Saturday, April 26, 2014

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2798: Donald Sterling, Prejudice and Body Language of Contempt (PHOTOS, VIDEO, AUDIO)




Donald Sterling, the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, was allegedly (voice yet to be definitively proven his) recently recorded in a conversation with his then girlfriend (V. Stiviano) making multiple prejudice statements (you can listen here to the recording).

Here are some of the comments that Sterling is alleged to have made:

"... It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with black people. Do you have to?..."

"... You can sleep with [black people]. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want.  The little I ask you is not to promote it on that ... and not to bring them to my games...."

"... I’m just saying, in your lousy f***k*** Instagrams, you don’t have to have yourself with, walking with black people...."

"... Don't put him [Magic Johnson] on an Instagram for the world to have to see so they have to call me.  And don't bring him to my games...."

In the image above, the NBA owner can be seen displaying a relatively subtle (e.g. 2.5 out of 10) display of contempt. This is often erroneously interpreted by many as a subtle and/or partially suppressed smile. It is not a smile. Contempt is a very specific emotion - occurring when a someone places another person or group of people beneath them and unworthy of consideration. Can you make the distinction between subtle (or moderate) contempt and a partial/suppressed smile? - Consistently? - And in real time?

Note also that Mr. Sterling's right forehead is contracted, while is left side is not. While this configuration is indicative of incredulity (which would be a common co-existing emotion with contempt) - a review of other images suggests that this is somewhat longstanding and is consistent with a peripheral cranial nerve VII palsy (facial nerve), (one common subtype is Bell's Palsy). Knowledge of this is of great import - lest one misinterprets his emotion-thought.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1890:  Eric Holder has (Emotional) Contempt toward Darrell Issa -  while Rep. Issa is Very Excited to be Seeking  "Contempt of Congress" against Holder

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2559: John Boehner's Body Language - Microexpression of Contempt vs. Facial Tic

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2312:  Bruce Willis' Body Language -  Contempt vs. Suppressed Smile vs.  Pseudo Smile vs. Sincere Smile

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2228:  Jay Carney's Body Language -  Contempt disguised as a Sniff ....  for Republicans' Solutions to the Fiscal Cliff

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2350:  Contempt - both dramatic and subtle -  Backpedaling and Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2765: Obama, Romney, Russia and Facial Asymmetry - Contempt at The Hague 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2797: Michelle Obama, a Ten Year Old Girl and a Résumé - Body Language of ....

Shaquille O'Neal's and Charles Barkley's response can be heard below.



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