Can you make your face beautiful? Non-verbal communication: interpretation of facial expressions into feelings and emotions.

11.10.2019

Does facial expression age?
Charging for the face
Exploring emotions
Guessing game
Bad facial habits

Facial expressions are a powerful tool for expressing emotions and feelings, which can be more eloquent than any words. No wonder there is a separate genre of theatrical art - pantomime. Mime knows how to make the audience cry and laugh, playing the performance with his face. Imagine how impoverished communication will be if you deprive it of additional ways of conveying the internal state - intonations, gestures and facial expressions.

There are many professions for which the ability to control facial expressions is very important. This is a vivid expression of emotions, and vice versa - the ability not to betray one's feelings. Actors, teachers, leaders, diplomats, businessmen, TV presenters ... But not only for work, you need to know how to train facial expressions - everyone should be able to convey their feelings beautifully and reliably.

In parallel with facial expressions, it is necessary to develop the speech apparatus - these two mechanisms are inextricably linked with each other. For example, there is a therapeutic complex of facial exercises for children with dysarthria - a disorder of the pronunciation function. Speech and facial expressions have a “mutual responsibility”: the clearer the speech, the better the facial muscles are developed and vice versa.

But before we learn how to develop facial expressions, let's deal with a question that worries many.

Does facial expression age?

There is an opinion that lively facial expressions quickly age a person: where folds often appear, deep wrinkles form over time. Is it so?

In order not to be unfounded, let's compare film actors known for their mimic skills. Jim Carrey comes to mind first. He is in his early 50s and already has noticeable wrinkles, especially around the eyes. The actor himself admits that his career as an actor with the most expressive face gave him wrinkles. But at the same time, Kerry never did plastic surgery or Botox injections - since they make facial expressions more constrained, this is categorically contraindicated for a movie star. In order to slow down the aging process, Kerry uses creams.

Jackie Chan is another person with rich facial expressions who is always smiling. He is a little over 60 years old, but he looks great. Of course, he also has facial wrinkles, but in his entire life, Jackie has done only operations related to injuries - no plastic surgery.

Johnny Depp is also a little over 50, but it's hard to believe - it seems that he is a maximum of 40. But there is one secret - Captain Sparrow did plastic surgery: a facelift, brow lift and blepharoplasty (around the eyes).

But the actor, famous for the almost complete lack of facial expressions - Keanu Reeves - does not age at all. He is the same age as Depp and Kerry, but at the same time he looks 30. They say that Neo does not disdain Botox, but the actor himself does not admit it. His main acting tool is his eyes.

Indeed, certain facial habits leave an imprint on the face - but this happens in the allotted time, when a person has natural wrinkles, and not earlier. And what kind of wrinkles it will be - it's up to you to choose: either deep furrows from a gloomy frown forehead, or charming rays around the eyes from laughter. And don't forget that actors known for their grimacing skills have been doing it professionally all their lives. They filmed millions of takes and made more grimace than a human would need in Everyday life. Imagine Jim Carrey in the office. Did you laugh?

Those who are afraid of losing their youth need to remember about additional factors - this is heredity, skin type, exposure to the sun, facial care. Massage, anti-aging procedures, creams and oils will help you not to be afraid of the appearance of early wrinkles.

Charging for the face

In order to develop your facial expressions, you first need to make your face more mobile, liberate the facial muscles. Athletes before training do a warm-up - let's do it. You need to stand in front of the mirror, put your hair in a ponytail, pin up your bangs. The whole face must be visible.

Start moving hard different parts of his face, trying to develop as large an amplitude as possible. Here are examples of such movements:

Raise and lower your eyebrows;
Open and close your mouth wide;
Smile as wide as possible without baring your teeth, then sharply fold your lips into a bow or “duck”;
Open your eyes wide and squint.

It is important that when exercising on a certain part of the face, the rest are not involved. At first, this can be difficult - some muscles “pull” others along with them, and together with your eyebrows, for example, you begin to reflexively raise your lips.

These exercises should be repeated regularly, even when you have already developed facial expressions. They help muscles stay fast and flexible. At first, you need to train 3-4 times a week, then you can leave one session. One lesson should last about half an hour.

As an addition to the exercises, you can make faces for yourself - this also warms up the facial muscles well.

Exploring emotions

As you remember, we will need the development of facial expressions first of all in order to colorfully convey emotions. Therefore, you need to learn the appropriate facial expression, and learn how to apply this skill in communication. Many people do not know how to convey emotions "on order": you ask them to portray anger, but you get a comical mask. All because they don't know what they look like from the outside. This problem will be eliminated with the help of the following exercise.

Stand in front of a mirror and try to portray such emotions:

Suffering;
Joy;
Astonishment;
Disturbance;
fright;
Anger;
hopelessness;
thoughtfulness;
Delight.

If you are not satisfied with the result, look at the faces of the actors in certain situations and try to repeat their expression. You can’t evaluate the results of your work in the mirror - take a selfie, it’s easier to draw objective conclusions from a photograph.

At the sessions, the fashion model is obliged to portray all the feelings and states that the photographer gives her: “Do me tenderness! Innocence! Aggression! You saw a kitten! They gave you a car!” And all this she must perform no worse than a Hollywood film star.

Many people think that models need only beauty and a figure, but a very important role in this profession is played by ability to be photogenic and own your face. Try to be a fashion model and portray all the emotions and reactions that come to your mind.

Guessing game

She needs another person who is also interested in exercises for facial expressions. Better yet, if it is a company - then you can play fun game. It is similar to a game of "crocodile" - one participant depicts a hidden emotion, the rest guess.

Learn to do what you can't

1. Wink.

Yes, not everyone knows how to do it beautifully and playfully. Someone can just close one eye, and someone can’t even do that - it turns out to blink only with both. Look at actors or acquaintances who know how to wink, and repeat this in the mirror. You may at first have to help yourself with your hands, holding those parts of the face that do not obey.

2. How to raise one eyebrow?

The ability to raise eyebrows was given to us by evolution. In addition to people, only monkeys can do this - this is how they demonstrate the threat.

Anyone can raise both eyebrows, but not everyone can raise one. Those who are endowed with this superpower flaunt it right and left. Don't worry - it can be developed. Again we stand in front of the mirror and begin to raise one eyebrow with the help of our hands, holding the second. We remember which muscles are working. Learn to raise an eyebrow without using your hands. Aerobatics - quickly lift them in turn, as if playing.

3. Tricks with tongue

You remember that in order to improve facial expressions, you need to develop the speech apparatus. Tongue exercises will not only help with this, but will also make you a star among friends - after all, very few people know how to twist the tongue into a tube, fold it like an accordion or reach it to the nose. True, with getting to the nose there is one prerequisite - a long tongue. But you should at least try. But the rest of the exercises will be given to the owner of the tongue of any length. You can’t explain the technology in a nutshell - it’s better to look for a training video on the Internet.

Bad facial habits

To have beautiful and expressive facial expressions, you need to get rid of the habits that spoil your facial expression and cause early wrinkles. Many of us squint, wrinkle, make faces and frown, not even knowing how much it hurts them. If you know such habits behind you, control them. And in order not to relax, periodically squint or frown in the mirror - look how ugly it is, and you will immediately have an incentive to get rid of these grimaces. If you constantly forget about self-control, ask someone close to remind you. Mothers will cope with this best of all - they worry like no one else that their children are beautiful and charming.

***
Everyone has facial expressions - it is laid in the brain in childhood, when kids look at their parents and copy their facial expressions. But uncontrolled facial expressions are like an ill-mannered person - they will always find where to mess things up. You can compare it with a horse riding a rider - instead of making life easier, uncontrollable facial expressions complicate it. They say about such people: everything is written on his forehead. I would like to hide my feelings, but I can't.

Do not belittle its role - only one ability to use facial expressions correctly can significantly change the fate of a person. And you can start learning this skill at any time, regardless of age.

P.S. Find out " What is artistry and how to develop it»

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People often say one thing and think something completely different. Therefore, it is important to learn to understand their true state. When transmitting information, only 7% is reported in words, 30% is expressed by the sound of the voice, and more than 60% goes through other non-verbal channels: look, facial expressions, etc.

People tend to say one thing and think something completely different, so it is very important to understand their true state. When transmitting information, only 7% of it is communicated through words (verbally), 30 percent is expressed by the sound of the voice (tones, intonation) and more than 60% goes through other non-verbal (look, gestures, facial expressions, etc.) channels.

For a correct understanding of the speaker, it is desirable to evaluate what is being said in the inseparable connection of words, speech, pantomime and other "accompanies" of communication, bringing one's perception to some completeness.

The emotions experienced in the soul, people usually express:

conventionally (in a standard way accepted in a given communication environment);

spontaneously (involuntarily).

When a partner seeks not to give away how he relates to what is being reported, everything can be limited to a simple conventional non-verbal hint, sometimes true, but more often disorienting.

People often weigh their words and control facial expressions, but a person is able to simultaneously monitor no more than two or three of all reactions born inside. This “information leakage” allows you, if you have the appropriate knowledge and experience, to identify those feelings and desires that the object would prefer to hide.

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

When evaluating 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 (probing, act, 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 nature of the person (it is more difficult for a choleric than for a phlegmatic person), the accompanying circumstances (affectability, surprise) and the experience of the perceiver.

When stimulating personal feelings, for greater persuasiveness, all expressive means are usually used in excess. Keep this fact in mind when appreciating the sincerity of other people and trying to portray your experiences.

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 controversial zone. We found that many people do not understand at all that communication can occur through facial expressions. They never tried to understand how it happens.

During business negotiations one can observe the widest range of facial expressions: at one pole - an aggressively tough person who looks at negotiations as a place where you need 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, someone with impeccable manners, an infantile look from under closed eyelids, a slight veiled smile, peacefully arched eyebrows, without a single wrinkle on his forehead. He is probably a capable and approachable person who believes that cooperation 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 a facial expression that perfectly reflects the emotions experienced. Since the state of the facial muscles is easy to learn to manage, the display of emotions on the face is often tried to mask, or even imitate.

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

The lips of a person are distinguished by special emotional expressiveness, which are not difficult to read (increased facial expressions of the mouth or biting the lips, for example, indicate anxiety, but a mouth twisted to one side indicates skepticism or mockery).

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

excessive smiling - the need for approval;

a wry smile is a sign of controlled nervousness;

a smile with raised eyebrows - a willingness to obey;

a smile with lowered eyebrows - showing superiority;

a smile without lifting the lower eyelids is insincerity;

a smile with a constant expansion of the eyes without closing them is a threat.

Typical facial expressions that communicate the emotions experienced are as follows:

joy: lips are twisted 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 dilated or narrowed;

happiness: the outer corners of the lips are raised and usually laid back, the eyes are calm;

surprise: raised eyebrows form wrinkles on the forehead, while the eyes are dilated, and the parted 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 squint; the person seems to be choking or spitting;

contempt: the eyebrows are raised, the face is long, the head is elevated, as if a person is looking down on someone; he, as it were, moves away from the interlocutor;

fear: eyebrows are slightly raised, but have a straight shape, their internal corners shifted, horizontal wrinkles pass through the forehead, the eyes are dilated, and the lower eyelid is tense, and the upper one is slightly raised, the mouth can be open, and its corners are pulled back (an indicator of the intensity of emotion); when there is only the mentioned position of the eyebrows, then this is a controlled fear;

anger: the muscles of the forehead are moved inward and down, organizing a threatening or frowning expression of the eyes, the nostrils are dilated, the wings of the nose are raised, the lips are either tightly compressed or pulled back, accepting rectangular shape and exposing clenched teeth, the face often turns red;

shame: the head is lowered, the face is turned away, the gaze is averted, the eyes are fixed downward or “run” from side to side, the eyelids are closed, and sometimes closed; the face is reddened, the pulse is quickened, breathing is interrupted;

grief: the eyebrows are drawn together, the eyes are dull, and the outer corners of the lips are sometimes somewhat lowered.

Knowing facial expressions during various emotions is useful not only in order to understand others, but also for the most thorough practice (usually in front of a mirror) of your working imitations.

Thus, if facial expressions are a movement of the muscles of the face, reflecting the internal emotional state of a communication partner, then the possession of facial expressions is necessary, in fact, for any person, but especially for those who, by the nature of their activities, have numerous contacts with people.

What do eyes and eyes say?

A special role in communication is given to the first glance. The moment when the partners meet and greet each other is accompanied by the first eye-to-eye look. Our conscious perception of another person always occurs through direct eye contact. If the ritual gaze is not observed, the interlocutor usually feels ignored or offended. It is unlikely that he can counteract the offended feeling: "You do not take me into account as it should."

An experienced interlocutor always strives to greet his partner with an open look into his eyes. And later, in a conversation, often looks into the eyes of the interlocutor to emphasize the meaning of his words. You should also not forget that:

a look contributes to suggestion in the same way as words;

breaking eye contact when speaking long time may lead to termination of the conversation;

when one partner speaks, an experienced listener does not allow a duel with the eyes, as this can breed aggressiveness.

Use the language of sight correctly. It is no coincidence that they say that the eyes are the mirror of the human soul. The language of the gaze can tell a lot, or rather, about the true feelings of your interlocutor.

The look of a person and the associated eye signals are directly related to the veracity of the information that is spoken aloud.

According to its specificity, a look can be:

business - when it is fixed in the forehead area of the interlocutor, which implies the creation of a serious atmosphere of business partnership;

secular - when the gaze falls below the level of the interlocutor's eyes (to the level of the lips), which contributes, as the researchers note, to the creation of an atmosphere of secular, relaxed communication;

intimate - when the gaze is not directed directly into the eyes of the interlocutor, but below the face - at the body to chest level. Experts say that such a view indicates a somewhat greater interest in communication;

a sidelong glance, which, as a rule, speaks of a suspicious or critical attitude towards the interlocutor.

The emotions experienced in the soul, people usually express:
conventionally (in a standard way accepted in a given communication environment);

Spontaneously (involuntarily).

When a partner seeks not to give away how he relates to what is being reported, everything can be limited to a simple conventional non-verbal hint, sometimes true, but more often disorienting.

During business negotiations, you can observe the widest range of facial expressions: at one extreme - an aggressively tough person who looks at negotiations as a place where you need 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, someone with impeccable manners, an infantile look from under closed eyelids, a slight veiled smile, peacefully arched eyebrows, without a single wrinkle on his forehead. He is probably a capable and approachable person who believes that cooperation is a dynamic process.

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

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 reflect different motives, it is advisable not to rely too much on their standard interpretation:

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

A smile with lowered eyebrows is a show of superiority;

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

Typical facial expressions that communicate the emotions experienced are as follows:

Joy: lips are twisted 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 laid back, the eyes are calm;

Surprise: raised eyebrows form wrinkles on the forehead, while the eyes are dilated, and the parted mouth has a rounded shape;

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

Contempt: the eyebrows are raised, the face is long, the head is raised, as if a person is looking down on someone; he, as it were, moves away from the interlocutor;

Forcing sound - tension, deceit.

Significantly informative non-verbal sounds:
whistling (obviously not artistic) - uncertainty or fear;

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

Under the influence of different emotions, facial muscles give the face a certain expression - facial expressions. The ability to distinguish basic facial expressions is acquired in children from an early age. Although young children cannot tell, they definitely feel the mood and facial expressions of the one who approaches them, and react accordingly - laugh or cry merrily.

In the communication of adolescents and adults, more diverse facial expressions are used. Sometimes she is deliberately minimal to hide her emotions, but this is very difficult to do. Managing facial expressions to hide feelings is much more difficult than gestures. But to emphasize emotions with facial expressions is very simple - smile wider or raise your eyebrows even more in surprise. Some people over-express their emotions, which draws too much attention to themselves. It tires people around.

Each person in life experiences different emotions, they flow one into another and, with spontaneous manifestation, are expressed naturally. They don't need to be emphasized at all. The predominance of certain emotions in a certain person is an integral feature of his character.

In the process of communication, the face of the interlocutor involuntarily attracts attention. It allows us to receive feedback information - whether they understood us, how they reacted to our message, etc. Universal emotions that can be displayed mimicry are joy, surprise, fear, sadness, disgust, anger, contempt. They appear on the face as follows:

1) surprise- an instant mimic reaction to something unexpected or new. It is very difficult to fix the surprise on the face, however, there are people whose face seems to be smiling all the time. Facial expressions of surprise: raised eyebrows, horizontal wrinkles on the forehead, wide open, but without tension, eyes, mouth ajar;

2) fear- anticipation of imminent pain or trouble that cannot be prevented. In a state of fear, a person's eyebrows are raised, but differently than in surprise. They are stretched and brought together at the bridge of the nose. Short wrinkles appear on the forehead. The eyes are tense and wide open, the lips are tensely stretched;

3) anger- occurs as a physical threat. It may be the intent to do some harm. From anger, a person’s blood pressure rises, so the face turns red, and veins swell on the temples and neck with strong anger. Breathing becomes more frequent, the face is distorted by a tense grimace. Eyebrows move at the bridge of the nose. There are vertical wrinkles between the eyebrows. The outer ends of the eyebrows rise up. The tense lips are compressed or can represent a grin - teeth are visible through the tensely opened lips;

4) disgust- mimic response bad smell, taste, sound, touch, etc. Eyebrows are lowered, while special wrinkles do not appear. The palpebral fissures are narrowed, the eyelids are almost covered. The corners of the mouth are lowered, and the mouth itself may be slightly open. The lips are tense. The tongue may stick out a little. Wrinkles appear on the nose;

5) joy- a pleasant feeling, corresponds to high spirits. Often combined with surprise, but not fixed on the face. Joy can be a mask to hide behind negative emotions(anger, fear). But false emotions are always quite easy to recognize by other signs (voice, breathing, gestures). With joy, there is no excessive tension on the face, eyebrows almost do not participate in facial expressions. The palpebral fissures narrow slightly, the eyes shine. The corners of the lips are raised up, which are stretched in a half smile. It's a pleasant expression;

6) sadness- a mimic reaction, which is more often associated with losses, failures. Normally, it does not appear for long and then a familiar facial expression appears. In a saddened person, the outer ends of the eyebrows are lowered down. Vertical wrinkles appear between the shifted eyebrows. Short wrinkles form in the middle of the forehead. The eyes are slightly open. The upper and lower eyelids form a triangle. The corners of the mouth are down.

Glance is part of non-verbal communication. Looking at the interlocutor, you can notice all the changes in his face and posture, as well as gestures. During a conversation, people usually make eye contact periodically. You should refrain from constant or gazing into the eyes, otherwise it will interfere with communication. When talking rivals or warring people, they will avoid looking directly into each other's eyes. In ordinary communication, periodically looking at the interlocutor, you maintain contact with each other, make it clear that you are kind, give the impression of sociability, help to understand what was said and better understand the interlocutor yourself.

Facial expressions and gestures - essential elements communications. This is what is commonly referred to as non-verbal communication. These tools help to place the semantic accents of the conversation, enhance the emotionality and expressiveness of speech.

In addition, "body language" is often able to say much more about the speaker than the words themselves. Facial expressions and other non-verbal means of communication are poorly controlled by the speaker, so they can become a source of additional information about a human. About his intentions, emotional state, mood and attitude towards the interlocutor.

This article will help you understand the nuances of the psychology of facial expressions and gestures.

Contrary to what many people think, gesticulation is not just an "addition" to a conversation, not just a manifestation of individual or cultural habits. According to modern scientific research, gestures and other elements of non-verbal communication - this is one of the primary ways of communication between people. Some scholars generally believe that at some point in history it was one of the main means of communication.

These means of communication do not just accompany the conversation, they greatly influence its semantic content. Moreover, in such a way that the listener often does not even understand this, since such signals are read subconsciously. On the one hand, they greatly facilitate communication, because they help to place the necessary accents in the conversation, expressively highlight some elements of the conversation, and set the very modality of speech. On the other hand, they work effectively as a means of persuasion.

In addition, facial expressions and gestures can be a source of additional information or, in some situations, replace speech altogether.

Facial expressions and gestures in a person, from the point of view of psychology, perform the following functions:

regulation. These are gestures that accompany imperative speech - orders, requests, etc.
Representation of the internal emotional state of the speaker, his attitude towards the interlocutor and the very situation of the conversation.
Spatial function - gestures indicate the spatial position of the speaker and interlocutor.
. Gestures replace or supplement such language tools expressiveness, like metaphor, irony, hyperbole, etc.
communicative function.
The function of displaying speech actions. Gestures can illustrate an offer, a threat, a request. Not to be confused with the first paragraph. This function is connected precisely with the speech action of the subject of the dialogue.
The function of describing the physical parameters of an object, its actions and properties.

Gestures, facial expressions and other elements of non-verbal communication have a strong connection with speech. It can be said that they form single system communication, which is designed to most effectively convey information and influence the interlocutor.

What part of the brain is responsible for gestures

The use of gestures and facial expressions is due not only to cultural characteristics. The source of this lies much deeper - in the very human psyche. Facial expressions and gestures, first of all,.

Human gestures and facial expressions are perceived and produced by different parts of the brain.

The right hemisphere of the brain is responsible for production. The same hemisphere allows a person to navigate in space, recognize voices, intonations, rhythm, music. The right hemisphere is responsible for specific subject thinking.

However, the same areas of the brain that are responsible for speech - the lower frontal gyrus and the posterior temporal region - help to perceive, decipher signals of gestures and facial expressions. In other words, the brain perceives a gesture as a symbol equivalent to a word.

What gestures can tell about a person

Gestures and facial expressions are an inexhaustible source of information about a person. Of course, this should not be taken as universal way obtaining information about the intentions or thoughts of the interlocutor, because you always need to take into account the individual context, the individual habits of the partner and the environment in which the conversation takes place.

Facial expressions can also speak of a purely physiological state of a person. However, there are some general behavioral patterns, the knowledge of which will help you navigate in a particular speech situation.

The face and eyes are rightfully considered the most expressive parts of the body when it comes to facial expressions.

Direct gaze, long and continuous eye contact with the interlocutor, indicate interest, disposition for dialogue and high level trust.
Covered and slightly lowered eyes - physical or emotional fatigue, passivity, disinterest.
Squint is traditionally read as a sign or heightened attention, or as evidence of malicious intent, a negative attitude towards the interlocutor.
A bowed head and a look from bottom to top are subconsciously perceived as a sign of aggression, readiness and desire to use force.
A bowed head with a bent back, on the contrary, speaks of a desire to please.
A "running", constantly evasive look signals the uncertainty or anxiety of the interlocutor. Or that the atmosphere of the conversation makes him uncomfortable.
Side view - skepticism or distrust.
Raised eyebrows, wide eyes and parted mouth - surprise.
Small wrinkles around the eyes give out joy.
Tightly compressed lips, furrowed eyebrows and dilated, as if "inflated" nostrils - anger.
If a person wrinkles his nose, it is quite possible that he is disgusted. This instinctive reaction to a bad smell also works on a more symbolic level.

Head position

The position of the head itself can tell a lot:

Head at the level of the interlocutor - readiness for dialogue.
Slightly raised with a protruding chin - self-confidence, high self-esteem, arrogance, readiness for action.
Head, tilted to one side or lowered down - weakness, fatigue, willingness to compromise.

Hand gesture

Involuntary manipulations with wardrobe items, foreign objects, or the face (rubbing the nose or earlobe) can indicate strong excitement, anxiety, that the interlocutor is waiting for something or is not sure of something. Such gestures, oddly enough, are designed precisely to hide excitement and stress, to distract the person himself from them.
Open, raised palms - this gesture is used in a situation of explanation, persuasion. We can say that this is a kind of stop sign.
Hands folded into a “lock”, covering certain parts of the body, hidden in a pocket - this often indicates uncertainty and alertness. A person unconsciously resorts to defensive gestures when they feel threatened.
Hands behind the back are perceived as a signal of unwillingness to dialogue, a signal of timidity and doubt.
If the arms hang freely along the body, this can be read as a symbol of passivity.
Hands clenched into a fist are perceived as a sign of determination, aggression or concentration.

Shoulder gestures

A person is perceived as confident and determined when he freely moves his shoulders.
Signs of high self-esteem and a desire to act can be called a protruding chest with shoulders laid back.
On the contrary, the "hollowness" of the thoracic region is often interpreted exactly the opposite. As well as shoulders pressed to the head or “dropping out” forward.

Gait and posture

A confident person has a straight posture and does not slouch.
Although slouching can be, for example, a sign of an inactive, sedentary lifestyle, it is often interpreted psychologically.
The gait is fast, with active hand gestures, giving out determination and a desire to act.
A shuffling and slow gait is subconsciously associated with laziness and slowness.
A straight, measured and wide gait speaks of openness and confidence.
Small steps indicate caution, foresight and prudence.

Conclusion

Extremely rich and varied. Gestures and facial expressions make speech richer, more varied and richer in terms of expression.

Gesticulation for a person is natural and necessary. Even in those cultures where it is not customary to emphasize speech abundantly with facial expressions or movements, they play a big role. It is important to be able to "read" and decipher these more or less obvious signs.

It is equally important to be able to use them yourself. Appropriate, expressive and bright gestures, the correct look and posture will help build a dialogue as efficiently, effectively and convincingly as possible.