How to Recognize What Someone Is Really Feeling, and More About Microexpressions

In the meantime, it is well known that we as humans communicate more through our body language than through our words. But how do you understand this body language? Some emotions, such as anger or joy, are often quickly recognizable in the other person at the moment. It is less easy to read and understand subtle facial expressions.

Paul Ekman, the psychologist -researcher in the field of micro-expressions, can help us on our way.

Microexpressions are involuntary facial movements that often last only a quarter of a second. They occur before our brain has a chance to suppress emotions. This makes them very reliable: you can’t fake them, you can’t hold them back and you can hardly hide them. In that one fraction of a second you see what someone is really feeling, whether it’s fear, anger, disgust or joy.

Ekman discovered the phenomenon by chance while analyzing old film footage of psychiatric patients. One woman smiled, said she felt better, but really just wanted to get out of the institution as quickly as possible.

When Ekman analyzed her frame by frame, he saw it: a look of intense despair, only two frames long. Appearing and disappearing, disguised as a smile. The beginning of the micro-expression.

Since then, research has exploded. Police officers, judges, scientists and psychologists use Ekman's insights to recognize emotions, signal hidden stress and even expose lies. Not with certainty, but as a starting point for further research or a critical question.

In its purest form, a micro-expression is a brief, involuntary muscle movement in the face that betrays a genuine emotion, before our brain has the chance to suppress it. A classic example is the so-called Duchenne smile: in this case, not only do the corners of the mouth move upward, but the muscles around the eyes also contract, which creates crow's feet and a warm, authentic expression.

In a fake or social smile, that activity around the eyes is often missing. The mouth smiles, but the eyes remain empty. Such differences between muscle groups can indicate that someone is faking an emotion, for example out of politeness or to hide something. Those who are trained to recognize micro-expressions can learn to notice these subtle signals and thus better assess whether an emotion is real or feigned.

According to Ekman, recognizing micro-expressions is a trainable skill . He has developed a system that shows exactly which small muscle movements correspond to which emotion. The following characteristics can help you recognize micro-expressions

Micro-expressions:

• Eyebrows pulled down and together.
• Eyes stare brightly (fixed gaze).
• Lips tightly closed or mouth slightly open with jaws tense.

Note: Notice the combination of tense eyes and furrowed brows, this expression can be visible in a flash.

Micro-expressions:

• Nose wrinkles, as if you smell something bad.
• Raise upper lip.
• Cheeks slightly raised.

Note: often asymmetrical; for example, only the left side of the mouth lifts.

Micro-expressions:

• Inner eyebrows pull up
• Eyelids hang heavily or droop.
• The corners of the mouth droop.

Please note: the raised inner eyebrow is difficult to consciously imitate and is therefore often a sign of genuine emotion.

Micro-expressions:

• Eyes wide open, upper eyelids strongly raised.
• Eyebrows raised and drawn together.
• Lips tense or slightly parted, sometimes pulled back.

Note: Fear and surprise may seem similar, but fear is often accompanied by tension in the face.

Micro-expressions:

• Eyes wide open, just like in fear.
• Eyebrows raised in a round arch.
• Mouth open, often without tension.

Please note: this emotion is usually visible for a very short time and disappears quickly.

Micro-expressions:

• Eyes squinted slightly, crow's feet at the corners of the eyes.
• Cheeks are pushed up.
• The corners of the mouth are raised symmetrically.

Note: A raised mouth alone without the involvement of the eyes is usually social, not sincere.

Whether you are a manager, teacher, caregiver or parent: emotions constantly drive human behavior. Yet, people do not always express what they really feel. People hold back, mask their emotions or say the opposite of what they experience. It is precisely then that micro-expressions offer valuable insights. Those who learn to recognize these subtle, involuntary facial movements gain access to what is happening beneath the surface, to the core of someone's experience. It increases your empathy, strengthens communication and makes you more effective in any role in which you work with people. Curious whether you can already estimate this? Take the self-test below.

A: Sadness, B: Disgust, C: Anger, D: Fear, E: Surprise, F: Joy.

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