Body Language Analysis №4720: Alina Habba in the Courtroom - Nonverbal and Emotional Intelligence

 

This is Alina Habba in the courtroom today. Although we cannot see him here, her client Donald Trump, is seated immediately to her right. Beyond these basic facts, we don’t know who is speaking or what is being said in this moment.

However, we can discern Alina Habba’s thought-emotions being displayed here.

Note the extreme backward-tilting of Habba’s head-neck. Moreover, she’s tilted to her left-side — further distancing herself from the person at whom she’s looking.

The camera angle here makes it less obvious, yet we can still clearly see her nose is elevated (contracted upward).

In contrast, the same camera angle magnifies the flaring of Habba’s already quite-flared nostrils. The tissue above her upper lip and below her nose is tightened.

SUMMARY: Alina Habba’s body language, captured this morning in this courtroom moment, indicates her thought-emotions of strong:

• Arrogance
• Condescension
• Disgust

While displaying these emotions may temporarily give a person feelings of superiority and an evanescent false sense of ‘winning’ — with the exception of Donald Trump, there’s no one in this courtroom with whom this expression will build rapport.

On the contrary, it will further alienate the judge. In this moment, Habba is working against her client. This display is also self-destructive — not only by increasing Trump’s punishment, but also by diminishing her mental focus and moving her mind further from her emotional baseline.

All individuals, organizations, and businesses who want to (need to) nuance their understanding of Emotional Intelligence and dramatically improve their Body Language skills — please email me at: Jack@BodyLanguageSuccess.com

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This post and others accompanying it, serve as a reference source for the art and science of Body Language/Nonverbal Communication. The views and opinions expressed on this website are those of the author. In an effort to be both practical and academic, many examples from/of varied cultures, politicians, professional athletes, legal cases, public figures, etc., are cited in order to teach and illustrate both the interpretation of others’ body language as well as the projection of one’s own nonverbal skills in many different contexts.

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2400: One Way Deception Could be Minimized in the Court Room - O.J. Simpson's in Court

In his prime, O.J. Simpson was 6'2" (188 cm), and although he's probably a bit shorter now at 65 years old, he is still considerably taller than average yet the witness stand in covers most of his body (in front and left side up to his mid-chest level and on his right side, facing the Judge, up to the level of his shoulder). The structure and exact dimensions of witness stands varies somewhat throughout the U.S. and of course in other countries. It would behoove the legal system to construct witness stands such that they afford a 360 degree unobstructed view of anyone who testifies.

There is a substantial increase in the ability of a witness (or anyone) to tell a convincing lie the more he/she is covered - as is O.J.. However if those bearing witness were even considering telling a lie, they would be much less likely to attempt to do so if the witness stand offered an unencumbered view of them. Moreover the juries (whom almost never have had any nonverbal communication training) are much more likely to detect perjury if they had such a clear view of the witness.

What if O.J. were a 5'1" (155 cm) woman? Even accounting for height adjustment on a chair, we would see even less of such a witness.

In this brief video segment, O.J. Simpson's hands are visible only once. If most of his statements were true we should see his hands making such "illustrators" more often. Moreover we miss valuable information (again, even from the untrained observer's point of view) when we cannot see what the witnesses hands are doing at other times. A complete view of the entire individual would best engender honesty in court room. This is a scientific certainty - so why then is it not standard practice?

What other signals of deception and/or anxiety do you see in this video?

See also:

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

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

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1522:  False Mastication in Court - Alicia DeBolt and  Adam Longoria

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2320:  Estonian Skier Andrus Veerpalu  Denies Performance Enhancing Drugs - What his Body Language Tells Us

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

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 4949: Colin Kaepernick's Body Language of Clandestine Disagreement at Press Conference

In a press conference last Sunday, Colin Kaeperneck displayed a great example of some subtle body language. Although there are other nonverbals captured in the above image (e.g. mild anger), the San Francisco Quarterback sensation is showcasing an excellent example of a subtle lip purse. When a person's mouth opening morphs into a lip purse, they are nearly always voicing very little to no disagreement - yet if you can spot this key nonverbal, you'll know that their true differences are sizable. Moreover, betas never make this expression - only alphas or those who believe they are alphas relative to with whomever they are speaking or interacting (they of course may be betas in a different group). You can be sure they have a plan they're not sharing with you, and they believe they have the power, the resources and the intention to execute it.

In this moment, Kaepernick doesn't like what he's hearing. His body language is screaming clandestine disagreement. If you see this during a sale, in a negotiation, the boardroom, the courtroom, in depositions, or voir dire - you better have a strong plan B. Your adversary is about to attack your flank.

Don't bet against Colin Kaepernick.

See also:

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1055: The Subtle Lip Purse

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2072: Jay Carney's Lip Purse while NOT commenting on  Mitt Romney's Visits to the U.K., Israel and Poland

Nonverbal Communications Analysis # 1715: Jay Carney's Lip Purse  Bin Laden is Dead & General Motors is Alive

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1896: IMF Managing Director - Christine Lagarde Pseudo-Prayer & Pursed Lips

Negotiation Secret # 9: Nancy  Pelosi's Lip Purse

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2216: Senator Jim DeMint's Body Language - Lip Purse, Suppressed Smile, Duping Delight & Retiring Early

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2265: Ryan Gosling pulls a woman from audience on Conan -  His Classic Body Language Tell

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2130: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Helping Syria -  Interview with Charlie Rose and Norah O'Donnell

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2088: McKayla Maroney's Expression - Everyone Got it Wrong  2012 Olympic Vault Silver Medalist

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2039: Fight Outside Florida Courtroom - Jaw Jut Prior to Violence

Today in an Osceola County Florida Courthouse, a fight broke out. A short segment of the altercation was repeated multiple times in the above video. The man in the red shirt (goatee with white towel around his neck) displayed two examples of what is known as a "Jaw Jut" - where the jaw (mandible) thrusts forward. The first is at about 0:09.5 seconds and is more difficult to see because his face is somewhat oblique to the camera. The next time he juts his jaw is at about 0:12 seconds and is much easier to visualize because he's closer and is seen in-profile. There is also an extreme tightening of the masseter muscles of the lower face/sides of his jaw. It is a signal of extreme anger and if it is observed, an very high percentage of the time, violence ensues a second or two later. Thus it commonly occurs during and just prior to violence. If you're observant and see the jaw jut, this knowledge will give you time to prepare and protect yourself - hopefully avoiding serious bodily harm.

See also:

Analysis # 757: Asma al-Assad's mild Jaw Jut

Analysis # 315: Jaw Jut - Heightened Potential for Violence

Analysis # 273: Anger and Disgust in Azerbaijan

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