The Body Language Of Blushing
Cue: Blushing
Synonym(s): Turning Red, Red Face.
Description: A reddening of the cheeks.
In One Sentence: Blushing is a signal that the body is experiencing emotional distress or is overheating due to exercise.
How To Use it: Blushing is an autonomic process that can not be consciously controlled. However, the use of artificial blush by women can make them appear flush and so more sexually appealing as it signifies that one is excited and youthful. Colouring the cheeks also produces a more healthy appearance. If one is overly flush, make-up can help dull the colouring to appear more normal. A healthy red hew is a sign of youthfulness and can be used to create positive impressions.
Context: General, Stress.
Verbal Translation: “I’m stressed and blood is being pumped all over my body to get ready to do something.” “I’m exercising and blood is rushing to the surface of my face in order to help my body cool off.”
Variant: See Ear Blushing, Blanching.
Cue In Action: It was Stacey’s turn to present next, her heart began to race and her face turned a bright shade of red. She was nervous.”
Meaning and/or Motivation: Blushing is linked to the release of adrenaline and cortisol which courses through the body when people get excited, feel pressure, are nervous, embarrassed or stressed. The hormone also diverts blood flow from the digestive system and shunts it to major muscle groups giving them a burst of energy.
As a side effect, our blood vessels that deliver blood to our faces dilate, meaning they relax or open, allowing more blood to reach the surface causing them to turn red. Blushing usually appears in the cheeks and often the upper chest.
Some people are prone to blushing with relatively low stress levels as a physiological condition. Blushing can also be the result of high activity levels where blood is pumped all over the body including the outer skin as a method for our body to cool itself by dissipating excess heat.
Cue Cluster: We usually see other nervous body language with blushing such as trembling hands, head lowering, shoulder shrugging, body turned away, eye contact avoidance, shaking the head, overall freezing, and lowered voice volume.
Body Language Category: Arousal, Autonomic signal, Embarrassment (nonverbal), Emotional body language, Nervous body language, Shy nonverbal, Stressful body language.
Resources:
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