Okay, I'm going to say something using only
body language.
Did you get that?
Hi all you body linguists Trace here for DNews.
Scientists weren't around to ask, but they
believe verbal language evolved as a learning
aid for ancient human-like ancestors.
Language helped us communicate, coordinate
and cognate (yes! alliteration!).
what is body language
Before we'd evolved to say, "I'm hungry,"
or "I like you," nature devised other ways
to say those things: Nonverbal communication!
Even when not speaking we're sending messages
about our emotions, health, age, and social
status!
The way you're standing, your hand gestures,
body tension, facial expressions… all these
communicate your inner feelings to the outside
world, often without you realizing it, and
some of them are universal.
who decided that's what nonverbals meant?
Charles Darwin first proposed the idea of
universal body languages based on how our
muscles connected to our facial skin.
100 years later, a series of experiments by
researchers Tomkins and Ekman, found seven
universal facial expressions: Happy, Surprise,
Contempt, Fear, Sadness, Disgust, and Anger.
In essence, Darwin was right!
We all have inherent structures and adaptations
in our brain's limbic system to process emotions
-- and some are universally expressed!
The amygdalae, which control reactions, self-preservation
and emotional processing do all this work
for us, subconsciously.
When people shout, "Surprise!" at a party,
these almond-shaped structures deep in the
brain get that message first!
First the amygdalae make sure these people
aren't about to attack, showing a universal
fight-or-flight fear-evoked freeze response
while you process the emotion!
Then after they're like, NO THREAT YOU'RE
GOOD, you go on to feel happiness and amusement.
This happens all the time.
When someone startles you, you trip, or if
your partner unexpectedly pops the question,
you'll probably look scared before you look
happy… thanks amygdalae.
Awkward.
so what body languages are universal?
We are constantly shouting emotions with our
postures, gestures, and body shifts too.
Yes, the fear-evoked freeze is universal,
but so are some others.
A 2008 study in the Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences found sighted, blind,
and congenitally blind people from more than
30 nations all expressed shame or pride in
the same way, and a 2010 study also in PNAS
added laughter to the list as well!
In yet another study, researchers found intense
emotions don't even need a facial expression:
we can guess just from body language!
what about body expressions
Even though body language is super important,
face+body are better together says study after
study.
According to 2013 research in the journal
Science, when people were just shown faces
of people (even displaying "universal facial
expressions,") they only had a 50-50 chance
of guessing the emotion, and by adding body
language to the picture guesses became quote
"far more accurate."
Interestingly, some body language we think
of as universal is not at all.
Winks can mean trust and friendship, or deviousness
and concealment; the context matters.
Additionally, body language is intensely cultural.
For example, in Russia, West Africa, the Middle
East, parts of the Mediterranean and Australia
there's a gesture which means up-yours, but
in the U.S., it means LIKE!
Or, in the West, close friends stand close
together, and strangers further apart, but
a Middle Eastern salesman might stand closer
to show trust.
In the U.K. business world, looking someone
directly in the eye is considered rude but
in the U.S. not meeting a gaze is untrustworthy!
In the end, more research, it be needed.
how do we control nonverbals?
Even though they're subconscious, simply knowing
nonverbal cues exist can help you understand
that secret language.
According to Paul Ekman, "Learning to recognize
facial expressions of emotion in others helps
you learn to recognize your own emotions…
[and this can] help you manage the expression
of your own emotions."
And just remember, if you pop the question
and your partner looks scared, that's just
their amygdalae…
Hopefully.
If you still aren't sure how to express your
emotions, there are other culturally appropriate
expressions some people engage in.
See what i did there?
Engage in?
This video was proudly sponsored by Kay Jewelers,
who might have some ideas on how to help.
Every kiss begins with Kay.
Nonverbal might be the most important part
of language, but it's not the only way we
communicate with each other.
On my other show TestTube Plus we spent a
whole week researching human communication,
how it shapes your brain, how emoji might
be the future of language, and how klingon
could be a REAL language.
Check it out here.
Are you good at reading nonverbal cues?
Are you going to look for them now?
Bonus fact, the harder you look, the worse
you get at discerning the emotion, just let
it happen naturally.
Tell me your thoughts in the comments.
