Facial Expressions

Facial expression is a type of non verbal communication. Whether we like it or not, we constantly use facial expressions to express ourselves. Facial expression is considered a type of communication as it conveys the emotions of an individual to the other party. Most of the time, hiding our facial expression is almost inevitable. Even if we really want to, we usually show a brief facial expression before resuming our neutral expression. Due to this, people constantly read other people's facial expressions rather than believe what the other person has to say. However, having said that, facial expressions are not always accurately interpreted and perceived.

The most obvious feature of the face that affects our facial expression is our eyes. Just by looking at one's eyes, we can almost tell how the person is feeling. According to research done by Boston College professor Joe Tecce, stress levels are revealed by blink rate. For example, a person who is angry, his or her eyes would widen and glare with great intensity. On the other hand, a person who is very irritated would roll his eyes, indicating that he is fed up. Sometimes, when one is in love or extremely elated, their eyes have this sparkle and are brighter than normal.

Our mouths also play an important role in determining our facial expression. When we are in shock or in awe, our jaws drop. When we are cynical, we exhibit a smirk. When we are happy, we wear a smile. Besides that, the flaring and wrinkling our noses also form our facial expressions. For instance, when we smell something smelly, we usually wrinkle our nose. When we are filled with anger, our nostrils tend to flare up.

But yet the worst facial expression that we have no control over is blushing. Most people blush, and more often than not it is a sign of embarrassment. This only serves to embarrass us further!

It can be said that facial expressions are stronger than words. Since facial expressions are categorized under body language, people tend to focus more on it when communicating with others as it is harder to conceal. Therefore, the next time you intend to hide your emotions, be careful not to let the cat out of the bag from your facial expression! Lastly, always wear this facial expression - a smile... because it goes a long way.


Written by,
Hooi Kit Wei