THE MIND’S CANVAS 179you tell a person a specific piece of information, or upon making some
type of an offer, it should tell you that something is amiss and the indi-
vidual is troubled. At this point, you might want to rethink how you wish
to proceed if your goal is to enhance your chances of interpersonal success
with this person.
Pupilary Dilation, Eyebrow Arching, and Flashbulb EyesThere are plenty of eye behaviors that show positive feelings. At a very
young age, our eyes register comfort when we see our mothers. A baby
will follow his mother’s face within seventy-two hours of birth, and his
eyes will widen when she enters the room, demonstrating interest and
contentment. The loving mother will likewise exhibit a relaxed opening
of her eyes, and the baby will gaze into them and take comfort from her.
Widened eyes are a positive sign; they indicate that someone is observing
something that makes her feel good.
Contrary to pupil constriction, contentment and positive emotions are
indicated by pupil dilation. The brain is essentially saying, “I like what I
see; let me see it better!” When people are truly pleased by what they see,
not only do their pupils dilate, but their eyebrows rise (arch), widening
their eye area and making their eyes look larger (see figures 68, 69, 70)
(Knapp & Hall, 2002, 62–64). In addition, some people dramatically ex-
pand the aperture of their eyes by opening their eyes as big and wide as
possible, creating an appearance known as flashbulb eyes. This is the
wide-eyed look normally associated with surprise or positive events (see
box 50). This is also another form of the gravity-defying behaviors usu-
ally associated with good feelings.
Eye FlashA variant on the flashbulb eyes is the eyebrow raise or eye flash that takes
place very quickly, staccato-like, during a positive emotional event. Not
only is this behavior universally recognized as indicative of a pleasant sur-
prise (think of someone arriving at a surprise party), but it is also used for