Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2673: New Jersey Bridge Closing - Fort Lee, NJ Mayor Mark Sokolich - What His Body Language Says about His Feelings towards Governor Chris Christie (VIDEO, PHOTOS)





Lane closures on the George Washington Bridge (the busiest span in the Nation) - and which were initially blamed on a botched traffic study - have been shown to be Deliberate. Members of Governor Chris Christie's administration - or as some have implied the New Jersey Governor himself (though he has denied this) were apparently seeking revenge against Mayor (of Fort Lee, N.J.) Mark Sokolich, a Democratic, for not endorsing Christie in his re-election.


Early within the above video interview by CNN's Wolf Blitzer, Mayor Sokolich can be seen exampling a key cluster of nonverbals.

This image was captured at the 0:15 mark as Blitzer mentions Chris Christie being a possible 2016 Presidential Candidate. Mr. Sokolich's jaw is clenched - a clear signal of anger.

The Mayor's lips are also stretched very thin - another highly reliable anger sign. In addition, they are also rolling inward (a partial "Inward Lip Roll aka ILR) - yet due to his clenched jaw they have nowhere to go  (The ILR is a manifestation of the psyche attempting emotional suppression - usually negative, but sometimes positive emotions). This dynamic results in a "bunching up" of the tissue just below his lower lip, above his upper lip and to the sides (peri-lip bulges) - all of which are clearly seen in this moment. This action also creates a secondary, evanescent dimpling of the chin. Flaring of Mayor Sokolich's nostrils are also manifested here as his entire lower face is in high tension. There is also a strong component of bitterness in this facial expression.

As is typical, this video has truck-loads of body language only a small fraction discussed here. What other nonverbal tells do you see?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2476:  Scandal, Perception and The Bitter "Smile"  Weiner, Spitzer and Sanford

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1177:  Mitt Romney - The Bitter Smile

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2371:  Barack Obama & Anger in the Rose Garden -  POTUS's Body Language & the Gun Laws

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2374:  Tom Cruise on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and Body Language of Emotional Dissonance

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2576: Chris Brown's Body Language - a Signal of Psyche's Suppressing Emotions ... and Anger and ...

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2652: Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon on Saturday Night Live - Trying to Suppress the Laughter

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2672: Dennis Rodman, Kim Jong Un and the Finger-Point Hand-Chop, Body Language from North Korea 

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