Gestures Aid Thinking

Different cultures have different perceptions about time. The Mandarin language, for example, places time in a vertical axis, with next week becoming down week, and last week becoming up week.

These differences in language have a psycho-physical effect in bilinguals and change the way the same person experiences the passage of time, depending on which language the brain is operating in.

Studies on Bilinguals prove that language can affect our most basic senses, our time perception, visual perception, and our emotions.

The flexible brain-shifting of bilinguals also aids in their learning, multitasking abilities, and mental well-being.

Duchenne was interested in the mechanics of facial expressions, including how the muscles of the face contract to produce a smile.

The Duchenne‘ smile is long and intense, though it involves the contraction of just two muscles. First the zygomatic major, which resides in the cheek, tugs at the corners of the mouth, then the orbicularis oculi, which surrounds the eye, pulls up the cheeks, leading to the characteristic ‘twinkling eyes’.

In babies, a broad grin can either mean they’re happy or distressed and studies have shown that men tend to smile more around those considered to be higher status.

Signs of a disengaged, disinterested or unhappy audience:

• Arms folded in front of the body.
• Minimal or tense facial expression.
• Body turned away from you.
• Eyes downcast, maintaining little contact.

Being aware of these signs can help you to adjust what you say and how you say it, so you can make him feel more at ease and receptive to your viewpoint

Some signs that people may be bored or disinterested in what you're saying:

• Sitting slumped, with heads downcast.
• Gazing at something else, or into space.
• Fidgeting, picking at clothes, or fiddling with pens and phones.
• Writing or doodling.

When you notice that, you can re-engage people by asking a direct question, or by inviting people to contribute an idea.