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4. Rhetoric and Interpersonal Communication (Expression)

Emotions

  • Emotions are complex responses involving physiological changes from a homeostatic state, subjectively experienced as feelings, manifested in bodily changes, and expressed in overt actions.

  • Key Differences:

    • Emotions differ from feelings or "affective tone"; affect is light and subjective, while emotion is a more complex reaction.

    • Emotions can be pleasant or unpleasant, with varying intensity of experience.

    • Emotions can occur independently of environmental events, as internal affective states without specific external triggers.

  • Indicators of Emotion (10 indicators):

    • Galvanic skin response

    • Blood circulation

    • Heart rate

    • Respiration

    • Pupil response

    • Salivary secretion

    • Pilomotor response (goosebumps)

    • Intestinal movements

    • Muscle tension and tremors

    • Blood composition (related to active endocrine glands \rightarrow hormones in blood)

  • Emotions are linked to the central nervous system and endocrine glands.

  • Cannon (1961): noted prominent symptoms during anger that prepare the organism for emergencies and self-defense against attack or injury; physical responses as emergency reactions.

  • Systems Involved: Sympathetic vs. Parasympathetic Nervous System + Central Nervous System \rightarrow reactions in muscles/musculature.

  • Emotional Development (maturation + learning):

    • Infants: initial development involves only general excitement (positive or negative); then develops into delight.

    • At 5 months: anger, disgust, distress, and expanded delight emerge.

    • At 7 months: fear appears.

    • At 10-12 months: elation and affection develop from delight.

  • Differentiation of emotional expression is a result of learning; e.g., deaf or blind children show learning in expressing emotions.

  • Learning to express emotions is influenced by environment, family, and culture.

  • Meaning of body movements as emotional expression: non-verbal expression related to both intentional and unintentional forms of expression.

Meaning of Body Movements and Combinations

  • Strehle posited two forms of personality expression:

    • Fixed Forms: body shape, facial features (physiognomy), phrenology (skull shape), hands.

    • Unfixed Forms: blood circulation, respiration, body posture, whole-body movements, limb movements (arm movements), standing, walking, general attitude, and head/mimic movements.

  • Roracher divided expressions into 5 main groups:

    • Physiognomy

    • Mimicry (facial expressions)

    • Gestures (hand movements) and motor actions

    • Voice and speech patterns

    • Handwriting

  • Generally:

    • Conscious movements have specific intentions.

    • Unconscious movements are vegetative (autonomic) in nature.

Strehle: 3 Forms of Expression

  • Primary Forms: These are expressions that come from outside the individual and occur unconsciously. They are not intentionally controlled.

    • Kinetic Forms: These involve movement.

      • Reflexes: Automatic, involuntary movements.

      • Reactive Forms: Movements that happen as a direct, untriggered response to an objective or biological need, without conscious planning. For example, if something bitter is put in your mouth, you might instinctively spit it out or try to avoid it.

      • Action Forms: A sequence of movements that is regular and appears planned, even if not fully conscious. For example, the series of movements from leaving class, going home, entering the dining room, picking up a cookie, and eating it.

    • Static Forms: These relate to the state or posture of an organ, body, or attitude.

      • Organ Form: Each body organ functions according to its biological role, showing specific characteristics. For example, the eye's natural function reflects its biological role.

      • State Form: Reactive expressions that are beyond conscious control and often match the current emotional state. For example, a person slumping their shoulders and letting out a deep sigh after hearing disappointing news.

      • Attitude Form: Postures or stances that are controlled by one's capability or purpose, without excessive movement. For example, a person meditating with an upright, steady posture to maintain focus and calmness.

    • Mixed Primary Form: This form never appears alone; it's always a combination of other primary forms. For example, while sleeping, a fly disturbance might cause unconscious swatting movements. Another example is when listening intently to a boring lecture, someone might unconsciously repeatedly bounce their leg.

  • Secondary Forms: These appear when emotions influence or modify physical expressions.
    They are divided into two main types:

    • Analogous Kinetic Forms: Moving expressions that appear because of emotions, even if there’s no real external stimulus.

      • Reflex: ex. coughing not because of an itchy throat but feel an emotional blockage.

      • Reactive: ex. flinching when hearing a loud noise even if it’s far away.

      • Action: ex. anger can make one clench their fist even if there’s no physical threat

      Movement happens because of emotion → similar to primary forms,
      but comes from internal feelings, not external stimuli.

    • Analogous Static Forms: Still postures or states that reflect inner psychological conditions.

      • Organ → eyes not just for seeing, but can express inner states

      • State → apathy as an expression of sadness

      • Posture → staying silent and frozen when confused or disagreeing

      • Rudimentary → a “softened” primary reaction (e.g. bitter reaction becomes just a slight downturn of the mouth)

      📝 No movement, but they show a person’s inner emotional state.

  • Tertiary: forms of expression related to one's mental state with conscious or intentional purpose.

    • Informative Form: every expression has an informative form, otherwise, it would be difficult to interpret (e.g., a baby crying due to discomfort).

    • Symbolic Form: expressions that explain a state (e.g., pantomime).

    • Stylistic Form: expressions with aesthetic elements (e.g., harmonious dance movements).

Aspect

Primary

Secondary

Tertiary

Trigger

External stimulus

Internal emotion (feeling)

Conscious intention

Awareness

Unconscious / automatic

Partly conscious (emotion-driven)

Fully conscious & deliberate

Purpose

Biological / functional

Emotional expression

Communicative / symbolic

Movement

Real movement or body reaction

Modified by emotion (can be movement or still)

Often stylized, artistic, or symbolic

Examples

- Coughing when choking - Dodging something hot

- Clenching fists when angry - Staying still and silent when sad

- Crying to get help - Acting in a play - Dancing gracefully

Key idea

Reflex-like, spontaneous

Emotion-shaped

Intentional, meaningful

General Characteristics of Motor Movements

  • Dynamic Characteristics:

    • Speed variation:

      • Primary: due to external stimuli.

        • ex. boxers react fast and has reflexes from training, even if the outcomes may differ due to willpower

      • Secondary: due to emotional experience.

        • ex. someone doing a speech may speak with fervor due to passion.

    • Tension and relaxation

      • Primary: Caused by an external stimulus or task

        • ex.Lifting something heavy → tension in hands, elbows, shoulders, surrounding muscles

        • ex. Concentrating eyes on something small → tension around the eyes

      • Secondary: Caused by emotions, thoughts, or inner goals.

        • ex. Imagining something you want to reach → your body gets subtly tense from concentration and desire

        • ex. Feeling angry → psychological functions narrow (you “tense up” mentally and physically)

  • Figural Characteristics:

    • Extent of movement: large or small movements, which convey specific meanings.

    • Direction of movement: linear (forward), sideways, backward; combinations of directions can occur in self-defense movements.

    • Form of development: straight movements (firm, typical of dictatorial psychological processes), circular movements (influenced by mood).

  • Generally: conscious movements carry specific intentions; unconscious movements often reflect vegetative emotional states.

  • Irradiation

    Irradiation is the spreading of tension from one part of the body to other parts.

    • When one body part is very tense, the tension can “radiate” or spread to nearby or even opposite parts.

    • This happens automatically and often without you noticing.

    Example:
    If you are gripping something tightly with your right hand, your left hand may also tense up, even though it’s not doing anything.
    Or if your eyes are intensely focused, your forehead and neck might also become tense.

Dynamic Characteristics (Detail)

  • Variations in Speed and Tempo, and Tension/Relaxation:

    • Speed: Fast movements involve psychological responses; e.g., primary (boxer), secondary (passionate speech); responses to danger can evoke emotional reactions (e.g., eyes showing suspicion).

    • Constancy related to Calmness, Reaction, and Tempo:

    • Primary: Restless work gives an impression of inaccuracy, doubt, haste; training improves precision, self-control, and accuracy.

    • Secondary: Calmness visible in the face, tranquil movements, confidence; self-control increases trust.

    • Delayed Reactions and Slow Movements:

    • Primary Form: e.g., someone under the influence of sedatives, or a lazy person who is unresponsive.

    • Secondary Form: occurs in individuals facing difficulties; unresponsive to stimuli.

    • Fixed vs. Unfixed Tempo:

    • Primary: a runner approaching the finish line speeds up.

    • Secondary: walking quickly due to a sudden thought, or slowing down due to disappointment/depression; individuals who can control emotions tend to have a constant tempo; impulsive individuals have an increasing tempo.

Tension & Relaxation

  • Tension & Relaxation are the dynamics of energy within the body:

    • Tension: characterized by tension in the skin/muscles due to active energy; a sign of active force.

    • Relaxation: loosening of skin/muscles leading to a relaxed state.

  • Centered Tension: several centers of tension, causing surrounding areas to also tense up.

    • Primary: tension in hands, arms, shoulders, surrounding muscles; eyes become the focus of tension.

    • Secondary: if someone imagines achieving something, there is tension due to attention and concentration; irradiation: spread of tension to other body parts (e.g., right hand \rightarrow left hand also feels tense).

  • Narrowing of Consciousness: an accompanying symptom of tension.

    • Primary Form: pushing a door through because someone else already opened it; falling due to internal disturbance.

    • Secondary Form: anger makes other psychological functions shut down.

  • Diffuse Tension:

    • Shock, rigidity, relaxation, controlled tension, and tension/relaxation within dynamic forms.

  • Shock:

    • Definition: a reflex to a stimulus; a primitive attitude; in humans, breathing can suddenly stop, arms stiffen, fingers splay, eyes widen, eyebrows raise, mouth opens.

    • Requires time to recover; someone in shock tends to be unable to make decisions because the stimulus paralyzes the nervous system.

    • Characteristics: freezes, wide-eyed, raised eyebrows, open mouth, sometimes no quick reaction.

    • Personality polarization affects shock resistance: individuals with strong personalities are less susceptible to shock; labile individuals are more easily shocked.

Rigidity

  • Primary: often seen in trained athletes; they appear calm, steady, controlled. If untrained, tension may appear inconsistent with the situation, indicating fear and displeasure.

  • Secondary: individuals who feel unable to defend themselves; protecting themselves from defeat; can become protective in new situations (e.g., a new employee).

  • Rigidity can also be a defense mechanism observed in people with strong temperaments, or during puberty, causing discomfort and a desire for compensation.

  • Rigidity often appears in unpleasant situations.

Relaxation

  • The opposite of tension; its goal is to halt working energy, allowing the individual to reach a passive state.

  • Even if voluntary: relaxation can occur due to fatigue, a desire to rest, or to disengage from external stimuli; it can increase sensitivity to subsequent stimuli.

  • Relaxation is not solely voluntary; there is unconscious relaxation (primary: extreme fatigue; secondary: a sudden shift from active to passive, such as disappointment).

  • Relaxation is often followed by a decrease in tension and, if continued, can lead to states like fainting.

  • An attitude of low tension reflects relative intensity: can be seen in people who do not react despite strong impulses, for example, due to mood or health conditions.

Controlled State & Dynamic Forms

  • A controlled state occurs when the body is not in total rest, even with minimal tension.

  • Tension \rightarrow expectation; Relaxation \rightarrow surrender.

  • A controlled state is a balance between two forces: tension and relaxation; there is movement between them (tension \leftrightarrow controlled \leftrightarrow relaxation \leftrightarrow rest \leftrightarrow controlled).

  • Psychologically, this state signifies readiness, goal orientation, and stability for adaptation; there is openness to experience, freedom of expression, and self-confidence for adaptation.

  • In body parts (hands, feet, senses), movement can provide overall meaning as a dynamic form.

  • Example: shoulder shrugging up and down, foot stomping on the floor as a sign of firm conviction.

Figural Characteristics (Unconscious Face and Body Movements)

  • Extent of Movement:

    • Large Movements: seen in work tempo; convey specific meanings; e.g., calm large movements, enthusiastic large movements, or fast large movements indicating anger/rage.

    • Small Movements: indicates a desire not to stand out, limiting expression; usually shows caution or deliberate intent.

  • Direction of Movement:

    • Linear Direction: forward movement implies interest in something; can be positive or negative.

    • Sideways Direction: avoiding contact during a boring meeting.

    • Backward Direction: self-avoidance; primary is a reflex due to heat; secondary due to surprising news; distance taken to master a situation.

    • Combinations of directions can occur in self-defense movements.

  • Contradictory Movement Directions (e.g., upper vs. lower body): if both move in opposite directions, they form a whole indicating rejection or self-assertion.

  • Up-and-Down Direction and vice versa:

    • Upward movement indicates self-expansion, pride, arrogance, power.

    • Downward movement signifies self-diminishment or self-closure.

  • Inward and Outward Movement:

    • Outward movement (centrifugal): enlarging; increasing self-presence; e.g., entering a large room \rightarrow expanding.

    • Inward movement (centripetal): shrinking; e.g., entering a narrow room \rightarrow contracting; feeling trapped.

  • Relationship between Centrifugal and Centripetal Movements with Facial Color Changes (Blushing/Pallor) Psychogenetically:

    • Blood vessels dilate \rightarrow skin reddens in states of excitement, joy, anger, or sexual arousal (indicating a chance for contact).

    • Shame: often involves shrinking oneself; if accompanied by blushing, it can indicate a deviation in self-expression but still a desire for contact.

  • Variations in Respiration:

    • Breathing can expand and pulsate (exhale), showing internal pressure; airflow can strengthen the connection between stimulus and response.

    • Exhalation: can be active (voluntary) or due to relaxation/compulsion; e.g., holding breath when evaluating work, or sighing due to disappointment.

    • Tendency for Breath Emphasis:

    • A deep, flat inhalation suggests someone may have a large chest cavity, be energetic, and friendly.

    • Conversely, a concave chest with forward shoulders indicates fatigue or a desire for solitude.

    • Breathing Variations During Work:

    • When starting work, one usually inhales in preparation; exhaling can indicate relaxation, volition, or pressure to evaluate results.

  • Implications of Body Expansion and Contraction:

    • Limbs held close to the body \rightarrow shrinking oneself as isolation.

    • Hands placed on the lap can mean readiness to act but still connected to the outside world.

    • Clothing also indicates how we express ourselves (open vs. closed).

  • Forms of Movement Development:

    • Straight Movements: cessation of a movement sequence; requires willpower, without emotional influence; the stronger the willpower, the easier straight movements occur; straight movements can also be a reflex if an external stimulus occurs (neural reaction).

    • Circular Movements: influenced by mood; do not always have a drive to achieve a goal. In SCHIZOPHRENIA, stiff movements can make straight movements appear to suddenly emerge/disappear; a normal person might laugh out of politeness even if they don't agree inwardly.

Important Summary: Relationship between Forms of Expression and Context

  • Non-verbal expressions (through movement, facial expressions, posture, respiration) indicate emotional intensity, motivational certainty, and proximity to the object or person encountered.

  • Forms of expression have primary, secondary, and tertiary layers that can change depending on emotional experience and situational context.

  • The dynamics of tension and relaxation describe psychological states: readiness, self-control, and the ability to adapt in social interactions.

  • The connection between motor actions (dynamic, figural) and cognitive-emotional processes is crucial for interpreting psychodiagnostic observations.

Conclusion

  • This material emphasizes how emotions influence non-verbal expressions, how to structurally interpret motor movements (dynamic vs. figural), and the importance of understanding tension-relaxation dynamics for assessing a person's psychological state within observational contexts.

  • It is crucial to connect this theory with fundamental principles of observation, objectivity, and cultural context when applying psychodiagnostic assessment through