Body language refers to the messages conveyed through our physical movements during everyday communication; these messages are not expressed through verbal communication. When we wish to conceal a particular emotion, our faces unconsciously display fleeting expressions.

These subtle, often unnoticed facial movements are known as micro-expressions, which can convey a wide range of emotions, such as surprise, sadness, disgust, anger and contempt.

As early as the 1960s, research into micro-expressions and body language had already begun. Through his analysis of video recordings of couples, the American psychologist John Gottman discovered that when certain specific forms of body language appeared between partners, a break-up would follow shortly afterwards, whilst the presence of other gestures indicated a relatively stable relationship.

Through long-term observation and research, he developed a theoretical framework to help people address potential issues in their marriages. It was precisely because of his immense contributions to the field of psychotherapy for marital relationships that, in 2007, he was recognised as one of the ten most influential psychotherapists of the previous 25 years.

During the same period, the US Air Force also developed a keen interest in emotions and micro-expressions. Under the leadership of Paul Ekman and Maureen O’Sullivan, a series of psychological experiments were conducted at the University of California with the aim of finding a method to detect lies. This programme was initially named the ‘Diogenes Project’ and was later renamed the ‘Wizards Project’.

As micro-expressions are usually fleeting, most of us are actually unable to detect them; however, a small minority of people do possess this ability. Researchers refer to those capable of recognising micro-expressions as ‘Truth Wizards’.

After studying nearly 20,000 people who had not received any training in micro-expressions, only 50 individuals were found to possess this ability; these people could rapidly identify the meanings conveyed by micro-expressions.

Subsequently, Paul also developed a system known as the ‘Facial Action Coding System’ (FACS) to identify and classify people’s facial expressions. He believed that certain expressions are the most universal and fundamental across the entire human race and can be easily recognised; these include happiness, sadness, anger, disgust, fear and surprise, which he termed ‘basic emotions’.

Thanks to his research into micro-expressions using this system, the American Psychological Association named him one of the 100 most important psychologists of the 20th century.

Together with computer vision researcher Dimitris Metaxas, he also designed a visual lie detector aimed at determining whether a person is lying by recognising basic facial expressions; the American TV series Lie to Me was created based on Paul’s research findings.

What role do micro-expressions and body language actually play in our lives?

• They help us better understand what others are trying to convey:

By observing a person’s body language, we can gather additional information to supplement the shortcomings of verbal communication. If you are not particularly skilled at communicating with others, body language can help you make up for these shortcomings—which is surely a solution that pays dividends in the long run.

• Deepening mutual bonds:

Understanding the role of body language in communication gives us the opportunity to employ effective methods to deepen emotional connection between communicators and foster greater mutual trust. In many team sports, players often touch one another to encourage their teammates, thereby achieving better results; basketball players touching their teammates before taking a free throw is a prime example of this.

• Making a better first impression:

First impressions play a vital role in interpersonal communication. If you can establish a positive image in the other person’s mind from the very first meeting, you will reap greater benefits in your future interactions. During job interviews, a significant factor in determining whether you are hired is your first impression, followed by your skills and qualifications.

We use body language constantly in our daily lives, yet many of us simply overlook it.

Here I have listed six widely used forms of body language.

• Open body posture

Making yourself appear as large as possible typically signifies power, strength and a sense of achievement.

Whether in the workplace or on the sports field, many people adopt this posture: relaxing and opening up their bodies to make themselves appear larger. This body language makes people feel as though they possess great strength and are brimming with confidence. The image below shows Usain Bolt’s pose as he crosses the finish line, with his arms spread outwards and upwards. 

This is a form of body language commonly found in the animal kingdom; when a leader wishes to assert their authority, they will adopt this posture, sometimes accompanied by a roar.

Of course, this is not the only such body posture; the four postures shown in the image below are all open postures. If you observe them closely, you will certainly notice their common feature: the body is spread out, occupying a larger area than when standing or sitting normally.

• Contracted body postures

make oneself appear as small as possible, which typically signifies tension, timidity or fear.

This body posture is, in fact, the opposite of the previous one. In the natural world, when an animal feels afraid, it curls up to make itself appear smaller or to hide itself. Humans are no different; when we feel nervous or afraid, our bodies instinctively hunch up to make us seem less conspicuous.

• Shrugging

This usually indicates that the person does not understand what is being said, or that they are somewhat confused.

When we feel confused or uncertain, our shoulders tend to rise; sometimes their gaze may even drift away from you and look elsewhere. Often, this gesture may be very subtle, but if we observe carefully, we can always catch the moment when the other person shrugs.

If, whilst smiling, the muscles at the corners of their eyes and mouth do not lift, then it is highly likely that they are putting on a fake smile.

Scientific research has shown that when we laugh genuinely, the muscles at the corners of our eyes and mouth also lift, making the wrinkles around the eyes and mouth clearly visible. The viral popularity of the ‘fake-smiling boy’ a couple of years ago brought this fact to many people’s attention, and now most of us are able to tell whether someone is smiling genuinely or not. 

However, if someone has practised extensively, their smile can still fool the majority of people, so in this regard, we may need to refer to other forms of body language to make a judgement.

• Unconsciously touching one’s face or neck

usually indicates that the person is feeling nervous or is lying.

Touching one’s face can help alleviate feelings of nervousness; sometimes it is also done to conceal subtle signs of tension on the face. People with social anxiety may blush or experience sweaty palms when speaking in front of a crowd; in such instances, touching the face can help cool the skin, thereby alleviating tension and soothing their emotions.

• When two people are conversing, if one person begins to move their body away from the other, it indicates that they do not like the current topic of conversation.

People in the throes of romance naturally want to be as close to their partner as possible; whether standing or sitting, they would almost prefer to walk side by side, their bodies in very close proximity. Conversely, when faced with situations or people we dislike, we adopt the opposite body language: our bodies instinctively seek to distance themselves as much as possible, and we may even adopt defensive postures, such as crossing our arms and leaning back.