Humans communicate with each other through language, voice, facial expressions, and body language. Language and culture influence the way a person expresses emotions. Despite the differences because of these things, everyone will experience some of the main emotions in everyday life. The ability to read and respond to the emotions of others is called emotional intelligence. You can improve your ability to understand your own and other people's emotions by developing emotional intelligence.
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Method 1 of 3: Analyzing Other People's Emotions
Step 1. Recognize positive and negative emotions in humans
Universally, everyone has 6 emotions: happiness, joy, anger, fear, sadness, and hatred. The six emotions are divided into 2 categories: positive emotions (happiness, joy) and negative emotions (anger, fear, sadness, hatred). In order to recognize other people's emotions, you must know the actions and behaviors associated with each emotion. for example:
- Positive emotions (happiness, joy, sympathy, kindness, love, courage, confidence, inspiration, relief, etc.) can relieve stress, improve mood, improve memory and raise awareness.
- Negative emotions (sadness, fear, anger, humiliation, hatred, etc.) can trigger stress, help us recognize threats, and overcome challenging problems.
- The two most important parts of the human brain that are responsible for expressing and recognizing emotions are the amygdala and prefrontal cortex. Damage to one part of the brain can interfere with the ability to read emotions.
Step 2. Pay attention to the eyes and mouth of the person you want to observe
People usually express emotions through their eyes and/or mouth. The part of the face that is used to express emotions is influenced by culture. For example, Japanese people pay more attention to the eyes, whereas Americans usually recognize emotions through their lips. When reading emotions, pay attention to the person's face as a whole, don't just look at the eyes.
Stand some distance away when talking to someone so you can see their face, but continue to talk as usual. Keep a distance of about 0.5-1 m from this person
Step 3. Listen to the tone of his voice
Also pay attention to tone of voice as a second way of expressing emotion. In addition to facial expressions, people use voice to show and control emotions. However, there are emotions that cannot be expressed through sound. For example, people who are relaxed, stressed, bored, satisfied, and confident can be easily identified by sound. Fear, friendliness, happiness, and sadness are usually more difficult to express through tone of voice.
- The same tone of voice can express different emotions. For example, a loud voice may be associated with anger or hatred, but it can also indicate self-confidence or interest.
- Soft voices while whispering can be associated with a variety of emotions, such as relaxation, contentment, intimacy, intimacy, sadness, and boredom.
- A low grunting sound (breathing loudly while speaking) can be associated with fear, embarrassment, and anxiety.
Step 4. Make observations while noting a person's general behavior and way of acting
When you see someone, does he or she show a friendly or withdrawn attitude? Emotions can just pop up without you even realizing it. Making the best judgments and following your heart can sometimes be the best way to read emotions.
- Recognize other people's emotions by noting your own reactions. Often, we become a reflection of someone's emotions through our facial expressions, tone of voice, and behavior.
- Emotions are contagious. Our emotions can be influenced by other people. The feelings of others can change our moods and behavior. This is what makes you smile too if someone smiles at you!
Step 5. Observe the physical health of the person you are observing
Emotions can affect health both positively and negatively. If you have a friend or family member who feels tired often, they may be stressed or depressed.
- Symptoms of mental and physical depression include headaches or migraines, lack of energy, stomach problems, back pain, dietary changes, alcoholism or drug addiction.
- Mental and emotional symptoms of mental disorders and depression include: confusion, sudden and extreme mood swings, distancing yourself from friends, being unable to deal with everyday problems, getting angry more often, or being prone to violence.
Step 6. Build and improve your emotional intelligence
Learn how to recognize other people's emotions by being more aware of your own. The four aspects of emotional intelligence consist of abilities: (1) understanding your own emotions and those of others; (2) utilizing emotions to improve mindsets; (3) understand the importance of emotions; and (4) controlling emotions. You can increase emotional intelligence in the following ways:
- Put your cell phone away and don't sit in front of the computer all day. Improve social skills and the ability to read nonverbal cues during face-to-face conversations.
- Do not avoid negative or uncomfortable feelings that arise from within yourself or others. This is very important and useful. If you're feeling sad or angry, calm yourself down and find out why you're feeling this way. After that, try to get rid of these negative emotions by bringing up three positive emotions.
- Pay attention to what's going on in your body. The pain in your stomach may be because you are under stress or your heart is pounding because you are excited or excited.
- Keep a journal or record your thoughts and feelings. Several times a week, take time to record what you are doing and feeling. Also write down how long you slept last night or what you had for breakfast this morning.
- Ask a friend or loved one to read your emotions. Sometimes, other people know who we are better than ourselves. Their answers can surprise and enlighten us.
Method 2 of 3: Interpreting Facial Expressions
Step 1. Record a person's facial expression
What we feel can be revealed through our eyes and face. You will find it easier to read emotions by learning to recognize the relationship between facial expressions and certain emotions.
Don't be fooled! People can manipulate their facial expressions to look happy when they're angry or sad. The actors are able to do this very convincingly. Look for other clues to find out how they really feel. Also pay attention to their body language or tone of voice. Through eye contact, you can recognize different emotions through a sharp “cold” gaze and a “warm” smile
Step 2. Recognize the signs of a genuine smile
A genuine smile takes more muscle than a fake or forced smile. When smiling sincerely, the corners of the lips and cheeks should also rise. If the muscles around the eyes appear to be tightening and forming "crow's feet" (a collection of tiny wrinkles at the outer corner of the eye), this is an indicator of a genuine smile.
Step 3. Distinguish between sadness and happiness
While this may seem easy, people will try to control or cover up their true emotions by smiling when they are sad. True and spontaneous emotions are usually difficult to hide. Sadness is often associated with a frown (lower the tip of the lips) and a raised inner eyebrow (near the nose). Another clue is that the eyelids look droopy because they partially cover the eyeball.
Step 4. Recognize the signs of anger and hatred
Anger and hatred are often linked to each other and form the same facial expression. People tend to wrinkle their noses when they feel resentful, angry, or upset.
- Anger and disappointment are usually directed at a specific person or thing. When we are angry, we often pull our eyebrows down, close our lips (close our mouth tightly and pull in the corners of our lips), and open our eyes wide (glaring).
- In contrast to anger, expressing dislike, hatred, or belittlement of a certain person/thing is usually indicated by a raised upper lip and a limp lower lip. We also tend to pull our eyebrows down, but not so much that we're angry.
Step 5. Recognize the signs of fear and excitement
While fear can be thought of as a negative emotion and joy as a positive emotion, they both activate the sympathetic nervous system and trigger a “fight or flight” reaction. When something unexpected happens, whether good or bad, it stimulates certain parts of the brain that we have no control over. If this condition occurs, usually we will raise our eyebrows and eyelids so that our eyes open wider.
- When we feel afraid, we usually draw our eyebrows in (towards the nose), the eyeballs dilate (enlarge) so that more light can enter, and the mouth opens. Facial muscles will also tighten, especially in the mouth and cheeks.
- When we are excited, we tend to arch our eyebrows and lower our lower jaw. The mouth opens and the muscles in the mouth area relax and go limp.
Method 3 of 3: Reading Emotions in Other Ways
Step 1. Look for nonverbal cues
Apart from facial expressions and tone of voice, humans also express emotions in other ways. While nonverbal cues may not necessarily be correct, you can read emotions properly if you learn these things well. Nonverbal cues that express emotions well are body movement, posture, and eye contact. Pay close attention to whether someone looks excited and walks a lot or is just standing still and looks tense. Also, observe whether he is standing straight and making eye contact, bending over, fiddling with his fingers, or crossing his arms.
- Walking a lot and standing up straight shows openness and a sense of comfort. However, the combination of a lot of movement (e.g. vigorous swinging of an arm) and loud noises can mean excitement or anger.
- Bending, standing still, and crossing your arms are all signs that a person is feeling uncomfortable or anxious. If someone doesn't want to make eye contact with you, they may be upset or feeling guilty.
- Keep in mind that a person's culture, social conditions, and personality can influence how he or she expresses emotions through body language. In this case, facial expressions are considered more universal and more reliable. For example, Italians tend to move their hands when they speak, but in Japan this is considered rude. In the US and Europe, making eye contact is respectful of others, but is considered rude or aggressive behavior in Asian and African cultures.
Step 2. Pay attention to the body movements and postures of the person you are observing
The best way to read and interpret emotions is to focus on the whole body apart from the face. Posture and body movements not only express emotions, but can also show the intensity of a person's emotions. Positive and negative emotions have a range. For example, positive emotions range from happy (low) to very happy (high) and negative emotions range from sadness (low) to violent anger (high).
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Shoulders and chest: body slouching and leaning forward can be associated with intense anger. On the other hand, leaning back can be a sign of panic or fear. If a person stands straight while pulling his shoulders back slightly and lifting his chin, this means he is feeling confident. However, if he stoops or leans forward, he may be looking for sympathy, boredom, or anxiety.
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Arms and palms: when you are sad, your arms are usually at your sides or in your pockets. If he is annoyed or irritated, he will straighten one arm at his side or put his hands on his hips while moving the other hand (pointing or opening palm). If he feels indifferent or uncaring, his hands will be put behind his back.
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Legs and soles: someone who wiggles their legs or wiggles their toes may be anxious, upset, or in a hurry. However, many people are used to shaking their legs while sitting without any intention.
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Step 3. Look for signs of an “attack or run” response
Unwanted events, whether good or bad, will stimulate certain parts of the brain without our control. This will have a physical impact, such as enlarged eyeballs, faster breathing, excessive sweating, and a faster heart rate. You can tell someone is feeling nervous, stressed, or anxious by looking for certain signs, such as sweaty palms or armpits, reddened facial skin, or shaking hands.
When feeling disappointed or stressed, men tend to show aggression, frustration, and anger. In contrast, women usually become more talkative or seek social support. Depending on their individual personalities, there are men and women who tend to withdraw and remain silent when experiencing negative emotions
Step 4. Ask how this person is feeling
Sometimes, the best way to read emotions is to ask questions directly. While he might be lying by saying he's fine, there's nothing wrong with asking. You can also use the answers to find out their emotions by observing the tone of voice combined with facial expressions and body language. Try to find specific verbal clues that can express his feelings. For example, a person who is bored or sad will speak more slowly in a low tone. People who are happy or disappointed, will speak more quickly and in a higher tone of voice.
Have him talk one-on-one, instead of in a group. Someone who is accompanied by a good friend or closest person is usually more open and willing to express emotions as they are
Tips
- Try watching someone you know is sad, happy, excited, or feeling some other emotion so you can identify what those emotions are like. After that, start reading other people's emotions.
- Practice guessing what the people around you are feeling. If you think someone looks happy, confirm your guess by asking if they're having a good time.
- Start practicing with friends or family members before reading other people's emotions. At lunch or dinner, try to get around to chatting with other people and sharing stories about emotions.
- Ask some questions. Start with simple questions, such as “how are you” or “what were you doing yesterday”. Continue by asking personal questions, such as “how are you (say name of a family member or friend)” or “how is your relationship with (say name of girlfriend)”. Watch his reaction and stop asking questions if he seems uncomfortable.
Warning
- Be aware that a person may wish to hide their emotions on purpose. Maybe because he has experienced mental/emotional abuse or is facing serious problems in his life. Be a good friend by respecting her decision to hide her emotions.
- If you're trying to read the emotions of someone you don't know at all, don't look at them or be rude.
- Reading emotions is not an exact science. Recognize that a person can express emotions in a variety of ways and don't jump to conclusions about their feelings.
- Don't be all-knowing and irritate other people because you want to know their emotions. Respect the other person's privacy if he is reluctant to share.
