Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2509:
Syria's U.N. Ambassador Bashar Al'Afari Defends al Assad
Body Language of Insincerity, Contempt and ...
(VIDEO, PHOTO)





While the World waits to see how the U.S. will retaliate for Syria's use of chemical weapons - others speculate. In the above video, Christiane Amanpour interviews Bashar Al'Afari - the Syrian Ambassador to the U.N.


Throughout most of this interview, Mr. Al'Afari speaks with his mouth in a significantly asymmetrical configuration - nearly all out of the right side of his mouth.

Such mouth asymmetry is highly significant for insincerity. Another emotion that should come to mind when a person speaks out of one side of their mouth is contempt - which Mr. Al'Afari also displays extensively throughout this (and other) interviews.

In this image, the upward movement of his right upper lip, right "mustache area" (even if there is no mustache present) and right nostril dilation/flaring. It look a bit like mild snarl. This particular example of facial expression signifies contempt and is captured during a moment when Al'Afari is denying the Syrian government's use of chemical weapons.

While some people constantly speak out of one side of their mouth, it is unusual to relatively rare. When a person does so - with or without the additional presence of contempt - one possibility that should be strongly considered is that they are in that moment insincere. If this display is chronic then it becomes a sign of their over-all personality.

There are other emotions that can be signaled with the short-term use of asymmetrical mouth speaking. Can you name some?

See also:

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1033:  A Sure Signal of Insincerity or Contempt

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2356:  Michelle Obama's "as a Busy Single Mother" comment -  What her Body Language Tells Us

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2475:  Anthony Weiner & Huma Abedin Part IV - More Sexting Will Surface

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2275:  Lance Armstrong's Insincerity -  Body Language revealed in Oprah Winfrey Interview  Part III

Negotiation Secret # 111: A Sure Red Flag of Insincerity

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1912:  Ann Curry's Tearful Goodbye  Matt Lauer's Insincerity

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2227:  Sincerity and Insincerity regarding  Suicide Death of Jacintha Saldanha

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