Friday, October 18, 2013

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2563: President Obama's Subtle Anger - Body Language of Government Shutdown & the Debt Ceiling (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Recognizing subtly expressed anger is a very valuable body language skill. President Obama is particularly adept at suppressing his negative emotions. His speech yesterday however exampled a great example of mild anger nonverbal signs.

Note: The original video has, since the original post, been removed from its online source. The images below however, were captured from this video. 

At 1:49 in the above video (still image at right) the Presidents eyes can be seen to open significantly over baseline. This is short-lived and only lasts about a second.

In addition we begin to see a foreshortening of his mouth and the initial stages of lip thinning - particularly his upper lip.

Moreover his "mustache area" shows significant tension along with dilation of his nostrils.






A second later at 1:50, his eyelids are beginning to return to baseline and further thinning of the President's lips is seen and his nasal flaring persists. 

All of these findings are highly consistent with a nonverbal cluster of anger.








See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2525:  President Obama's Anger in Response to Republicans'  Threat to Shut Down Government & Possibly Default on Debt  In Efforts to Appeal Obamacare

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2540: Rep. Darrell Issa 'Snaps' at Reporter - Was His Anger Real or Fake? Body Language and the Forward Lip Purse

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1859:  The Prince is Angry at the Queen's Jubilee

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1863:  Sharapova's Lips of Anger

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1858:  What the Eyes Do - Transitioning from Mild to Severe Anger

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1211:  Tiger's Eyes -  Subtle Signal, Severe Anger

Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1697:  George Zimmerman in Shackles -  How does this Alter His Body Language,  Testimony and Our Perception?

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