After a cochlear implant failed to work, three year old Grayson Clamp received an auditory brain stem implant at University of North Carolina. In the video above we witness a miracle of modern medicine as the gift of hearing is given to this sweet child. It is empathy evoking. What follows is a brief analysis of some of his body language.
Like all emotions, surprise is often feigned, but not so here.
When sincere surprise is significant, it is always accompanied by a wide opening of the eyelids (most notable on the upper eyelids) along with a wide vertically elongated opening of the mouth.
Another angle of the same moment of surprise.
Surprise is often accompanied by a covering of the mouth. This signals emotional processing. The emotional brain is trying to "take in" the ramifications of a new and very significant event.
See also:
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2418: Startle vs. Surprise Body Language in the Yankees & Red Sox Dugouts
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2170: The San Francisco Giants, Surprise, Bird Poop and Body Language
Negotiation Secret No. 56: Seeing Bill Clinton, Surprise with a Touch of Fear
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 1914: Sincere Surprise - Often Faked & Difficult to Capture, Spain Beats Portugal in Euro 2012
Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret No. 1261: IMF Director Christine Lagarde, True Surprise - Rarely Captured
Negotiation Secret No. 387: Surprise and Disbelief - Missy Franklin
Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret No. 1171: Not So Fast Swift .... Taylor's False Surprise
Negotiation Secret No. 269: I Just Remembered + Surprise, Milla Jovovich
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2263: A.J. McCarron's Body Language as hears about his Girl Friend's (Katherine Webb's) new found Twitter Popularity
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