Public Relations and Social Marketing

PUBLIC RELATIONS AND SOCIAL MARKETING 4(1+3)

Lesson 5 : Body Language in Public Speaking

Facial expression

Facial expression is another dimension of body language.

Facial expression normally shows how we feel. For example, if someone has offended a person, his/her face will express it. Normally our face easily reveals our emotions.

Like a positive eye contact, positive and appropriate facial expression adds meaning and helps to improve the effectiveness of a verbal message.

The following suggestions may be borne in mind in this regard:

• Facial expressions must be kept quite natural.
• Positive facial expressions should be used. A good smile gives very positive signals and helps to make the atmosphere friendly. Moreover, it indicates good will and shows that the speaker is a positive and pleasant person. However, he she should not smile constantly and the smile should not be totally unrelated to his/her content or contradict his/her message.
• Facial expression should be consistent with the verbal message, that is, facial expression and content should match.
• The speaker should be his/her natural self and not try to hide his/her feelings.
• It is important to learn the cultural patterns of facial expression so that misunderstandings can be avoided.

Examples of non-verbal cues

Non-verbal Form	Non-verbal Cue	What does it suggest?
Eye contact Facial expression Gestures Posture and body movements	Sustained eye contact Brief eye contact Avoiding eye contact Eye squinting Raising eyebrows Lowering eyebrows Furrowed forehead Wide open eyes, Open mouth Swallowing Frowning Leaning towards a speakerl1istener Pulling away/leaning back	Trust, admiration, confidence Stress, nervousness Fear, shyness, lack of sincerity, mark of respect in some cultures Antagonism Surprise, question, curiosity Acceptance, submission Anger, frustration, displeasure Surprise, astonishment Shock Nervousness Anger, displeasure interest fear, disgust, anger, distrust

*As non-verbal cues and the meaning they convey differ from culture to culture, the suggestions given here may not be relevant to all cultures.