This article examines the emotions contributing to aggression and violence and how recognising corresponding expressions can predict violent events and imminent danger, such as domestic violence. We’ll look at the research on emotion recognition in violent offenders and how brain differences may contribute to emotion recognition deficits, perpetuating violence.

Over the past decade, the power pose has faced controversy and scientific scrutiny, leaving many people confused about its efficacy and many turning their backs on a simple practise that can yield positive results. This article sums up the debate, clears the myths and explains the current scientific findings so that you can leverage positive feelings with simple postural change.

When we experience emotions we feel physical sensations within our body. Have you ever stopped in the moment of an emotion, to evaluate what you are feeling? And where that feeling is? In an emotion, our brain triggers physiological changes within our body. These changes alter our autonomic processes (processes we don't consciously control), such as heart rate, breathing, sweating and blink rate. In turn these physiological changes create physical feelings, or sensations, within our body. We associate these physical feelings with the emotion. Researchers at Aalto University have created visual bodily maps of emotions, based on self reported bodily sensations, experienced when an emotion was triggered. The results were gathered from 701 participants from around the world. 

Are you affected by other people’s emotions? Watch a short video that explains one of the reasons why emotions are so contagious and why we love hanging out with happy people.

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of working with Filmmaker, Courtney Waller, from Courtney Waller Productions. Courtney was interviewing me, and of course, we got to talk about my favourite topic; body language.

As a Body Language Specialist, part of my job entails playing back video footage, over and over. This is to audit the body language of people seeking to improve their presence and charisma, seek nonverbal cues that point towards deception or seek interesting nonverbal cues that I can use to educate others on the topic. I'm not usually on the other side of the camera. So it was a little unnerving to think that this was being recorded as a video, with capability of being played back for analysis; a taste of my own medicine.