How to Learn to Read Micro Expressions
Micro expressions are very brief flashes of emotion that are displayed on the face and last for a fraction of a second. Dr. Paul Ekman, a psychologist, has spent much of his active career researching nonverbal behaviors and emotional expressions, as well as cues to deception or lying. Ekman is the inspiration for the recent television program Lie to Me, which starred Tim Roth. To study micro expressions, ultimately, the skill boils down to a ton of practice. To aid in micro expression training, Dr. Ekman offers a web-based training tool known as F.A.C.E. training, which is based on his research. The U.S. government and many professional organizations also invest in Ekman's training tools as a way to improve interpersonal and business interactions.
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Instructions
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Register for your METT Online account through Dr. Ekman's website (see Resources). After registering, you will have the option to try the METT demo or purchase the F.A.C.E. training program.
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Take the METT demo test through Dr. Ekman's website. The demo is a brief version of the F.A.C.E. training which Ekman offers for sale through his site. Run through the introduction, training and practice sections of the demo to see how you score.
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Purchase the F.A.C.E. training program. There is a one-time fee for access to the online training site.
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Practice daily with the training tools. You will be shown micro expressions in realistic, fast flashes on actual human faces, then asked to identify what you saw from a list of possible options. Over time, your scores should improve as you become more familiar with the micro expressions and begin to recognize them more quickly.
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Tips & Warnings
When you reach a certain high score with the F.A.C.E. training, you will be awarded a certificate.
Not everyone is trainable at accurately identifying micro expressions; Ekman claims that about 85 percent of people who train with his program will improve. You can increase your chances of improvement by becoming more familiar with emotional psychology, physiology of emotion, and facial coding, all of which are discussed in many psychology books, including Ekman's publications.
References
Resources
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