Sunday, November 8, 2015

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3367: Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live - Body Language Tells (VIDEO, PHOTOS)





Last night, amidst a good amount of controversy, Donald Trump was the guest host on Saturday Night Live.

As usual, Trump did not disappoint when it came to exampling classic nonverbal behavior. Many body language novices will claim that jaw juts are always indicative of anger. The key word here is "always" - for this is NOT the case. While it is very commonly associated with anger - there are certainly other emotional contexts where a jaw jut is seen depending on the other nonverbal signals with which it is clustered (Question: From a nonverbal standpoint, how do you know Trump is not anger in this video?)

The jaw jut is always associated with an emotional state which is far from baseline. When there is no anger, and the lower teeth are well exposed - there is virtually always an element of hubris-insincerity present - and this is exactly the scenario here.






















At 1:05 Trump continues his opening monologue, ".... People think I'm controversial, but the truth is I'm a nice guy [then at 1:09 a Jaw Jut with his baring of bottom teeth]. I don't hold grudges against anybody - like Rosie O'Donnell ..."

This is a highly reliable body language tell/cluster and Donald exemplifies it well - when anger is not present - and yet the jaw still juts forward simultaneously with significant lower teeth exposure - the following two emotions are both very likely present:
  • Insincerity
  • Hubris 






















See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3365: Carly Fiorina on "The View" - Destroying Likability and Lowering Charisma

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3051: Jim Harbaugh & 49ers Part Ways - Onward to Michigan

Nonverbal Communication Quiz No. 3120: Benjamin Netanyahu Speaking Before Joint Session of Congress

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2458:  The Pain in Spain Hurts Mainly in the Spleen  Running of the Bulls & Body Language in Pamplona

Nonverbal Communication Analysis 2759: Vladimir Putin, Annexation of Crimea and Mouth Asymmetry 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2724: Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan Twenty Years Later

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3263: Barack Obama on Jon Stewart's "The Daily Show" - The Sarcastic Bobble Body Language  

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3234: Whole Foods Market, Message to Customers, Damage Control and Body Language Faux Pas 


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