Sunday, March 30, 2014

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2770: Oscar Pistorius and Contrasting Confidence Levels - Body Language (PHOTOS)
























The image above of Oscar Pistorius (L) and one member of his legal team he's speaking with was taken on court on Friday 28 March 2014. The Blade Runner's trial in Reeva Steenkamp's death (accidental vs. premeditated murder) has been delayed for ten days due to the sudden illness of a one of the judge's two assessors.

Note the attorney has his fingers and thumb splayed with the tips touching the top of the barrier while his palm is elevated. This body language is significant for an alpha and assertive emotional tone - ergo its name, "The Dominant Spider".

In contrast, the fist-like configuration (with thumb extended) which Mr. Pistorius is displaying is significant for a beta and a lower-confidence mindset.

Nonverbal signals should never be interpreted in isolation. Rather they must always be evaluated in the cluster-context of other body language simultaneously (or nearly so) being manifested. These contrasting hand signals are no exception to this principal and are highly congruent with the other nonverbals present here.

The body language of this single moment does not imply Mr. Pistorius's guilt or innocence.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2769: Smiling Out of Context in a Mass Shooter - T.J. Lane's Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2767: Barack Obama Meets Pope Francis - The Body Language "Being Beta"

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

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2644: Barry Hinson's Rant - (Southern Illinois Basketball Coach) Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2635: Raúl Castro and Barack Obama Shake Hands at Nelson Mandela's Memorial - Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2744: Oscar Pistorius, Reeva Steenkamp and Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2750: Oscar Pistorius, Reeva Steenkamp and Lies - Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2424:  Giada De Laurentiis on Conan O'Brien  Beautiful Teeth but Insincere Smiles and  Some Body Language Signals of Waning Love




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