Scott Pruitt was recently confronted by Kristin Mink in a D.C. area restaurant. Ms. Mink is a sixth-grade teacher and mother. While holding her two-year-old son, she spoke briefly to the chief administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
What follows is a partial analysis of Scott Pruitt's nonverbal behavior.
Beginning at 0:00 Kristin Mink says to Scott Pruitt, “Hi. Ah, I just wanted to urge you to resign, um, for what you’re doing to the environment in our country. This is my son. He loves animals. He loves clean air. He loves clean water. Meanwhile, you’re slashing strong fuel standards for cars and trucks for the benefit of big corporations. Ah, you’ve been paying um, fifty bucks a night to stay in a D.C. condo that’s connected to an energy lobbying firm, while approving their dirty-sands pipeline. Um, we deserve to have somebody at the EPA who actually does protect our environment, somebody who believes in climate change and takes it seriously for the benefit of all of us, including our children. Um, so I would urge you to resign before your scandals push you out.”
During 0:07, just after Ms. Mink says, "... I just wanted to urge you to resign, um, for what you’re doing to the environment in our country...", Scott Pruitt displays a Tongue-in-Cheek nonverbal. In this context, a tongue-in-cheek sign is associated with smugness, arrogance, and the thought-emotions of "I won"/"I beat you"/"You just lost".
Please watch this video at regular and 1/2 speeds on a larger screen to more fully appreciate the dynamics of this behavior.
During 0:10, just after Kristin Mink says, "This is my son. He loves animals. He loves clean air.", Pruitt's mid-face takes on a display of Disgust. Note the momentary tightening of the area between his nose and upper lip (the mustache area) and the flaring of his right nostril (Because we can't fully view his left face from this angle, it's also possible that this expression is only present on his right side - and therefore is representative of Contempt).
Notice that Pruitt's right forehead muscles are contracted and elevated. Again, we cannot view his full left forehead, but if this dynamic is unilateral, it represents feelings of Disbelief/Incredulity (Because his center forehead muscles are not contracted, either this is indeed an incredulity tell [right side only] - or the EPA chief has undergone rather heavy Botox treatments of his mid-forehead).
During 0:17, we see Mr. Pruitt display a second, more overt, tongue-in-cheek display, just after Ms. Mink says, "... you’re slashing strong fuel standards for cars and trucks ...", This is representative of additional smugness, arrogance, and thought-emotions of "I won"/"I beat you"/"You just lost".
Simultaneously, Pruitt is also closing his eyes in a prolonged blink. This is a blocking behavior - his psyche is attempting to shut-out and distance himself from what he's witnessing/receiving.
At 0:25, just after Ms. Mink says, "... you’ve been paying um, fifty bucks a night to stay in a D.C. condo that’s connected to an energy lobbying firm ...", Scott Pruitt sits back, reorienting his torso farther from Kristin Mink in an additional attempt at distancing himself from her and the ramifications of her statements.
During 0:28 - 0:29, just after Ms. Mink says, "... while approving their dirty-sands pipeline ...", Scott Pruitt displays an amalgam of the emotions of Disgust, Bitterness, Regret, and Anger.
It's important to point out that, although the EPA Administrator's regret may be arising from several sources - the most obvious cause of Pruitt's regret in this moment is the fact that he's being confronted in public while being filmed.
After the 0:25 mark, Scott Pruitt covered his right hand with his left hand. In this context, this dynamic is symptomatic of his psyche trying to down-regulate his strong feelings. In addition, Pruitt's ring finger and middle finger can be seen repeatedly contracting and partially extending. His finger twitching is indicative of his anxiety and more specifically, his impatience for Ms. Mink to finish.
SUMMARY: EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt displayed smugness-arrogance, incredulity, disgust (and/or contempt), bitterness, regret, impatience, anxiety, and anger - while Kristin Mink confronted him in a D.C. area restaurant.
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