The Element of Surprise By David M. Schneer, Ph.D. Surprise cuts both ways. Surprise can be positive and absolutely breathtaking: an unexpected gift, a marriage proposal, bumping into a long-lost friend, a surprise party. Or, surprise can be negative and sometimes deadly; infidelity, an assault, an ambush. Either way, surprise is the micro expression we show […]
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The Micro Expression of Sadness
Sympathy for the Grouper By David M. Schneer, Ph.D. In our last blog, we discussed micro expressions of fear. Today we discuss the micro expression of sadness and how to spot its various forms. I remember one particular interview like it happened yesterday, although it was several years ago. I was conducting ad evaluation interviews in […]
The Micro Expression of Fear
How Fear Can Help You and Paralyze You “We suffer more in imagination than in reality.” Seneca By David M. Schneer, Ph.D. A young woman enters an elevator alone late at night when suddenly she spies a man walking toward her. Something about him concerns her, and she is instantly gripped by fear. The […]
The Many Faces of Anger
Are You Mad at Me or is That Just Your RBF? By David M. Schneer, Ph.D. In his groundbreaking tome “The Many Faces of Evil”, Theologian John S. Feinberg depicts several varieties of abomination: moral evil (the evil we perpetrate upon each other), natural evil (natural catastrophes), and religious evil (suffering from disease). While the title […]
Do You Know What Contempt Looks Like? You Will After You Read This
Beware of the Lint Picker By David M. Schneer, Ph.D. Disgust and contempt are to a relationship what gasoline and matches are to a fire. In our last blog, we discussed micro expression of disgust. Today we discuss the micro expressions of contempt—disgust’s despicable cousin. Of all the micro expressions, contempt is one of the easier […]
Something is Rotten in the State of Denmark! Or is it in Your Relationship?
How The “Bunny Nose” Can Reveal Relationship Issues By David M. Schneer, Ph.D. In Shakespeare’s classic play Hamlet, Act I, Scene 4, the officer Marcellus spies the ghost of Denmark’s late King and utters, “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.” The phrase is meant to convey that something is really wrong. In our last […]
How Can You Tell if Someone is Truly Happy?
Look at Their Eyes By David M. Schneer, Ph.D. What is Happiness? That’s been debated since antiquity, rendering a myriad of definitions. Is “happiness” used to describe the general state of “well-being” or “flourishing” or are we talking the psychological sense, such as “depression” or “tranquility.” Writes Dan Haybron, Professor of Philosophy at Saint Louis University, “An […]
What is Your Wine Label Communicating to Consumers? Ask Amy!
by Amy Walters – Vice President Part 2 It is a commonly-accepted principle that today’s wine consumers are increasingly experiential. Whereas wine consumers of yesteryear often relied upon a brand’s reputation or their own brand experiences to drive purchase decisions, today’s consumers are more likely to try new varietals, regions, and brands. They’re also consuming […]
The Ghoulish Science Behind Micro Expression Research:
How French Revolution Guillotine Experiments Led to Authentic Smiles By David M. Schneer, Ph.D. There is a nasty history and science to facial Micro Expressions that we will be discussing in this post. In later essays, we will cover how to spot and decode non-facial body language positions. If you have an iron gut, read […]
What is Your Wine Label Communicating to Consumers?: Ask Amy!
by Amy Walters – Vice President Part 1 I’m constantly amazed at the vastness of my local wine store; it does a great job organizing thousands of bottles by region and varietal within region—all with enticing endcaps and displays. But unless I’ve arrived with a specific bottle in mind, I still have to decide which […]