Monday, February 13, 2012

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1122:
Tiger, Pebble Beach and the Puffer Fish




















Yesterday at Pebble Beach, Tiger Woods went into the final round with a chance of victory - but his short game failed him. This is his face just after missing a putt on the 13th hole. Here he's showing us a specific body language tell termed the "Puffer Fish". Aptly named. It's a signal of anxiety displayed just before (when the outcome and expectation is generally known) or more commonly just after a relatively large psychological stressor. Surgeons subconsciously perform this nonverbal after difficult cases, attorneys before big trials and college students after exams. In a unconscious effort to reduce stress and calm the psyche - the puffer fish will even temporarily lower blood pressure and pulse (In contrast to Tight Lipped Breathing). It occurs during the exhalation phase of respiration and of course it may happen over several consecutive cycles. 

Phil Mickelson came from behind with an amazing final round of 64 to win by two stokes over Charlie Wi. The two were paired together yesterday as Tiger could only manage a 75.

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