The first round of the French Presidential Elections will be held on Sunday 23 April. If no candidate should win a majority, a run-off election between the top two candidates will be held on 7 May 2017. Marine Le Pen is the leader of the National Front (FN) and is one of the favorites.
As with many people - politicians in particular, Le Pen's persona changes quite profoundly when she speaks in front of an audience (even a small one). When this occurs, the speaker is usually very unaware of just the dramatic nature of this phenomenon (or even that it exists at all).
Le Pen tends to default, rather frequently, into anger. Note that in all three of these images, her mid-face (the area below her nose and above her upper lip) is under considerable tension. Her upper lip is horizontally very stretched and thinned-out.
Also quite prominent is her forward jaw jutting - a configuration strongly correlated with high adrenaline states (which is elevated true during anger).
Another pattern in all three photos is seen with Le Pen's nostrils. These are flared - especially those in the first and third images. This is also associated with the emotion of anger.
When only (or primarily) the lower teeth are visible, it projects anger and often feels threatening. Le Pen's speaking style follows this pattern quite regularly. It's almost as if she's a character actor trying to "jump start" herself into an emotional state of aggression and anger (or even at times rage).
Now try this exercise:
- Bare only your lower teeth
- Jut your jaw forward
- Tighten the area between your upper lip and nose
- Flare your nostrils
The mere act of adopting this nonverbal facial cluster will increase both your adrenaline and your cortisol - and make you angry. By facially-defaulting in such a manner during her speeches, Le Pen increases her energy, her aggression - and her anger.
Conversely, if a person has difficulty with ‘Anger Management’ (Impulse Control Disorder), becoming more aware of muscle tension in these facial structures (and other parts of the body) — and thus relaxing these areas, will go a long way to curtailing crescendos of anger.
See also:
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3915: Donald Trump Greets Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3912: Keri Russell's Schadenfreude, Matthew Rhys' Fear, and a Hesitancy to Disclose
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3910: Donald Trump, Mar-a-Lago, Easter Weekend - Disparate Conscious vs. Unconscious Body Language
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3908: Kim Jong-un's Mask of Insincerity
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3887: Why Does Donald Trump Point at People So Often?
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3835: Beauty and the Beast – Official Final Trailer
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3750: Bill's Reaction to Hillary Clinton's Concession Speech
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3676: Colin Kaepernick Says He Be Sitting Down During the National Anthem
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