Of all the different types of body language gestures, I find the topic of Micro Expressions to be the most fascinating. Let me first define the concept and why it contains so much information, then I will follow with several examples and references so you can study this nearly endless and intriguing area of body language.
A microexpression is a very quick departure from ambient body language. It is usually in response to a reaction inside the person to something said or something going on in his mind. The duration of a microexpression is usually about 1/30 of a second. It is faster than a blink, yet it contains all kinds of information about the person's mental state.
The scary part about microexpressions is that the person making them is almost never aware of doing them. They happen so fast and are part of the person's total mental state that there is no cognition of them happening. However, and this is the dangerous part, the gesture is very evident to the other person, either on a conscious or subconscious level.
Let me share an example so you can see how fleeting these expressions are. Here is a video of me talking about “Planting a Seed of Trust in the First 10 Seconds.” I give several tips to enhance trust when first meeting another person. The first one is to watch your attitude.
C.f leadergrow.com and
https://www.paulekman.com/resources/micro-expressions/
