Glenn Taylor and David Hall were recently supervising a group of boy scouts during a trip to Goblin Valley State Park about 12 miles north of Hanksville, Utah. The Park is famous for its 170 million year-old hoodoo formations. These beautiful, unusual and counter-intuitive mushroom shape rock shapes which began to be formed in the Jurassic Period are slowly weathered from Entrada sandstone.
A video of Taylor pushing-over one of the hoodoos was posted on social media. The two men allege the formation was loose and thus presented a threat of injury or death to park visitors. The men face possible felony charges for the action. Most anyone who watches the video will doubt the sincerity of their claim.
A body language analysis of two not-so-obvious nonverbal tells during the brief news interviews is detailed below.
In the above video, David Hall displays the "Rationalization Rapport Empathy Expression" (during the 0:51 second mark and lasting slightly longer than a microexpression). Many novice body language students who see this may confuse it with an expression of contempt - and sometimes it may also resemble disgust and to some even it may even look like anger or even fear). Although the R2E2 may resemble these emotional expressions - it carries a radically different meaning.
The rationalization rapport empathy expression is displayed during conversations when the speaker is trying to seek rapport, is rationalizing and/or is trying to recruit the listener into co-rationalization (empathy recruitment) of their action, opinion, idea, etc.
A leaning forward with the head/neck and torso is commonly seen. Often there is also a touching of or reaching towards other person(s) being spoken to.
We all occasionally display the R2E2. Intriguingly, it is often co-exists with a quicker rate of speech as well as a higher pitched voice. It is also common to observe forced laughter.
These additional nonverbal gestures and paralanguage modifiers act as amplifiers of the emotions causing a R2E2.
When you observe the R2E2 nonverbal, you would be well-advised to ask yourself, why the person displaying this body language is not fully convinced of what they are saying? Or perhaps why they believe you need convincing of their opinion, action or idea? The rationalization rapport empathy expression can thus often be a signal of deception, insincerity (especially when used excessively) and/or they are trying too hard to sell you. Take heed.
In this instant (1:11) as he begins to say, "... we thought we were doing a good deed ...", Glenn Taylor is seen displaying an expression of fear which is seen in both his eyes and on his mouth. This particular fear face nonverbal is subtle and very evanescent.
What other nonverbal signals do you see in the above video?
See also:
Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2341: Angela Bassett Interview - Rationalization Rapport Empathy Expression R2E2, Body Language & "Olympus has Fallen"
Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2193: Keira Knightley interview re: "Anna Karenina" - Body Language of "R2E2" Facial Expression
Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1732: Rationalization, Rapport, Empathy Expression How Jewel got her name
Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1143: Santorum Video Analysis R2E2 and other Tells
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2488: Keri Russell's Body Language - She's Trying to Convince Us & Jimmy Kimmel
Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2278: Diane O'Meara (the "face" of Lennay Kekua) on the Mantei Te'o "Girlfriend Hoax"
Nonverbal Communication Analysis #2097: Mitt Romney's "No one's ever asked to see my birth certificate" defense - Body Language of Rationalization, Rapport and Empathy"
Below is a more full version of the original event.
Below is an image of the "Three Sisters" Hoodoo formation at Goblin Valley State Park
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