Dash Cam Facial Expressions

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Here is a fascinating study of young drivers and the facial expressions they make while driving. Watch them drive and face some seriously close calls.

What is surprising is their facial expressions seem muted considering the situation.

I hear Dr. Drew Pinsky in my head saying that young people under the age of 25 haven’t developed fully in the brain, and therefore don’t make good decisions.

Here is a research article that talks specifically about this. In it, they say, “The frontal lobe, tasked with decision making, planning, judgement, expression of emotions and impulse control may not be fully mature until the mid-20s.”

That may explain it…

Looking at Andreas Lubitz

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You have probably already heard the news of the Germanwings pilot, Andreas Lubitz, who is now being looked at for intentionally slamming the plane he piloted and that carried 150 passengers into the mountain.

Why would a man do this?

A capable man who held a respectable job?

It’s mind-boggling.

Lubitz locked the captain out of the cockpit, experts speculate, and put the plane into a direct descent into the mountain.

When I look at Lubitz in photo (no longer available), I see a man who shows great neutrality in his face. This means he is not one to be emotional or act out emotionally. He was likely neutral in most of his interactions with people and in life.

This attribute can actually contribute to a superior pilot because a person like this isn’t driven by fear, or reacts to fear in the ways most people do, so he will react well under pressure. He and people who are emotionally neutral simply have a different emotional make-up. It can be good or it can be bad. It can have different manifestations.

Someone who is emotionally neutral may experience life on a very even-keel, or they could experience a void–a lack of feeling emotions all together–where they are checked out and removed–apathetic. There can be various reasons for this.  Both would lead to different personalities. I’d need more information to see how it could affect Lubitz.

I also see a gullibility in his face, and perhaps a lack in his sense of self.

When I saw that, it stopped me dead in my tracks. What that could mean caused my heart to stop.

Someone who is gullible could fall under the manipulation of someone sinister, right?

It can’t be ruled out. I am not saying this did or did not happen, but it has to be considered.

Was there some undercurrent in Lubitz life that people are unaware of? I would certainly want to investigate it.

Predators prey on people’s weaknesses.  Psychopaths are notorious for spotting people’s weaknesses instantaneously.

Have we ever thought about testing pilots, in today’s age, for gullibility? I mean we could have an outstanding and technically skilled pilot, but what if in other areas of his life he was unsure and susceptible to outside influence? This is a vulnerability.  I don’t think the prevalence would be high, but it could have some statistically significant where we might not want to ignore it.

I am not saying that is what happened here, but it is a possibility.

What other things can you think of that would have caused this man to drive a plane into a mountain and kill everyone including himself?

We have to assume he underwent regular mental health check-ups that would spot obvious signs of mental illness. I wonder when his last mental health check was?

Feel free to discuss this below.  This blog is about understanding human behavior and deception, which appears to be very applicable to this sad story.

Expression of the Day (3-23-15)

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What do you see when you look at this boy’s body language and stance?

Lance Armstrong: Is he being honest?

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I absolutely love this video of Lance Armstrong.

Do you think he is being honest?

I mean he has crossed arm, which people say means he is closed off or defensive, and he gives us a contempt micro-expression, too!

He is actually being honest.

Dead honest.

He would dope again if it were 1995 (under the same circumstances), and he doesn’t believe that today he would need to.

I don’t think there is any reason to doubt his statement because by saying it, he isn’t gaining anything. He actually has a lot to lose–he is showing defiance, a lack of remorse, and more. He is doing the exact opposite of what he needs to if he wants people to give him a second chance. His arrogance is blinding him.

While Lance crosses his arms, he does not show any defensive behavior or signs that he is closed off to this conversation at all. The exact opposite is true. He is showing by his words that he is very open to say “his truth”.

I suspect the reason why Lance is sitting this way with his arms crossed is simple.  It is a comfortable way for him to sit. Sitting with your arms crossed actually does provide comfort for people. It can make you feel more confident, warmer, and safe. Try it and see! And there are times when people cross their arms when they are defensive and closed off, too, but it’s not black or white by any means, and never indicates by itself someone is lying.

I watched a slightly longer version of Lance’s interview and what I get out of it is how he is still very self-centered. That’s shocking considering his situation, but it says a lot about who he is as a person.

Jennifer Aniston’s Emotions

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This is a great video of emotional display by Jennifer Aniston. The reason I am posting it is a reader suggested that this clip is full of microexpressions. I get this comment a lot when people are expressive in their face. Microexpressions are quick bursts of an emotion–one of the seven universal emotions, and it is not just a movement of eyebrows, lips, etc.

This video has one strong and very pronounced microexpression, and one very, very subtle one. All the other moments are just facial movements, but not microexpressions.

I will list what microexpressions I see below in the comment section in the coming days.

What do you see?