Eyebrow flash

The eyebrow flash is an unconscious social signal, wherein a person, wishing to approach another whom they recognize and are preparing for social contact (such as a greeting), raises their eyebrows for approximately one-fifth of a second.[1][2] People generally return an eyebrow flash, unless it was given by someone whom they do not know, or someone who looks away immediately after.[3] The message must be interpreted in context. Psychologists and sociologists say that eyebrow raising can be a reaction to fear or surprise.[4]

Jude Law showing an eyebrow flash

Measurement

Grammer et al.[5] define an eyebrow flash as a contraction of the inner brow raiser muscle (M. Frontalis, pars medialis) and the outer brow raiser muscle (M. frontalis, pars lateralis) as defined by the Facial Action Coding System. An eyebrow flash is subdivided into three time intervals: the onset (the time during which the eyebrows raise to their maximal position), the apex (the time during which the eyebrows are in their maximal position), and the offset (the time during which the eyebrows lower to their original state).

Cross-cultural studies

A study conducted in 1987 recorded approximately 67 hours of unstaged social interactions conducted by 255 individuals from three locations: Western New Guinea, Papua New Guinea, and Upper Orinoco.[5] The study found significant differences in the age and sex of senders and receivers among the populations studied; for instance, Eipo men from Western New Guinea were more likely to be senders, while Trobriand men from Papua New Guinea were more likely to be receivers. Across all three cultures, a lowering of the eyelids or a head movement often coincided with the beginning of an eyebrow flash. Additionally, people from all three cultures exhibited longer-duration eyebrow flashes at the openings of conversations than during conversations.

Notes
  1. Crystal, David (2005). How Language Works. One Overlook Drive, Woodstock, NY 12498: The Overlook Press. p. 7. ISBN 1-58567-848-1.CS1 maint: location (link)
  2. "SIRC guide to flirting". Retrieved 3 December 2010.
  3. Hinde, Robert (1975). Non-verbal communication. Cambridge University Press. p. 300. ISBN 0-521-29012-0. Retrieved December 3, 2010.
  4. Kelleher, Kathleen (19 August 1996). "In the World of Psychology, the Eyebrows Surely Have It". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  5. Grammer, Karl; Schiefenhövel, Wulf; Schleidt, Beatrice; Eibl-Eibesfeldt, Irenäus (12 January 1987). "Patterns on the Face: The Eyebrow Flash in Crosscultural Comparison". Ethology. 77: 279–299.


gollark: ~~now to send that to lyricly's parental ones~~
gollark: ~~yes~~
gollark: Yes.
gollark: I can't actually ban people in practice because the site doesn't have an account system, but I can mildly complain about you saying some things!
gollark: Otherwise I will vaguely complain about banning you.
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