Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1517:
Signals of Acquiescence and Regret
Rick Santorum Drops Out





Rick Santorum suspended his campaign for the U.S. Republican Presidential nomination today. At the 0:06 - 0:07 mark-time in this video, Santorum displays a forward head and neck movement as he looks down that's moderate in frequency and amplitude (acquiescence). It has a twisting motion to it and it finishes-up with a forward-bounce component. There is also bilateral eyelid closure (emotional blocking-trying to wipe it from one's mind) occurring at the 0:07 second mark. Together with the asymmetrical (more pronounce on Santorum's right, so there's an element of contempt here as well), thinned-lipped, pulling back of the corners of his mouth (at the 0:10 mark) - constitutes a nonverbal cluster consistent with that of bitterness-regret-acquiescence. 




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