Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2872: Beyoncé Changes Lyrics of "Resentment", Calls Out Jay Z for Cheating - Body Language Tells (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Last Saturday (28 June 2014) in Cincinnati, Ohio during a concert appearance in her "On The Run" Tour, Beyoncé called out Jay Z for cheating. She changed the lyrics in her song, "Resentment" in two places - one of which is detailed below. She is of course a seasoned performer and can ad lib as well as anyone - yet she is still human. Ms. Knowles displayed significant nonverbal signals of anxiety about changing these lyrics - not due to any traditional performance anxiety - but because she knew she was now making her private life public.

Note: Since the original writing of this post, the source video has since been deleted from YouTube.

Beyoncé changed the line "I'll always remember feeling like I was no good / Like I couldn't do it for you like your mistress could" to "I'll always remember feeling like I was no good / Like I couldn't do it for you like that wack bitch could."



Here we see a "Hair Adjust Behind Ear" nonverbal as Beyoncé sings,
"... But I'm much too full of resentment ..." during 2:18 - 2:19












 2:26 - another hair adjust



















And once again (third time in 11 seconds and the only time during the song):

"I'll always remember feeling like I was no good [hair adjust behind ear with opposite arm at 2:30] Like I couldn't do it for you like that wack bitch could."

What is the significance of reaching across the face in this context?






Hair adjusting near and in back of the ears (HABE) is a common anxiety tell - yet more specifically it shows the anxiety within the context of "dialing up one's alpha". That is to say, when this nonverbal is displayed it clearly shows a person (more common in women than in men) is trying to be more assertive and gather a bit of courage to up-regulate their alpha qualities. It doesn't indicate that the person is a beta personality - simply they are momentarily trying to be more dominant. This is exactly what Beyoncé is doing here in telling the World of her husband's of infidelity.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2871: Kate Middleton, Andy Murray and Wimbledon - Body Language of Empathy-Fear

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2848: Iliza Shlesinger, Hair Adjust Behind Ear, Dialing Up Your Alpha & Comedy

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2177:  "I'm Tired of Bronco Bamma and Mitt Romney" -  We're all Abigael Evans  Dialing up her Alpha

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1411:  Dialing Up Her Alpha -  Dana Perino

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2702: Barack Obama - Anxiety and Non-engagement; Body Language Signals

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2493:  Jewel in Disguise at Karaoke Bar,  Body Language Cues to Lack of Nervousness  

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2831: "Walking Contest", Anxiety, Mirroring and False Intimacy 

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