Friday, January 17, 2014

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2684: Controversial Sex Ed Poster - A Concerned Parent and a Contemptuous School Official - Body Language Tells (VIDEO, PHOTOS)




The father (Mark Ellis) interviewed in the above news piece (via WDAF Kansas City, MO and CNN) is concerned about sex education and the material being used to teach his 13 year-old daughter. This post does not make any judgment whether he or the Shawnee Mission School District is in the right - rather it is put forth here as an example of body language exhibited surrounding an emotional issue in a professional setting. What follows is a partial analysis of the school district official who is also interviewed.




Here a Microexpression (at 0:19 and exampled several times) of contempt (on her left) is captured.

A partial bilateral eyelid closure in this cluster-context acts as a contempt amplifier









The school administer exhibited multiple examples (here at 0:23) of extended eyelid closure (aka prolonged blinks). This is a profound display of contempt. It transmits strong feelings of arrogance and is here enhanced by her simultaneous forehead contraction as well as her backwards head-neck tilt.

Indeed this image could act as a guide for a cartoon artist for a caricature of a condescending facial expression.






Displayed multiple times we see a jaw jut. This was not an example of "just the way her jaw moves when she speaks" - rather it is a nonverbal display of anger.




This image (0:28, with expression lasting 0:27 - 0:29) is similar to the first photo above (longer in duration though) however it has slightly more of a component of contempt as well as significant incredulity.









The verbal message is not congruent at all with her body language (And what did you detect with regard to her vocal quality?). Whenever the verbal and the nonverbal message are disparate - it is the nonverbal that is always correct. It is dumbfounding that most professionals are completely unaware of the messages they are transmitting. Such profound disconnects routinely create major misunderstandings, evoke tears, ruin careers, precipitate divorces and unfortunately even end lives. User beware.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2599: Spotting Subtle Signals of Arrogance - Tiger Woods and Rachel Nichols

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2289:  Sen. Lindsey Graham grills Chuck Hagel -  Body Language at Senate Confirmation Hearings

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2646: Does Barack Obama Want to Go to the Sochi (Russia) Winter Olympics? What His Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1890:  Eric Holder has (Emotional) Contempt toward Darrell Issa -  while Rep. Issa is Very Excited to be Seeking  "Contempt of Congress" against Holder

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2682: Sperm Donor Switch and a Body Language Example of ...

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2683: Alice Eve, Craig Ferguson, Kierkegaard and Free Will, Body Language Tells

Negotiation Body Language Secret # 457:  A Contempt Amplifier - Salman Rushdie

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