Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2280: Manti Te'o's interview with Katie CouricManti isn't telling us the whole truth - Te'o's Body Language of Duping Delight

Manti Te'o's full interview with Katie Couric was released yesterday. While Te'o is telling some truths and displaying elements of some sincerity (depending on what he was discussing at different moments - for recall that body language is a glimpse into what the emotional-mind is feeling in real time) - he is selectively editing and thus holding back the whole truth and indeed is continuing in being deceptive. At multiple times his body language signals did not agree with the emotions he was claiming to be experiencing. When the nonverbal and the verbal communications show disparity - the nonverbal is always correct.

One particular example is what is known in the nonverbal world as "Duping Delight". Paul Ekman coined this term to describe components of a smile which leak out when we fool (or dupe) someone with a lie or partial truth. We subconscious or semi-consciously take delight in such a ruse, and portions of a smile are displayed. These are often very fleeting. And these smile-fragments occur at times when happiness, joy or delight are NOT congruent with context of the verbal message. This can be seen very well in the video segment above when (beginning at 0:43) Katie Couric asks, "Did you have any involvement in creating this scam?" and Te'o answers, "No, I, I, I did not." (Note also his stuttering with the word "I" as well as the relatively decreased volume of that same word - these paralanguage displays are also very suggestive of lying in this context). During the 0:50 - 0:51 segment Mr. Te'o exhibits clear duping delight on his left side. This is but one of many times he displays this very telling nonverbal during his interview with Ms. Couric.

We may never learn the whole truth, but Manti Te'o has not yet fully disclosed the whole story of what has transpired with his hoaxed girlfriend "Lennay Kekua" and/or Ronaiah Tuiasosopo.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2278: Diane O'Meara (the "face" of Lennay Kekua) on the Mantei Te'o "Girlfriend Hoax" - Part II

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2277: Diane O'Meara, Lennay Kekua, Ronaiah Tuiasosopo & Manti Te'o - O'Meara's Body Language -Part I

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2286:  Ronaiah Tuiasosopo's Body Language on Dr. Phil's Interview -  The Voice and Mind of "Lennay Kekua" - Part I

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2287:  Ronaiah Tuiasosopo on Dr. Phil Interview -  Part II - A Body Language Signal that's a Red Flag

Negotiation Secret # 140: Duping Delight Microexpression

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication # Analysis 1492: Ben Bernanke's Duping Delight &  Partial Emblematic Slip

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2050: George Zimmerman's Interview on Fox -  Microexpression of Contempt and  Duping Delight

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2188: Paula Broadwell on Petraeus Relationship - Body Language of Prolonged Blink,  Hard Swallow and More Duping Delight

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2093: Ann Curry's Tearful Goodbye - Matt Lauer's Classic "Tongue-in-Cheek" and Duplicitous Smile

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2278: Diane O'Meara (the "face" of Lennay Kekua) on the Mantei Te'o "Girlfriend Hoax" Part 2

The interview earlier this morning on the "Today" show, Diane O'Meara, the face of Manti Te'o's allegedly faked girlfriend, Lennay Kekua (fraudulently orchestrated by Ronaiah Tuiasosopo) provided additional material to assess Ms. O'Meara's truthfulness. This video corroborates yesterday's body language analysis of Ms. O'Meara - she is not lying and her overall sincerity index is high. 

The following are some nonverbal highlights:

0:31 Sincere, but suppressed smile

During 0:45 - 0:54, Ms. O'Meara is very sincere and truthful reply when she denied ever knowing, talking to or meeting Manti Te'o.

0:55 Lip Compression - this subtype of lip compression is a generalized anxiety signal. Ms. O'Meara displayed this several times throughout the interview.

1:06 Disgust begins (subtle)
1:08 Disgust (subtle) continues with an extended blink

1:12 Incredulity (mild). Note the slight rise of left eye brow, this is more easily seen in the video.













1:32 - 1:33 Self Righteous Head Wiggle. Please see video as this is a dynamic process with significant motion. See also: Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2277: Diane O'Meara, Lennay Kekua,  Ronaiah Tuiasosopo & Manti Te'o - O'Meara's Body Language

1:20 - 1:23, Rationalization Rapport Empathy Expression (R2E2). She is trying to engender belief, rapport and understanding in her relatively friendly audience.









See also:

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1143: Santorum Video Analysis  R2E2 and other Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2193: Keira Knightley interview re: "Anna Karenina" - Body Language of "R2E2" Facial Expression

Nonverbal Communication Analysis #2097: Mitt Romney's "No one's ever asked to see my birth certificate" defense - Body Language of Rationalization, Rapport and Empathy

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2148: Joe Biden vs. Paul Ryan and the "Self-Righteous Head Wiggle" in the Vice Presidential Debate

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1923:  Hillary Clinton's Body Language re: Syrian Government -  The Self-Righteous Head Wiggle

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1552: The Self-Righteous Head Wiggle & The Buffett Rule

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2277: Diane O'Meara, Lennay Kekua,  Ronaiah Tuiasosopo & Manti Te'o - O'Meara's Body Language - Part I 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2286:  Ronaiah Tuiasosopo's Body Language on Dr. Phil's Interview -  The Voice and Mind of "Lennay Kekua" - Part I

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2287:  Ronaiah Tuiasosopo on Dr. Phil Interview -  Part II - A Body Language Signal that's a Red Flag

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2280: Manti Te'o's interview with Katie Couric Manti isn't telling us the whole truth -  Te'o's Body Language of Duping Delight

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2277: Diane O'Meara, Lennay Kekua, Ronaiah Tuiasosopo & Manti Te'o - O'Meara's Body Language - Part I

The above interview segment is of course edited, however within the context of the video provided, Diane O'Meara is being completely honest. She demonstrates no signals of deception. Moreover her overall "Sincerity Quotient" is high as well (If you were conducting voir dire - you would definitely want to select her for your jury). If the basic framework of this "catfishing" story holds, her honesty & sincerity has no direct bearing on the honesty level of Manti Te'o. Ms. O'Meara, the woman whose likeness was used to allegedly dupe the Notre Dame football star, is scheduled for a more complete interview tomorrow and it will perhaps be more telling. The elaborate hoax, apparently orchestrated by Mr. Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, had Te'o believing her name was "Lennay Kekua".

Of particular note is the "Self-Righteous Head Wiggle" (SRHW) that Ms. O'Meara demonstrates during 0:33 - 0:35 in the midst of saying, "...My name is not, Lennay Kekua ...". The self-righteous head wiggle is often seen simultaneously with a display of contempt and incredulity - both of which Ms. O'Meara also subtly displays on her left. Anger and disgust are other common emotions which may accompany a SRHW. It is very often seen displayed by an alpha personality when speaking with betas - when making definitive statements (or similar answers) and/or with the need to be particularly assertive. The characteristic side-to-side rapid movement of the head/neck (and to a lesser degree the torso) seen here can sometimes also be accompanied by an additional backwards or forwards component (although neither present in this example).

Later in the video Diane O'Meara also displays the body language of subtle disgust as she says, "...that would fix this..."(2:25 - 2:29).

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2148: Joe Biden vs. Paul Ryan and the "Self-Righteous Head Wiggle" in the Vice Presidential Debate

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1923: Hillary Clinton's Body Language re: Syrian Government - The Self-Righteous Head Wiggle

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2167: Colin Powell Endorses President Obama -  His Body Language Display of Anxiety, Contempt & the  Self-Righteous Head Wiggle

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2102: The Self-Righteous Head Wiggle and the Conventional Steeple vs.Basketball Steeple

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1552: The Self-Righteous Head Wiggle & The Buffett Rule

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2158: Kennebunk Maine, Alexis Wright, Prostitution &  Spotting the Body Language of the Self Righteous

Nonverbal Communication Intelligence # 2113: Benjamin Netanyahu, Iran, the U.S. and the  Self-Righteous Head Wiggle

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2286:  Ronaiah Tuiasosopo's Body Language on Dr. Phil's Interview -  The Voice and Mind of "Lennay Kekua" - Part I

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2287:  Ronaiah Tuiasosopo on Dr. Phil Interview -  Part II - A Body Language Signal that's a Red Flag

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2280: Manti Te'o's interview with Katie Couric Manti isn't telling us the whole truth -  Te'o's Body Language of Duping Delight

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2278: Diane O'Meara (the "face" of Lennay Kekua)  on the Mantei Te'o "Girlfriend Hoax"  Part 2

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