Body Language of The Disgusted Facial Expressions
Cue: Disgust Facial Expression
Synonym(s): N/A
Description: One of the six main universal facial expressions characterized by eyebrows that are turned inward, raised upper lip, winkled nose and a rise in cheek muscles.
Here, the lower eyelids rise and lines appear in the skin below them.
In One Sentence: Raising the upper lip in disgust signals a negative visceral reaction to a person, idea, or situation.
How To Use it: The disgust expression can be done quickly as a microexpression in order to convey detest for an idea or person. Disgust usually registers just below the conscious radar of the people seeing it. While brief, however, disgust can send a strong negative nonverbal message.
Conversely, the disgust expression can be held for a longer period of time to send a highly potent message that one is not on board with an idea, policy or even a person. One might use this in a negotiation to influence the offers presented. When viewed, others will see the need to ratify the offer to make it more palatable.
Context: General.
Verbal Translation: “I’m so turned off by what I’m seeing and hearing that my face is tightening and contracting due to a sickening discomfort.”
Variant: See Contempt Facial Expression, Scorn, Sneering.
Cue In Action: During an office meeting, Debbie, a long time employee would frequently sneer in disdain when the new girl would make particularly intelligent additions to the dialogue. Her jealousy was obvious.
Meaning and/or Motivation: Disgust is one of the six main universal facial expressions: happiness, sadness, surprise, fear, anger and disgust.
Disgust is a throwback expression to the visceral reaction to eating food that is particularly unpalatable. This is why we see the nose sneer. To replicate this facial expression, just imagine taking a deep breath of rotted flesh that has been plated for a meal!
When disgust is directed to a person with eye contact, its motivation is raw and rooted in deep anger. This person feels repulsed by the situation.
Cue Cluster: Usually coupled with a downward gaze to strengthen the cue and in extreme cases the head comes up making the disgust expression very powerful. If eye contact is added to the disgusted facial expression, it is a salient message that others will find difficult to ignore.
Body Language Category: Closed facial gestures, Dislike (nonverbal), Emotional body language, Microexpressions, Negative body language, Rejection body language, Universal facial expressions.
Resources:
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