Body Language Analysis No. 4391: Donald Trump, Buzz Aldrin, and Variations on the 'Side-Eye' - Nonverbal and Emotional Intelligence (PHOTO)

We don't look directly at those individuals whom we don't like, we don't believe, and/or don't respect. A subset of this phenomenon is that sometimes we don't look directly at another person so as to avoid escalation of our own temper - in order to avoid emotional confrontation.

While we all, as human beings, are occasionally vulnerable to the weakness of losing our temper, those with greater emotional intelligence will, by definition, also have greater self-awareness. We recognize these chinks in our armor and take the necessary measures before any negative escalation.

Some people instinctively know (at a subconscious or edge-of-consciousness level) that on some occasions - when our own impulse control is faltering - we become momentarily vulnerable. And, at these times, if we look directly at a person who we don't like, don't believe, and/or don't respect - our own negative emotions may very well crescendo beyond our control. In short, variations on the 'Side Eye' sometimes serve as techniques we use to control our own temper.

Astronauts, in large measure, are chosen because of their superior emotional intelligence. They're not average. They're certainly not emotionally labile. They have 'The Right Stuff'. They have learned to recognize as well as self-regulate their emotions.

The first time I heard the adjective, 'unflappable', it was a description of Neil Armstrong. Armstrong was always cool during emergencies. Fifty years ago today, after an unexpected boulder field necessitated a last-minute course correction, Neil Armstrong landed the Lunar Module on the Earth's Moon with only 17 seconds of fuel to spare. May we all seek to have this same grace under pressure.

Thank you, Neil, Buzz, and Michael - for what you did long ago.

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See also:

Body Language Analysis No. 4390: Mike Pence visits 'Detention Center' in McAllen, Texas

Body Language Analysis No. 4389: Jeffrey Epstein's Default Expression

Body Language Analysis No. 4388: Donald Trump regarding Drowned Father and Daughter in the Rio Grande

Body Language Analysis No. 4387: Donald Trump Welcomes Foreign Interference in US Elections

Body Language Analysis No. 4386: Donald Trump and Ivanka Trump in Churchill's War Room

Body Language Analysis No. 4385: William Barr Testimony - Part II - Senate Judiciary Committee - 1 May 2019

Body Language Analysis No. 4380: Tiger Woods Wins his first Masters in 14 years

Body Language Analysis No. 4360: GE's CEO Larry Culp's CNBC Interview and Subsequent Stock Sell-off

Body Language Analysis No. 4343: Idris Elba, Kate Winslet, Anxiety, and Empathy

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2890: Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins and Barack Obama - Alpha and Beta (PHOTOS)

Tomorrow is the 45th Anniversary of the first manned Moon landing. In this picture taken five years ago Apollo 11's crew from left to right is Buzz Aldrin (the second man to walk on the Moon), Michael Collins (who orbited the Moon in the command module while his fellow explorers were on the moon's surface), Neil Armstrong (the first man to walk on the Moon) are standing next to Barack Obama (the 44th President of the United States). Cut off in this image is the very bottom of a portrait of George Washington.

Note the position of each man's hands. From a body language perspective, the two men who walked on the moon - Neil and Buzz - show the highest level of confidence with their hands at their sides (most alpha). Michael Collins who did not walk on the moon has his left hand in his pocket - projecting a bit less confidence. President Obama who was just shy of eight years old when this historic event occurred is humbled to be in the presence of men who just aren't famous - but historic. Thus Mr. Obama has his hands configured in what is known as a "fig-leaf" or "genital guarding". Here this beta nonverbal signal is in deference to the living legends who are in his company.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1563:  Geithner and Holder  In Deference to the President -  One Occasion to Use the Fig Leaf

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

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2633: Abigail Hernandez, Missing N.H. 15 year old, Body Language Clues

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2829: Respect, Funerals, Memorials and Alpha vs. Beta - Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2843: Barack Obama & Vladimir Putin in Normandy - Body Language Tells 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2801: Adam Silver Bans Donald Sterling for Life - Alpha Body Language Tell

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2061:  David Cameron Defends London Olympics against  Mitt Romney's Remarks -  Alpha Dominance and Illustrators -  Matching Hands and Feet as Sincerity Amplifiers

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