Page 87 - Biblical Counseling II

running becomes easier. Your pupils open wider, letting in more light. To cool your stirred-up body, you
perspire (sweat). If wounded, your blood would clot more quickly” (Myers, p. 255, 2012).

After your next crisis, think of this: without any conscious effort, your body’s response to danger is
wonderfully coordinated and adaptive – preparing you to fight or flee. When the crisis passes, the autonomic
nervous system (ANS) gradually calms the body, as stress hormones slowly leave your bloodstream (Myers, p.
255, 2012). Look at this chart below. On the left side, the boy is almost going to fall into rough water. His
father is reaching for him. You can see what occurs in the sympathetic division as his body is preparing for
action. On the right side, you can see the parasympathetic division reacting once the boy is safe (Myers,
2012). Our bodies are truly amazing creations!

Culture and Emotional Expression
Do facial expressions also have different meanings in different cultures? Researchers showed photographs of
various facial expressions to people in different parts of the world and asked them to guess the emotion.
Regardless of cultural background, a smile’s a smile the world around. So is anger, and to a lesser extent, the
other basic expressions (There is no culture where people frown when they are happy.) (Myers, 2009).

Children’s facial expressions – even those of blind children who have never seen a face – are also universal.
People blind from birth spontaneously exhibit the common facial expressions associated with such emotions
as joy, sadness, fear, and anger. The world over, children cry when distressed, shake their heads when
defiant, and smile when they are happy (Myers, 2009).

Reflection: We would have discussed these questions in class. Take some time to think through them and
write your responses. Or talk with someone in your home to find out their opinions.

1. Do our facial expressions influence our feelings?

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