How to easily read your partner’s mind?

Have you ever dreamed of reading your opponent’s mind? Or have you taken the place of the know-it-all Doctor Lightman in the series “Lie to Me”? If so, this is your chance. Simple tips will help you to be one step ahead of your interlocutor by recognizing the smallest emotion on his face.

The American psychologist Dr. Paul Ekman, who has devoted his career to the study of facial expressions and reflected emotions by providing a fascinating insight into the emotional manifestations of man. Here’s something interesting. Dr. Ekman chooses that the expressions of people caused by certain emotions are universal in every culture, race, and part of the world, while other characteristics of our nonverbal communication may be different.

Based on this result, he gives us the following statement. No matter how much we hide emotions, they appear on our faces for a split second. It’s called Micro Momentary Expressions. And before you fake the excitement, the real thing appears for a moment.

There are many emotions that can be observed in this way: anger, fear, sadness, disgust, contempt, surprise, happiness. No wonder so many of us want to know what the other person is thinking. It would have saved a lot of interviews, job interviews, and appointments.

It’s easier to see once than to hear hundreds of times. In the pictures below you can see the expression of strong emotions on the face of the world-famous Tim Roth, who played an Ekman-inspired character in the series. Look carefully and try to identify these expressions in everyday conversations.

Body language

Body gestures can vary based on culture. However, we can quickly find specific patterns in each of them. There are a number of body signals that are accepted in Western culture that can save you a few neurons if you discover them beforehand.

An intentionally open palm often means honesty and affection. She tells the Huffington Post that if someone points their palms at you, it indicates a purely communicative intent.

Poznan closed. Often crossed arms, legs, or hands show the defensive attitude of the speaker. This gesture is so common that we don’t even notice it, but a person standing or sitting in an open and non-defensive position often gains more confidence.

It is also important not to violate other people’s personal space with your gestures. Imagine a person making big swings with their hands near their communication partner who has a greater personal distance. Smooth your movements and notice others.