Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3214: Chris Pratt, Jurassic World, Bad Acting and a Body Language Red Flag (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

A sure sign of a poor actor is one who over-uses his/her forehead. This is true whether they are using the entire forehead or seen in the context of a central forehead contraction (usually elevated, aka an "Elevated CFC"). The central forehead contraction is often clustered with some semblance of a mouth smile. Such "smiles" are false smiles though - and thus never sincere.

This CFC-pseudo mouth smile combination is often seen very commonly displayed by news reporters, attorneys, sales professionals, politicians, etc. - and other professions where there is low-to-medium quality acting. Said another way, these other professions require a degree and frequency of pretending one thing when another is felt - yet Daniel Day Lewis or Meryl Streep they are not.

Good actors and sincere people don't over-use their forehead muscles - and when they are contracted, the CFC seen in concert with congruent verbal and paralanguage.

Another setting where the forehead muscles are over-used is within the context of sociopathic behavior. These individuals are also chronically insincere. In fact - chronic insincerity is one of the cornerstones of a sociopath (What are its other key characteristics). Sociopaths are usually modest actors - but rarely great.

Below are three images from Jurassic World - a film which premiered in North American theaters today. One of these photos is captured from the video/trailer above. Chris Pratt dramatically over uses his forehead. He relies on his looks to carry his roles. His acting is sophomoric.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3212: LeBron James stealing ball from Stephen Curry - then pointing at his Temple

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2627: Ron Burgundy in a Real News Cast - Will Ferrell's Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2989: Jessica Chastain, "Interstellar", David Letterman and a Partial Emblematic Slip

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2268:  Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Kathryn Bigelow & Jessica Chastain - Body Language at the 2013 Golden Globe Awards

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3133: The Red Flag of Robert Durst's Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2863: Gary Oldman's Apology on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" - Sincere or Insincere? - Body Language Tells

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2140: Joran van der Sloot's going to be a father - Body Language Signs of Chronic Insincerity

It (almost) goes without saying that, chronic insincerity is to be strongly avoided - yet can we spot it when it is staring us in the face? If these people were so easy to see, then there would be no Bernie Madoffs or Jeffrey Skillings ... or Joran van der Sloots. Van der Sloot is of course infamous first for the alleged murder of Natalee Holloway and later for pleading guilty to the Murder of Stephany Flores. He currently is serving a 28 year sentence in Peru for killing Flores. It was announced today that he's going to become a father.

Forehead muscular contraction, particularly contraction of the central forehead (CFC) in the presence of a mouth "social" smile (note this is only a "social smile" not a sincere smile - thus of course there is no eyelid/eye component) is a powerful nonverbal warning and should always send up a big red flag. Everyone occasionally projects this body language/facial expression - it's those who display it chronically that we should strongly avoid.

Central Forehead Contraction is a nonverbal seen when there is physical or emotional pain - either for oneself or felt for another person(s) or animal(s) via empathy. However in this context the CFC should always accompanied by a congruent mouth expression - of pain, fear or sadness. When a CFC is displayed along with a smile, however insincere, partial or subtle - it is insincere. In some contexts it is also seen as a body language signal of incredulity and/or arrogance. In a fantastic example of a display of emotional dissonance, the conscious mind is trying to project empathy where none exists. The subconscious mind thus "leaks" out their true emotions - and a warning.

Take home point: Those who display a chronic central forehead contraction in the presence of even a subtle mouth smile are to be avoided - for chronic insincerity equals sociopath behavior.

See also:

Nonverbal Analysis # 1915: Mitt Romney's Response to Supreme Court's Decision on "Obamacare"

Nonverbal Analysis # 1439: Central Forehead Contraction & Inward Lip Roll - Devon Davis & April Davis

Nonverbal Analysis # 2124: This Body Language-Facial Display Should always make you suspect "Insincere"

Nonverbal Analysis # 1570: Shiva, a Signal of Empathy and the Subcontinent

Nonverbal Analysis # 2056: Aurora, Colorado Mass Shooting - Similarities in Body Language with other Mass Killers


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Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1213: The Chronically Contracted Forehead

Do you remember when you were in third grade and you felt you had to put three or more exclamation marks at the end of each sentence in order to fully convey its meaning? Well - the person who has a chronically contracted forehead (not wrinkles, but active contraction of the forehead musculature) is nonverbally expressing the same quality. Certainly there are many times where contraction of the forehead is needed to express an emotion (e.g. the entire width of forehead during surprise and incredulity - and the central forehead for physical pain, emotional pain and empathy to site just a few examples). But if someone feels the need (subconsciously) to near-constantly contract their forehead musculature - there are strong elements of insincerity present (e.g. The entire forehead should always be relaxed during a sincere, joy-happiness smile). It's a body language signal of over-compensatory behavior. 

Red Flag time.

See also: Secret # 1261: True Surprise - Rarely Captured

See also: Secret # 67: Incredulous Cluster

See also: Secret # 1236: Kofi Annan Does Not Believe 

See also: Secret # 355: A Signal of Physical Pain

See also: Secret # 617: Ginger White and Herman Cain

See also: Secret # 1003: Obama's Dropped Jaw Smile

See also: Secret # 1010: What Makes the Twinkle in Her Eye?

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Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1163: The Importance of "Norming" in the Evaluation of Body Language

Ma Ying-jeou, the President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) examples for us a basic and important premise in the science and art of Body Language - that of "Norming" - or in other words, establishing a baseline behavior. One reliable signal of insincerity is speaking out of the side of the mouth, however when people do it continuously (which is relatively unusual or even rare) - it is part of their normal, everyday behavior - part of their baseline personality. It also has similarity to an expression of contempt and may also be a metric of anxiety - depending on the other nonverbals with which it is clustered. Thus, it would be inaccurate to use this particular tell as an "insincerity, lie or contempt detector". Of course, such an individual may still be insincere, lying or contemptuous, but we just cannot use this signal to detect these acts in these people.

Ma Ying-jeou speaks out of the right side of his mouth so often, this is undoubtedly part of his normal baseline behavior.

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Negotiation Body Language Secret # 882: Bashar al-Assad's Chronic Insincerity

Bashar al-Assad, the President of Syria, displays in this video a great nonverbal example of insincerity. Whenever the central forehead muscle is contracted (furrowed) - two sincere emotions should immediately spring to mind: physical pain and emotional pain. These emotions may be either directly experienced or felt indirectly via empathy. In these cases there should also always be displayed the corresponding and congruent nonverbals of the mouth for sadness, pain or even fear. In other words, a forehead that is expressing sadness, pain or empathy for others should have a mouth that matches these emotions. But if an emotionally neutral mouth or smile occurs with the central forehead contraction  (even a subtle or very brief smile) this is incongruent with pain-sadness-fear empathy or physical/emotional pain. Al-Assad displays this particular facial incongruity throughout this video and many others.

Beware of those who are often or continuously insincere - particularly when they are "significant others", employers, business partners, "leaders" or .... heads-of-state.

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