Body Language of the Nervous Smile
Cue: Nervous Smile
Synonym(s): N/A
Description: A fleeting smile that quickly shows and disappears, the eyes are tensed and darting and the lips may quiver in fear. Other times the smile is long-lasting – more than ordinary.
In One Sentence: A smile that flashes suddenly and then disappears signals nervousness.
How To Use it: It is usually not advised to demonstrate nervousness when one wishes to present as confident and in control. However, a nervously flashes smile can tell others that you are pushing your limits and are struggling emotionally. If a sympathetic viewer catches on to your body language, they may work to help resolve your negative emotions. This is why it’s important to use body language accurately, rather than suppress it. A person seeing a nervous smile, such as before a presentation, in a friend, should be motivated to offer a hug, pat on the back and words of encouragement. Therefore, a nervous smile can be used to attract sympathy, care, and encouragement.
Context: General.
Verbal Translation: I’m scared and feel awkward but I’m going to smile and try to put on a good face to mask my unpleasant feelings.
Variant: A nervous smile often appears like a smirk but they are not to be confused. The smirk has accompanying dominant body language such as head back, shoulders back, open postures along with dialogue riddle with exuberant pride. The smirk will happen too when someone is under direct verbal attack. It’s the sort of face that makes you want to say “Wipe that grin off your face”. Sometimes though, the smirk is due to the stress of being put under fire and isn’t always an attempt at questioning authority.
See Smiling, Fear Smile, Friendly Smile, Frown (the) or Downturned Smile, Honest Smile or Duchenne Smile, Jaw Drop Smile, Nervous Smile, Polite Smile (the), Uneven Smile Or Lopsided Smile, Upper Lip Smile, Artificial Smile or Fake Smile, Nervous Smile, Honest Smile or Duchenne Smile, Contempt Facial Expression.
Cue In Action: She was about to give her big presentation, her eyes seemed as though she was a deer in the headlights. The edges of her mouth curled upwards trying to mask her fear.
Meaning and/or Motivation: The nervous smile indicates that a degree of fear or awkward feelings are present, but that a person feels the need to put on a positive face to avoid drawing attention to themselves.
Cue Cluster: A nervous smile is usually accompanied by fidgeting, pale or blushing face, sweating, shortness of breath, voice cracking or inability to speak fluently, tucking the hands in pockets, turning the body away and lowering the head.
Body Language Category: Doubt or disbelief body language, Embarrassment (nonverbal), Emotional body language, Fearful body language, Low confidence body language, Microexpressions, Nervous body language, Stressful body language.
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