facial expressions

Facial Expression: A Primary Communication System

Expression implies a revelation about the characteristics of a person, a message about something internal to the expresser. In the context of the face and nonverbal communication, expression usually implies a change of a visual pattern over time, but as a static painting can express a mood or capture a sentiment, so too the face can express relatively static characteristics (sometimes called physiognomy). The concept of facial expression, thus, includes:
1) a characteristic of a person that is represented, i.e., the signified;
2) a visual configuration that represents this characteristic, i.e., the signifier;
3)the physical basis of this appearance, or sign vehicle, e.g., the skin, muscle movements, etc.; and typically, some person or other perceiver that perceives and interprets the signs.

Facial Expression Has Many Messages and Multiple Sources

The expression of a given face at a specific time is conveyed by a composite of signals from several sources of facial appearance. These sources include the general shape, orientation (pose), and position of the head, the shapes and positions of facial features (e.g., eyes, mouth), coloration and condition of the skin, shapes of wrinkles, folds, and lines, and so forth. Some of these sources are relatively fixed; others, more changeable. The most important source of change in facial expression is the set of muscular movements produced by facial muscles, which provide the most substantial changes in facial appearance over short time durations and contribute most to nonverbal communication by the face. Other shorter term origins that may contribute to expressions are blood flow and glandular secretions. As a generalization, muscular activity contributes expressive variation on a background of more slowly changing or static expressive sources. These latter sources include the sizes, positions, and shapes of fleshy tissues, hair, teeth, cartilage, and bones.
to conclude with facial expression plays a important part in personality development. proper eye contact along with the right expression is needed. our expressions reflects us. it shows our confidence or nervousness. so be careful with ur expressions.