196 W H A T EVERY BODY IS SAYING
determine its true meaning. For instance, I saw a supermarket cashier
closing out her register drawer, frowning as she went about counting her
cash. You could see the intensity and concentration of her expression, as
she tried to square the totals at the end of her shift. The same frown can
be observed in someone who has just been arrested and is being led out
past reporters. The furrowed forehead is usually present when someone
finds himself in an untenable or disagreeable situation but can’t escape,
which is why you usually see it on arrest mug shots.
Incidentally, this frowning behavior is so ancient and so common to
mammals that even dogs will recognize it when we look at them with a
furrowed brow. Dogs themselves can exhibit a similar expression when
they are anxious, sad, or concentrating. Another interesting fact with re-
gard to frowning is that as we get older and add to our life experiences,
our foreheads develop deeper and deeper furrows that eventually become
permanent wrinkles. Just as permanent smile lines may develop from a
lifetime of positive nonverbals and signify a happy life, a person with a
A furrowed forehead is an easy way to
assess for discomfort or anxiety. When
we are happy and content, you hardly see
this behavior.Fig. 84