Ekman's Faces of Emotion

Though I still teach Ekman's Six Basic Human Emotions we know that there are more and we know that culture plays a much larger part in determining the nonverbal cues of emotions than we previously thought. This week I am giving a full day workshop to Therapists, Counselors and Law Enforcement officers who deal with children going through grief and trauma. I will share recent studies by psychologist James Russell and his team has shown that when more realistic less exaggerated faces are used, children may not recognize the emotions until they are as old as eight. Younger kids don’t know if a “disgust” face is supposed to be disgust or anger, for example, and that children who have been abused have a stronger reaction to angry faces.

Blessed with a fantastic audience of over 100 psychiatrists, therapists, social workers, school and grief counselors, pastors, nurses, doctors and a few brave young people up out of their chairs for my opening exercise in my full day program on Body Language for Dealing with Children’s Grief, Loss and Trauma. An amazing day! Upside down and sideways! Sponsored byTomorrowsRainbow.org We went deep! They learned how to establish trust, sense danger and dishonesty, recognize signs of someone at risk of of death by suicide, recognizing the nonverbal behavior of malignant narcissists, sociopaths, and psychopaths and healing from PSTD! I designed the program to be energizing and uplifting and filled with take away tools as well as an extra big dose of humor! I love to share this program so if you have an audience for it let me know!

Patti Wood, MA - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com.
     

Patti Reveals What is Behind Their "Cry Cover" Smiles

This is an expression I call the cry cover smile. Yes, most people who give this expression believe they are covering their true emotions with a smile.
This expression is typically found in men and I think comes from the need to keep a “stiff upper lip.” Many times this expression is an attempt to hide many intense emotions of sadness, fear and anger. I see it in men who typically have very strong egos and power and are caught and brought down. There are several photos of this expression in former Governor Blagojevich.

Congressman Wiener’s expression is a suppressed fear, disgust and anger (If you cover up his mouth and look at just his eyes you will see the whites around his eyes and his sideways glance, and disgust. Notice the wrinkled nose that is a unique movement of the face given in disgust.)
If I knew exactly when he gave that expression I could tell you whether he was disgusted with himself for what he did or disgusted with the media at a particular question or bringing his behavior to light. The wrinkled, upraised chin and tight lips show the suppression of fear and also of anger.

Spitzer also has a cry cover smile. His chin is more raised and more defiant and proud and more of the bottom lip is raised and held inside the mouth. The corners of the mouth come down significantly in a way that is more common to this expression showing his need to smile through the pain. Cover his mouth and you see his eyes are more hooded downwards at the corners and sad. This combination reminds me of the classic sad clown painted face.


Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at http://pattiwood.net/. Also check out the body language quiz on her YouTube Channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.