Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Paul Ekman : A short course in reading facial expressions that denote specific emotions across numerous cultures

Ever wonder if somebody was lying? Ever wonder if someone could tell YOU were lying? Reading other people’s expressions is crucial to success in business, friendship, marriage, politics, and – let no one underemphasize – national security. Yet only a tiny fraction of people are able to sniff out deception at a rate substantially higher than chance. Even judges and customs officials – whose job performance may depend on their ability to discern deception – don’t do much better, on average. (So-called mechanical “lie detectors” don’t measure lies, but rather the anxiety subjects may or may not feel about their answers to the questions being asked of them.)

On Tuesday, March 14, Dr. Paul Ekman – world-renowned emeritus professor of psychology at UC-San Francisco, author of many books including “Emotion Revealed,” and winner of the American Psychological Association’s Distinguished Scientific Contribution award in 1991 – will be addressing these matters in detail for NCSWA members’ benefit at the Pyramid Ale House in Berkeley, in a talk titled “Emotion, Deception and Dangerousness.” After a stint as chief psychologist for the U.S. Army between 1958 and 1960, Dr. Ekman embarked on what would become a 32-year career at UCSF, “retiring” in 2004 to run a consultancy.

While at UCSF, Dr. Ekman conducted painstaking and groundbreaking research allowing him to identify commonalities in facial expressions that denote specific emotions across numerous cultures. A battery of 43 independent facial muscles is capable of generating 10,000 or so such facial expressions. It appears that evolution has hardwired these expressions into us and that even when we try to mask them, flickering traces of a camouflaged emotion nonetheless betray themselves to the trained observer. The emphasis is on the word “trained” – and NCSWA attendees and their guests will be getting an introduction to the kinds of training required, as well as the story of the research behind the method. Wouldn’t you like to know? Well, come on down. The beer will be cold, the action hot, and the food just right.

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 14

WHERE: Pyramid Alehouse, 901 Gilman St., Berkeley.

We've arranged for the Cellarmans buffet, which consists of:

• Mixed green salad with herb vinaigrette
• Honey chicken breast with salsa fresca
• Blackened salmon with citrus aioli
• Roasted seasonal vegetables
• Alehouse rice pilaf
• Garlic mashed potatoes
• Tea, coffee and soda
• Brownies for dessert

No host bar for wine, beer or non-alcoholic beverages. Lots of good draught beer, and excellent root beer too.

SCHEDULE:

• 6:30 - 7:30 Happy Hour
• 7:30 - 8:30 Dinner
• 8:30 - 9:30 Speaker

COST:
$27.00 per person and $20.00 for students
**THIS IS A DEAL: NCSWA is subsidizing a portion of the costs to keep the price low.

Please make out a check to NCSWA and mail it by Friday, Mach 3 to:

Robert Sanders
1512 Holly St.
Berkeley, CA 94703

Carpooling: For those interested in carpooling to the dinner, Karen Street again will play transportation matchmaker, matching up those of you wanting a ride with those who are driving. Contact her at karen_street@sbcglobal.net. She will mail out information as she receives it. Many thanks to all those who have offered rides in the past, enabling people to attend.