Friday, September 13, 2013

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2520:
Cristiano Ronaldo greets Gareth Bale at
First Training Day at Real Madrid,
Dominance, Team Captain and Body Language
(VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Cristiano Ronaldo, the recognized team captain of Real Madrid (paid €12 Million/year) welcomes the upstart and new teammate Gareth Bale (paid €18.6 Million/year). Note that the nuanced movements and configuration of the two men's right arms and hands. Ronaldo's arm approaches from a more alpha and elevated position (more dominant) while Bale's comes in from a lower angle (more beta and submissive).


Note: The original video has, since the original post, been removed from its online source. The images below however, were captured from this video.


Moreover Cristiano's fingers are open - also projecting confidence and Gareth's are closed - displaying his caution and guarded emotional tone.














Here we see Ronaldo pats Bale on his side (total of three pats). This is not affectionate - it is a dominance display. Victors display this "ownership" body language to those they defeat, Presidents use this same nonverbal behavior to members of their cabinets and captains also project their alpha behavior to the others (betas) on their team.

This is a false-affection nonverbal signal and more specifically it conveys ownership and dominance. This and other similar nonverbals will project patronizing and condescending attitudes - although recipient of such nonverbals of dominance/false affection rarely voice their dislike for this behavior. Ronaldo's body language is very much saying, "You may be good - but you're not as good as me - and don't you ever forget that I'm the captain of Real Madrid."



Here, one of Real Madrid's assistant managers, Paul Clement, exhibits a mirror imaged identical maneuver to Ronaldo's a few seconds earlier.

Clement does not need to remind Bale that he is an assistant manager. Bale of course already knows.







In this moment Luka Modrić displays three consecutive "Hair Adjusts Behind Ears" (aka HABE). This is seen primarily in women and men with longer hair (as has Modrić). It signals a "dialing up of alpha qualities". This lets us know that although a person may very well be primarily an alpha (yet it certainly holds for all varieties of dominance or submissiveness), these are times when the psyche feels the need to up-regulate dominant characteristics and become more assertive and aggressive. Luka's subconscious/edge-of-consciousness is saying to himself, "time to get down to business".

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Secret # 21: A Classic Emblem from Cristiano Ronaldo

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1834:  Chelsea FC vs. Bayern Munich and the G8

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2270:  David Moyes Post Match Interview, Everton's Manager's Botox & Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1927:  Italy's Fans watching Euro 2012 Final - Expressions of Fear

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2511:  Barack Obama & Vladimir Putin Handshake at 2013 G20 Meeting

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1889:  Vladimir Putin & Barack Obama at the 2012 G20

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1874:  Bad Handshake - Political Prevalence

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2379:  Bill Clinton's Speech at the George W. Bush Presidential Library Opening Body Language of Former and Current President


___________________________________________________________________________________