Body Language Analysis No. 4314: Donald Trump, The Supreme Court, Abortion, and Punishment - Nonverbal and Emotional Intelligence (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

In the light of Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy's announcement of his retirement from the Supreme Court, the interview included here is profoundly important. In March 2016, Chris Matthews spoke with then-candidate Trump in a town hall type setting. One of the questions Mr. Matthews pressed Mr. Trump on was that of abortion - and specifically, because Trump believes abortions should be illegal - what was his view on the issue of punishment for women who undergo abortions?

In this image (captured from the above video during 2:16) - when Mr. Trump was attempting to formulate his response to Chris Matthews' question of, "... Do you believe in punishment for abortion - yes or no - as a principle?".

Donald Trump commonly displays several nonverbal signals which are distinctly beta (and feminine). One of these is exampled here. This display is much more commonly seen with women and gay men - but when it's displayed by a straight man, it projects a low-confidence/unsure/beta emotional tone.

Note the position of Trump's right wrist. It's extended (bent backward) close to its maximum. When a straight man displays this body language, it sends signals of low confidence. Moreover, when coupled with an upper arm that's positioned very closely to the torso (as we also see Trump doing), this nonverbal behavior cluster transmits even deeper beta and unsure emotions.

Notice also, Trump's eyes are looking up - fixated in the distance (middle-distance). This is a common direction of gaze and focus behavior associated with the formulation of an answer.
 

Then, just a couple of seconds later (2:18 - 2:20), once Trump makes up his mind ("... there has to be some form of punishment - Yeah. There has to be some form."), he first positions his hand in a vertically straight, ready-to-chop fashion, and then proceeds to quickly chop his hand in a very assertive (even hyper-assertive), decisive, alpha manner. Trump commonly uses this gesture - however, it's not typically temporally juxtaposed with a hyper-beta display as he does here. 

SUMMARY: Donald Trump had not thought through this question prior to Chris Matthews asking it. The candidate's nonverbal behavior displayed here - a low confidence signal followed rapidly by a high-confidence signal - is a window into the unsure mind of a person formulating his decision in that moment. We are seeing cognitive dissonance followed by a decision and absolutism. Upon deciding, Mr. Trump rapidly emotionally morphs into the bravado of hyper-confidence.

Moreover, in this particular context, his hand-chop also projects the additional visual metaphor of severe punishment for abortion.

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Jack@BodyLanguageSuccess.com

See also:

Body Language Analysis No. 4312: South Korea Defeats Germany at The World Cup

Body Language & Emotional Intelligence - Analysis No. 4311: Jeff Sessions, "We never really intended to do that"

Body Language Analysis No. 4309: The Little Girl in Red, "Tender Age" shelters, and Empathy

Body Language Analysis No. 4307: Jeff Sessions cites Bible Passage to Justify Separating Children From Parents

Body Language Analysis No. 4302: G7 Leaders Surrounding Donald Trump

Body Language Analysis No. 4286: Aaron Schlossberg's Racist Rant

Body Language Analysis No. 4262: Wendy Vitter, the U.S. District Court, and Brown v. Board of Education

Body Language Analysis No. 4244: Stormy Daniels' 60 Minutes Interview

Body Language Analysis No. 4016: Anthony Scaramucci - Faux Pas and Harbingers

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Body Language Analysis No. 4296: Sarah Huckabee Sanders Chokes Up - Nonverbal and Emotional Intelligence

On Wednesday 30 May, during a White House Press Briefing, Sarah Huckabee Sanders choked up in response to a question from a 13-year-old boy (Benjamin Choucroun). What follows is a partial nonverbal analysis of this exchange.

BENJAMIN CHOUCROUN (beginning at 13:02): At my school, we recently had a lockdown drill. One thing that affects mine and other students’ mental health is the worry about the fact that we or our friends could get shot at school. Specifically, can you tell me what the administration has done and will do to prevent these senseless tragedies?

SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS: I think that ahhh - as a kid, and certainly as a parent, there is nothing that could be more terrifying for a kid to go to school and not feel safe. So I’m sorry that you feel that way. This administration takes it seriously, and the School Safety Commission that the President convened is meeting this week, again, an official meeting, ah, to discuss the best ways forward and how we can do every single thing within our power to protect kids in our schools and to make them feel safe and make their parents feel good about dropping them off.

During13:05, just after Benjamin Choucroun says, "We recently had a lockdown drill ...", Sarah Huckabee Sanders displays a cluster of:

• Prolonged blinking
• Downward vectored eyebrows
• Jaw Jut
• Nostril Flaring
• Horizontally-stretched and thinned lips
• Tightening Mid-face

During 13:08, just as Mr. Choucroun says the word, "... mental ...", Ms. Sanders creates a relative vacuum in her mouth - thus sucking in her cheeks as she once again displays an extended blink.

This dynamic is indicative of anxiety.

Ms. Huckabee Sanders repeats this sucking-in cheek display once again during 13:09 - 13:10

Then during 13:18 - 13:19, Ms. Huckabee Sanders displays successive hard swallows - indicating additional heightened anxiety.

During 13:22, Ms. Huckabee Sanders displays a Jaw Confessional, just prior to saying, "... as a kid ..."

A Jaw Confessional is characterized by a brief sideways movement of the jaw and it indicates sincerity in what a person says immediately afterward (In this case, "... as a kid - and certainly, as a parent, there is nothing that could be more terrifying for a kid to go to school and not feel safe ...").

As she says, "... terrifying ...", Sarah Huckabee Sanders:

• Pulls away her torso and head away from the audience
• Her Voice cracks
• Voice grows higher in pitch
• Inner (medial) eyebrows vector downward
• Mouth takes on a sad configuration

A Jaw Jut betrays her surge in adrenaline, just after she says, "... terrifying ..."

As she says "... safe ..." (at the end of the sentence, "... for a kid to go to school and not feel safe ..."), her face grows sadder (note down-turned inner (medial) eyebrows - as well as her down-turned mouth corners).

Once again, her voice grows higher in pitch - and it cracks.

Yet less than a second later, the White House Press Secretary is trying to smile.

But during 13:28, as she says, "... I'm sorry ...", her facial expression again becomes more empathetically-sad.

And yet, she continues her sentence with, "... I'm sorry that you feel that way ...". From a statement analysis perspective, this phrase is not apologizing at all. It's as if she's saying, "You may feel that way, but your feelings aren't based on reality. Your feelings aren't objective". It invalidates his experience and perspective. This specific statement overlaps with emotions of contempt and refusal to admit any responsibility.

At the end of this same sentence, as she says the word, "... way ...", (13:30) she looks down to her right (the corner we most frequently look to [by far] when experiencing emotional pain) - as she is trying to smile.

SUMMARY: During this exchange, Sarah Huckabee Sanders is experiencing strong cognitive and emotional dissonance. There are nonverbal (as well as verbal and paralanguage) elements of both sincerity and insincerity. This is because she's experiencing the emotional tension between what she feels as an individual - and what she's required to think-feel-say as the White House Press Secretary. It's a truly Jekyll and Hyde moment. This is Sophocles' Antigone - but with the opposite ending.

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Jack@BodyLanguageSuccess.com

See also:

Body Language Analysis No. 4195: Elizabeth Holmes, Theranos, and Red Flags

Body Language Analysis No. 4293: Why is Harvey Weinstein Smiling?

Body Language Analysis No. 4291: Donald Trump and Disguising Disgust - "I don't know who the hell wrote that line"

Body Language Analysis No. 4289: A Royal Wedding, Suppression of Tears, and Meghan Markle's Mom

Body Language Analysis No. 4276: Waffle House Hero James Shaw Jr. Meets His NBA Idol Dwyane Wade

Body Language Analysis No. 4264: Criminal Profiling • Sketch of Man Who Allegedly Threatened Stormy Daniels (Stephanie Clifford) Over Her Affair with Donald Trump

Body Language Analysis No. 4235: Beware the Ides of March • Donald Trump removing H.R. McMaster

Body Language Analysis No. 4155: Luis Elizondo Interview - Former Military Intelligence Official Who Ran AATIP (The Pentagon's Secret UFO Unit)

Body Language Analysis No. 4099: Lee Harvey Oswald, Jack Ruby, and Jim Leavelle

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Body Language Analysis No. 4170: Stephen Miller's and Jake Tapper's Confrontational Exchange - Nonverbal and Emotional Intelligence (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

 


Stephen Miller (President Donald Trump's senior advisor for policy) was a guest on Jake Tapper's State of the Union Show on Sunday morning (7 January 2018). Much of the discussion centered around allegations made by Michael Wolff in his just released book, Fire and Fury - and Stephen Bannon, former White House Chief Strategist. What follows is a partial nonverbal analysis of Stephen Miller during this interview.

You may have noticed Mr. Miller's left shoulder repeatedly moving backward (sometimes with an additional slightly upward component). This is accompanied by a simultaneous right head turn. This nonverbal cluster phenomenon is a tic. It either wasn't present several months ago - or it has an intermittent nature - exacerbated by anxiety.

Note how Mr. Miller's verbal language is alpha, confrontational, and aggressive. Yet his tic betrays his true feelings. He's distressed, uneasy, and flustered. As the tension and volume of his voice increases - as well as his choice of words, grow more caustic - the frequency of this nervous tic increases.

Whenever the verbal language and body language are disparate - it's the body language which tells the truth.

Summary: Stephen Miller's nonverbal behavior indicates his anxiety level has substantially increased in the last several months - and/or the topics raised in this interview did so.

Group Appearances and One-on-One
Online Courses Available 
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Jack@BodyLanguageSuccess.com


See also:

Body Language Analysis No. 4169: Donald Trump, Kevin McCarthy, and Robert Mueller

Body Language Analysis No. 4167: Gary Oldman, Hugh Jackman, and Compliments

Body Language Analysis No. 4165: Kim Jong-un's New Years Faux Pas

Body Language Analysis No. 4163: Donald Trump and Xi Jinping - (Relatively) Beta and Alpha

Body Language Analysis No. 4146: Roy Moore, Red Flags, and Sociopaths 

Body Language Analysis No. 4129: Charles Manson's Eyes 

Body Language Analysis No. 4116: Carey Mulligan and American Accents 

Body Language Analysis No. 4106: Jordan's Queen Rania meets with Rohingya Refugee Children

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3872: "Fearless Girl" Statue in Manhattan's Financial District


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Body Language Analysis No. 4073: Prince Harry and Melania Trump Meet in Canada for Invictus Games - Harry's Hand Signal - Nonverbal and Emotional Intelligence (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Many are wondering about Prince Harry's and Melania Trump's meeting yesterday - particularly Harry's hand gesture.

The First Lady was in Toronto and met the Prince as part of the Invictus Games ("an international Paralympic-style multi-sport event, created by the Harry of Wales, in which wounded, injured or sick armed services personnel and their associated veterans" participate in Olympic-style athletic events).

A few seconds prior Prince Harry and the First Lady shook hands.

Then Prince Harry attempted to unbutton his jacket - but before he managed to do so - he posed for the image in question.

It's important to note that Harry's fingers and thumb were not flexed - but rather slipped beneath the left side of his jacket. 

When the middle and ring fingers are flexed and met with the thumb - simultaneously with the index finger (forefinger) and pinky finger extended - this configuration forms an emblem which - especially with an extended arm - has different meanings in different cultures and subcultures.

Some Mediterranean cultures make this gesture when confronted with unfortunate events - or even when such negative events are even mentioned. The "Sign of the Horns" may be given as an effort to ward off bad luck. In India, its use was first used by Gautama Buddha for a similar purpose - trying to prevent illness and demons.

Wicca culture may use this same hand gesture to evoke their horned god.

Some use it as a signal of the devil. This meaning is most notably used in heavy metal subculture - although some in these same groups will maintain it's used to protect against the devil.

In some Latin American regions as well as some Mediterranean countries - when this "Sign of the Horns" is directed at someone and wiggled back and forth - it is used as an offensive gesture as it implies cuckoldry.

Those who are fans of certain America football teams - such as the University of Texas Longhorns, use this hand illustrator to show enthusiasm and solidarity for their team.

While it's possible that Harry's gesture was deliberate - with a specific sub-cultural meaning, such as those discussed above - it was much more probable Harry's hand display was subconsciously driven by a strong emotion.

Numerous sources have reported that Harry is "not a fan" of President Trump. He has expressed these feelings more publicly since he announced his candidacy in June 2015. Prince Harry believes Donald Trump is a serious threat to human rights. It's also well known that, upon Lady Di's and Prince Charles' separation, Donald Trump aggressively pursued Diana - and reportedly "he gave her the creeps".

Prince Harry is impassioned for the Invictus Games, which he founded - and he strongly supports veterans and active military. Prince Harry is also diplomatic and polite. He routinely welcomes World leaders and, like his mother, represents the UK in a unifying and humanitarian manner. But he does not care for Donald Trump. And while he may not have formed similar opinions for the First Lady - such a meeting with her leaves him feeling "too close for comfort". Harry's feeling cognitive and emotional dissonance.

Note Harry's arm is directed across his lower abdomen - which reveals his momentary beta feelings in this otherwise alpha male. His two fingers and his thumb hiding beneath his jacket - amplify these uncomfortable emotional tones. He has to be there - but he doesn't want to be there - not with Melania - not President Trump's wife. Harry's being "the good soldier".

It's also important to point out that Harry just touched her - this was the hand that just shook hands with Melania. Moreover, his hand is positioning is pulling and pointing away from her - in a subconscious distancing maneuver. Most men want to be photographed with their jacket's buttoned - but unbutton those same jackets just prior to or upon sitting down (as did Harry). But Harry's hand moved away from Melania quickly. Sure - it was for a utilitarian and very valid reason - but subconsciously it was driven to do faster, sooner, awkwardly, and more extreme than it otherwise would have if he were being photographed with another public figure. 

Now, look at Harry's face. His upper lip is quite thinned, his "mustache area" is tensed, and his nostrils are flared. While it's not in this moment extreme - the Prince is suppressing anger.

In the moment captured in the image immediately above, Harry even momentarily displays bitterness-regret, with more than a bit of disgust.





Summary: Harry's Hand gesture signals his cognitive and emotional dissonance between meeting with Melania - whose husband he doesn't care for - and his desire and belief in promoting the Invictus Games. This is not a signal of a conspiracy - Harry's hand dynamic is behavioral.


Group Appearances and One-on-One
Online Courses Available 
702-239-8503
Jack@BodyLanguageSuccess.com


See also:

Body Language Analysis No. 4072: "Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out! He’s fired. He’s fired!"

Body Language Analysis No. 4070: President Trump Announces New Sanctions Against North Korea

Body Language Analysis No. 4068: Donald Trump's UN Speech - Nikki Haley's Reaction to The President's Threat to "Totally Destroy North Korea"

Body Language Analysis No. 4065: The Murder of Laci Peterson - Scott Peterson's Red Flag

Body Language Analysis No. 4050: Lady Di - Alpha vs Alpha-Beta Hybrids

Body Language Analysis No. 4029: Charlottesville, Heather Heyer, and Sincerity

Body Language Analysis No. 4026: Aubrey Plaza, Ingrid Goes West, and Emotional Intelligence

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3909: North Korea's Parade - Projecting Power and Control

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3867: What Makes the Twinkle in Her Eye? Emma Stone, Romance and Flirting


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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3558: Jack Whitehall, Harrison Ford, Jennifer Lawrence and Body Language (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

In her recent appearance on The Graham Norton Show, Jennifer Lawrence describes an occasion when she approached Harrison Ford and J.J. Abrams - and apparently neither man recognize her. As it happens, another of Norton's guests - Jack Whitehall - was with Lawrence at her table. Mr. Whitehall's experience that night was a better one, for Han Solo's alter ego recognized Jack and greeted him enthusiastically.

From a body language perspective, there is one nonverbal signal in this video clip which, although very commonly exhibited - it's underlying meaning is rarely understood.

At several times in this video, Jack Whitehall interlocks his fingers over his right knee.  The first example of this behavior is captured below (0:06 - 0:10) as he realizes the event which Jennifer Lawrence has just begun discussing.

The fingers are held relatively tightly as they place tension on the knee (or just below it) and upper leg - very often lifting the ipsilateral foot off the ground (as is seen here) with the torso assisting by lending leverage via leaning backward.

In a general sense, this nonverbal dynamic is a signal of anxiety - however we can slice its meaning a good bit thinner. More specifically, this body language configuration is a signal of Emotional and Cognitive Dissonance (thus it's sometimes referred to as "Hamstring Dissonance" [because of the stretching of these muscles with this action]). Mr. Whitehall, while certainly wanting to tell his side of the story - is somewhat hesitant - for even although Jennifer Lawrence often uses self-deprecation as a comedic device, Whitehall's newfound camaraderie with Harrison Ford comes at Ms. Lawrence's expense.

0:08

In the second example below (from 0:40), this Hamstring Dissonance is more subtle - as Whitehall's leg is not being elevated.

Another nonverbal sign which amplifies his conflicting feelings are Jack's crossed ankles - which cannot be directly visualized in either of these two views.

0:40


















There are many nonverbal tells of emotional and cognitive dissonance - and this is but one type. The ramifications of seeing and understanding these signals are profound. Hundreds are displayed in any typical business day. How many have missed?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3557: Meghan Trainor Falls on Jimmy Fallon as She Finishes "Me Too" - Body Language Tells 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2796: Olivia Wilde, Butter, Jon Stewart and the Tongue in Cheek

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2586: Harrison Ford in "Ender's Game" - Microexpression and Macroexpression of Regret - Harrison's Brand and the Stanislavski Method

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3242: Jennifer Lawrence, Singing Cher, Liam Hemsworth and Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3536: Prince Explains His Name Change in 1999 Interview

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3287: Hillary Clinton, Email Servers and Crisis Management

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2657: Keanu Reeves's, "47 Ronin" and a Hesitancy to Discuss - a Key Body Language Tell

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3281: Donald Trump on "Meet The Press" - Who Does He Talk to for Military Advice?  

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3518: Donald Trump's Feminine and Beta Body Language (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Donald Trump has several nonverbal signals which are distinctly beta (and feminine). One of these in particular is discussed below. This body language tell is much more common in women and gay men - but when it's displayed by straight men, it projects an unsure, beta emotional tone.

In this image (captured from the above video during 2:16 - when he was trying to formulate his response to Chris Matthews' question of, "... Do you believe in punishment for abortion - yes or no - as a principle?"). Note the position of Trump's wrist. It's extended close to its maximum. In a straight man, this body language sends signals of low confidence. Moreover, when coupled with an upper arm positioned very closely to one's torso, this nonverbal cluster transmits an even more beta and demure mindset.

Then from 2:18 - 2:20, once he makes up his mind ("... there has to be some form of punishment - Yeah. There has to be some form."), Trump first positions his hand in a vertically straight, ready-to-chop fashion, and then proceeds to quickly chop his hand in a very assertive (even hyper assertive), decisive, alpha manner. This is also a common nonverbal gesture of Trump's.

These two body language signals, used in close temporal proximity are a momentary window into the unsure mind of a person formulating his decision (with cognitive dissonance) - and then, upon deciding - has a rapid emotional transformation into the bravado of hyper-confidence.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3517: Before His Walk Back, Donald Trump "There Has To Be Some Form of Punishment" to Women who have Abortions

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3267: Jeb Bush, Emotional Dissonance and Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2595: Barack Obama's Emotional Dissonance, Low Confidence and the "Turtle Retreat" - He Does Not Want To Be There

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3360: Donald Trump's Body Language Dissonance

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2313: Elisa Lam Video in Elevator at Cecil Hotel - What Her Body Language Tells Us .... 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2910: Becky Hammon, First Female Full-Time NBA Assistant Basketball Coach and an Under-used Body Language Illustrator

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3210: Matteo Renzi, Christine Lagarde, Barack Obama and Up-Regulating Alpha Emotions 

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret No. 1019: Gingrich's Hands - Low Confidence and High Confidence Tells

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret No. 1241: A Low Confidence Pledge of Allegiance 



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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1919: The Asymmetrical Smile - we all use this Body Language .... but Mitt Romney displays it too often

Mitt Romney displays here a classical body language example of the Asymmetrical "Smile". Moreover, not only is his left side not smiling, it is frowning. Neither is the right-side of his mouth for that matter. This is a "Pseudo-Smile". In addition, the Presidential candidate's lips are thinned - indicating a component of anger component. Along with his left-sided frown side - these nonverbals reflect Mitt's true emotional tone. 

We all make this expression from time to time (and variations of it), and more than we realized. But when you're running for President, you need to extricate this expression from your routine. Mr. Romney uses this facial expression far too much and in the context of verbal disparity. Said another way, his words are positive, but his expressions (this and others) are negative. When the verbal and nonverbal messages are contradictory - it sends feelings of cognitive and emotional dissonance to audiences and the public at large. It also indicates the former Massachusetts Governor is truly feeling such dueling emotions. To the public, this makes him "feel" more like a politician - and less like the guy next door which he should be - in truth and in projection. If Mitt Romney wants to become President, he must solve this problem. The same is true for you - even is your subjects are more mundane and for much smaller audiences.

See also:

Analysis # 1139: How Not to Build Rapport

Analysis # 1003: Obama's Dropped Jaw False Smile

Analysis # 1009: A Sure Sign of a False Smile

Analysis # 1553: Ann & Mitt Romney's Body Language at NRA Meeting

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

Analysis # 1863: Sharapova's Lips of Anger

Analysis # 531: Sarkozy's Mouth Tells Us What He's Thinking

Analysis # 771: Ann's and Mitt's Affectionate Hug

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