ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION FOR SURVIVAL: AN ANALYSIS (part 10)

Face and Eye Behavior

by

Charles Lamson

The study of communicative aspects of the face, includes all facial cues, such as mouth movements, lip movements, nose and cheek reactions, and eyebrow and forehead movement. One element of facial behavior is eye behavior. Many persons in this culture believe that the eyes present more important nonverbal messages than other parts of the face.

Facial behavior can be classified into four major categories of facial management techniques, which are often used in the interpersonal and work environment. These categories are masking, intensifying, neutralizing and deintensifying. All four are used in organizational interactions.

Masking is the replacement of one facial expression with another expression. We call this facial technique the "Halloween Effect." Many supervisors and employees will replace one facial expression with another more appropriate facial expression. For example, when an employee is given a directive that he or she does not agree with, the employee often quickly replaces an expression of disapproval with one of acceptance.

Intensification is the exaggeration, or enhancement, of a facial expression. At times, as managers and employees, we need to express the external expression of the emotion far beyond what we feel in order to accommodate other persons. For example, when our manager proposes a change in our work unit  which we are "lukewarm" about, but we know the change is inevitable, then we might exaggerate our "lukewarmness" by facially expressing that we are very much in agreement with the change.

Neutralization is a poker face. Many times many times in organizational settings. it is critical that individuals engage in the facial management technique of neutralization. For example, when our manager tells us that all vacations are on hold until a certain project is complete, then facial neutralization might be the best expression. Showing displeasure probably will not accomplish anything except irritate the manager.

Deintensification of facial expression is the downplaying or deemphasizing of a facial expression. There are circumstances in an organizational setting when downplaying our true feeling is appropriate. For example, an employee might be outraged by a decision made by upper management, but the employee would be wise to downplay his or her facial expressions. Usually it is counterproductive for employees to indicate their rage or annoyance about decisions of upper management.

In communication, people often look to one of three regions of the face for true emotion. The three primary areas are: (1) eyebrows and forehead; (2) eyes and eyelids; and (3) lower face, including cheeks, nose, and mouth. The seven primary facial expressions are sadness, anger, disgust, fear, interest, surprise, and happiness. It is advisable to control our three primary regions of the face, so as to give the appropriate expression in organizational settings. The information a manager receives from any particular area depends a great deal on the emotion being expressed. The following ideas suggest where certain emotions are likely to be found on the face:

• Sadness and fear are best identified from the eyes and eyelids areas.
• Anger is not perceived accurately from any single facial area. At least two areas of the face must be used in order for anger to be judged accurately. For example, anger is usually expressed in cheeks, mouth, brows, and forehead.
• Disgust often blends with surprise. Most often, disgust is located in the lower region of the face.
• Fear is often found in the eyes, and eyelid region, of the face.
• Happiness is often found either in the lower face, or eyes and eyelid regions.
• Surprise is found in the brows/forehead's regions, then eyes/eyelid regions, then the lower face.

Our eye behavior functions to establish and define relationships, signal interaction, express emotions, and regulate communication between supervisor and subordinate. There are several considerations related to face and eye behavior, between supervisors and subordinates, which you should be aware of:

• The supervisor can readily indicate unhappiness, disgust, or displeasure with subordinates' work.
• The subordinate should employ the facial management techniques, in order to insure that he or she is communicating appropriately with her or his supervisor.
• Supervisors can stare, avoid, look longer, or use inattention with a subordinate. Peons should do none of these things
• Supervisors often determine by using face and eye behaviors when an interaction will begin and end.
• Subordinates need to learn what their supervisors' face and eye behaviors indicate.
• Employees need to display a satisfied face to their supervisors.
• Employees should demonstrate respect by giving their supervisors the appropriate eye contact.

*SOURCE: ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION FOR SURVIVAL THIRD EDITION BY VIRGINIA P. RICHMOND, JAMES C. MCCROSKEY AND LINDA L. MCCROSKEY; PGS. 39-41*

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