Question

Much of the time, we can tell what other people (like our friends or family members) are feeling by paying attention to their non-verbal cues: their facial expressions and body language. Give an example of a time when you were able to gather information about how someone was feeling based on these cues. Describe the situation: Who was that person? What are at least two non-verbal cues you observed? What could you tell about how the person was feeling from those cues?

Answer 1

I remember a time when I was with my friend Sarah, who had just received some disappointing news about a job application she was really hopeful about. We were sitting at a café, and I noticed that she was unusually quiet, which was the first sign that something was off.

The first non-verbal cue I observed was her facial expression. Instead of her usual bright smile, her mouth was subtly downturned, and her eyes appeared less animated, almost as though they lacked their usual sparkle. This change in her facial expression spoke volumes about her feelings of disappointment and sadness.

The second cue was her body language. She was sitting with her shoulders slumped and her arms crossed tightly across her chest. This posture suggested that she was trying to protect herself or perhaps withdraw from the situation, indicating feelings of vulnerability or insecurity.

From these cues, it was clear to me that Sarah was feeling upset and disheartened about her job prospects. Her subdued demeanor and closed-off body language communicated her emotional state more powerfully than words could have. It prompted me to gently ask her how she was feeling, which invited her to open up and talk about the news she had received.