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Expressly Human: Decoding The Language of Emotion
Good communication, conventional wisdom suggests, is calm, logical, rational. Emotions, we’re told, just get in the way. But what if this is backwards? What if those emotional overtones are the main messages we’re sending to one another, and all that logical language is just window dressing?
Over billions of years of evolution, animals have become increasingly sophisticated and increasingly sentient. In the process, they evolved emotions, which helped improve their odds of survival in complex situations.
These emotions were, at first, purely internal. But at some point, social animals began expressing their emotions, in increasingly dramatic ways. These emotional expressions could accurately reflect internal emotions (smiling to express happiness)—or they could be quite different (smiling to cover up that you’re actually furious, but can’t tell your boss that).
Why did once-stone-faced animals evolve to be so emotionally expressive—to be us?
The answer, as evolutionary neurobiologist, Mark Changizi and mathematician Tim Barber reveal, is that emotional expressions are our first and most important language—one that allows us, as social animals, to engage in highly sophisticated communications and negotiations.
Expressly Human introduces an original theory that explains, from first principles, how the broad range of emotional expressions evolved, and provides a Rosetta Stone for human communication. It will revolutionize the way you see every social interaction, from deciding who gets the last slice of pizza to multimillion-dollar business negotiations, and change your definition of what makes us human.
Over billions of years of evolution, animals have become increasingly sophisticated and increasingly sentient. In the process, they evolved emotions, which helped improve their odds of survival in complex situations.
These emotions were, at first, purely internal. But at some point, social animals began expressing their emotions, in increasingly dramatic ways. These emotional expressions could accurately reflect internal emotions (smiling to express happiness)—or they could be quite different (smiling to cover up that you’re actually furious, but can’t tell your boss that).
Why did once-stone-faced animals evolve to be so emotionally expressive—to be us?
The answer, as evolutionary neurobiologist, Mark Changizi and mathematician Tim Barber reveal, is that emotional expressions are our first and most important language—one that allows us, as social animals, to engage in highly sophisticated communications and negotiations.
Expressly Human introduces an original theory that explains, from first principles, how the broad range of emotional expressions evolved, and provides a Rosetta Stone for human communication. It will revolutionize the way you see every social interaction, from deciding who gets the last slice of pizza to multimillion-dollar business negotiations, and change your definition of what makes us human.
248 pages, Paperback
Published July 6, 2022
11 people are currently reading
114 people want to read
About the author
Mark Changizi
9 books33 followersMark Changizi is a cognitive scientist, and Director of Human Cognition at 2AI Labs. He has written three books about his research:
HARNESSED: How Language and Music Mimicked Nature and Transformed Ape to Man
,
THE VISION REVOLUTION
(Benbella 2009), and
THE BRAIN FROM 25,000 FEET
(Kluwer 2003).
He writes about science at places like... ChangiziBlog (HUB), Forbes , Wired , PsychToday , Atlantic , Seed (a, b), Telegraph , Scientific American , New Scientist .
He writes about science at places like... ChangiziBlog (HUB), Forbes , Wired , PsychToday , Atlantic , Seed (a, b), Telegraph , Scientific American , New Scientist .
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 14, 2022
If you're someone who thoroughly enjoyed reading Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari, you will definitely enjoy this one.
A short book with seven concise chapters with extra contents on human: our language evolution and how we express ourselves with amazing examples and references. Basically how we have evolved and how we express ourselves throughout the ages throughout different mediums as the basic concept of the book.
This book is so interesting. Once you start reading it, it will carry you through smoothly until the end! Definitely a different kind of fun non-fiction read which does not make you feel like you're reading a serious, non-fiction book but rather enjoying a fun lecture/class with a fun, amazing professor!
Exactly what I felt while reading the book. I got to learn a lot of new things about the old us and gave me lots of topics to discuss about.
I appreciate the inclusion of the Index towards the end. It does help while reading.
Thank you, BenBella Books, for the advance review copy.
A short book with seven concise chapters with extra contents on human: our language evolution and how we express ourselves with amazing examples and references. Basically how we have evolved and how we express ourselves throughout the ages throughout different mediums as the basic concept of the book.
This book is so interesting. Once you start reading it, it will carry you through smoothly until the end! Definitely a different kind of fun non-fiction read which does not make you feel like you're reading a serious, non-fiction book but rather enjoying a fun lecture/class with a fun, amazing professor!
Exactly what I felt while reading the book. I got to learn a lot of new things about the old us and gave me lots of topics to discuss about.
I appreciate the inclusion of the Index towards the end. It does help while reading.
Thank you, BenBella Books, for the advance review copy.
August 15, 2022
"When we speak, we’re almost always simultaneously emotionally expressing ourselves through prosody, intonation, emphasis, word choice, facial expressions, and gestures. Unless we’re purposely trying to imitate a robot’s voice, whenever we speak, we’re also emotionally expressing. But we’re also quite often emotionally expressing ourselves without words at all. Language is almost always accompanied by emotional expressions, but emotional expression is not always accompanied by language. In this sense, emotional expressions still dominate language."
Unfortunately, Expressly Human did not meet my expectations. The writing here seriously struggles to clearly communicate with the reader. I did not like this one at all...
In the end, I made it roughly halfway through before pulling the plug on it, which is something I rarely ever do.
Author Mark Changizi is a cognitive scientist, and Director of Human Cognition at 2AI Labs. He has written three books about his research: Harnessed: How Language and Music Mimicked Nature and Transformed Ape to Man, The Vision Revolution, andThe Brain from 25,000 Feet.
Mark Changizi:
Changizi unfolds the book's thesis early on:
The audiobook version I have is read by the author, which is a nice touch. Unfortunately, I was not a fan of the author's writing style, and the overall presentation of the book's material.
Changizi may well be a competent scientist, but this book was an arduous trek, to put it nicely.
Sadly, the book suffers from a complete lack of clear and straightforward communication. This is a somewhat typical problem with many science books I've read. The author loses the forest for the trees many times here. I felt that much of the writing here was overly long-winded and dry. After a brief prologue, the author quickly takes the material of the book right into the weeds, where it remains for the duration...
Most of the writing and material covered here was esoteric and overly tedious. The numerous illustrations presented in the book didn't help clarify the situation either. I'd bet that many people will be left scratching their heads after trying to parse these diagrams. Here's just a few that were included in the book:
***********************
Unfortunately, the writing style and overall presentation of this one did not resonate at all with me...
This book is a tragic example of poorly-communicated science. It reads like a borderline word salad.
My apologies to the author, as it sounded like he had good intentions. I was not prepared to spend any more time on this book, however.
1 star.
Unfortunately, Expressly Human did not meet my expectations. The writing here seriously struggles to clearly communicate with the reader. I did not like this one at all...
In the end, I made it roughly halfway through before pulling the plug on it, which is something I rarely ever do.
Author Mark Changizi is a cognitive scientist, and Director of Human Cognition at 2AI Labs. He has written three books about his research: Harnessed: How Language and Music Mimicked Nature and Transformed Ape to Man, The Vision Revolution, andThe Brain from 25,000 Feet.
Mark Changizi:
Changizi unfolds the book's thesis early on:
"But what is this ancient language really for? The question brings us nearer to our central claim for this book: emotional expressions are for negotiating with other social animals. We are using the term “negotiating” very broadly. Negotiations are just a way of communicating so that two parties can settle a dispute. They’re simply a way of finding a compromise or coming to an agreement.
Thus, our central claim is simply this: emotional expressions are nature’s first language, one allowing languageless social animals to settle disputes... to negotiate."
The audiobook version I have is read by the author, which is a nice touch. Unfortunately, I was not a fan of the author's writing style, and the overall presentation of the book's material.
Changizi may well be a competent scientist, but this book was an arduous trek, to put it nicely.
Sadly, the book suffers from a complete lack of clear and straightforward communication. This is a somewhat typical problem with many science books I've read. The author loses the forest for the trees many times here. I felt that much of the writing here was overly long-winded and dry. After a brief prologue, the author quickly takes the material of the book right into the weeds, where it remains for the duration...
Most of the writing and material covered here was esoteric and overly tedious. The numerous illustrations presented in the book didn't help clarify the situation either. I'd bet that many people will be left scratching their heads after trying to parse these diagrams. Here's just a few that were included in the book:
***********************
Unfortunately, the writing style and overall presentation of this one did not resonate at all with me...
This book is a tragic example of poorly-communicated science. It reads like a borderline word salad.
My apologies to the author, as it sounded like he had good intentions. I was not prepared to spend any more time on this book, however.
1 star.
May 16, 2022
Expressly Human was a thought-provoking work that presented some interesting ideas on human emotional expression. Those theories were clearly and concisely presented, aided by some cute emoticon diagrams. I particularly enjoyed the consideration given to modern-day communication through social media, and how that affects standard emotional exchange. The index and appendices at the end were also helpful in adding further worthwhile explanations. The only note I'd make is that it would be best to buy this book in print, unless you plan to read the eBook solely on a large computer screen, as on my small e-reader some of the detailed diagrams were hard to make out, the text only just visible.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 10, 2023
In "Expressly Human: Decoding the Language of Emotion," Mark Changizi and Tim Barber delve into the intricate world of emotional expression and its instrumental role in negotiations. Unpacking the nuances of human interaction, the authors examine how emotions drive negotiation dynamics. This unique approach casts light on a dimension of communication often overlooked in conventional negotiation studies, making it a notable addition to the genre.
Unlike the typical negotiation scenarios depicted in game theory, which assume rational interactions aimed at mutual benefit, the book focuses on zero-sum games where the options are relatively simple: accept the offer, counter the offer, or end the negotiation. The end of the negotiation is seen as costly, leading to a "fight," which is a metaphorical or physical conflict. It is analogous to a showdown in poker: revealing the actual fair outcome. Yet, a "fight" bears a cost to both parties. Thus, the negotiation process is essentially a way to agree on a fair outcome without the costs associated with the fight.
At the heart of the book is the proposition that emotions serve as a signaling mechanism, indicating a player's position in terms of their fair offer and seriousness about conflict if their offer isn't met. Thus, it is a two-dimensional situation. First, the player has a fair offer in mind (e.g., I will pay $100k for the house). The offer is not necessarily a single number. It can also be a range reflecting the player's uncertainty. The second dimension is seriousness. Namely, how much the play is willing to opt for fighting if his offer is not accepted (e.g., this is my final offer). The emotion-laden communication is pivotal in expressing the offer and its accompanying seriousness.
Emotion is also instrumental in responding to offers. For instance, when faced with a serious partner, one could respond with a willingness to negotiate further or show counter-seriousness. Similarly, if a partner exudes confidence, it can be either challenged or accepted, with these signals communicated through emotional gestures.
While increased seriousness and confidence can steer negotiations favorably, constraints on emotional signaling exist. Firstly, signals must align with genuine feelings; feigning readiness for conflict without emotional preparedness can lead to issues if bluffs are challenged. Secondly, signaling intertwines with one's social capital, meaning signaled confidence is effective only if it aligns with your credentials and reputation. Conversely, your holding of social capital can be influenced by the perceived fairness of your offer and demonstrated confidence. Despite their potential benefits, signals can't be deployed at will.
Beyond negotiation, the book also explores the fascinating concept of the emotional map, suggesting that emotions are combinations of primary ones, similar to color mixtures. For example, smugness is the combination of happiness and pride. This is an interesting framework, although its authority is not apparent.
The authors acknowledge that their theory, though fascinating, is more common-sensical and observation-based rather than empirically validated. However, the idea is consistent with my experience. To be an effective negotiator, one should learn to decode the emotional back-and-forth in the process in addition to rational calculations.
While "Expressly Human" brings valuable perspectives on the emotional dynamics of negotiation, its presentation falls short. The authors tend to overelaborate points and introduce slightly different examples that cause confusion. Furthermore, the book frequently diverges from the central theme and depends heavily on visual representations, making it a challenging experience for audiobook listeners.
In summary, "Expressly Human" is a valuable exploration into negotiation dynamics, marred by its lack of empirical evidence and confusing presentation. Nonetheless, the theories presented hold potential for further investigation and development and could significantly enhance our understanding of social interactions, including negotiation.
Unlike the typical negotiation scenarios depicted in game theory, which assume rational interactions aimed at mutual benefit, the book focuses on zero-sum games where the options are relatively simple: accept the offer, counter the offer, or end the negotiation. The end of the negotiation is seen as costly, leading to a "fight," which is a metaphorical or physical conflict. It is analogous to a showdown in poker: revealing the actual fair outcome. Yet, a "fight" bears a cost to both parties. Thus, the negotiation process is essentially a way to agree on a fair outcome without the costs associated with the fight.
At the heart of the book is the proposition that emotions serve as a signaling mechanism, indicating a player's position in terms of their fair offer and seriousness about conflict if their offer isn't met. Thus, it is a two-dimensional situation. First, the player has a fair offer in mind (e.g., I will pay $100k for the house). The offer is not necessarily a single number. It can also be a range reflecting the player's uncertainty. The second dimension is seriousness. Namely, how much the play is willing to opt for fighting if his offer is not accepted (e.g., this is my final offer). The emotion-laden communication is pivotal in expressing the offer and its accompanying seriousness.
Emotion is also instrumental in responding to offers. For instance, when faced with a serious partner, one could respond with a willingness to negotiate further or show counter-seriousness. Similarly, if a partner exudes confidence, it can be either challenged or accepted, with these signals communicated through emotional gestures.
While increased seriousness and confidence can steer negotiations favorably, constraints on emotional signaling exist. Firstly, signals must align with genuine feelings; feigning readiness for conflict without emotional preparedness can lead to issues if bluffs are challenged. Secondly, signaling intertwines with one's social capital, meaning signaled confidence is effective only if it aligns with your credentials and reputation. Conversely, your holding of social capital can be influenced by the perceived fairness of your offer and demonstrated confidence. Despite their potential benefits, signals can't be deployed at will.
Beyond negotiation, the book also explores the fascinating concept of the emotional map, suggesting that emotions are combinations of primary ones, similar to color mixtures. For example, smugness is the combination of happiness and pride. This is an interesting framework, although its authority is not apparent.
The authors acknowledge that their theory, though fascinating, is more common-sensical and observation-based rather than empirically validated. However, the idea is consistent with my experience. To be an effective negotiator, one should learn to decode the emotional back-and-forth in the process in addition to rational calculations.
While "Expressly Human" brings valuable perspectives on the emotional dynamics of negotiation, its presentation falls short. The authors tend to overelaborate points and introduce slightly different examples that cause confusion. Furthermore, the book frequently diverges from the central theme and depends heavily on visual representations, making it a challenging experience for audiobook listeners.
In summary, "Expressly Human" is a valuable exploration into negotiation dynamics, marred by its lack of empirical evidence and confusing presentation. Nonetheless, the theories presented hold potential for further investigation and development and could significantly enhance our understanding of social interactions, including negotiation.
January 14, 2024
"Expressly Human" by Mark Changizi and Tim Barber challenges conventional wisdom about communication by proposing that emotions, rather than logical language, are the primary messages we convey to each other. The book explores the evolution of emotions and argues that emotional expressions are our first and most important language, enabling sophisticated communication among social animals. While the premise is intriguing, the execution and depth of analysis leave room for improvement.
The authors present an original theory on the evolution of emotional expressions, suggesting that emotions played a crucial role in the survival of social animals. The idea that emotions serve as a fundamental language for social interactions is fascinating and prompts readers to reconsider their understanding of human communication. The exploration of the evolution of emotional expressions adds an interesting perspective to the discussion.
However, the book falls short in delivering a comprehensive and convincing argument. The narrative lacks in-depth analysis and rigorous scientific evidence to support the proposed theory. While the concept is intriguing, readers may find themselves wanting more empirical data and concrete examples to substantiate the claims made by the authors.
The writing style tends to be academic and may be challenging for readers without a background in evolutionary biology or neurobiology. The complexity of the subject matter, combined with the lack of sufficient explanations, might hinder the accessibility of the book for a general audience. A more reader-friendly approach could have enhanced the book's appeal to a broader range of readers.
Despite its shortcomings, "Expressly Human" does succeed in sparking curiosity and encouraging readers to rethink their assumptions about communication. The book introduces a thought-provoking perspective on the significance of emotional expressions in human interactions. However, it would benefit from a more thorough exploration of the proposed theory and a more engaging presentation to captivate a wider audience.
In conclusion, "Expressly Human" offers an intriguing premise about the role of emotions in communication, but it falls short in providing the depth of analysis and empirical support needed to fully convince readers. While it may appeal to those with a strong interest in evolutionary biology, the book's academic style and limited evidence might make it less accessible to a broader audience, resulting in a three-star rating.
The authors present an original theory on the evolution of emotional expressions, suggesting that emotions played a crucial role in the survival of social animals. The idea that emotions serve as a fundamental language for social interactions is fascinating and prompts readers to reconsider their understanding of human communication. The exploration of the evolution of emotional expressions adds an interesting perspective to the discussion.
However, the book falls short in delivering a comprehensive and convincing argument. The narrative lacks in-depth analysis and rigorous scientific evidence to support the proposed theory. While the concept is intriguing, readers may find themselves wanting more empirical data and concrete examples to substantiate the claims made by the authors.
The writing style tends to be academic and may be challenging for readers without a background in evolutionary biology or neurobiology. The complexity of the subject matter, combined with the lack of sufficient explanations, might hinder the accessibility of the book for a general audience. A more reader-friendly approach could have enhanced the book's appeal to a broader range of readers.
Despite its shortcomings, "Expressly Human" does succeed in sparking curiosity and encouraging readers to rethink their assumptions about communication. The book introduces a thought-provoking perspective on the significance of emotional expressions in human interactions. However, it would benefit from a more thorough exploration of the proposed theory and a more engaging presentation to captivate a wider audience.
In conclusion, "Expressly Human" offers an intriguing premise about the role of emotions in communication, but it falls short in providing the depth of analysis and empirical support needed to fully convince readers. While it may appeal to those with a strong interest in evolutionary biology, the book's academic style and limited evidence might make it less accessible to a broader audience, resulting in a three-star rating.
August 17, 2022
Disappointing. The authors set out to depict all interactions as negotiations. This is the axiom for their theory. As negotiations for more than half the pie everything is about your confidence level and you evaluation of the others confidence level. Actually they give an apparently amusing example of a loaf of zucchini bread being shared between the two authors in a situation where they don't want to share it 50:50. Perhaps it would help if one had had zucchini bread but one can see what the authors are driving at. They construct an eight pointed star of emotional expressions that they say is necessary for animals without language need to negotiate any resource distribution. They shy away from giving examples of this, such as animals snarling and others being cowed. Some expressions are (human) language based, such as “I know Judy intended two-thirds of the loaf for me because she said so the last time we spoke”.
In short, it's an interesting theory, but it's not about the evolution of emotions. It takes the emotions the authors surmise are in negotiations and builds from that. It's unclear that all interactions are like that, e.g. a young animal crying out to its mother or one creature who's just made a kill snarling at and refusing any others who are hoping for a share. I was expecting something more about where emotions came from rather than a simple assertion around aspects fo negotiations.
In short, it's an interesting theory, but it's not about the evolution of emotions. It takes the emotions the authors surmise are in negotiations and builds from that. It's unclear that all interactions are like that, e.g. a young animal crying out to its mother or one creature who's just made a kill snarling at and refusing any others who are hoping for a share. I was expecting something more about where emotions came from rather than a simple assertion around aspects fo negotiations.
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September 11, 2022Great book by @MarkChangizi and Dr Tim Barber on the social nature of human emotions. A suggested read for folks interested in the history of language and communication. Equally intriguing for those fond of emojis. This will forever change your perspective on social interactions.
September 11, 2022
Creates an interesting system within which to analyse arguments. I cannot stand the way the book is written in. The constant forced hilarity is too tiring.
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December 9, 2022RTC
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews