Sunday, November 29, 2015

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3387: Daniel Radcliffe, James McAvoy, The Graham Norton Show and Body Language (VIDEO, PHOTOS)





Daniel Radcliffe and James McAvoy were guests recently on The Graham Norton Show. Talk shows (particularly ones like Norton's, where the questions tend to be more embarrassing) are fantastic forums in which to study body language - for although actors are paid to, in effect, lie to us (when they are acting) - when they are not "in character", they are equal to us non-actors when it comes to "leaking" their true thought-emotions - if you're knowledgeable of nonverbal nuance. 

Radcliffe is particularly mortal when it comes to telling us what he's really thinking-feeling. Below are discussed two very telling, yet often overlooked nonverbal signals.

Norton (beginning at 0:01): "We know, Daniel Radcliffe, you have a reputation for being lovely with fans, very sweet, you give your time, very, freely, to them. But, I read with interest, that you are starting to toughen up now - you're being a little more discerning, with your fans."

Radcliffe: "Ummm..."

[audience laughter as Radcliffe scratches his lower leg and slightly falsely adjusts his sock]

Norton: "Daniel?"

Radcliffe: "What do you mean? Wha -, what do you mean?"



Scratching at one's sock/lower leg is a general anxiety indicator. Despite being on camera and stage very often, Daniel Radcliffe's anxiety is significant.

Although he appears to pull up his sock at the very end of his scratch, this is not a true "false sock adjust" signal. When a man or boy (although occasionally a woman or girl) bends over and pulls-up one or both socks - it also indicates some level of anxiety - but more importantly the false sock adjust demonstrates an up-regulation of alpha qualities. The psyche is dialing down the beta while dialing-up the alpha characteristics. It's crucial to note that the false sock adjust (typically a pulling-up of the sock) has very little, if any scratching associated with it.


Beginning at 1:37, Norton continues: "But, but apparently, Rupert Grint is even worse than you."

Radcliffe: "Rupert - I don't know the details of this at all - but Rupert ended up at somebody's house one night - just from like, continuing to say, 'Yes' to things."


McAvoy's facial expression response is a classic one of incredulity. Note this is what occurred immediately after Radcliffe's statement regarding Rupert Grint. McAvoy's central forehead is contracted (CFC) along with his inner eyebrows being elevated. Of profound importance here is his mouth is displaying a partial (false) smile. This facial cluster is one of the classic expressions of disbelief (Do you know the others?). Depending on the additional nonverbals with which it is clustered, this expression can also indicate what other emotions?


See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3386: Lady Steals from KID! Black Friday 2015 - Body Language of Assault

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3328: PewDiePie on Stephen Colbert's Late Show - a Common Body Language Alpha Up-Regulator 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2914: François Hollande, Anxiety and Dialing up his Alpha

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3285: Donald Trump Dialing Up His Alpha - Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3256: Katie Holmes on Jimmy Fallon - Body Language Tells 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3046: Chris Pine Dials Up His Alpha - "Into the Woods"

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3294: Ana Ivanovic, Lip Biting, the U.S. Open and Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3282: Zac Efron Swam with a Wild Tiger Shark and Avoided an Attack by using Body Language

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