You’re not mad. It’s just your resting b*tch face (RBF).
This chronic serious-looking façade some people have to live with actually has a new upside. Those who have this are better communicators.
A research study conducted by the University of California psychologist Albert Mehrabian shows that interpreting various forms of communication is based mostly on nonverbal cues—facial expressions, body language, and tone.
Women who have RBF are automatically associated with negative attributes linked to their not-so-happy-looking faces. As a result, these women “quickly learn how to communicate and also hone a finely-tuned awareness” and this goes for their “own emotions and the emotions of those around [them].”
Unfortunately, what they discovered is that notion of RBF also happens to be a little bit sexist. “The ‘downside’ to RBF is that it simply doesn’t apply to men,” Dazed Digital reports.
So what’s the upside in all these? Those with perennially unhappy faces develop a strong sense of self-awareness in conversations. Rene Paulson writes in Quartz, “Women used to being constantly misunderstood focus more on the words someone says, rather than their tone, body cues, or facial expressions, ensuring a more effective flow of information between both parties.” This self-taught skill makes them “adapt quickly in volatile and unfamiliar situations.”
To be misunderstood for your default face shouldn’t be the case, though. Smile when you have to, frown when you want to. Embrace your RBF!
[Dazed Digital]
Photo courtesy of Dazed Digital