Today in the U.S. Capitol Building's Statuary Hall, John Boehner spoke at the unveiling of the statue of Rosa Parks. A portion of his speech is shown in the above video. At several times the Speaker of the House grew emotional. At multiple times the Congressman Ohio also displayed a classic nonverbal which often is seen prior to tearful episodes - the "Lateral Lip Displacement" (one of which is captured in the image below). This characteristic body language-facial expression is a signal of an effort to squelch the emotional display. The lips, most commonly the lower lip, will contract to one side (here Mr. Boehner's left) and protrude. This can also be seen with a "wrinkling" of the front side of the chin.
This Lateral Lip Displacement (with or without protrusion) may occur without tears, a reddened face (not blushing), facial or head touching (manipulators, adaptors, or pacifiers) or other more obvious signals associated with revealed. When the tempering down of emotions is successful, and tears do not fall, many will be left wondering what the expressions they just saw had meant.
See also:
Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2285: Emotional Processing during Crying - Body Language of Survivor of Brazilian Nightclub Fire
Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2229: President Obama and a Body Language Signal of Holding Back Grief, Tears & other Negative Emotions
Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2210: Body Language Signaling of an Attempt to Control Emotional Escalation & Display - The Inward Lip Roll
Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2177: "I'm Tired of Bronco Bamma and Mitt Romney" - We're all Abigael Evans - Dialing up her Alpha
Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2296: Penelope Soto Apologizes & Avoids 30 Days in Jail - Body Language Accompanying Sincere Tears & Apology
Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2276: Michelle Obama's Eye Roll .... What was she thinking? and What Did Boehner's & Barack's Body Language Say?
Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2254: John Boehner's Speech Today - One Major Body Language Improvement The U.S. Speaker of the House Should Make
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