Psychology often tries to unravel emotional mysteries, but some resist investigation more than others. One of these long-standing mysteries is the psychology of humor. What exactly makes a joke funny or not? And to whom? It is this question which has long puzzled psychologists and philosophers, and Scientific American’s Giovanni Sabato attempts to trace the…
Read MoreFacial Expressions Shape Professional Evaluations
We know that facial expressions hugely shape social interactions, but they also shape professional evaluations, as well. A recent blog by the Association for Psychological Science (APS) critically examines the extant research on the connection between nonverbal behavior and professional evaluations. This article seeks to summarize the role that facial features, such as facial hair,…
Read MoreExploring the Nonverbal Expression of Dominance
While we often talk about prominent examples of nonverbal behavior, like the triumphant pose, many are actually quite subtle. A fascinating new study out of the University of British Columbia looked at the marked impact of something as simple as head position in evaluations of a person’s inclination towards dominance. This study found that a…
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