Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2477: Ariel Castro, "I am not a monster", Trying to Convince the Us ....Body Language of a Psychopath (Video, Photo)

Today Ariel Castro was sentenced to life in prison plus 1000 years. In the above video this kidnapper of Amanda Berry, Georgina "Gina" DeJesus and Michelle Knight - exemplifies the nonverbal signal of the Rationalization Rapport Empathy Expression (aka R2E2) several times. One of the most noticeable of these is seen during the 0:41- 0:45 segment, as Castro says, " ... What I'm trying to get at these people are tryng to paint as a monster and I'm not a monster ..." Many who see this will confuse it with the emotional display of contempt - and often it can look like disgust as well. Although it does indeed resemble both - its meaning is radically different.

The R2E2 is a nonverbal display seen during conversation when a speaker is attempting to rationalize, is seeking rapport and/or is trying to recruit the listener into co-rationalization (empathy recruitment, e.g. trying to get the listener to be a co-conspirator in their rationalization) of their idea, opinion, action, etc.  This video shows many examples of R2E2. Ariel Castro wants the judge, the victims, their families and the public's empathy as well as them to co-rationalize with his pathology.

We all display the R2E2 - not only psychopaths like Ariel Castro. This body language-facial expression is often is accompanied by faster and higher pitch speech. Forced (feigned) laughter is also commonly seen. Additionally a leaning forward and a touching or reaching towards those being spoken to is often seen. These additional paralanguage modifiers and nonverbal behaviors serve as amplifiers of the emotion at the source of the R2E2.

Whenever you see the R2E2 nonverbal, it should raise a red flag. Ask yourself why another's psyche would not feel fully convinced of the words they're speaking - or why they believe you may not be fully convinced of their opinion, actions or plans. It can very well be a sign of either insincerity (particularly when used excessively) and/or they are trying too hard to sell you some thing or some idea.

When you see the Rationalization Rapport Empathy Expression, be cautious.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2393:  Cleveland Kidnapper Ariel Castro's daughter Angie Gregg -  Body Language of Sincere Emotional Pain & Empathy  (Video, Photos)

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2396:  Ariel Castro Caught on Dash-Cam in a Traffic Stop in 2008 -  Body Language of Self-Disgust, Anxiety &  Emotional Dissonance  (Video, Photos)

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2394:  Three Brothers from Cleveland  Onil, Pedro and Ariel Castro -  Kidnapping, Innocence, Guilt & Body Language  (Video, Photos)

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2390:  Charles Ramsey Interview & Cleveland Kidnappings -  Sarcastic Disbelief, Disgust and Exclamation (Video, Photo)

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2313:  Elisa Lam Video in Elevator at Cecil Hotel -  What Her Body Language Tells Us ...

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2259:  Game Show Killer Rodney Alcala Gets Two More Sentences - His Body Language Warning Signs

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2231:  A Common Facial Expression of Mass Killers - Using Body Language as a Threat Assessment Tool

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2396: Ariel Castro Caught on Dash-Cam in a Traffic Stop in 2008 - Body Language of Self-Disgust, Anxiety & Emotional Dissonance (Video) (Photos)

Above is an excerpt of a video from a police officer's dash-cam taken when Ariel Castro was pulled over in June of 2008. Below are some interesting nonverbal tells.

Here Ariel Castro shuffles sideways towards the police officer. He doesn't want to face the officer. Castro wants to get out of there, but he can't. His feet (and his psyche) are in emotional dissonance.

This is particularly suspicious.

In this image, Castro's hands are in fingers forward (thumbs backwards) arms akimbo configuration. This is most often an alpha nonverbal, however when the head & neck are flexed forward, it is either a body language signal of fatigue (e.g. Used by athletes at end of sporting events) or as it is in this example - indicative of self-disgust.

Castro is very much scolding himself here.

Here Ariel Castro's arms are in a variation of the "Fig Leaf" formation - indicating a beta, demure, low confidence emotional tone. And while in other contexts it shows respect (e.g. funerals, ceremonies, religious events, etc.) here the grabbing of his wrist indicates a particularly heightened fear to his anxiety (as opposed to the more typical loose hand-in-hand display).

An unusual place to groom oneself, while at a gas pump, in public, at a gas pump and waiting on a police officer with a possible arrest (with three women and a little girl locked up in his house), this out-of-context self-preening is strongly consistent with heightened anxiety.

Mr. Castro shows us additional anxiety with more grooming/self-preening with a pulling up of his pants and a front & back shirt adjust in this image.










What other body language tells do you see in this interview?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2259:  Game Show Killer Rodney Alcala Gets Two More Sentences - His Body Language Warning Signs

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2374:  Tom Cruise on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and Body Language of Emotional Dissonance

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1808: Time Magazine's  Breast Feeding, Dr. William Sears, and Attachment Parenting Controversy - Shows Emotional Dissonance at Best

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2271:  Golden Globe Awards - Best Original Song Adele & Taylor Swift - both Nominated, One Winner - One Body Language of Sincerity & Another of Contempt then a Suppressed Smile

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2394:  Three Brothers from Cleveland  Onil, Pedro and Ariel Castro -  Kidnapping, Innocence, Guilt & Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2393:  Cleveland Kidnapper Ariel Castro's daughter Angie Gregg -  Body Language of Sincere Emotional Pain & Empathy

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2390:  Charles Ramsey Interview & Cleveland Kidnappings -  Sarcastic Disbelief, Disgust and Exclamation

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2231:  A Common Facial Expression of Mass Killers - Using Body Language as a Threat Assessment Tool
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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2394: Three Brothers from Cleveland Onil, Pedro and Ariel Castro - Kidnapping, Innocence, Guilt & Body Language (Video) (Photos)

Although initially all three Castro brothers were taken into custody (from left to right on the image above, Onil Castro, Pedro Castro and Ariel Castro), Onil and Pedro have been released and at the time of this writing charges have been filed only to Ariel.

This photo reveals a wealth of nonverbal information. Both Onil and Pedro have their head & neck tilted slightly back, which can indicate either arrogance, anger, pride and determination. Their eyes are opened in a normal resting state. Both also have their jaws slightly jutted out (forward) as well - a highly reliable anger display. Onil's upper lip and "mustache area" are tightened in another definitive nonverbal tell of anger. If you look at each of their left eyebrows' - they are raised in indications of disbelief. Their necks, upper chests and garments are open - and style aside, is a body language display of their relative confidence and lack of clandestine tendencies. Both of their shoulders, particularly Pedro's are squared and pulled backwards - more confident, alpha & innocent behavior.

Compared to his brothers, Ariel Castro is a nonverbal study in contrast. His head and neck are bent forward with his closed eyes directed downwards. His mouth is covered with the same clothing that cloaks his upper chest & neck. No one doubts the malicious allegations against him - and neither does he. Ariel's neck is foreshortened - like a turtle trying to escape into his shell. His shoulders are hunched up, forward and rounded. His closed, covered and foreshortened neck, closed eyes and forward flexed head & neck are a highly reliable cluster of shame, guilt and psychological blocking. It's not only that he does not want to be recognized - but most importantly his psyche is trying to wipe his mind clean. His intellectual brain knows what is transpiring - however his emotional brain is trying to process the recent events and it cannot - it's playing catch up.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2307:  Oscar Pistorius in Court, Body Language and the  Bilateral Eye Cover

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2055:  Three Wise Monkeys - Hear no evil, See no evil, Speak no evil - Body Language Interpretation vs. Traditional Symbolism

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2122:  Eyes White and Wide -  Three Body Language Examples with  Two Different Emotional Causes

Negotiation Body Language Secret # 385:  Lack of Eye Contact in the Context of Guilt

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1711:  Charles Taylor, Sierra Leone, Blood Diamonds  and the Double Shhh! Sign

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2313:  Elisa Lam Video in Elevator at Cecil Hotel -  What Her Body Language Tells Us ....  

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2393:  Cleveland Kidnapper Ariel Castro's daughter Angie Gregg -  Body Language of Sincere Emotional Pain & Empathy

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2390:  Charles Ramsey Interview & Cleveland Kidnappings -  Sarcastic Disbelief, Disgust and Exclamation

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2393: Cleveland Kidnapper Ariel Castro's daughter Angie Gregg - Body Language of Sincere Emotional Pain & Empathy (Video) (Photos)

Throughout this entire interview Angie Gregg, the daughter of Cleveland Kidnapper Ariel Castro, exhibits a central forehead contraction (CFC). For the duration her mouth displayed either a neutral mouth or one of sadness. When the central forehead is contracted without a mouth smile (even a subtle one, e.g. partial or social smile) the person exhibiting it is most probably feeling physical or emotional pain - either being directly experienced or secondarily via empathy for another person(s) or other living thing(s). In such cases the mouth almost always takes on morphology consistent with pain, fear, sadness or combinations thereof. Here Ms. Gregg is in tremendous emotional pain - for herself, her family and Michelle Knight, Georgina "Gina" DeJesus and Amanda Berry - as well as Berry's daughter, who were kidnapped, beaten, chained, sexually assaulted and held captive for nine to eleven years.

Ms. Gregg nonverbal signals demonstrate that she is going through a tremendous amount of sincere, direct and indirect emotional pain. 

Whenever you see another person's central forehead contracted (with the sides of the forehead relaxed) in the absence of even a subtle smile (very important), ask yourself the following questions: Is there physical pain being experienced? Is there emotional pain of any type here (emotional or direct)? If the answer to either of these questions is yes - then the nonverbals are in context, congruent and expected. However, if the answer is a confident no, then they are probably trying to project false empathy. Such a body language-facial expression is a very common manifestation of insincerity. And if a CFC is seen in the presence of even a subtle smile - it signals insincerity, incredulity, arrogance or worse. Red flag time - stay away. If a CFC is seen chronically (and it is usually seen with a subtle smile) there is a high likelihood of narcissistic personality disorder or sociopathic behavior. 

What are some other body language signals of sincerity? Insincerity?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2377:  Coachella 2013 & Lie Witness News - Hilarious and a Valuable Body Language Lesson

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2310:  Oscar Pistorius' Body Language in Court - Part II, Central Forehead Contraction, Frown & Pupil Dilation ...

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2259:  Game Show Killer Rodney Alcala Gets Two More Sentences - His Body Language Warning Signs

Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1439:  Central Forehead Contraction & Inward Lip Roll, Devon Davis & April Davis

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2115:  Prince Harry in Afghanistan - Incredulity & Contempt

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2171:  Charlie Bit My Finger!  One Body Language Signal Always Seen With Significant Pain

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2335:  Ted Cruz & Dianne Feinstein - Gun Control, Body Language and Condescending Signals

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