Leading up to this week, I decided that I would consider watching a show that is totally unlike that of which I normally watch. Specifically, I chose to watch a wedding themed show: Say Yes To The Dress on TLC.
While watching this show for the first time, with the sound off, I paid especially close attention to the facial expressions of the future brides, their family members, and the bridal consultants. Knowing how stressful wedding planning can be, I figured that the facial expressions and general body language of the women that were featured in the episode would provide me with ample opportunities to understand the feelings of these women in a monumental time within their lives.
Something that I found to be eye opening was when I noticed that the emotions of the brides were very clearly foreshadowed through their facial expressions. While watching without sound, I noticed that there were several tell-tale signs, such as a bride shifting her eye gaze downward while in a "solo-moment" with the camera. There had also been signs of frustration seen when the brides would approach their respective parties wearing certain dresses, but would express very solidary body movements, such as a lack of movement, or a dull, unexcited facial expression. When I turned the sound back on, I could almost sense the build up of emotions. With sound, I could hear the shift in tones when the brides would become discouraged. Yet, I also noticed that the respective parties would not always notice the same signs as I had.
All in all, I had realized that within many typical social situations for women, there seems to be somewhat of a social pressure to respond in certain ways. These women, these brides, had consistently expressed their desire to impress and satisfy the other women they were with.Yet, even though it was their big day at hand, their frustrations seem to have gone unnoticed. Most women would become visibly upset, yet their family and friends would almost always miss these subtle, or not so subtle cues. Especially in exciting situations, it seems as though many people become less aware of the feelings and responses felt by those around them, and rather hyperfocus on their own opinions and needs.
