How to read facial expressions for normal people.

Research is intense in this area and even made popular through a television show based on obnoxious Phd who was the best, called Lie To Me. I do not do show reviews but this one is edgy and well presented with huge sexual tension, not too much gratuitous violence and reasonable plot lines.

The point of the lead character being obnoxious and overly honest and analytical is shown clearly. We do not read people well unless there is a stake in the game and confrontation. It is just the way it is. Very hard to read a nice 70 year old sitting at a church social unless she has at least some inner conflict.

This writer earned his bones in this area by picking juries and interviewing witness revolving around our USA jury and trial system. A little known fact is that prospective jurors lie all the time to either get on a jury panel or to get off and go home. Most US juries have at least 50% liars on them, it just is a fact. Interestingly being a liar does not and should not preclude a person from a jury picker’s acceptable file. What people lie about is really important.

Enough about lying. What is far more important is consistency between the spoken word and the body and facial language of the interviewee – interviewer exchange. Think of some juror verdict awards in the millions and think of murderers going free. The stakes are very high in this game and so accuracy is often paid for with lives.

Let us take this in the form of picking a 6 member jury. The writers’ experience is more with but lest you get bored let us stick with 6. And that will leave some time for a little extra on reading the writing and knowing the facial expressions which is fun.

School teacher that hates her job based on wrinkle lines, indications of fatigue and a pursing of upper body and face. We quickly get a baseline by asking if unruly children should be punished or get more love. Clearly her real thought will be punished more. So if she says more love we know she is lying for a reason. But that has to be supported by normal facial activity when asking a teacher about a hot topic. And if she combines that with defensive body language and a quickly more attentive manner.

Well let us just say this – if we are on the side that wants the other side punished. We keep that juror.

Very interested electronics engineer in mid 40s. Sorry but these guys get paid to think and know they are right in a very much not vague work environment. It is really hard for them to turn off the right or wrong button in their makeup. Gray is not what you will get out of this guy. So straight forward you ask him if 51% sure will have him convict your client to death row. If he says that for sure if that is the law he will follow it. Liar. And take my word for it he will look contemplative and sincere when he says it. But trust me, engineers do not ever care to look contemplative and sincere. And in his case his body will relax as he knows you have asked a question with a yes or no answer.

If we are defending we keep this dude because in human affairs certainty does not exist but he will expect it. (the above 51% is irrelevant in a criminal trial)

Freelance internet writer that works for three publications

No issue here ask her if she likes her work. She will answer yes with a comment on income. Whatever that expression is by both body and face is truth. So you just straight forward ask the follow-up. If she has any reasonable doubt will she have a problem voting for acquittal of your poor accused criminal. If she says yes with the same body language as before she is not lying and take it from there.

Retired government clerk that worked a customer counter

Be clear in your mind this guy will have complete control over his body language giving away feelings and his face will remain like a poker player. So here we look at him before any questions and look for his relaxed “tell”. Yes just like some liars have a tell when they are lying some people in fact most that work a 9-5 develop clear relaxed tells. So the question goes right to the comfort level. Something about himself. Do you enjoy watching football? Same response as when at rest and not talking about himself and he is lying like a dog. Government employees do not talk about themselves in public. Only with their immediate click of friends. Believe me he would not be retired if he did he would have been fired long ago. But again it is more his body and face language that is important. If he answers to stay on the jury or if he answers to stay off is this simple. So then you look at which party he focuses his attention and how he does

On welfare and mother of three in school. Single. Easy as cake if your party is above her lifestyle she resents it – period and end of story. So a quick question about people that are get what they want at the expense of others. If she shows disdain at this at this notion and shows any sign of contempt or “of course that is bad” she is self-righteous and will do as she wants. Put her on the jury with the engineer and school teacher we will be lucky if there is not a fist fight. We are looking for overly proud in a humbling life. So ask her about loving her children and doing anything to protect them even breaking the law. If she sits upright and face is indignant you have a loose cannon. So you would leave her on if you want no chance at a unanimous verdict. And the other way if not.

College student on break

If the body language before a question is very serious you have a base. If nonchalant as it should be you have a base. “if you have an opinion but it is different than the majority will you stick with it?”. If the face remains the same as before – no matter the answer you have the truth or a psychopath. Psychopaths are extremely rare like 1 in a million. If the face changes from one extreme to another. You have an actor. The only answer that a normal college person can give in this is that they will resist others telling them what to do. So go with where they look and what there face looks for reassurance from – if from the judge or other side. Maybe skip on that one.

It is kind of hard to synthesize this and very hard to quantify so quickly. So let us say we have an appetizer for the next time somebody we need in our life speaks.

I promised some written word here. That is real fun. I have a sister that is an accomplished calligrapher. And I took about 15 hours of handwriting analysis classes. See the problem. What can we learn on the net?

So follow your gut and take introductory phrases and ending phrases and ask yourself what emotional language is being spoken. Any and I mean any written comment or post on the internet that makes you feel edgy is trying to do just that. From trolls to spammers the rule applies. If the first sentence you read makes you uncomfortable – first skip the meat and go to the last sentence. If the last sentence works for you, maybe you were wrong about the first. Try it again and again stay out of the meat. If the last sentence makes you feel alright about the first. Read the meat. If not – go away or do like me and get banned for a bugs life ;-)

e