{"id":39052,"date":"2021-05-17T10:26:30","date_gmt":"2021-05-17T17:26:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.humintell.com\/?p=39052"},"modified":"2024-09-24T11:06:53","modified_gmt":"2024-09-24T18:06:53","slug":"4-personal-benefits-of-reading-facial-expressions-of-emotion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/2021\/05\/4-personal-benefits-of-reading-facial-expressions-of-emotion\/","title":{"rendered":"Reading Facial Expressions of Emotion: 4 Personal Benefits"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/2021\/04\/benefits-of-reading-facial-expressions-of-emotion\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">In one of our latest blogs<\/span><\/a>, we wrote about the importance of reading facial expressions of emotion. Those facial expression benefits all had to do with increasing our understanding of others, including gaining insights about their mental states, mindsets, personality, motivation, and intentions.<\/p>\n<p>No doubt obtaining those insights and increasing our understanding of others is great, and we could sure use a LOT more of that in today\u2019s world.<\/p>\n<p>But there\u2019s also benefits of reading facial expressions of emotion to <strong>ourselves<\/strong>, and more importantly to our <strong>own personal effectiveness<\/strong> as well.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<div class=\"container ptb-50\" style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Get EXCLUSIVE Content on How to Read Facial Expressions of Emotion!<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Join 10,000+ others and gain instant access to FREE demos, special offers, cutting-edge science news, and more!<\/p>\n<div id=\"mc_embed_signup\" style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<form id=\"mc-embedded-subscribe-form\" class=\"validate\" action=\"https:\/\/humintell.us17.list-manage.com\/subscribe\/post?u=bd077d493a906ea98d94ba34e&id=d1ef85a41c\" method=\"post\" name=\"mc-embedded-subscribe-form\" novalidate=\"\" target=\"_blank\">\n<div id=\"mc_embed_signup_scroll\">\n<p><input id=\"mce-EMAIL\" class=\"email\" name=\"EMAIL\" required=\"\" type=\"email\" value=\"\" placeholder=\"email address\" \/><br \/>\n<!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><\/p>\n<div style=\"position: absolute; left: -5000px;\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><input tabindex=\"-1\" name=\"b_bd077d493a906ea98d94ba34e_d1ef85a41c\" type=\"text\" value=\"\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"clear\" style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<p><input id=\"mc-embedded-subscribe\" class=\"button\" name=\"SUBSCRIBE\" type=\"submit\" value=\"SUBSCRIBE\" \/><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/form>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">Improve Your Personal Effectiveness<\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Let\u2019s explore how reading facial expressions of emotion in others can benefit one\u2019s own personal effectiveness.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">1.\u00a0 Reading facial expressions allows us to <em>self-reflect<\/em>.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-39070 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/city-1868530_640.jpg\" alt=\"Reading facial expressions of emotion allows for self reflection\" width=\"447\" height=\"266\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/city-1868530_640.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/city-1868530_640-300x179.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/city-1868530_640-600x357.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 447px) 100vw, 447px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Seeing that others may be angry, sad, disgusted, or even happy allows us to think about how we may be contributing to those emotions or how we may be coming off to others to produce their emotional reactions.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">When we interpret the reasons why others are emotional, we should consider how we may have contributed to those emotions, which may come from either our words or actions.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Even if we <em>think<\/em> we are being calm, logical, rational, or objective, the <em>way<\/em> we say things may not be so. For the most part, we are not conscious of our own demeanor and how we may be coming off to others, and that may be a reason why others are emotional.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><em>Being aware of and reading other\u2019s emotional expressions allows us to better monitor ourselves and our own reactions, demeanor, and style; doing so helps us be more effective because we are in control of our responses, not vice versa.<\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n<hr \/>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">But at the same time, let\u2019s also remember that there\u2019s a danger in interpreting other\u2019s emotional states because of oneself because that may or may not be true. The danger in thinking that way occurs when one consistently thinks that one is the source of other\u2019s emotions. That kind of thinking is a version of what I call the \u201cme theory.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Another version of the <strong>\u201cme theory\u201d<\/strong> says that \u201cI know why the other person is emotional because if I were them I would feel that way.\u201d This also may or may not be true. The only person who really knows why they are emotional is that person and if knowing it is important to you, then you need to be able to get the person to talk about it.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Whenever we train people to read other\u2019s facial expressions of emotion, we always caution in these possibly erroneous interpretations. Instead, what I am saying here is that reading other\u2019s facial expressions of emotion give us a chance to self-reflect about ourselves so that we can be more effective, regardless of whether we are the source of the other person\u2019s emotions.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">2. Reading facial expressions allows us to <em>be more strategic<\/em>.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-36063 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/11\/listen-1702648_640.jpg\" alt=\"Reading facial expressions of emotion allows us to be more strategic\" width=\"450\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/11\/listen-1702648_640.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/11\/listen-1702648_640-600x399.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/11\/listen-1702648_640-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">When we observe other\u2019s emotions, we can stop and think about our where we are in the interaction and consider how we can navigate moving forward given what we just observed so that can be on track and achieve our goals. After all, there\u2019s a reason why someone becomes emotional, and those reasons could include either the content of the conversation or the process of having the conversation.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Regardless of which is the source of the other\u2019s emotion, if we think strategically, we can consider ways in which we can leverage those emotions to achieve our goals (of course in ethical ways).<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">3. Can lead to growth <em>in one\u2019s interactive skills<\/em>.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-39071 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/meeting-1245776_640.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"448\" height=\"298\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/meeting-1245776_640.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/meeting-1245776_640-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/meeting-1245776_640-600x399.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 448px) 100vw, 448px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">In everyday life, most people really don\u2019t tune into other\u2019s emotional reactions, especially the many nuances of expressions that occur in the ebb and flow of any interaction. Instead, facial expressions and other nonverbal behavior are often just background behavior that occurs above and beyond words, and we often focus on words to the exclusion of the nonverbals.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">But if we are more in tune with what\u2019s going on in other people\u2019s emotional reactions, as well as all other kinds of nonverbal behavior, we will be a better listener AND observer, which are beneficial skills that can carry over in any interaction, whether professional or personal.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">4. <\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\">Reading facial expressions b<\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\">enefits our relationships.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-35238 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/couple-2424928_640.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"449\" height=\"299\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/couple-2424928_640.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/couple-2424928_640-600x399.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/couple-2424928_640-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 449px) 100vw, 449px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Reading others\u2019 facial expressions of emotion can be <em>a force multiplier<\/em>. It allows us to understand others on an emotional basis, deepen our conversations with others, and be the basis for increasing empathy and sharing emotions.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong> Understanding, acknowledging, and sharing emotions are all foundations for the development and maintenance of rapport and trust.<\/strong> All these indirectly improve one\u2019s own personal effectiveness by enrichening our relationships with those with whom we live, work and play, and better relationships help us be more effective.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">Some Pitfalls of Reading Facial Expressions\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">But there\u2019s some pitfalls, too, and we mention them here so that we can all be on top of them and don\u2019t let them distract us from being effective.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">For one, emotions are contagious. Research on the concept of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/2019\/09\/catching-emotional-contagion\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">emotion contagion<\/span><\/a> (especially by the excellent scholar <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/health-shots\/2019\/07\/21\/743408637\/how-microexpressions-can-make-moods-contagious\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Elaine Hatfield<\/span><\/a>) and on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/2017\/04\/how-our-brains-read-people\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">mirror neurons<\/span><\/a> inform us that reading other\u2019s emotional expressions may lead to the triggering of emotions in ourselves.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">In fact, there may be unconscious and automatic processes at work when we read other\u2019s emotional expressions to do just that.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VW1PH6B9p20\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Becoming emotional can detract us from staying on track, being strategic, and being effective in order to achieve our goals. Thus, when we observe other\u2019s emotional reactions, we also have to recognize our own emotional triggers and sensations that occur when we are emotional so we don\u2019t get distracted or allow those emotions to overwhelm us. Reading facial expressions of emotion in any interaction that is meaningful requires, at least to some degree, that we do so with some clinical detachment. Clinical detachment takes time and effort, especially when conversations involve something that is meaningful for yourself and occur with people who are meaningful to you.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Reading other\u2019s facial expressions of emotion can be perceived as intrusive or rude, especially if one is perceived as staring. Performing this skill well requires one to be practiced well enough to do it naturally in the flow of conversation.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Finally, reading others facial expressions of emotion can be distracting. Because facial behavior is dynamic, paying attention to faces can be seductive and one can easily get sucked in to watching and reading faces and get off track from the purpose of the interaction. Reading others\u2019 facial expressions of emotion should be a means to an end, a hopefully mutually positive and beneficial end, but not an end in itself.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><em>Despite these pitfalls, reading others\u2019 facial expressions of emotion is an amazing skill that not only has benefits for our insights about others; it also can make wonderful contributions to insights about ourselves and the process by which we interact with others.<\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n<hr \/>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/improve-your-emotional-intelligence\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-42378\" src=\"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/Humintell-improve-your-emotional-intelligence.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"371\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/Humintell-improve-your-emotional-intelligence.jpg 784w, https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/Humintell-improve-your-emotional-intelligence-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/Humintell-improve-your-emotional-intelligence-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/Humintell-improve-your-emotional-intelligence-600x338.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"cta btn\" href=\"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/improve-your-emotional-intelligence\/\">Show me how to improve my emotional intelligence!<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Engaging in thoughtful and objective interpretation and evaluation of others\u2019 emotions can improve our critical thinking skills. Clearly, improving our own personal effectives and leveraging insights about others as well as ourselves can have direct and indirect benefits to our own personal effectiveness, if and when applied wisely.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">For those of you have learned the basics of reading facial expressions of emotion with one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/products-2\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">online courses<\/span><\/a>, challenge yourself to become even more skilled in reading them with other, more advanced courses.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">For those of you have haven\u2019t yet experienced learning to read facial expressions of emotion with one of our introductory courses, give it a shot! Now\u2019s the time, for all the reasons above.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">If you learn to read facial expressions of emotion and incorporate that skill into your professional practices, interviews, negotiations, sales, and the like, it will be a force multiplier like you\u2019ve never witnessed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In one of our latest blogs, we wrote about the importance of reading facial expressions of emotion. Those facial expression benefits all had to do with increasing our understanding of others, including gaining insights about their mental states, mindsets, personality, motivation, and intentions. No doubt obtaining those insights and increasing our understanding of others is… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":39071,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25,29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39052","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-emotion","category-facial-expressions-2"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/meeting-1245776_640.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39052","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39052"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39052\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43817,"href":"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39052\/revisions\/43817"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39071"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39052"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39052"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.humintell.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39052"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}