly hides his hands in his pocket, puts them behind his back, or makes other similar “secretive” movements, he is probably not very comfortable. This could be either dislike towards you or guilt/shame for past actions.
• Hands placed near the cheek mean thoughtfulness. Usually at such moments a person thinks intensely about something, tries to figure out what to do in a given situation, etc.
• When nervous or, more likely, lacking self-confidence, a person begins to touch either his neck or objects on it such as a pendant, chain, etc. In addition, he may begin to chew on the handle.
• A nod of the head signifies agreement. Sometimes people nod uncontrollably, thereby communicating on a subconscious level that they like someone else's opinion. Shaking your head, on the contrary, means that the person does not agree with you. Just like nodding, sometimes it happens automatically.

Poses

Open facial expressions and gestures in communication are, of course, good, but we must not forget about the postures a person takes during a conversation:

How to recognize truth and lies from a person

That’s why many people are interested in the details of our article - everyone wants to know how to read a person’s facial expressions, how to see when they are blatantly lying to you, and when they are telling the pure truth. Some ways to expose a liar are given below, but remember that, perhaps, the liar has known about such tricks for a long time and therefore uses them skillfully and dexterously, deceiving others in such a way that

1. When a person tells a lie, his pupils involuntarily constrict. If you have previously noticed the initial state of the interlocutor’s eyes, then you will understand that he is being disingenuous after the pupils become smaller.
2. When a person lies, he looks away. This happens due to the fact that he is subconsciously ashamed of the false information he says.
3. When a person is lying and knows about the previous method, he looks intently into the eyes. Most often, he gets so “played” that he barely even blinks. This can also reveal a liar.
4. The gaze of a lying person moves from one object to another, without stopping at one thing. Sometimes it's just a sign of nerves, but more often it's a sign of lies.
5. Thanks to the compression of the zygomatic muscles, a kind of half-smile, half-grin appears on the face of the lying person.
6. The direction of your gaze will also tell you whether you are hearing the truth or a lie from your interlocutor. If a person looks to the right, most likely, you are being presented with a lie, if to the left, the truth. However, this rule applies provided that the speaker is right-handed, otherwise read backwards.

Features of foreign language of facial expressions and gestures

Not everywhere they communicate in the same ways as here. Of course, this does not mean human language, but the language of gestures, postures and facial expressions. The list below, indicating specific countries and incorrect actions, will help you avoid getting into trouble with foreigners.

Asia. Watch your arms and legs. You should not be the first to touch someone else’s head and hair, because for Asians this is the most sacred thing in a person. The legs, in turn, also don’t need to be loosened, though not at all. Even an accidental touch (to any part of the body) can cause panic and even anger on the part of Asians. This is because, unlike the head, the legs are considered the “lowest” thing in the human body.

Near East. Lift up thumb- it's the same as sending a person to his ass. Children, however, often show this gesture, thereby trying to tease others.

Brazil. The “everything is OK” gesture (the thumb is connected to the index finger, forming a zero, and the remaining fingers stick out “out”) here has approximately the same meaning as our middle finger.

Venezuela. The gesture “everything is okay” here denotes homosexuality.

Italy. The “Goat” gesture from rock music here signifies betrayal and failure. That is, if you show this sign to someone, you are hinting that you consider him a complete loser who is being cheated on by his other half. In northern Italy you are also not allowed to touch your chin, as this means you are giving the person the middle finger.

Fiji. A handshake is considered a trademark of the republic, which is why you should not be afraid if the interlocutor holds your hand tightly and for a long time in his. This is just a sign of politeness, and it can really last a considerable amount of time, right up to the end of the conversation.

France. The “everything is okay” gesture here denotes homosexuality, and scratching the chin is the same middle finger.

Conclusion

So, now you know what role facial expressions play in a person’s life, as well as gestures, postures and other physiological features that are difficult to control. Of course, professionals like FSB or FBI agents will not show themselves in sensitive situations, but if your environment does not consist of such “cool” acquaintances, then you can always “read” a person and learn a lot of new things about him.

Of course, postures and gestures provide the most information about a person’s internal state. While a handshake can be faked by being in a certain mood and controlling the situation, it is very difficult to control your body. The human body, his gait, gestures, facial expressions, and pantomimes provide the most valuable information about a person’s character. Just as people's faces vary, so do their bodies, gait and movement.

Our body is known to consist of more than 200 bones and more than 500 muscles. From birth until approximately 1-1.5 years, the child communicates with the external environment through body movements. Showing with his body contentment and disgust, request and refusal, discomfort and bliss, asking or demanding to feed, drink, clean or change clothes or diapers, demanding affection, encouragement, attention and everything that he lives with. At this time, the child communicates with the outside world through crying and smiling, movements of the arms, legs and the whole body.

In accordance with the fact that each movement causes or, conversely, does not cause a response from adults, movements, gestures, postures are remembered and repeated again and again. Communicating with outside world, the child later consolidates his gait. Later, when the formation of gestures, facial expressions, character traits are also reflected in the formation of muscles.

Each of the 200 bones is connected by muscles, the muscles are in a relaxed or tense state. The level of muscle tension or relaxation creates that unique mosaic of movements, gait, facial expressions and pantomimes different people. Therefore, a certain character is characterized by certain postures, gestures, gait, facial expressions and pantomimes.

Since the 70s, psychoanalysis has developed a whole direction of treating people by relieving tension and tightness in the muscles. This direction comes from the fact that by changing our body, we can change our character. This direction is called “bioenergy analysis” and “bioenergy therapy”. Bioenergy analyzes psychological problem the patient through the structure of his body and movements, through the release of physiological tension in compressed or cramped muscles.

In the process of raising a child, adults require him to comply with accepted norms of behavior, ranging from cultural to social, which are determined in nurseries and kindergartens, schools and lyceums. The child gets used to hiding his intentions, feelings, desires, and, accordingly, his movements, facial expressions, gestures. Hiding his feelings and intentions, adhering to socially desirable norms of behavior, a person, as it were, acquires second nature. Therefore, it is not so easy to understand a person’s character at first glance by external manifestations. One or two signs, be it a gesture, movement or elements of some posture, cannot provide objective information about the character person.

Here we need a whole complex of manifestations connected with each other, which allow us to truly judge a person’s character. For example, it is difficult to judge by a smile what is happening in a person’s soul; a smile can be real or “through tears.” When an “artificial smile” common man, who has cats scratching his soul, then this “artificiality” can be recognized by posture, gestures, intonation of voice, but when an actor, actress or professional service worker smiles, then in order to understand this smile, professional knowledge in this field is needed.

The duality of nature makes it difficult to understand a person’s character not only to those around him, but also to himself. It is the manifestations of the “dual nature,” which to one degree or another exists in each of us, that determine the difficulties of character recognition. For example, a kind, reliable person sometimes wants to seem tough, inaccessible and unapproachable and behaves accordingly.

Often many compensatory mechanisms work in the same way. Many “jocks”, bodybuilders, “body builders” compensate for their inner weakness, fear, defenselessness with an outer shell of inaccessibility, strength and courage, as if emphasizing: “Look how strong I am, you cannot offend me.” Only an experienced professional or an inquisitive, inquisitive researcher, asking himself why a person behaves this way, what causes his behavior, can discern a gentle, vulnerable soul behind the outwardly indestructible, strong shell.

To understand a person's character great importance has multiple meanings of gestures, pantomime, facial expressions. The same manifestations of facial expressions and pantomimes can have completely various reasons. And, conversely, different phenomena can cause the same reaction and the same movements. Therefore, the relationship between external manifestations of character is complex. Of course, there are direct indicators in posture, gait, facial expressions and movements of personality traits, but it is better if one manifestation is confirmed by several more. If you do not know the person, it is important to understand what state he is in - whether this is his normal state or temporary, he is excited about something or is experiencing deep stress. The strength of the phenomenon under which a person is affected also matters.

Why, despite the ambiguity of manifestations, can we judge a person’s condition by external signs? Because everything is subject to laws. Any of our internal experiences, movements of the soul, any dynamics of feelings cause a response in the body, facial expressions, gait, posture, movements. Nothing passes without a trace for the body; internal tension causes an external reaction - exactly the one that is characteristic of a given mental experience.

Many external manifestations of inner life are recorded and read by us constantly in the process of life. But this process occurs unconsciously; all information is processed on an unconscious, non-verbal level. Without awareness, understanding, and training in the skills of reading body language, it is difficult to verbalize this information, because our brain processes it at the level of “pleasant - unpleasant”, “suitable - not suitable”, “confident - not credible”.

These are situations when we say: “There is something I don’t like about this person,” “He is somehow slippery or unpleasant,” etc. That is, we cannot give ourselves an account of what caused our reaction, but internally the information has already been processed, our unconscious tells us through elements of non-verbal behavior that this person is unpleasant to us. Or, conversely, the person hasn’t told us anything yet, but already evokes sympathy.

To understand body language, an important role is played by unconscious, involuntary movements of the hand, human body, and slips of the tongue, which provide irrefutable evidence of inner life, the state of truth or falsity of a statement, action or intention. They can be compared to barely noticeable touches in a portrait, but they are what make the portrait similar to the original, like seasonings that add a piquant taste to food.

How should a person be viewed in order to understand her character? First, it is necessary to identify a number of criteria for analyzing and understanding body language. The first criterion is the integrity of nature. If some parts of the body stand out from the general background, it means that there are some problems associated with this place.

For example, if we see an asymmetrical face, that is, one corner of the mouth is higher than the other, or when talking the mouth is curved in one direction, then we can notice that this person’s rational and emotional are at odds with each other. The mechanism, or physiological connection, is as follows: as is known, one side of the hemisphere is responsible for logical thinking, and the other - for emotions.

When a person often has to make a deal with his conscience in the name of something, for example, a place at work, obtaining some benefits, etc., his inner conscience constantly torments him, and his mind persuades him that this is necessary. Such internal struggle is reflected on the face.

If we see an unnatural gait, when the legs, pelvis and lower back are connected into one rigid structure, then we can say that such a person has problems in the sexual sphere. The fact is that the energy accumulated in the lower part of the body, not finding an outlet, creates strong tension, which leads to tension in the muscles of the buttocks and, accordingly, creates an unnatural gait.

The second criterion is the appropriateness and inappropriateness of movements, postures in a given situation, tension or relaxation. For example, an important meeting is going on, all the participants are extremely tense and attentive, and one of them leans back, yawning. It is clear that in this situation such behavior is clearly inappropriate. If this is one of the managers, then by his behavior he makes it clear that the conversation must be ended; if he has equal weight with the other side, then by his behavior he shows that the conversation no longer interests him, that everything is already clear to him.

The next criterion is the pace of movements, which can be characterized as fast, slow, calm, explosive, rhythmic or, conversely, arrhythmic, ragged, variable, spasmodic, etc.

Movements can be wide, smooth, angular, with small amplitude, rounded, characterizing directionality - forward-backward, up-down, sideways, as well as expansion, narrowing, etc.

It is advisable to describe each movement of the body as accurately as possible in order to understand what it means. The more fully the manifestations of the body are described, the more complete and correct the understanding of the nature of a person’s inner world will be.

Another important criterion in understanding body language is the concept of tension. Here you need to distinguish between a state of tension and muscle tension. . The state of tension can be conscious or unconscious. For example, we are watering flowers, and the watering can is quite heavy, and we feel the tension this work causes in us, starting with the muscles of the arms and ending with the spine and leg muscles.

Another example: a person is walking down the street, and suddenly there is a strong blow or explosion. Then the whole body instantly, unconsciously tenses. When a person writes something serious, thorough, the state of tension is reflected on his face. Everyone has probably seen how a first-grader writes: his arms are tense, his body is too, the efforts he makes are visible in the muscles of his face. He writes not only with his hand and head, but “with his whole body.”

The opposite of tension is relaxation. During a state of rest and relaxation, a person perceives music or work more deeply visual arts, nature. Only by relaxing can he rest his soul. The more relaxed he is, the more open he is to the perception of others.

And, conversely, the more tense it is, the more closed it is. The stronger the tension, the shorter the time it can last. The stress of competition, for example, exhausts even great athletes extremely quickly. A person cannot maintain high voltage for a long time. Examples from the world of sports show that some athletes are not able to contain high tension even for a certain time, so they “burn out” before the competition.

We consider the concept of tension to understand character traits and the state of the individual, that is, we introduce the reader to a teaching in which energy and muscle tension are placed at the forefront. This is the psychoanalysis of W. Reich and A. Lowen.

These scientists see the main goal in relieving muscle tension. By relieving tension in the muscles, they “treat” a person’s character, change his features, relieve neurosis, thereby restoring the person’s agreement with himself, previously lost for one reason or another. To better understand this, here is an excerpt from A. Lowen’s book “Body Language”.

“My patient was a young, very attractive woman. At the first session I was struck by the position of her head and the strength of her jaw. This jaw gave the face a gloomy expression. With such a jaw, of course, there is only one step from a decisive expression to a gloomy one, but I was confident in my impression.

The patient suffered from a joyless existence both in her personal life and in her family environment. She immediately understood my remark regarding the gloom of her character. With her head slightly bowed to the side and her shoulders raised, her body took on an expression of resigned submission, and her face - martyrdom.

Working on body position, I spent a lot of time in each session trying to soften my jaw and relieve tension in the back of my head. But every time I approached these areas, she began to cry quietly, although then she quickly and readily calmed down and perked up. I persisted in this work, and several months later I was pleasantly surprised to find no trace of gloom on her face. The character structure began to give in slightly, but that was the only trait that disappeared, at least at that moment.”

So that the reader does not get the impression that this was an easy job, W. Reich compares the procedure of bioenergetic analysis and the correction of neuroses with the millstones that the psychoanalyst passes through.

A. Lowen compares the very procedure of psychoanalysis and bioenergetic analysis with going through hell, about which he writes: “Each of us must face our own hell and go through it to the end in order to find the way to heaven and home.” And he compares the procedure itself with Dante’s description in “ Divine Comedy“, where Virgil plays the role of a psychoanalyst, since he had previously encountered problems of his character and successfully overcame them, and Dante plays the role of a patient. Human suffering is depicted in the form of Hell, they are caused by neurotic impulses, and in purgatory a person is freed from everything neurotic, in order to then receive the joy and enjoyment of life in paradise.

Based on other seemingly imperceptible signs, the following characteristic features can be identified:

Lack of discipline and carelessness are manifested in a slack gait, a free, relaxed sitting posture;

Inner uncertainty, embarrassment, fearfulness are expressed in a closed gait (when the arms and legs are brought together, or perhaps only the arms or legs), a mincing gait, sitting on the edge of a chair (with a readiness to jump up), one or both hands in pockets, movements of the hands that close part of the face, redness, intermittent voice, searching for objects with hands (so that you can twirl, twist, hold something);

Inner uncertainty is also indicated by closed postures, turning away the face, turning the body, legs and arms away from the interlocutor, slowing down the pace of movement, losing interest in the conversation, demonstratively lazy posture, rhythmically tapping the fingers on the table, changing the posture towards a distant one, slowing down gesticulation and speech.

About inner restlessness, nervousness, nervous tension evidenced by rhythmic movements of the fingers, often with a very small amplitude, disturbance of movements of a repetitive nature, fidgeting in a chair, continuous tapping of fingers, rotation of various objects in the hands - a watch, a cigarette pack, glasses, and so on.

A deliberately wide and slow gait reflects the desire to show off oneself and attract attention. Theatrical body movements and “proud” gait speak of inflated self-esteem and narcissism.

If we consider the forms of movement, we can note that straightforwardness and restraint of movements characterize coldness, prudence, and authoritarian nature. Disordered, sudden movements indicate excitement, irritability, nervousness; solid, wooden, puppet-like - about a closed, split, inhibited personality.

The roundness of movements characterizes the richness of emotions and a carefree attitude towards the world.

The human body and soul are inextricably linked. Therefore, it is impossible to separate character from its external manifestations. What is outside is also inside. Human psychology based on behavior and gestures makes it possible to easily determine character. Let us learn this too.

A person's appearance can say a lot

If a person’s clothing is distinguished by its unusualness and pretentiousness, catchiness, then this speaks of an artistic type of personality, of an artistic nature. There are people who neglect appearance. After talking with them, you will easily understand whether this is his creative attitude to life or banal sloppiness.

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If a person is dressed to the nines, as if he just stepped off the catwalk, this often means that he wants to establish himself with his clothes. This is a sign of inner uncertainty and helplessness.

A person’s appearance should be in harmony with clothes and complement the image. Schizoid personality types do not adhere to this principle.

Bright colors in clothes are loved by emotional and loving people, while half-tones are loved by calm and balanced people. Often people who have a hard time getting used to and adapting to new circumstances wear clothes that are out of season.

Handshake

A handshake is a common form of introduction for men. If a person comes to you from afar with an outstretched hand, then we can say that he is cheerful and sociable, does not hide anything behind his soul. If he is still actively shaking your hand and speaking quickly, he is an active, energetic person.

Secretive people usually shake hands with the palm down and with a large bend in the elbow. This movement seems to say “I won’t give anything away.” Often such people turn out to be two-faced and ruthless. If your palm seems to be pressed down, then you have a domineering, suppressive and callous personality.

A limp handshake speaks of laziness and lack of initiative. Shy and modest people shake hands awkwardly.

Communication zone

Human psychology helps to recognize unpleasant and annoying people by their behavior.

Aggressive and unceremonious people are unpleasant to communicate with. They often violate the permissible distance. You feel this subconsciously. They may tap you on the shoulder. Hold your hand for a long time or look into your eyes. If an unfamiliar person approaches you very close, less than 50 cm, then this causes a desire to move away, as well as anger and indignation.

Shy, insecure people keep a long distance.

The longer people communicate and become closer to each other, the distance between them decreases.

Posture, gait, gestures and facial expressions

Human psychology in terms of behavior and gestures is not always as simple and unambiguous as it might seem at first glance.

Since a person is raised from childhood to adhere to certain rules and norms of behavior, it is sometimes very difficult to determine a person’s character. For example, it is difficult to judge by a smile what is happening in a person’s soul, because it can be real or “through tears.”

The duality of human nature also makes it difficult to understand him. If a person is gentle and reliable, but does not want to seem like that, then he will accordingly behave differently and control his actions.

In order to understand body language, it is involuntary, unconscious movements that play an important role.

If a person has an asymmetrical face, then you can tell. That the rational and the emotional are at odds with each other. When there is a constant internal struggle, remorse, it is very reflected on the face.

If a person has an unnatural, stiff gait (that is, the legs, pelvis and lower back seem to be tightly connected to each other), this indicates problems in the sexual sphere.

Tension or relaxation of movements plays an important role. When a person is relaxed, he rests his soul and is open to the perception of others.

The psychology of human behavior helps to determine character traits based on the following basic characteristics:

• Carelessness and lack of discipline are manifested by a loose gait and relaxed postures;
• Uncertainty and fearfulness are expressed in closed postures of arms and legs, hands in pockets or covering part of the face. Also, redness and an intermittent voice indicate a person who is unsure of himself. These people tend to constantly hype themselves up and make mountains out of molehills;
• Nervousness and anxiety are indicated by rhythmic movements of the fingers. Handling objects, fidgeting in a chair.
• A wide and slow gait speaks of a person who wants to show off himself. And the theatricality of gestures speaks of inflated self-esteem;
• Straightforward and restrained movements speak of a cold, calculating nature;
• Sudden and disordered movements indicate irritability and nervousness;
• If body movements are rounded and smooth, this characterizes a person who is emotional and has a carefree attitude towards the world.

Eyes and gaze

Eyes reflect the inner world of a person. They are the first to react to their internal state. When we are sad, sadness appears in our eyes. If we are having fun, then our eyes shine with happiness.

The look also varies. For example, hard, prickly, cold, angry, shameless, affectionate, gentle, gloomy, cunning, stubborn, confident, fierce, excited...

Any communication is accompanied by a glance. If normal, calm communication occurs, then the look will be the same. If the gaze goes into the distance, it means the person is distracted or lost in thought. A sideways glance expresses distrust and secrecy. Squinted eyes express distrust, anger and vindictiveness of nature.

Politicians often see this pattern when one eyebrow is raised. But the folds on the forehead remain horizontal. This speaks of a strong will, neglect and hostility towards the outside world.

Looking down from above speaks of arrogance and contempt. Conversely, the bottom-up view is about subordination and helpfulness.

A long, direct and firm gaze indicates that the person wants to subjugate you to his will. This is how investigators and prosecutors look during interrogations.

A “running” gaze characterizes people who feel fear or threat. Such eyes are often found in criminals who for a long time spent in prison, as well as swindlers.

Human psychology sometimes helps to determine by behavior and gestures what profession a person has, what position he holds and what social class he belongs to.

Face

When communicating, the face is the first thing you pay attention to. Here it is important to consider the nose, lips and folds near them. They will tell you a lot.

There is a so-called “suffering fold”, which gives a person a suffering expression. These are people with weak character. Weak willed, helpless and patient. Always retreating from difficulties.

Strength of character is judged by the wings of the nose. If they swell greatly when breathing, then this person is temperamental and energetic.

The corners of the mouth show the general condition of a person. The drooping corners indicate a pessimist, always dissatisfied with life.

The degree of tension of a person is shown by a closed mouth. This speaks of determination and strength of character. A slightly open mouth indicates relaxation and passivity.

Smile and laugh

All people smile and laugh differently. Laughter can be contagious, quiet, mocking, angry, sincere, barking, arrogant, artificial, etc.

Pure, carefree laughter shows a light, free, laid-back nature.

If a person has aggressiveness, envy, anger or contempt, then these feelings prevent you from laughing easily and freely. It turns out something like “he-he-he”. Young people who want to attract attention usually giggle. Laughter like “ho-ho-ho” seems to say: “Well, tell me too...”. It reflects arrogance, boasting, a desire to humiliate, to doubt what was said.

Every person can judge the authenticity of a smile by relying on their intuition. She will tell you whether a person is pleasant or not, likes or dislikes, “slippery type” or “somehow he smiles wrong.” Intuition rarely deceives. Human psychology by facial expressions makes it possible to determine, first of all, the sincerity of a person.

Posture

• Dropped or raised shoulders, along with a slightly hunched back and retracted chin, speak of humility, weakness, and a sense of inferiority of a person;
• Raising your head too high and protruding your chest is a sign of pride, vanity and arrogance;
• A tense and motionless posture isolates sensitive and shy people from the outside world;
• Sometimes sensitive people try to hide it, outwardly showing rigidity, coldness, as if bristling at others. Then a certain angularity of posture appears;
• A person with feeling self-esteem, has a free, relaxed posture with his head held high. This demonstrates trust, openness and respect for people.

Human psychology in terms of behavior and gestures has been studied for many years. This science is called body language. The achievements of modern psychology in this area have given impetus to this direction, and the demand for this knowledge from a practical point of view has pushed psychologists to further study the connection between soul and body. Since any of our internal experiences, movements of the soul cause a response in the body, facial expressions, gestures, movements.

Often we see all these external manifestations and our brain processes them instantly at the level of “pleasant - unpleasant”, “trustworthy - not trustworthy”, etc. After all, there are often situations in life when we say “there is something I don’t like about this person” or “what a slippery type he is.” That is, we don’t know what caused our reaction, but we subconsciously feel it. By trusting your intuition and learning a little body language, Everyday life you will be able to determine a person's character at first sight.

It is generally accepted that a person trained as a psychologist or sociologist sees through other people. It is enough to take one look at your interlocutor, and all his ins and outs immediately float to the surface: character traits, habits, weak and strengths, and maybe even a biography up to the time of the appearance of Christianity in Rus'. Maybe from the outside it sounds funny, but this is exactly what the majority of ordinary people think, and if not the majority, then the part that knows nothing about psychology. We'll talk about these misconceptions a little later. Now we are starting a new series of articles on the site, which concerns psychology, in particular, we will consider the language of human facial expressions and gestures.

A psychologist is not a psychic wizard. A quality psychologist, first of all, is a doctor, not a surgeon, and certainly not a magician. However, every joke has some truth, and our case is no exception. The truth is that a professional psychologist knows how to observe people’s postures and gestures and draw certain conclusions based on these observations. This is necessary to obtain additional information about the recipient. By the way, these skills are useful not only in the field of psychology, but also in everyday life (negotiations, business, etc.).

How exactly can the ability to recognize and interpret gestures and body movements be useful? Firstly, it will be much easier for you to make new acquaintances. Secondly, in the case of business communication, it will be easier for you to come to an agreement with your interlocutor, find mutual language and will facilitate the path to a certain compromise. This is just the tip of the iceberg, but to dive much deeper and appreciate the full scope of the benefits, you need to work on yourself, develop in this area and train your attention. In this article, we will analyze only the smallest part of all possible: distance, handshake, gaze and manipulations with a cigarette/glasses.

We have all probably heard of the term “personal space”. It reflects the fact that every person has a certain comfort zone, the presence of strangers in which makes him feel uncomfortable. negative emotions. It is easy to conclude that the closer (physically) a person is to you, the better his attitude towards you. An unconscious reduction of distance, so that the interlocutor is comfortable in your company, and he feels certain sympathy for you. Accordingly, if he tries to keep his distance and moves away during your attempts to shorten it, this means that he is this moment he is not ready for rapprochement.

Firstly, you should not perceive this information in extreme form. Reducing the distance should occur easily and imperceptibly, moreover, it should be within the bounds of decency. You should not force events and “break into” a person’s personal space. This can cause a sharp negative reaction, perceive your movements as a threat, and close off further contacts. It is also worth remembering that there are such personality traits as introverts (unsociable and withdrawn, self-oriented) and extroverts (sociable and open, society-oriented). For the former, personal space can cover a much larger radius, and for the latter, a correspondingly smaller radius. Take this into account, try to be casual, tactful and unobtrusive.

Handshake

Palms can quite eloquently demonstrate a person’s sincerity or talk about his intentions, but in this article we will only examine cases of their participation in the traditional male greeting. If you meet a person for the first time and greet each other with a handshake, then it can carry one of three meanings: superiority, submission and equality.

• During a power handshake, your interlocutor's hand will grab yours so that his palm is facing down.
• In the second case, the situation will be the opposite, the interlocutor’s palm will be facing upward. This may mean that he wants to give you the initiative or surrender to your will in some matter.
• An equality handshake is a classic handshake in which the palms are in the same position.
• Handshakes with crunching fingers, as well as with an unbent straight arm, are signs of a person’s aggressiveness.
• Shaking the fingertips (an incomplete handshake) indicates uncertainty and a desire to keep the recipient at a comfortable distance.

Faced with a case of a power handshake, but don't want to follow your opponent's lead? When you see a hand extended towards you, palm facing down, do the following. Grab her wrist and shake her forcefully. This will make you the master of the situation.

If you entered a recipient’s office, for example, without an invitation or prior agreement, then you should not be the first to offer a handshake; this may have a detrimental effect on the matter, since the person may not be happy about your visit. You shouldn't force him to do something he doesn't want to do. Wait until he reaches out his hand to you or do without this ritual altogether.

These are not all types of handshakes, but only the most common ones. Later we will publish a full article on the topic of handshake rules. Stay tuned for new articles.

Real communication can only happen if you communicate with your interlocutor “face to face.” At the same time, you may feel quite comfortable with some people, while with others you will experience mistrust and inconvenience. It depends on the duration and nature of the gaze, as well as on how long the person can withstand your gaze.

If a person is not sincere enough with you, your views will rarely intersect during a dialogue. If your views overlap more than two-thirds of the total communication time, then this means one of two things:

1. the interlocutor finds you attractive or shows some other interest in you (pupils are dilated);
2. the interlocutor is hostile and sends you a kind of challenge (pupils are constricted).

To win over your interlocutor, your eyes should meet approximately 60-70% of the entire duration of the dialogue. During important negotiations, you should not wear sunglasses, which will create the effect of “looking at you point-blank.”

Smoking and glasses

Almost all aids used by a person can help to understand his train of thought. There are a great many similar things, but in this case we will consider only cigarettes and glasses.

Smoking is a way to suppress internal tension

Smoking is a unique way of suppressing internal tension and it can also be interpreted. Often, if a person lights a cigarette during a business dialogue, this means that he wants to stall for time before making a decision. Waving a cigarette, twisting it, and other gestures indicate that a person is experiencing more tension than usual. It is important where the smoker exhales the smoke. The direction symbolizes his attitude to the current circumstances. A positive and confident person will blow smoke upward, while a secretive and suspicious person will blow smoke downward. Blowing smoke down from the corner of the mouth symbolizes an even more negative attitude. Blowing through the nostrils is a sign of an arrogant person.

If a person constantly, with a kind of manic zeal, shakes off the ash from the end of a cigarette, this indicates his difficult internal state. If a person lights a cigarette and almost immediately puts it out, this may mean that he wants to end the dialogue. In this case, it would be appropriate to bring the conversation to a conclusion yourself, as if it was your idea.

There is an opinion that a person puts some objects in his mouth when he wants to experience that feeling of security that accompanies babies while sucking their mother's breast. This rule applies to both glasses and cigarettes.

If a person is required to make a certain choice, sucking on the temples, wiping the lenses, as well as constantly taking off and putting on glasses can symbolize that he is stalling for time or has not yet come to a final decision. In this case, it is worth waiting, giving the interlocutor a chance to think. Playing with glasses and then putting them aside symbolizes the intention to end the conversation.

Finally

And so, we went over several points in interpreting the interlocutor’s gestures, but this, as I wrote above, is only a tiny part of the knowledge that modern psychologists and sociologists possess. In the future, we will go even deeper into the language of facial expressions and gestures, but for today I say goodbye to you.

Save your time. All the best.

Nothing is more capable of revealing a person’s intentions than his body movements. After all, each of our thoughts is accompanied by a certain set of muscle contractions. Knowing this feature, many try to imitate their facial expressions and gestures. However, man fluent in language body movements immediately recognizes the true thoughts of his interlocutor. If you also want to have such knowledge, let’s take a closer look at what human facial expressions and gestures mean.

Gestures, facial expressions and postures

The main question that plagues most modern people, concerns how sincerely this or that interlocutor behaves with us. This can be determined, for example, by the degree of symmetry of the face. The more different the right and left sides of it are, the stronger the lies that are told to you. But not only facial expressions, but also gestures and various poses are responsible for a person’s intentions. Let's consider the most common manifestations of certain emotions and thoughts:

1. Facial expressions:

• surprise - the eyes are widened, raised eyebrows form a small wrinkle on the forehead, the mouth is slightly open and rounded;
• joy - the lips are pursed into a barely noticeable smile, and small wrinkles are visible around the eyes;
• anger - the forehead muscles are pulled down, the facial expression is frowned, the lips are tightly compressed, the nostrils are slightly dilated, and the face itself may be red;
• interest - the eyelids are slightly narrowed or widened, and the eyebrows can be raised or lowered;
• disgust - outwardly it seems that a person is choking on something or wants to spit. The nose is wrinkled, the eyebrows are lowered, and the lower lip is slightly protruded.

2. Eye microexpressions:

• any change in the expression of the eyes and their movement is a reaction to what was said;
• frequent blinking - lying or excitement;
• dilation of the pupils – enjoyment of information, interest in communication. Can also be a manifestation of suffering;
• a stopped, “glassy” look is a huge weakness;
• feeling that the eyes are shining - excitement or fever;
• “shifty eyes” - shame, anxiety, deception or fear.

3. Gestures and their meaning(it is worth remembering that the direction of a person’s thoughts can only be determined by involuntary gestures):

• open palms - a gesture of frankness;
• light scratching of the nose or touching it - lies, uncertainty or suspicion of lies in what is being said;
• fussy movements of the hands (touching objects, fiddling with something in the hands) – nervousness, wariness or embarrassment;
• scratching or touching various parts head (back of the head, forehead, crown, cheeks) - uncertainty, embarrassment;
• clenching fists - aggression or internal excitement;
• shaking lint from clothes is disapproval;
• scratching or rubbing the eyelid - a feeling of suspicion on the part of the interlocutor or a lie;
• rubbing the chin - the moment of decision making;
• tilting your head to the side is a sign of interest in what is being said.

4. If facial expressions and gestures in communication are not eloquent enough for you, pay attention to interlocutor's posture:

• resting your hands on a chair or table - protection from conversation or a feeling of incomplete contact with your interlocutor;
• hands behind your back and head raised high - a feeling of superiority over others;
• open (not crossed) limbs, an undone button on the collar and a slightly untied tie are a sign of trust and acceptance of the interlocutor;
• crossed limbs (the so-called closed pose) – skepticism or protection from the interlocutor;
• grasping a glass or mug with both hands is a sign of veiled nervousness;
• clasped fingers - an attempt to hide disappointment in the interlocutor or a negative attitude;
• Frequently changing positions or fidgeting – tension and internal restlessness.

These are not all the manifestations of body movements that can be noticed during the thought process of our interlocutor. Of greatest interest to many is sign language in relations between men and women. Let's take a look at some examples.

Facial expressions and gestures of lovers

Many women have always been interested in the psychology of facial expressions and gestures of men. Although the stronger sex, in turn, is also interested in how to understand that a woman is showing interest or sympathy. Let's figure out who's into what.

1. Facial expressions and gestures of men. Many women wonder how to understand that he is interested in communication and shows sympathy? Let's start with the fact that although men know how to hide their emotions, their external manifestations still betray their intentions. Let's consider what the gestures and facial expressions of a man in love are:

• an appraising glance running over the entire body - a man only needs a minute to understand whether he likes a woman;
• if during a conversation a man’s mouth is slightly open and his lips tremble a little, he experiences a feeling of sympathy;
• pose with tense muscles - demonstrating your body and wanting to be liked;
• fiddling with buttons on his trousers or jacket - he is nervous in the presence of his interlocutor;
• if a man, in the presence of a lady, sucks in his stomach and stands tall, he involuntarily tries to look better in her eyes;
• if a man offers his jacket or coat, this is evidence of the woman’s recognition as his chosen one;
• a man’s hand on a woman’s shoulder or waist – the desire to be closer and the fear of losing sight of the lady.

Sexual body language and facial expressions of men:

• legs wide apart;
• thumb tucked into belt;
• the hand frequently rubs or touches the chin or throat;
• Also, sexual interest on the part of a man can be indicated by playing with objects of a round shape, reminiscent of female roundness.

2. no less interesting to watch, even though the weaker sex knows how to hide their intentions:

• The most common gesture of women is playing with their hair, and in particular, pushing it out of their face. Good expression of interest and desire to attract attention;
• The woman's interest can be seen in her wrists. If she keeps them in sight and shows the smoothness of her skin, then she considers the man as a sexual partner;
• stroking any object in the shape of a cylinder makes it clear that the woman is clearly hinting at closer communication with the man;
• If a woman is interested in a man, she will involuntarily place her legs a little wider than usual. It is important to pay attention to the shoes. Their socks will point in the direction of the interlocutor who interests her.
• The play of a woman with a shoe is also of great importance. Baring your legs is a clear hint of intimacy or flirting.

You can understand a lot by a person’s posture, gestures and facial expressions. The main thing is to learn to recognize how easy certain body movements are for a person. In the future, such knowledge will help you understand what kind of person is in front of you, and what thoughts and associations you evoke in him.