Is your model’s nose sending the wrong message? The image below is a classic example of the ‘nose wrinkler’ muscle movement seen in many ads and marketing materials. Ring any bells?! Nose wrinkling is a sign that someone may be feeling ‘dislike, disgust, or revulsion’. It can be a full-on movement (like in the above example), or a quick flash wrinkling of the nose.
The fascinating point for me is the context of the movement, and whether it’s outwardly or inwardly focused. Outwardly focussed nose wrinkling indicates the person’s just heard something that they don’t like the sound of, whereas inwardly focussed nose wrinkling suggests they’ve just said or thought something that they don’t like themselves. It can be tricky to tell one from the other, so asking questions often proves crucial when reading people. It’s easier to get a firm understanding from their point of view rather than trying to be a mind reader!
Are your content images showing disgust, and is that the message you want to be sending to your consumers?
Keep an eye out for this giveaway now that you know the secret…
Body Language for Business
Do you know the most touched part of the body? (no rude answers, not even in your head). It’s the face. But not every face touch means the same thing or is the same…
People constantly touch their faces, and understanding the differences in those touches will help you understand others better than ever before.
- The use of the index finger and thumb on the chin area indicates that someone is evaluating and thinking.
- When someone is suffering from a headache, they will massage their temples or forehead.
- They may stroke their nose or pull their ear lobes when they are irritated.
- When someone is deeply contemplating something, they may stroke or pluck their philtrum, lick their lips, bite or pull their lips, and so on.
- The more stressed a person is, the more pressure they will apply.
- If it’s an evaluating touch, the further up the face the finger goes, the more negative the evaluation.
People do these things to help them deal with various situations and to stay calm.
Surprisingly, the face is the most frequently touched part of the body. This could be because our faces are rich in nerve endings that are close to the neural pathways that serve to soothe us. When a nerve is touched, it sends pacifying or calming signals to the brain at a faster rate.
Consider the following scenarios and what people do instinctively.
You grab your face in horror when your team misses a shot during a football game. When watching a scary movie, someone may cover their eyes or place their hands on their cheeks during tense scenes. What about scratching your head during a difficult test?
Consider the following points when attempting to decode various types of face touching:
- Is it a quick movement?
- Is it a soothing gesture?
- What is the applied pressure?
- Which part of the face is being touched?
- Does their movement change as the conversation or as you observe them progresses?
- Is the gesture unique or repeated?
- How long does the touching last? Is it a one-time occurrence?
- Does the person make a particular expression on their face whenever a certain subject is brought up?
- Consider the situation’s context.
- Consider the interaction’s participants’ relationships.
Facial touching in body language is interesting if you want to understand how other people are feeling so you can respond appropriately, especially if the person requires additional support.
General Update
It’s been a busy few weeks! Did you see the work I’ve been helping Tinder with? The five types of body language on a date… I’ve also been speaking at an HR professionals’ event and have confirmed that I’ll be delivering some online courses for Venues of Excellence next year and a workshop at their annual conference.
Do you have an event or awards ceremony that you need a speaker for? Would you just like a free no obligation chat? Click here.
Here are my contact details: adrianne@thefacewhisperer.co.uk or +44(0)7841 637 558