It is useful to think of emotions as releasing energy in the body. When something amuses us it produces a broad smile, the sound of laughter perhaps, but always movement in the body. (Note: there is purposely no audio with the above video) Here we can see that Jennifer at first tries to contain the signs of her amusement. SheContinue Reading

Guy is listening to an upsetting item on the radio, which is making him feel uncomfortable. He wants it to end, he’s impatient for it to end. How do we recognise discomfort? When we feel emotionally discomforted it can be like a physical discomfort. John HabershonDr John Habershon has spent many hundreds of hours conducting in-depth interviews during his careerContinue Reading

The dictionary defines glee as: ‘great delight, especially from one’s own good fortune’ Lindsay has just been asked about a household brand. By coincidence, the makers had only recently given her exceptionally good service, replacing an expensive part at no cost. She is more than just pleased, she is delighted – and it shows in her body movement. Glee oftenContinue Reading

Often in life things don’t go the way we want them to, whether it’s people who don’t cooperate or just objects, like printers that don’t work just when we really need them to print off an urgent document. When these obstacles seem unreasonable, or illogical, after several tries to make it work . . . so frustrating! So how canContinue Reading

The dictionary definition for this emotional state is agitated, nervous or confused. You become this way by something that flusters you. In this case Roy has been presented with a list of powerful words. He thinks he should see some connection between them, but he can’t. So he’s just not sure how to respond. John HabershonDr John Habershon has spentContinue Reading

How can we tell the difference between someone simply enjoying something, on the one hand, and getting excited by it, on the other? The answer lies in the movement of the body.   The way Lisa smiles as she talks about this exciting topic, tells us that she is experiencing pleasure. But the way she can’t keep still shows herContinue Reading

Take a look at Laura watching one of her favourite TV ads. How can we tell she’s enjoying it? She’s smiling, not just in a quick and fleeting way, but with a sustained and relaxed smile on her lips. When people are experiencing pleasure we see the eyes widen. Laura is looking at the screen with wide open eyes –Continue Reading

Embarrassment is a powerful emotion. When we are in a social situation and feel ashamed, it’s not possible to control our reaction. After all, you can’t stop yourself from blushing, if that’s one of your responses to embarrassment. In states of embarrassment people want to hide, become invisible, or, as the phrase goes, want to dig a hole and disappearContinue Reading

When asked to think about a particular fashion brand, Karen doesn’t try to hide how dissatisfied she would be if she owned it. It is immediately expressed, as she pulls down the corners of her mouth and presses her lips together. This is a good example of someone displaying their feelings for all to see. But while her mouth isContinue Reading

Beth not only mentally switches off from the ad on TV; she also shows that she dislikes it. To begin with, the ad on the screen doesn’t hold her interest: she looks blankly at the TV screen and touches her hair in a distracted way. Then the mouth show key signs of annoyance: John HabershonDr John Habershon has spent manyContinue Reading