The visual system you didn’t know you were using
Picture this: a person walks into a room, blindfolded. They’re told to guess which hand someone is holding up in front of them. They get it right – over and over again – even though they swear they can’t see a thing.
Blindsight: seeing without seeing
Blindsight is a rare but revealing neurological condition in which individuals lose conscious visual perception due to damage in the brain’s primary visual cortex (V1). Clinically, they are considered blind in parts of their visual field. Yet, remarkably, they can still react to visual stimuli, without being aware of seeing anything at all (Weiskrantz, 2009; Weiskrantz et al., 1974).
This phenomenon was first described by Weiskrantz et al. (1974), who found that patients with V1 damage could localise stimuli presented in their visual field with accuracy far above chance, despite claiming they could see nothing. In modern research, patients have been shown to guess with up to 95% accuracy which object or hand is being held in front of them during forced-choice tasks (Mazzi, 2024).
Even more astonishingly, patients with blindsight can detect emotional expressions, particularly fear and threat, in faces shown in their visual field. A study by Pegna et al. (2005) found that a patient with bilateral V1 damage could discriminate between emotional faces. Despite reporting no conscious vision, it showed corresponding activation in the amygdala, the brain’s emotional alarm system.
This tells us something critical: our brain processes visual and emotional cues before conscious awareness, via an older, faster pathway involving the superior colliculus, pulvinar, and amygdala. This “fast” route works alongside a slower, conscious visual system that routes information through the cortex and takes more time to interpret what we see.
What this means for client communication
You and your clients are constantly engaging with both systems. Before a client says, “I’m worried about the markets”, their face may show tension in the brow, a tightening around the eyes, and a downward shift of the mouth.
You might not consciously register those signals, but your body has started responding.
Research shows facial expressions of emotion can appear in as little as 1/25th of a second (Ekman, 2003), long before we’re consciously aware. These micro-expressions are detected by the brain’s pre-conscious visual pathways, shaping behaviour in real time.
Furthermore, Matsumoto, Hwang, and Frank (2011) have shown that recognising these subtle, fleeting expressions can improve our ability to evaluate truthfulness and detect deception. These skills are just as valuable in client interactions as in law enforcement.
However, we are not expecting to catch our clients lying; rather, we may sense unspoken anxieties or hidden resistance that may be getting in the way. That matters in financial planning.
Emotional signals exchanged between you and your client, often below conscious awareness, can affect trust, receptivity, and outcomes.
Three practical applications for financial professionals
- Tune into non-verbal signals
Start meetings by establishing a baseline – a light, non-financial conversation helps you learn what a client’s “neutral” face looks like. Then, watch for deviations. Sudden stillness, fleeting eye movements, or a subtle frown might signal concern before any words are spoken. Being attuned to these can give you a head start on understanding unspoken doubts or discomfort.
- Match and adapt – within half a second
Your tone, posture, and facial expressions are also sending signals. If your client pre-consciously perceives defensiveness, stress, or disinterest in you, they may emotionally disengage, long before they consciously decide to. Warm, open body language and reflective listening help create psychological safety for your client, even under pressure.
- Train your emotional radar
You can sharpen your ability to detect micro-expressions and pre-conscious behavioural shifts through intentional practice. One study found that even brief training sessions improved participants’ ability to read facial expressions and emotional cues, improving their emotional intelligence and interpersonal accuracy. This skill is worth developing, it supports stronger client rapport, faster trust-building, and better outcomes during difficult conversations.
Emotional intelligence starts with perception
It changes the game when you understand that visual processing and emotional response begin before you or your client becomes aware of them.
Emotional intelligence isn’t merely what you say or how you regulate your feelings; that’s only half of it. The other half is recognising emotion in others’ behaviour and knowing how to respond with influence.
So next time you sit across from a client, remember: the conversation started before either of you spoke. And if you learn to read those early signals, you can respond with greater empathy – which leads to more effective communication.
References:
Ekman, P. (2003). Emotions Revealed: Recognizing Faces and Feelings to Improve Communication and Emotional Life. Times Books.
Matsumoto, D., Hwang, H. C., Skinner, L., & Frank, M. G. (2014). Positive Effects in Detecting Lies from Training to Recognize Behavioral Anomalies. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 29(1), 28–35. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11896-012-9115-5
Mazzi, C. (2024). Seeing the invisible: Theory and evidence of blindsight. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 9(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44337-024-00156-x
Pegna, A. J., Khateb, A., Lazeyras, F., & Seghier, M. L. (2005). Discriminating emotional faces without primary visual cortices involves the right amygdala. Nature Neuroscience, 8(1), 24–25. https://doi.org/10.1038/nn1364
Tamietto, M., & de Gelder, B. (2010). Neural bases of the non-conscious perception of emotional signals. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 11(10), 697–709. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn2889
Weiskrantz, L. (2009). Blindsight: A case study and implications (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Weiskrantz, L., Warrington, E. K., Sanders, M. D., & Marshall, J. (1974). Visual capacity in the hemianopic field following a restricted occipital ablation. Brain, 97(1), 709–728. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/97.1.709