Extreme Body Language!

Posted by Allen Baird, Partner on Mar 18, 2009 in body language, gender | 0 comments

Twice now I’ve taught a course at Queen’s University on body language.  It’s been my most successful course, numbers-wise.  So you could say that I’m ‘into’ the subject.  I’m interested in it.  I believe in it.  I use it.

But maybe I’m having second thoughts.

Why?  Because of a recent BBC news article, that’s why.  The troubling piece is called Woman’s traits ‘written on face’.  Some Glasgow University boffins claim ‘that women’s faces were easier to read than men’s faces, with greater success in matching traits.’  Fair ’nuff so far.  Women are both more expressive and more astute at picking up emotional cues from facial expressions.  But two problems present themselves.

First off, this study was not about external expressions, but personality traits, or ‘ subtle aspects of psychological make-up’.

And second, from this, we’re not talking about stuff like anger, fear or sadness here.  No, we’re talking about reading whether someone is ‘lucky, humorous, religious and trustworthy’ from their face!  I mean, come on.  A ‘lucky’ face?  You’re having a laugh, mate.  (So is that a ‘humorous’ face then?  Never mind…)

I don’t like all this for a few reasons.  First, it seems hardly distinguishable from the ancient pseudo-science of physiognomy, or the ‘art’ of reading personality from body.  Haven’t they heard of the parables of The Hunchback of Notre Dame or The Portrait of Dorian Grey?

Second, sorry to go all PC here, but isn’t this a little sexist?  It either patronises men by saying that women have some ‘special power’ that we don’t.  Or it patronises women by trying to sell them the notion in the first place.

And speaking of gender, I’ve always had a hard time selling the power of non-verbal communication to some of my male friends.  They argue that body language is greatly exaggerated, fictitious, or a distraction to communication that they don’t want in their heads.

Maybe they’re onto something and I need to rethink my views.  Or maybe they just need some plastic surgery to make them more lucky.