Article outline:
Principles of physiognomy
Many scientists have tried to prove the fact that it is necessary to study physiognomy, but, unfortunately, today this science is considered frivolous. But still, the study of the connections between a person’s character traits and his thoughts, as well as his facial expression, is necessary primarily for artists and actors, as well as for those people whose work is directly related to people, that is, investigators, teachers, sellers, etc. .d.Four of the five available senses are directly located in the facial area, and it is with their help that we receive information about the world around us. The eyes, ears, nose and mouth act as a kind of antennas; it is with their help that we perceive the information happening around us. Basically, a person perceives this information most strongly at the age of five or six years. This is even clearly visible on the child’s face; many, most likely, paid attention to the fact that children have large open eyes, sometimes it seems that he wants to see everything at once, ears that hear everything in the world, a nose that tries to feel everything smells, even the most subtle ones, the mouth, where he sends everything that comes to hand, it is these sense organs that help children call out surrounding information.
Unfortunately, over time, the acuity of feelings passes, dulls, and an adult already loses the ability to notice everything that previously brought him so much joy and surprise; this, in turn, is the result of the fact that a person gets used to the world around him, to its influence, and these it no longer needs sensitive antennas. As for the human psyche itself, it in turn becomes rigid, and this is directly reflected on the person’s face. That is, the process of reduction begins, that is, the eyes lose their shine, become a little sunken, they are less interested in what is happening around them, the face loses its mobility, and the mouth takes the form of a narrow slit. A person’s character becomes withdrawn, and he gradually withdraws into himself. For each person, such changes occur at different rates, regardless of age; for some, the face begins to change only at the age of seventy, and for others, such changes have already occurred at twenty.
A person whose face has quickly lost its liveliness is characterized by pessimism; he already treats everything new with fear and endures changes quite painfully. His character is characterized by the manifestation of introvert traits. It is quite difficult to persuade such a person to do something that could. Such people tend to think by the age of forty that life is over and they just have to wait for their time. But people with this type of character are quite rare. Basically, people with similar behavior suffer from some kind of illness, or suffer for some reason, but when all the bad things that happen to him end, this person is transformed in a fairly short time right before his eyes. He is getting younger, his antennas are starting to work with renewed vigor, receiving signals from the outside world, and he is again interested in everything new.
You can often meet elderly people who, despite their gray hair,... The faces of such people are often not subject to reduction and, accordingly, their antennae do not close until old age. By nature, these people are extroverts; at heart they always remain big children. They quite easily find a common language with others, it is easy for them to make new acquaintances, but at the same time it is very easy for them to quit what they have started in order to do something more interesting and educational. Such people are distinguished by open and sparkling eyes, thanks to which they are often very popular in society.
Nowadays, a lot of attention is paid to the language of facial expressions and gestures. This method of information is considered natural. We all quite often pay attention to the body movements of other people, and in in this case It is worth noting that they not only carry information that our mind perceives, but are also capable of influencing another person. It is due to this that sign language has become quite widespread in politics and business. People use gestures and facial expressions to interest people in a particular matter much more, which in turn helps to make presentations much more effectively, captivate the audience with their speech, etc.
As for the direct perception of gestures and facial expressions of the people around us, it is they that determine our reaction and attitude towards those people. It is necessary to learn to better understand the body signals given and correctly use this knowledge, using this to more effectively interact with people.
When communicating, in addition to spoken phrases, a person makes many subtle or noticeable gestures, which are also not made meaninglessly; they also express his point of view on given circumstances. Each of the interlocutors perceives these gestures on a subconscious level, but basically our consciousness does not lend itself to rational analysis. Having studied such a hidden language, you can read all the hidden information.
Scientists believe that this ability to read other people's thoughts through facial expressions and gestures is common to all people. Due to external signs, starting from facial expression and up to the posture taken, will help to guess the intentions and feelings of a particular person.
It is possible to read the information that is conveyed by gestures and facial expressions due to the fact that, regardless of the cultural level of people and a particular person, the words and, accordingly, the accompanying movements coincide with such a degree of predictability that a well-trained person, even by voice, will be able to determine which the movement his interlocutor will make while pronouncing a particular phrase.
The ability to communicate with other people, understanding their psychology, intentions and interests dominates in any communication. A person who knows how and can put himself in the shoes of another person and understand him will always be successful in life.
The very shape of his face says a lot about a person’s character. It is mainly classified into four types: 1) round; 2) square; 3) triangular; 4) rectangular; 5) trapezoidal.
Types of persons and their characteristics
A round face type is characterized by widening in the middle part, in the cheekbones and neck. The dimensions of the face in this case are very close both horizontally and directly vertically. Roundness is observed in the area of the lower jaw, chin and temporal cavities.This type of face shape characterizes people with heavy weight. If at the same time a person has a small nose, then this characterizes him as a carefree nature who loves the comfort of life. A person with such traits is a great gourmet and lover; by nature he is very soft and peaceful, gentle. People with a round face shape do not strive for high position or fame because they are more materialistic. Basically they are not ambitious. People with a round face, piercing eyes, prominent cheekbones and a high bridge of the nose are thinkers, with a characteristically ordered mind.
The square face itself is wide in the middle and cheekbones, the lower jaw is much heavier, wider, and the angles of the lower jaw are sharply defined. A square face shape is characteristic of a masculine, rough-hewn, thin type of person who has a rather hot-tempered character. Such a person is by nature a great fighter and leader. As a rule, they are stubborn, persistent, slow-witted, decisive both in business and in love, have a direct desire for success and are good performers. If a woman is endowed with such a face shape, then she, in turn, is a stubborn competitor in any business and occupies a dominant position in family life.
The trapezoidal face has the shape of a compressed upper part, in the area of the temples, while the lower part of the face is heavier, and the angles of the lower jaw are sharply expressed and deployed.
This face shape suggests that this person is quite artistic, intelligent and receptive, but, unfortunately, he lacks a fighting spirit. Women with this type of face are generally very loving, they family life always happy.
A triangular face has the shape of a pointed chin and lower jaw area.
This form indicates that the person is preoccupied with himself and is hypersensitive. This face shape is found in intellectual people, smart, resourceful, cunning, devoid of affection and devotion, and jealous. People with a triangular face can become excellent scientists, philosophers or artists, but they can also be shameless businessmen, traitors and spies.
An elongated face is characterized by an elongated chin and a high forehead; in this case, vertical dimensions benefit, in contrast to horizontal ones.
Extended or rectangular shape The face needs the same width of the jaw and forehead. It is also called the aristocratic face shape. Such a face is typical of a sensitive, intelligent, far-sighted and prudent, calm and fair person. People with this type of face are endowed with excellent organizational talents and are excellent at working with other people in order to achieve their goals. Mostly these people achieve success in life.
Combined face shapes
Oval face – has smooth outlines, especially the chin, cheekbones and lower jaw. Such a face is usually called classic or ideal.Diamond face - this type of face is characterized by strongly protruding cheekbones, which in turn are outlined by subzygomatic depressions, and a narrow forehead. In the upper area near the temples and lower - the chin and jaw, parts of the face narrow, but in the area of the cheekbones it expands.
As for the facial muscles themselves, they can also tell a lot, depending on how relaxed or tense they are. People who are characterized by hypertonicity of facial expressions, or in other words, high muscle tension, which in turn can manifest itself in all sorts of twitching and tics, as a rule, have many problems that worry them. These problems can be both real and far-fetched, it doesn’t matter, the main thing in this case is that they don’t let you forget about yourself for a minute.
Because of this, such fears often prevent a person from making new decisions that completely change the situation; he is afraid that everything he has built with such difficulty will collapse, and as a result he will have to start all over again. But, despite this, such people are quite energetic, when they are confident in the success of a new business, take on it with great enthusiasm, are quite easy-going, in addition to this, they have a much stronger ability to make various kinds of decisions, and they need communication much more.
And a person who has relaxed muscles, that is, with facial hypotonicity, behaves completely differently. This type of face is characterized by a somewhat pronounced sagging of the cheeks, sleepy, half-closed eyes, a slightly open mouth, and a generally expression of complete indifference on the face. The thoughts of such people flow more slowly, and their actions are devoid of enthusiasm and energy; if they do something only because it is necessary, if it were their will, then they would hardly do anything at all.
They don’t want to solve any problems, and, in fact, they don’t have any. They let everything take its course so that it will resolve itself. It is also worth noting that muscle hypotonicity and hypertonicity is only a reflection of the state of the human nervous system, its immediate stability and excitability. Accordingly, the higher the muscle tone, the more easily the nervous system is excited, and the faster the hypertonicity is replaced by hypotonicity, the less stable it is. Such changes are mainly observed in people with an affective type of face.
The affective type of face is characterized by a somewhat rough face, too uneven, with sunken cheeks, prominent cheekbones, and with many protrusions and depressions that are left directly by strong emotions that arise quite often. A person with this type of face quite easily enters a state of passion, namely, when strong emotional arousal appears, it happens to him quite often, he cannot control it.
This type of face can directly belong to both an introvert and an extrovert, and equally. This manifests itself in extroverts with open faces, and in introverts with reduced ones; affects, of course, manifest themselves differently. For example, if an extrovert’s anger, anger and resentment spill out very emotionally and violently, then for an introvert negative emotions find their manifestations in emotional experiences for a long time, corroding his soul.
It is customary for physiognomists to mentally divide human faces into three parts, the first is called vital, comes from the word vita - life, it shows how strongly a person defends his right to exist. This part directly includes the chin, which perfectly makes it clear to what extent a person uses his strong-willed qualities in order to achieve the set goal. It is clearly seen that when a person needs to defend his point of view, he unconsciously begins to tense the muscles of the lower part of his face, therefore, the more often and more successfully a person defends his rights, the more developed his chin is.
But a harmoniously developed chin can already tell a lot about its owner, namely that this person basically achieves his goals, although he is able to abandon the goal if he sees that it is inappropriate. A person who has a well-developed chin often has square shape, achieves his goal by any means, rushes into the breach like a tank, this person cares little about what will remain after he achieves his goal. It is typical for him to storm new and new heights. But as for the small chin itself, which can be said to be somewhat soft, such a person can easily deviate from his plans, just imagining what difficulties and obstacles may be associated with this. But this may not happen, especially if a person is ruled desire, or, conversely, reluctance to achieve anything.
The second zone is called the emotional zone, which directly includes the cheekbones, nose, cheeks, and mouth. The most mobile part of the human face is the mouth, as it is the first to react to various changes emotional background, reflecting the emotions that a person is currently experiencing, even if it only lasts a couple of seconds.
Emotions such as joy, anger, resentment, contempt, etc., are expressed by the bend of the lips, even if their owner has good self-control and tries to hide his mood from others, any emotion will still be reflected on his face for an instant, according to Mostly in the mouth area, so you should be very careful and not miss this moment. If you see that your interlocutor is slightly biting his lips, then in this case, this means that at that moment he is thinking about something, and quite intensely, but whether to interrupt his thoughts or not depends directly on you.
In the event that a person is in some kind of critical situation, he can bite not only his lip, but also his tongue. His nose also conveys a person’s feelings very well. During excitement, of any origin, the wings of the nose begin to swell. If a person sees something that irritates him, then his nose wrinkles.
In addition to the lips, the mouth also includes two nasolabial grooves, a mental groove and the corners of the mouth.
Depending on the section of the oral fissure, the mouth can be small or large, and as for the corners of the mouth itself, they can be lowered or raised.
If a person has a wide mouth and a square face, then this indicates that the person is authoritative and has the talent of an organizer.
If the mouth is large and does not close tightly, then this in turn indicates that this is an indecisive and careless person.
If a woman has a big mouth, then she shows greater ability for a career than for housework.
The presence of a wide mouth on a full solid base in people with a large bone structure indicates that the person is aggressive and ambitious, adventurous, indifferent to his defeats and successes.
About a person with a small mouth, we can say that he is constantly busy struggling for existence, has a weak, shy character that does not dare to take responsibility. A protruding mouth (the person’s mouth is viewed in profile with his lips closed) indicates that the person is active and decisive, and has a quick mind.
Characteristics of a person by his lips
If the lower and upper lips overlap each other and the lower lip protrudes, then this indicates that the person is selfish by nature and may be unsuccessful in marriage.In the case where the upper and lower lips overlap each other and the protruding lip is the upper lip, this indicates that the person is vain and indecisive, has an insatiable libido and often has extramarital affairs.
If the line between the lips curves downward, then this characterizes the person as stubborn and self-centered, who can only be won over through praise and flattery.
The presence of thin lips that close poorly and match each other indicates that a person does not have any special business ambitions and is characterized by criminal inclinations.
In the case when the line between the lips bends upward in the middle, this indicates that the person is agile and inventive.
A wide, rough, long upper lip and a pointed or small lower lip indicate that these people are bad businessmen who can become victims quite easily.
What does the nose tell us?
And he says the following:
Oddly enough, the nose controls a person’s fate from approximately 41 to 50 years old; it is during this period of life that the issue of success or failure of an individual is decided.- So, the owner long nose, the following main character traits appear - unsuitability for business enterprises and conservatism. They exhibit elements of contemptuous and arrogant behavior and have the ability for intellectual achievements (in the field of science or technology).
- The owner of an extremely long nose is characterized by: conservative spirituality, quite often an unrealistic and capricious-speculative personality.
- A short nose characterizes its owner as a person with an open character, optimistic and friendly, with a free sexual morality, he can be easily irritated by little things, a good motive for doing work is emotional impulses, so he needs to be constantly patted on the shoulder.
- A bony nose with a small hump and a high bend indicates that its owner is a proud individual, stubborn, aggressive and decisive.
- A high and very bony nose indicates that a person lives alone in life. And if the nose also has a pointed tip and looks quite full and flat, then in this case we can say that the person is endowed with a rather enterprising spirit and impulsiveness, which in turn quite often pushes away relatives and friends, thereby dooming oneself to complete loneliness .
- A skinny, bony nose indicates that it is very difficult for a person to concentrate. In the case when the nose is located quite high in accordance with the face as a whole, then we can say about such a person that he is a very proud person, difficult to communicate with and arrogant. If such a person is endowed with power, then problems with subordinates are inevitable; sometimes even in family relationships he does not go beyond simple tolerance.
- If the bridge of the nose is well rounded, then this person is quite artistic and happily married.
- If the platform of the nose has a break, a depression and horizontal lines crossing the back of the nose, then this person is endowed with poor health, even early mortality is possible.
- If the nose has a high, tiny area between the eyes, then this person has close family ties, is loyal and has a long life expectancy. In the case when the area is full and flat, this in turn means that the person has a warm heart and is quite happy in marriage.
- If the nose has a broken back with many small ridges, then such a person is characterized by poverty and deprivation.
- If the nose is narrow and looks like the edge of a sword, then such a person’s life is full of hard and exhausting work.
- If the back of the nose is slightly flattened and is also intersected by horizontal lines, then such a person will face misfortune.
- When the bridge of the nose is flat, well balanced by both wings of the nose and large, then this person is a prudent nature, with a forecast for wealth.
- If a person's nose has a weak back, then this person is endowed with chances for early success and, unfortunately, late failure in life.
A nose in which the dorsum widens in the middle and is only slightly covered with flesh, combined with small nostrils and low cheekbones, then this in turn indicates that the person has a somewhat banal and boring life, full of hard work and practically no reward.- If the back of the nose is tilted to the side, this indicates that, most likely, the person will be haunted by failures.
- A nose whose back is crossed by deep lines indicates that the fate of such a person will be to some extent connected with disasters.
- For women, such a nose is evidence of a difficult marriage and imminent divorce.
- If veins are visible on the back of such a nose, then this is a possibility that he will have .
- If the tip of the nose hangs down like a nut, then this person will occupy a fairly strong position in society and prosperity in business.
- If the tip of the nose droops greatly, then this indicates that the person is oversexualized. If the tip of the nose is pointed and not fleshy, then this indicates that the person is prone to betrayal and treachery.
- If the tip of the nose is shaped like an eagle's beak, then this is a vindictive person; we can say that to some extent he is obsessed with mania, that everyone is constantly bothering him. In the case when the tip of the nose has a slightly reddish tint, it indicates that its owner is lazy and unsteady, he will not turn out to be a careerist, but he is quite insightful and gifted with foresight.
- In the case when the bridge of the nose is high, with weak cheekbones and jaws, this indicates that the person was born into a family with a high social position, in middle age he will face disasters, and in old age - deprivation.
- When the nose has a drooping shape and a skinny tip, which in turn covers most of the upper lip, then this is a treacherous and treacherous nature.
- If the tip of the nose is split, then this person is suspicious, vindictive, shy, preferring to solve his problems on his own, with the help of his original mind.
- If the nose has a full, large, convex tip, then this means that the person is sincere, kind-hearted, always ready for self-sacrifice, if there is a controlled sparkle in the eyes.
- A nose that has a round and full tip, which covers a certain part of the philtrum above the middle of the upper lip, then this person has extraordinary energy, unlimited business acumen and a penetrating mind.
An ideal nose is considered to be a nose of normal length, balanced with the mouth, eyes and chin. There must be two deep lines on both sides of the mouth. Such a nose indicates that a person is honest, temperamental, sexually active, proud, active and has great authority.
The third zone of the face directly includes the upper part of the face, eyebrows, forehead and eyes; this part is called the intellectual part. A person’s eyes always quite clearly display the thought processes occurring in a person’s head, their speed and direction. Brilliant eyes and a lively look indicate that their owner is full of enthusiasm and passionate about some idea. And, accordingly, half-closed eyes with a dull gaze indicate that the person is depressed or depressed. American scientists have found that people mainly look in six different directions, this directly depends on what is happening in their brain at the moment.
It is typical for right-handers to direct their gaze upward to the right when remembering something or if they imagine something, and for left-handers, accordingly, upward to the left. When remembering some sound of music, a right-handed person will direct his gaze to the right, and if he imagines some sound, then to the left. A right-hander looks down to the left in cases where he wants to remember a sensation, taste, smell, and looks in the opposite direction when he conducts an internal dialogue. As for the left-hander, the same thing happens to him, only in the opposite direction.
If you want to check who is in front of you, then you can ask that person to remember some image or sound and accordingly look at the movement of his eyes. It is worth noting that in Chinese physiognomy, wrinkles that directly appear in the corners of the eyes when laughing are called goldfish tail. And the larger and more magnificent this tail is, it means that this person is responsive and kind. On a person’s face, it is not uncommon to notice two small arches above the eyes; they are especially noticeable in people with great powers of observation. It is generally accepted that they mean a desire to help and increased attentiveness.
Quite often, but not in all cases, a large forehead is a sign of great intelligence, but sometimes circumstances are such that a person cannot develop his intellectual potential. But it also happens that a fairly smart person in an area of knowledge is completely ignorant of another area. Therefore, when it comes to assessing the mind, you need to be quite careful with each person. In adults, a furrow in the middle of the forehead may be clearly visible, which in turn indicates that he is an introvert and has a high degree of introspection. In the case when a person concentrates quite often, concentrating on something, he accordingly forms several vertical folds above the bridge of his nose.
Eyes are like an open book, you can read a lot from them
If a person has large, balanced eyes with irises, then this person is conservative, calm and kind.Proportionate eyes, but smaller than usual, indicate that the person is modest by nature, tries not to attract attention to himself, the personality is dim, stubborn and internally self-satisfied. Women with such eyes are characterized by purity and inaccessibility, married women remain devoted and faithful, but very jealous.
Proportionate eyes, but larger than normal ones, indicate that a person is a sensual and receptive person, dominant and courageous. Women with such eyes are characterized by an aesthetic face and inclinations.
Small eyes with small irises are characteristic of people who are not satisfied with their position in life, they are grumpy, and do not want to accept the existing order, they are characterized by cruelty and the use of force to achieve their goals.
Eyes raised upward means a sensitive, courageous, greedy and determined person. If at the same time a person has a hooked nose and a low forehead, then these traits are negative. Women with this appearance are characterized by unreasonableness, jealousy and violence.
In the case when the outer corner of the eyes (the one located at the temple) is sharp and long, then such a person is endowed with a strong mind and insight, ruthless and artistic.
Eyes slanted downward indicate that the person is optimistic, good-natured, and able to ingratiate himself.
If the corners of the eyes look down, then this person is calm, pessimistic and submissive by nature.
It would seem that eyebrows are just a trifle, but they also say a lot about the character of a person. They are directly thin, wide, fused on the bridge of the nose. If the eyebrow is short and thin, then this indicates that the person is alone in the struggle for life. If short eyebrows have an uneven or rough texture, this means a changeable career. Eyebrows that are too thin and almost invisible characterize their owner as dissolute and cunning. Concerning general characteristics, then a thin eyebrow is primarily a sign of an amorous nature and a happy married life.
If a person has an eyebrow shape that resembles a boomerang, then by nature he is an inventive and quite strong person, capable of giving his ideas a go and transforming them into actions, he is a self-confident and sexual nature. A woman with such eyebrows tries to take the initiative in love relationships on himself, dominates in marriage, has quite strong physical attractiveness.
When the eyebrows are closely connected and form a horizontal line, they are sometimes so rigid that they can bunch up at their outer ends. A person with this type of eyebrows is characterized by resourcefulness and determination.
If the eyebrows are located obliquely and practically converge in the middle of the forehead, then this person has a wonderful imagination, courage, and foresight. At first, a woman is characterized by some disturbance of beauty, but later she will succeed in her career.
When both eyebrows and, accordingly, eyes are at the same level, well balanced and proportional, this indicates that a person is by nature very good-natured, honest, serious, successful, conscientious, and is in excellent relationships with society.
In the event that part of the eyebrows goes in the opposite direction, it means that it is quite stubborn man, lacking flexibility, uncompromising in relationships with people.
The eyebrows connect and form a heavy and thick stripe, characteristic of a straightforward person who does not consider the opinions of others. A woman with this type of eyebrows is endowed with a rather strong character; she has no inclination to lead household, most likely her marriage will end in divorce, but as for her career and professional activity then everything is fine here.
You can tell a lot from a person’s facial features, as well as from his facial expressions, what kind of mood a person is in, what he is thinking about, how he will behave in the future, but in order to be able to read this from his face, it is necessary to study his facial features well and possible further behavior.
Darina KataevaWho hasn’t had the desire to understand what his interlocutor is thinking? Is he deceiving you? How does he really feel about your opinion? How we would like to find answers to these questions, because then we would know in advance whether we should trust this person and what to expect from him. However, everyone has such an amazing opportunity if you know the secrets of microfacial expressions. With its help you will understand how to learn to read people's thoughts in their faces!
Secrets of facial microfacial expressions
Different facial expressions on a girl
To learn how to read people's thoughts from their faces, you need to understand how a person's facial expressions and his consciousness are connected. Micromimicry is a person’s emotional reaction, which finds its manifestation in the slightest movements of our face. Nonverbal psychology studies this relationship. According to her theory, there is verbal communication, that is, real, and there is nonverbal communication - without using language, but with the help of facial expressions, gestures and voice intonation.
A person’s thoughts and his facial expressions are inextricably linked; moreover, contraction of the facial muscles occurs both voluntarily and involuntarily, so sometimes we are not able to fully control our emotions, which are clearly visible on the face. Your ability to read the thoughts and feelings of your interlocutor and the effectiveness of your communication depend on good knowledge and practice. You should be especially careful when facial expressions do not correspond to a person’s words, because this already indicates the slightest manifestation of a lie.
There is nothing supernatural or psychic about understanding a person's thoughts. The muscles around the eyes, cheeks, wrinkles near the nose, lips - these are clues through which you can understand the true attitude of another person to current events. With the help of such facial cues, we recognize 7 main types of emotions.
Happiness
A person experiencing joy and satisfaction will not hide his feelings. Facial language indicates his feelings. The corners of the mouth rise, the nasolabial folds stretch towards the cheeks, and wrinkles form. It’s easy to recognize this human emotion, but sometimes doubts arise if a person’s eyes say the opposite.
Astonishment
Sincere surprise is expressed in the involuntary raising of the eyebrows, widening of the eyes and opening of the mouth, while the lips form an oval. Surprise is the easiest emotion to fake. However, there are secrets with which you will understand how new and amazing the thought you uttered is. Notice the wrinkles on the forehead and the appearance of shine around the pupil of the eyes. They indicate the sincerity of the interlocutor.
Anger
One of the most unpleasant emotions that people find most difficult to hide. The main indicators of anger are folds between the eyebrows, wide nostrils, raised extreme corners of the eyebrows, narrowing and straining of the eyes. Special attention pay attention to the mouth: it is either tightly closed, as if constrained, or open, but the lips are square and the jaw is pushed forward.
Disgust
If the interlocutor or the situation itself, this will be evidenced by his narrowed eyes, raised cheeks, flared nostrils and wrinkled nose. The upper lip will involuntarily rise up, as if curled. Eyebrows droop down in disgust.
Fear
The manifestation of even the slightest fear is indicated by eyebrows that are raised, but not arched. They are rather in a horizontal position. The eyes open wider than usual, but there is no shine in them, unlike surprise. Additional clues to the presence of fear are flared nostrils and a slightly open mouth.
Sadness
When a person is upset, his eyebrows remain flat, but at the same time they move down along with the skin above the eyes. The lips are compressed, the corners of the mouth move down, the lower lip moves forward and puffs out.
Contempt
Contempt is indicated either by a gaze or from top to bottom. The mouth and lips are in the same position, they are constrained, but at the same time a half-smile appears. Eyebrows, eyes and wrinkles do not change position.
How to recognize a lie by facial expressions?
Scientists have proven that there are two neural connections in the brain that are responsible for microfacial expressions. When these connections begin to “fight”, as a result, different interpretations of emotions appear. The connection between gestures and facial expressions plays a special role in detecting deception.
- Looking to the side. Averting one's eyes indicates a person's lack of interest in the events around him or the desire to hide information. Sometimes the opposite reaction appears - a gaze into the eyes. This reaction occurs when a person knows that it is not recommended to look away when being deceived.
- Nervous lip biting. Such a movement indicates the interlocutor’s anxiety or desire to lie.
- Frequent blinking. This reaction is a consequence unexpected question or a stressful situation from which the only way out is to get out and lie.
- Instant nose touches. Scientists say that when lying, the nose begins to itch, so the deceiver wipes it with a sharp movement.
How to apply knowledge about microfacial expressions?
Given that each emotion manifests itself differently, remembering all the features is not so easy. Practice and patience play a big role. Remember the expressions of one emotion, and look for its manifestations in the eyes of your interlocutor. To understand this science, you can even practice on a close friend or loved one. Watching him, draw a conclusion, and then ask whether you were right in your judgments.
If you want to understand a person's thoughts, start with the elementary: look into his eyes! It is this part of our face that is the mirror of the soul. It is almost impossible to fake the sparkle in the eyes, so they testify to a person’s attitude towards the events around him.
Don't forget about the connection that a person shows. The presence of sincere emotion is manifested in the complete harmony of these non-verbal signs. If an imbalance occurs, this indicates the manifestation of lies.
Possible mistakes:
- The idea that you can understand the emotions of any person. There are people who know how to control themselves and their every move. Often these are “gamblers” or chess players, whose success directly depends on restraint and self-control.
- Generalization. Do not forget about the mentality, culture and nationality of a person. It is difficult to make a German smile, but this does not indicate insincerity, while Americans cannot calmly react to a “stony expression” on their face.
- Jumping to conclusions based on just one emotion. Each person is individual, so it is recommended to get to know the person better before drawing conclusions.
- Recognition of a person’s thoughts is used when communicating with a stranger, a teenage child, a boss or subordinates, and with the opposite sex. In these situations, it is extremely important to know what the other person is thinking!
Alexander Lyubimov
Facial expressions, first of all, convey emotions. All these are annoyed, offended, excited, happy, joyful and surprised.
Emotions appeared a long time ago, all higher mammals have them: dolphins, cats, dogs, monkeys... We have a lot of common emotions with them: joy, surprise, sadness, anger, disgust, contempt, grief, shame, interest, guilt, embarrassment. People have an order of magnitude more emotions, I won’t list them all - just a lot.
And facial expressions in monkeys (and in humans) developed precisely to demonstrate emotions - as a means of communication. So the story about facial expressions will be strongly connected to the story about emotions.
Illustration and reaction
Emotions can be divided into those that occur as reaction: They told him - he was upset. These messages are more “sincere”, but often less expressed. And there is emotions-illustrations: visual demonstrations of the condition. They are more deliberate and grotesque, but more understandable. “Incorrect” demonstration of them is like saying in a very slurred and unintelligible way: “I want to tell you something important.” It is very difficult to communicate with such a person: the “speech” is unintelligible, and it is not clear what he wants to say.
It’s clear: emotion-illustrations are more for communication
And if emotions-reactions it’s just more convenient to calibrate - they report a “sincere” assessment of the situation - then emotions-illustrations It’s worth learning to show it “correctly” (that is, the way it is customary to show it in a given culture) and decipher it correctly.
But, most importantly, practice distinguishing the first from the second. Emotional illustrations are of little use for obtaining information about a “sincere” reaction.
At the same time, emotional illustrations are by no means something “bad” - we use them all the time. That’s why they are “illustrations” - they help to better understand words, maintain attention, convey “intonation,” etc. “Correct” emotion-illustrations are one of the main tools of a speaker, politician, and actor. Yes and in Everyday life When we tell something, we must correctly convey this non-verbal information. And when we listen, we show that we hear and sympathize.
And one more important thing:
Most people show the same emotions in more or less the same way.
At least emotions-reactions. There are problems with illustration emotions, since not everyone understands how to demonstrate them correctly.
Microexpressions
The same Paul Ekman, who is engaged in calibrating lies, talks about microexpressions - very quick facial demonstrations of emotions. People regularly try to control their own emotions. Or rather, their demonstration. But the unconscious is much faster than consciousness, and an emotion-reaction usually always manages to appear before a person decides to demonstrate something else instead.
Naturally, it is not at all necessary that a person will hide his emotions. But this happens quite often. Well, another emotion is expected or demanded from him, it is indecent in this society, its demonstration leads to unpleasant consequences, and the demonstration of a more appropriate one leads to correct ones.
True, these same microexpressions only work for strong “basic” emotions. And their Ekman stands out for only seven: contempt, disgust, anger, surprise, happiness, fear and sadness. And these emotions must really be strong.
In general, as many experts on emotions as there are, there are as many opinions as to what the basic emotions are.
What to look for
I’ll give you a picture again with demonstrations of “basic” emotions.
And, you can see that first of all you need to pay attention to just a few things:
lips, eyebrows, eyes.
That's what a woman gets painted - that's what we look at;).
Actually, emoticons, which are used specifically to indicate emotions, have only eyebrows, eyes and lips. And that's enough.
We are training
In everyday life, we don’t often come across creepy specialists in hiding emotions - most people demonstrate them quite clearly. You just need to learn how to calibrate them (and demonstrate them “correctly”). So let's train. Basic emotions: joy, happiness, surprise, fear, sadness, contempt, disgust, anger, indignation, dissatisfaction.
It is clear that there are many more emotions and they are often “mixed”. But we’ll talk about this in more detail when we look at meta messages.
Look at the picture and identify the “main” emotion. Let me remind you that we look first of all at: lips, eyebrows and eyes. Below the picture are conditionally correct answers.
Pictures from videos of the Canadian channel Just For Laughs Gags: they create various situations and film the reactions of random passers-by. So the emotions here are quite sincere, and not played by actors.
1. The upper lip is tense and raised, the eyebrows are lowered, the fold between the eyebrows, the cheeks are raised: disgust.
2. Facial muscles are relaxed, lips are relaxed, mouth is slightly open, eyes are wide open: surprise.
3. Symmetrical relaxed smile, eyebrows relaxed, muscles in the corners of the eyes tense: joy.
4. Facial muscles are tense, eyes are wide open, eyebrows are raised: fear.
5. The lower eyelids are relaxed, the upper eyelids are slightly lowered, the lips are relaxed, the corners of the lips are down, the eyebrows are raised: sadness.
6. Symmetrical smile, wrinkles in the corners of the eyes, relaxed eyebrows: joy.
7. Lips are tense, the upper lip presses the lower lip, the corners of the lips are down, the eyebrows are tense: dissatisfaction.
8. Eyebrows are lowered and tense (fold between the eyebrows), lips are tense, the corners of the lips are down, cheeks are tense, eyes are open: anger, indignation.
9. Eyebrows drawn together and lowered, lips tense, corners of lips downward: dissatisfaction.
10. Eyebrows drawn together, nose wrinkled, upper lip raised, corners of lips downward: disgust.
11. Face relaxed, lips relaxed, eyebrows raised: surprise.
12. Symmetrical smiles, lips relaxed, eyebrows relaxed: joy.
The meaning of emotions
One of the functions of emotions is informational: they tell us about the assessment of the situation. And to others, about our attitude (toward ourselves, information or the listener).
Emotions are so-called meta-states: they are evaluative states “about”. That is, emotions don’t happen “just like that” - there is always an event about which this assessment is made.
The situation itself can be in the past, in the future, and occur in the present - emotions are always now. So they convey to us our unconscious assessment of the situations to which they relate. And how do illustrations communicate our attitude?
Joy: some value is satisfied.
Fear: there will be a very unpleasant event. (Fear always refers to events in the future.)
Astonishment: an event occurred that greatly violated expectations.
Discontent: some values are violated.
Happiness: Core values are satisfied. (Happiness, in fact, is not a very long-term experience - it arises only when we begin to evaluate the situation).
Sadness: there were pleasant events in the past that will not happen again, missed opportunities.
Grief: loss of something important.
Irritation: serious violation of expectations.
Excitement: there is a possibility of satisfying important values (gains).
Disgust: The person's behavior or event is unacceptable.
Contempt: feeling of superiority.
Delight: expectations were more than met.
Until now, society firmly holds the opinion that physiognomy, graphology, palmistry, phrenology and similar sciences are the legacy of medieval obscurantism, that they have nothing in common with true science and therefore should be thrown out of modern knowledge as superfluous and useless suitable ballast.
And indeed, there was a time when such a harsh review was partly fair - then these sciences, together with magic, astrology, cabalism and other so-called occult knowledge, were engaged in predicting the more or less distant future. However, in our time, these sciences have come into close connection with purely positive sciences, such as anatomy, physiology and anthropology, and, using their data, have adopted a positive method of research.
The soul of a person emerges especially sharply in his appearance, or physiognomy - it is not for nothing that people have an idea of the face as a mirror of the soul. And in fact, our habits, our aspirations, our passions, in a word, everything that makes up our personality, our “I” - all this is reflected on the face, giving it one or another feature, often elusive, but unconsciously striking to the experienced observer .
The ancient art of face reading originated thousands of years ago during Yellow Emperor, when it was used by Eastern healers to diagnose diseases. The purpose of this alternative medicine was - and is - to prevent health problems and provide nutritional advice, physical exercise and meditation, in order to stop diseases when they have barely appeared.
This art has been around for centuries and its popularity is based on the fact that it can help people better understand themselves, their work colleagues, friends and family members.
Physiognomy
Physiognomy- This character traits and the person's facial expression. The face is divided into three zones – upper, middle and lower.
- Intelligent- the upper part of the face, it occupies the entire forehead, starts at the hairline and ends at the eyebrow line. The size and shape of the forehead determine mental activity and real understanding of life.
- Emotional– the middle part of the face, includes the space below the eyebrows to the very tip of the nose, i.e. equal to the length of the nose. It reflects the degree of sensitivity, spiritual depth and inner content.
- Vital- lower part of the face. It starts from the line of the nostrils, consists of the lips, chin and gives an idea of a person’s energy, his love for pleasure and base instincts.
Therefore, in order to understand a person by his face, we need to figure out which zone of the three is more pronounced, and having learned this, we can assume what drives the personality - instinctuality, emotions or intellect.
The main facial area of the face is the eye area. Its expressiveness is determined by the contraction of three main muscles: the frontal belly of the occipitofrontal muscle, the corrugator muscle, and the upper part of the orbicularis oculi muscle, i.e., the superciliary muscle. The work of these muscles ensures closing the eyes, opening them and modeling the position of the eyebrows and eyelids. The functional reserve of facial expressions here is very large: from the expression of strong will to confusion and grief. But, perhaps, the facial expressions of attention are most clearly expressed.
External manifestation of attention, of course, requires the mobilization of all senses, but in this case the expression of the eyes stands out most sharply. They are used to assess the degree of emotional mood, and the level of understanding of what is happening is read from them. The outer corners of the eyes and the ends of the eyebrows lowered down express sadness, and raised up they convey an expression of joy to the face. Concentration and will are unmistakably recognizable in a subject whose gaze is fixed, the facial muscles are tense, and the eyebrows are shifted to the bridge of the nose.
If the eyebrows are raised and brought together, and transverse wrinkles on the forehead, connecting with longitudinal ones in the form greek letter“omega” signal a painful attempt to concentrate, then we can definitely talk about an expression of grief. This pattern of wrinkles is typical for the face of melancholic people - “omega melancholic people”.
By eye movement you can read grief, pleasure, rage, sympathy, compulsion. Eye movements are involved in maintaining contact with the interlocutor. By the nature of the gaze one can judge the intention of the interlocutor, the stages of the conversation, and the level of the relationship. With your eyes you can express approval, agreement, prohibition, permission, encouragement.
When analyzing the expression of the eyes, their size, direction of gaze, condition of the eyelids, folds around the eyes, and position of the eyebrows are taken into account. In a calm environment, raised eyebrows, horizontal wrinkles on the forehead and opening of the eyes give the face a surprised expression. Bringing the eyebrows together indicates absorption in thought, in solving a complex problem.
Close attention and full understanding of what is happening is unthinkable without a fixed, focused gaze. On the contrary, a wandering gaze is observed in people who are not interested in the essence of the issue: such a look also indicates impatience, indifference, and disappointment.
The inability to focus the gaze on something specific (“shifting eyes”), even in response to a call for attention, suggests emotional imbalance and unpreparedness for consistent, logical thinking. Very temperamental people with a sanguine character are distinguished by a lively look, harmoniously combined with the play of facial muscles. Very tired people have a heavy, sluggish, and sometimes meaningless look. Sometimes it is turned into the distance, sometimes downward, the eyebrows are drawn together, and vertical folds form on the forehead.
To accurately judge a person’s emotional state, it is necessary to take into account all components of facial expressions. Thus, with strong excitement, tense eyelids and dilated pupils are combined with stretching of the wings of the nose and clenching of the jaws. Further excessive concentration may be accompanied by opening of the mouth. A person seems to be listening to something, in this case he is more comfortable with breathing through his mouth.
Organs that are heavily loaded and trained for certain, specific facial expressions are marked by a better ability to perform their usual functions. This applies primarily to the eyes, which are controlled by involuntary muscles (iris and ciliary body), and voluntary muscles, subordinate to the III, IV, VI and VII cranial nerves. The brilliance and expressiveness of the gaze make the eyes important detectors of a person’s cheerfulness and capacity.
Emotional nuances are also captured by the direction and stability of the gaze. A person in a state of thoughtfulness looks into the distance. The depth of perception is consistent with a steady gaze in the direction of the object being studied. It seems typical to have a firm gaze from a subject evaluating or inspecting an object.
The direction of gaze depends on the contraction of the muscles of the eyeball. When the superior rectus muscle of the eye contracts, one can read on the face an expression of pride, surprise, and pious humility. The expression of feelings of shame, sadness, and oppression is caused by contraction of the inferior rectus muscle of the eye when the eyeballs turn downward. When the external rectus muscle of the eye contracts, a facial expression of contempt appears on the face: the gaze is averted to the side, the contraction of the medial rectus muscle of the eye contributes to the expression of lust.
The direction of gaze when people communicate often reflects subordination. People in a dependent position often hide their gaze. Psychological imbalance gives rise to instability of gaze (the desire to look away, hide your eyes). Functional disorders of the nervous system are also accompanied by instability of gaze. Changeability of gaze is one of the components of facial expressions.
Facial expressions
Facial expressions– integral process. It involves the reactions of individual muscles, but they are connected by a common basis, a single purpose. If a natural smile appears on a person’s face, then the state of satisfaction, joy, and delight is simultaneously reflected in other facial features. They are combined into a single complex according to the law of correspondence. It is obvious that a person’s emotional state cannot be reflected only in any one area of the face. The entire ensemble of the face must be included in the expression of emotions.
The shape of the face is inherited, it reflects genetic characteristics and is part of a complex of constitutional characteristics. Genetic determination of reactions of facial muscles expressing emotional experiences, is confirmed by the early maturation of their motor complexes. All facial muscles necessary for expressing emotions are formed in the fetus by the 15-18th week of life. And by the 20th week, facial reactions can be observed in the embryo. By the time a child is born, the mechanism of facial expression is already fully formed and can be used in communication. The innate nature of facial expressions is also indicated by its similarity in blind and sighted infants. But with age, in a child born blind, the reactivity of the facial muscles fades.
Throughout life, a person acquires new facial features under the influence of speech, perception, illness, and profession. The facial expression also changes, reflecting the signs of all previous facial processes. Living conditions (climatic, material, social, family) significantly influence the facial appearance of the individual.
Changes in facial expressions throughout life are determined by the characteristics of facial muscles. Unlike all the muscles of the human body, facial muscles in their anatomical structure and functions are unique and different from both striated or skeletal muscle and smooth muscle. They differ from the skeletal system in the places of origin and attachment, and also in the fact that in the complex, despite the external differences of individual muscles, they represent a single integrative system, parts of which are localized around the natural openings of the face: the mouth, eyes, external nose and ear. The anatomical features of the facial muscles also include the presence of oral and orbital sphincters, which generally do not have a direct origin on the bones.
Facial muscles differ from skeletal muscles in their development in phylo- and ontogenesis. If the latter, as a rule, originate from the muscular part of the somites of the mesoderm, then the facial muscles originate from the mesenchyme of the 2nd branchial arch (the region of the hyoid arch). This mesenchyme migrates cranially and pulls with it the branches of the 7th cranial nerve and the external carotid artery, which initially innervated and supplied the hyoid arch.
The main difference between facial muscles and skeletal muscles is their function. If the purpose of skeletal muscles is to strengthen and move parts of the skeleton, then the function of facial muscles is much more complicated. Initially, as in previous stages of phylogeny, they complemented the functions of the digestive and respiratory systems. However, subsequently, in parallel with the development and complication of the structure and function of the central nervous system (CNS), they began to perform the functions of facial expressions, i.e. reflections on the visceral (facial) part of the skull of the emotional state of the central nervous system. In essence, facial muscles become a means of communication between highly developed biological entities at the level of the 1st signaling system. What systems and pathways establish the connection between the state and level of psycho-emotional activity of the brain and facial muscles? When expressing an emotional state, a very differentiated, sometimes multidirectional and at the same time coordinated work of several muscles simultaneously occurs, serving the different above-mentioned facial openings. Facial expression, associated with the correction of the activity of various facial muscles, is a reflection of 6 basic emotions, which are based on processes occurring in the brain, in particular in the limbic system, starting with the hypothalamus, where the primary centers of positive and negative emotions are located, corresponding to the effects of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. A special role here is given to the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system, which, unlike the sympathetic division, primarily carries out targeted innervation of individual organs. A number of facts testify in favor of this. At the beginning of its course, the facial nerve is mixed, consisting of efferent somatic, parasympathetic and efferent taste fibers. Then the bulk of the efferent fibers is divided into two parts and switched to the pterygopalatine and submandibular parasympathetic ganglia. There are known connections between the intermediate nerve and the trigeminal, vestibulocochlear, glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves, as well as with the somatic part of the facial nerve itself. It is known that a number of peripheral somatic nerves always contain efferent parasympathetic nerve fibers. They are present in the oculomotor, auriculotemporal branches of the trigeminal nerve. The vegetative component of the innervation of the facial muscles is also supported by the fact that the muscle tissues of the initial parts of the digestive and respiratory systems, which include the facial muscles, developed from the mesenchyme of the gill arches, the innervation of which, as for all internal organs, carried out by the autonomic nervous system.
The participation of the nervous system in the mechanism of facial expressions has long been proven, although much in this matter remains unclear. The phylogenetic antiquity of the external expression of vital signs, the reflection of the reaction effect in the movements of the facial muscles indicates their direct connection with those parts of the brain that formed earlier than others. These include the nuclei of the brainstem, the reticular formation, and the old ancient cerebral cortex. The role of the new cortex is clearly visible at the stage of formation of the outer nervous activity, when facial expression is both realized and directed. Human facial expressions have reached incomparable perfection and have become an important tool of communication, a source of information about the spiritual life of a person.
The localization of anatomical and physiological regulators of facial expression in the cerebral cortex and subcortical nuclei and their connection with facial muscles through the facial nerve system is proven by clinical observations and experiments on animals. It is quite obvious that the filigree plexus of branches of the facial nerves makes possible extremely variable play of the facial muscles. From the nerve branches, bundles of nerve fibers are released, and behind them are single fibers, along which effector impulses are distributed, causing individual parts of the muscles to contract. Simultaneously with such conductors of the cerebrospinal (animal) nervous system, autonomic nerve conductors approach the vessels of the face. They initiate automatic reactions of the vessels of the eye muscles, which is manifested by the expansion of the lumen of these vessels and redness of the face, for example, with a feeling of shame. In addition, the contraction of facial muscles occurs in many cases not at all according to a signal from external nerve centers, but as if involuntarily. Thus, it is necessary to allow for the possibility of transfer of excitation from the nuclei of the facial nerve in the brain stem to the facial muscles in unforeseen situations.
results experimental research on animals lead to the conclusion that the thalamus, as the most important regulatory link in the diencephalon, is responsible for involuntary, unconscious movements of facial muscles during emotional stress.
Mimic expressiveness is reproduced as an unconditioned reflex. Its formation requires the participation of: a stimulus (contact, distant, associative), the peripheral end of the analyzer (receptors) and the central nuclei of the analyzers (subcortical formations, cortex), means of muscle control and the facial muscles themselves, on the contraction or relaxation of which facial expressions depend. Regardless of a person’s consciousness, the subcortical innervation of the facial muscles causes increased tone of the facial muscles and their group contraction under certain conditions.
Involuntary contractions of facial muscles under the influence of emotional stimuli are a special type of motor reaction characteristic of the facial region of the human body. The transverse striation of a muscle does not yet indicate its absolute correspondence to other striated muscles, which is observed, in particular, in the myocardium.
The special position of the facial muscles does not cause any controversy. The reason for the automaticity of facial reactions, interpreted as expressive, is probably the subordination of their innervation to the diencephalic nuclei, which are part of the extrapyramidal system responsible for the tone of facial muscles. Automatic contractions of the latter in response to various stimuli are caused by effector impulses through the thalamus and striatum.
Involuntary, subconscious facial expressions of a person are restrained and inhibited. It is subordinate to the functions of the cerebral cortex. It is therefore quite natural that the participation of the face in various types of expression should be considered not only from the standpoint of facial motor skills, but also in the light of higher nervous activity. The cerebral hemispheres, according to I.P. Pavlov, are the most reactive and supreme part of the central nervous system, depending on the state and activity of which four psychological types are distinguished:
- sanguine– this is a strong, balanced, mobile type;
- choleric– strong, unbalanced (excitable), mobile type;
- phlegmatic person– strong, balanced, inert type;
- melancholic– weak, unbalanced type, nervous processes are inactive.
Consequently, based on facial expressions and movement patterns, one can draw a conclusion about the type of nervous activity.
Facial Expression Identification (FAST)
In the 70s of the last century at the University of California, P. Ekman and his colleagues developed a technique for identifying emotions by facial expression (Facial Affect Scoring Technique - FAST). FAST has atlas of photo standards facial expression for each of the six emotions - anger, fear, sadness, disgust, surprise, joy - in statistical form. The photo standard for each emotion is represented by three photographs for three levels of the face: eyebrows - forehead; eyes – eyelids and lower part of the face. In addition, there are options to accommodate different head orientations and viewing directions. When using FAST, the subject looks for the similarity of emotions with one of the photographic standards, like a witness taking part in drawing up a sketch of a criminal.
Facial Activity Coding System (FACS)
The second method for assessing emotions was developed by P. Ekman together with U. Friesen (1978). It is called the Facial Action Coding System (FACS). The method is based on a detailed study of the anatomy of the facial muscles. The FACS system identifies 41 motor units, of which 24 response patterns of individual facial muscles and 20 patterns reflecting the work of muscle groups, for example, those involved in lip biting, are composed. Each unit has its own number and description not only in statistical, but also in dynamic indicators. The system also records the start and end times of each muscle activity.
P. Ekman owns a neurocultural theory of emotions, which takes into account both the innate nature of facial expression and the influence of cultural and national traditions on the expression and recognition of emotions. The model assumes that the expressive manifestation of the six basic (basic) emotions is universal and does not depend on culture, nationality and race. All people use their facial muscles in the same way when expressing basic emotions. Reflections of emotions similar to humans are also observed in animals.
Ancient Eastern system "Yin and Yang"
The art of reading faces, as mentioned above, has its roots in ancient Eastern diagnostic medicine. Doctors believed that all existing objects and the Universe are connected by a constant flow of energy. This energy is known in China as “qi”, in Japan as “ki”, in India as “prana”. Energy exists in the form of yin energy and yang energy. Yin is described as a more passive form of energy, while yang is more active. Yin and yang attract each other, like opposite poles of a magnet. Yin and yang relate to everything in the universe, and everything around us is made up of a combination of these two qualities, although some objects and phenomena are more yin, while others are more yang. Facial features may be more “frost” or “yang”, as well as emotions and character traits associated with each feature. Thin lips, for example, are considered more yang (and the character traits associated with this trait - hard work and responsibility), while full lips (and the associated tendency to relax, enjoy) are considered more "frost".
Some people may be too yin or too yang in general. A person who is easily irritated and angry becomes "yan". To correct the imbalance, such a person should incorporate more yin energy into their lifestyle by consuming yin foods (light meals such as salads and fruits, as well as more fluids) and engaging in relaxing “yin” activities such as reading, yoga and walks.
According to ancient Eastern ideas, it is believed that the left and right halves of the face are associated with different types of qi energy. For most people, the chi energy on the left side of the face tends to be more active and therefore more yang energy, while the chi energy on the right side of the face tends to be calmer - more yin. The right half of the face is considered the feminine side and typically reflects the facial features of the mother and grandmothers, while the "yang" left half represents the masculine aspect and is associated with the father and grandfathers. The feminine, right side of the face is associated with the earth's chi energy and is typically more pronounced than the left side and represents our core emotions and point of view, as well as our personal, inner character and creativity. Male, left half of the face is associated with heavenly qi energy and represents logical thinking and accepted social masks. Are reflected on it controlled emotions, and it represents the personality we wish to appear to the outside world.
The effect of functional brain asymmetry on human facial expressions
To see this better, you need to create two images using photographs of the right and left half of the face, which will show a noticeable difference in the facial expressions of each of the photographs. There are practically no perfectly symmetrical faces. Anisokyria also indicates facial asymmetry (facial expressions). According to E.S. Velkhover and B.V. Vershinin, anisocoria occurs in practically healthy individuals in 19% of cases, in patients with somatic diseases - in 37%, in individuals with central nervous system pathology - in 50-91% of cases. Moreover, in the vast majority of somatically ill and healthy people, the right pupil is wider than the left.
Currently, the difference in facial expressions between the right and left halves of the face is explained by the fact that the right and left hemispheres of the brain perform different functions. This was especially clearly proven in the 50s of the twentieth century by American researchers who achieved success in treating continuously occurring attacks of epilepsy by separating the right and left hemispheres of the brain through surgery - destroying the bridge between the hemispheres (corpus callosum). This operation was performed on several patients, really alleviated their suffering and at the same time led to a major discovery, awarded the Nobel Prize in 1980. It was received by R. Sperry.
Although the connections between the two hemispheres of the brain were disrupted, the person ate, performed everyday activities, walked and talked with other people without serious visible deviations in behavior. True, several observations made shortly after the operation were alarming: one patient complained that he was behaving strangely with his wife and was unable to control his behavior - while his right hand hugs his wife, his left hand pushes her away. Another patient noticed strange behavior his left hand before visiting the doctor: while with the help of his right hand he got dressed and put himself in order, his left hand tried to unbutton and take off his clothes. Then it was noted that the right hand could not redraw the simplest geometric figures, she could not put together simple structures from cubes, she could not find simple household objects by touch. The left hand coped with all these tasks perfectly, but could not write, even very clumsily, a single word.
Thus, the right hemisphere, which controls the left hand, was superior to the left hemisphere in all activities except writing. But the right hemisphere turned out to be inaccessible, except for writing, to the function of speech. The right hemisphere was significantly superior to the left in the ability to navigate in space, in the perception of music, in recognizing complex images that cannot be broken down into simple components - in particular, in recognizing human faces and emotional expressions on these faces.
In this regard, the following study is interesting. A group of architects were connected to electroencephalographs (EEGs). The architects received a task in which they had to make an arithmetic calculation.
The EEG showed increased activity in the left hemisphere, and when it came to completing a project for the façade of a building, the activity in the right hemisphere increased. Consequently, there are differences in the functions of the right and left hemispheres (functional asymmetry of the brain). The function of the left hemisphere is to operate with verbal-sign information (logical operations, reading, counting). The function of the right hemisphere is to operate with visual images (object recognition, imaginative thinking, intuition).
Currently, a large number of experimental and clinical data have been accumulated on the different roles of the cerebral hemispheres in the regulation of mental abilities and emotions. The study of the functions of the left and right hemispheres revealed the existence of emotional asymmetry of the brain, manifested, among other things, in facial expressions. According to V.L. Deglin, temporary switching off of the left hemisphere by an electroconvulsive electric shock causes a shift in the emotional sphere of a “right-hemisphere person” towards negative emotions. His mood worsens, he assesses his situation pessimistically and complains of feeling unwell. Turning off the right hemisphere causes the opposite effect - an improvement in the emotional state. T.A. Dobrokhotov and N.N. Bragin found that patients with lesions in the left hemisphere are anxious and preoccupied. Right-sided damage is combined with frivolity and carelessness. The emotional state of complacency, irresponsibility, and carelessness that occurs under the influence of alcohol is associated with its predominant effect on the right hemisphere of the brain.
For a harmonious combination of a person with the world around him, there must be a consistency of intuition and logic, spirit and mind, in which a person with his logic (the function of the left hemisphere) can realize his intuition, images (the function of the right hemisphere). From a psychological point of view, a person’s harmony corresponds to the degree of his psychological protection from life’s shocks and illnesses.
Consequently, the most complex facial reactions, reflecting the subconscious and conscious reactivity of the corresponding centers of the brain, can be carried out only if there are diverse anatomical and physiological connections between all the central and peripheral components of this integral system, carried out by neuroconductors of both the somatic and autonomic parts of the nervous system. In contrast to the somatic fibers of the facial nerve, most of which cross in the brain stem and when the cortical centers are damaged, heterolateral paralysis of the facial muscles develops mainly in the lower part of the face, emotional reactions associated with the autonomic nervous system, in relation to the cerebral hemispheres, are mainly manifested homolateral.
The part of the motor nucleus of the facial nerve that innervates the facial muscles of the upper part of the face (frontalis, orbicularis oculi) has cortical innervation from both hemispheres of the brain. In contrast, the inferior part of the nucleus, which innervates the inferior facial muscles, receives cortical innervation primarily from the contralateral precentral gyrus. Therefore, when the precentral gyrus is damaged on the opposite side, paresis of the facial muscles of only the lower part of the face occurs, but the function of the facial muscles of the upper part of the face, which have bilateral cortical innervation, is not impaired.
Thus, the state of the right hemisphere is reflected on the right half of the face, and the state of the left hemisphere is reflected on the left. This is especially important for the eyes. Until now, it was believed that the state of the two hemispheres of a person’s brain is reflected on his face “crosswise” - the left hemisphere on right side face, and the right hemisphere on the left side of the face. This circumstance did not allow scientists to develop an adequate methodology for testing psychotypes. Therefore, for example, the “James Express Test” is not reliable and has not been successfully used in practice.
In healthy people, facial expressions on the left side of the face reflect the emotional state to a greater extent than facial expressions on the right side. The more pronounced expression of emotions on the left half of the face is confirmed in special model experiments, in which it was shown that emotions are more recognizable in photographs composed of the two left halves of the face. To determine the mental state, we use the method of video-computer diagnostics. Using a video camera, a computer builds two new human faces. One portrait is made up of the right halves of the face (spiritual, genetic portrait), the other - from the left (life, social portrait).
The “genetic portrait” shows the determination and readiness for action of this person, and the “social portrait” shows fatigue, depression, which is manifested by drooping corners of the eyes, eyebrows, etc. Next, these portraits are compared in a computer using a special algorithm, and according to this program, the computer assigns this person to one of 49 psychological types and gives a complete percentage personal characteristics, professional characteristics and recommendations for harmonizing personality, changing lifestyle, effective interaction with other people, the world around us.
Video-computer diagnostics, along with questionnaires, are used to determine the mental state of somatic patients (bronchial asthma, arterial hypertension, peptic ulcer disease, etc.), for more effective treatment of these patients, taking into account the mental status (anxiety, depression).
Using this method, psychophysical self-regulation of a person can occur based on visual biological feedback. If a person looks at these two portraits of himself, then he begins to realize his subconscious (repressed from consciousness) feelings. As a result of this biofeedback, the emotions in the two portraits become positive and aligned. In practice, mental processes are stabilized, a person’s intuitive and logical abilities are leveled, and the degree of personal harmony increases. At the same time, the face and eyes become more symmetrical, psychosomatic disorders decrease, the process of rejuvenation occurs (if aging occurs prematurely), the person returns to his life program, to himself.
One of them significant advantages This method makes it possible to study a person in the past. The study of early photographs, starting from early childhood, allows us to identify periods of mental trauma and the dynamics of the development of disorders. During psychocorrection, with the help of portraits synthesized from early photographs, the best of the previous states is restored.
