Читать книгу The Dictionary of Body Language - Joe Navarro, Joe Navarro Toni Sciarra Poynter - Страница 10

At birth, all mammals’ noses seek out the mother’s milk, which allows them to survive. As humans grow older, our noses continue to help us find the foods we like and to keep us safe, warning us of food that is putrefied or of odors that would do us harm, while helping to filter the air that enters our lungs. When it comes to romance and intimacy, our noses pick up on others’ pheromones, making us draw closer while helping us determine subconsciously whether or not we like a person. We may pierce our noses or shape them, as a result of cultural cues, to be thinner, wider, less curved, or more petite. The muscles that cover and surround the nose are so sensitive that when we dislike what we smell, they immediately contract, wrinkling our noses to reveal our disgust. Noses help to distinguish us from others physically, they protect us from harmful chemicals and bacteria, and as you will see, they are essential to communication and to understanding others.

85. COVERING NOSE WITH BOTH HANDS—The sudden covering of the nose and mouth with both hands is associated with shock, surprise, insecurity, fear, doubt, or apprehension. We witness this at tragic events such as car accidents and natural disasters as well as when someone receives horrible news. Evolutionary psychologists speculate that this behavior may have been adapted so that predators, such as lions or hyenas, would not hear us breathing. It is seen universally.