Flushed, But Not Flattered – The Nonverbal Truth About Blushing
Jenny Galvao
According to research carried out by Peter Drummond and Tahnee Bailey of Murdoch University, it was found that eye contact can elicit blushing due to inescapable feelings of anxiety and embarrassment.
It turns out that the reddening of the face is not always due to feeling flattered. In fact, the study showed that blushing it is more closely correlated with feeling flustered, shy, or embarrassed. Making eye contact with a stranger – specifically, the investigator (in this case), leads to changes in feelings of anxiety as well as forehead blood flow. The net result is what we characteristically see as a reddish hue.
In this study, male and female participants were instructed to read several pages of information and that, after a brief relaxation period, they would be quizzed about the material.
The study involved three different conditions including:
a) Neither the investigator nor the participant wore sunglasses.
b) The investigator communicated with the participant through an intercom system in a different room.
c) Either the investigator, or participant, or both, wore sunglasses.
In each condition the investigator asked ten questions. However, even if the subjects got some questions correct, they were told that their answers were incorrect. This was done in order to manipulate the subject’s levels of anxiety. At the completion of the quiz, participants rated their blushing and mood.
The results predictably showed that during different phases of the experiment blood flow and anxiety increased. However, these changes were far greater in the eye contact group, as opposed to the control group. Also, the anxiety increased in the eye contact group, but, interestingly, not in the control group.
So, next time you find yourself in a stressful, or anxiety-inducing situation, consider that others will likely be able to determine this based on the reddening of your cheeks and forehead.
While we know intuitively that blushing and reddening is due to anxiety, it is interesting to measure these effects empirically.
So keep in mind that your body language as well as facial expressions can give away a lot more than you might realize.
As found here, blushing is not a result of flattery in every case, so one should not always perceive it as a positive reaction, but rather as a natural biological reaction to unexpected stimuli – more specifically anxiety.
About the Author: Jenny Galvao is an undergraduate student at the University of Guelph studying psychology.
Resources
Drummond, Peter D and Tahnee Bailey. Eye Contact Evokes Blushing Independently of Negative Affect. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. 2019. 37:207-216. DOI 10.1007/s10919-013-0155-z