If you have little experience with using body language to enhance your communications, here is a new study that reinforces its importance. Researchers at Ohio State University have identified a universal facial expression that expresses negative emotion. It is used in an identical way by speakers of English, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and American Sign Language (ASL)—this last one being even more significant. The “Not Face” consists of a furrowed brow, pressed lips, and raised chin—and in the study it always accompanied negative verbalizations by its wearer.
The not face is expressed as though by instinct, and at the same frequency as the negative words that accompany it. For ASL speakers, the not face may be used even when the word not is left out—in other words, it conveys the meaning without the word.
The study suggests a link between language and facial expressions. So if you think the emphasis on nonverbal communication is just a silly fad, think again. The researchers suggest that it is a combination of three basic universal expressions that indicate anger, disgust, and contempt. The study also hypothesizes that the ability to communicate danger or aggression was important to survival long before language was developed. This helps to explain why the expression is a negative one.
The study was developed as part of ongoing research into the development of language, but can offer us useful information about how we use our body to express ourselves and that it is likely it was the only mode of expression long ago. Therefore it’s basically coded in our DNA, and exists mostly on an unconscious level. But think of what a powerful tool it can be when you use it consciously and consistently in your relationships with others.