Saturday, January 2, 2016

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3423: Australia's Got Talent Promo - Body Language (VIDEO, PHOTOS)





The above video was released a few days ago as a promo for the 2016 Australia's Got Talent. A very obvious and essentially self-deprecating element of this video is the differential lighting - as well as the disparate facial expressions of this man-boy vs. the others in the superimposed "background". While his face is certainly expressive (à la Jim Carey), it provides for us a useful nonverbal communication exercise - is he sincere?


This moment (0:14) shows his eyelids very widely opened, his forehead relaxed, and his jaw partially opened (with minimal tension). Note also there are no teeth visible.

The emotion captured here is that of a "slack-jawed" emotional shock. Similar to, yet distinct from that of surprise. Emotional shock is significant for a disparity between that which is seen, heard and/or understood by the intellectual brain - however not yet fully processed by the emotional brain. If this was all we saw, it would be a good conclusion that, if acting, he performed this with skillful body language.






This moment was captured at a second later (during 0:15).

Note his eyebrows are pulled down and medially (inward) and while his eyes are opened widely, there is significantly increased tension of his lower eyelids compared with the image above.

His mouth is opened very widely. This is not consistent with a mouth in a state of pure surprise - for there is tension in the lips and the lower teeth are barred. With sincere surprise, the lips are loose and the teeth are rarely visible. Sometimes when surprise is rapidly waning and fear (or occasionally anger) is in a crescendoing dynamic - the teeth will be exposed.



At 0:16, the eyebrows have elevated dramatically once again - and the eyelids are also opened very wide - while his mouth is essentially unchanged compared with that of above.




In conclusion, from a nonverbal exercise (critique) standpoint we can say definitively that this is an actor or a person in a state of melodrama (which is also a form of acting of course - both to others and often to oneself). The second image in particular is a facial-montage which is very rarely seen in a sincere, real-world setting. The mouth also should have changed (along with the eyes) from the second to the third image-moments. When taken in toto, the considerable incongruity indicates acting/insincerity/melodrama (which is probably deliberately intended on the part of the promoters as a way of [at least in part] poking fun at themselves).


See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3422: unplanned pregnancy : Deaf husband finds out wife is pregnant - Body Language and Emotional Shock

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3416: LeBron James Catches a Golden State Fan "calling" him a Cry Baby - Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3414: Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth and Affection 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3411: Donald Trump's Vulgarity, "Schlonged" and Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3409: Debbie Wasserman Schultz's Reaction to Bernie Sander's Criticism of the DNC 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3407: GOP Debate, the National Anthem and Shades of Napoleon 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2969: Maggie Q, David Letterman, Empathy and Sincerity Quotients 

Nonverbal Communication Quiz-Analysis No. 2967: George Clooney & Amal Alamuddin Wed in Venice - All The World's a Stage - Sincerity level of Smiles

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