Do you ever wonder what's behind that face?

Reading facial and body language is part science, part art. I think the art part comes in knowing that facial and body language can be a blend of mixed information. Figuring out what is accurate or true and what is fiction or distortion is the art form part. You may know there is a lie but that doesn’t mean it has to do with what you think it does. When I look for facial information I tend to ask unexpected questions and innocuous ones so I can get an initial read on the person and how they respond honestly or when they are hiding things. I look at the whole body…the hands give away alot….and then everything on the face gives you info. It’s hard to take it all in at one time. It’s why on that show “Lie to me”, Dr Lightman has people filmed and then goes back and reviews the tapes over and over. But in person all you need to know is when the lie or truth is told and what question to ask next. You are watching for reactions.
I don’t do this thing called trust as a result of reading. All people will lie or hide information given certain contexts. It’s inate and self protective in function. I look at patterns of behavior and thinking given particular context and possibilities. No one should be exempt from closer scrutiny in my opinion.
My own kids and my students hate this about me. I am sometimes referred to as “The bloodhound”. I can just smell when something is going on.

I’m horrible at reading faces, mostly because I don’t tend to look at them. It’s an ongoing joke at work that I have Aspergers.

I’m a highly intuitive person, even an empath at times. I get ‘feelings’ from people, which usually wind up being correct. Sometimes it goes deep enough to know things about that person that there should be no way of my knowing.

I realized recently, while reading this book, that my upbringing around volatile, critical parents caused me to develop a really gifted sense of observation about people’s emotions. I learned the subtleties of expression, body language, tone of voice and now I am quite adept at reading people.

I also have a finely-tuned bullshit detector. Sometimes it’s because I’ve read the person and I know they’re lying. Other times, I don’t know how to explain it other than I just know something isn’t the truth.

Now, while I’m pretty good at reading people, there are some that are inscrutible – real tough nuts to crack. Those people make me uncomfortable because I pretty much have no idea of what they’re thinking or who they really are.

I’m like @MissAnthrope with this. I used to think I was psychic because I’m freakishly good at reading non-verbal cues, until someone pointed out that children who grow up with difficult parents learn from birth how to read people in order to behave in the least aggravating way. Damn. I really liked the psychic idea.
That said, I can’t read someone who has trained themselves (often for similar reasons) not to show anything, and a practiced sociopath can make me nuts, because nothing ever quite matches up. I sometimes have a hard time in the virtual world without any faces to read…

@JilltheTooth : Could you hear me laughing at you? Yes? I knew it. You ARE psychic.

@hawaii_jake; Have I told you lately that I love you?

I’m big on eye contact.

Definitely reveals a persons inner state IMO.

I am able to keep good eye contact and feel comfortable doing so but it is amazing how many cannot hold a steady gaze with another.

What that means, well, thats another question. haha

The eyes have it for me too! :-/

I think it’s a whole face kinda thing (but I focus on muscles surrounding eyes and mouths most). It surprises me sometimes that we can read each other so well and yet we believe we are all alone in our thoughts. I think I am one of those as @JilltheTooth stated that has learned to not show emotions. I usually choose to, though. I often ponder how alike we all really are and our abilty to read and connect is so amazing!

I often wonder the face behind some Avi’s. I read their answers and their personality shines through. As for in real life . I look into the eyes in faces. I truly think you can read alot in the eyes.

Nope, I just take what ever I see at face value. (sorry, I couldn’t resist).

@YARNLADY : I can’t face it. Sorry.

@hawaii_jake NSFW—ok

@YARNLADY : It’s the 4 of Disks! or is it the Moon card?

It’s all in the eyes, they’re the windows to the soul you know? Of course you do, every knows that well worn cliche. What am I saying!?! :¬)

I do. Most recently, with a person I’m interested in, I wonder what’s behind his stoic face.