Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2507: Secretary of State Kerry's Disgust - An Oft Overlooked and Camouflaged Body Language Signal (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

United States Secretary of State John Kerry made the rounds on the Sunday morning talk shows this morning. The War in Syria, the Syrian government's recent use of poisonous gas on its own people and how the U.S. will respond to this act is of course of great urgency. President Obama announced yesterday that he will seek congressional approval for military action. What follows is an analysis of one particular of the Secretary's nonverbal signals.

Note: The original video has, since the original post, been removed from its online source. The images below however, were captured from this video. 

Beginning at 0:07 in the video above, Major Garrett asks John Kerry, "Now Mr. Secretary, I know you believe the President's decision to seek congressional authorization is courageous, but isn't it bowing to a political reality that had been communicated to the President later ... late this week, that there would be significant congressional backlash if he didn't give Congress in a role - and that backlash, in part, reflected the inability of the administration to make its case this past week?"


This image captured at 0:23 is shows  the beginning milliseconds of a microexpression of disgust. This emotion is hidden within the disguise of a nose sniff and thus it's almost never recognized as such. This nonverbal signal occurs just after Mr. Garrett says the word, "... backlash ..." for the second time (during 0:23 and underlined above). Note the tightening (muscle contraction) of the area above his upper lip and below his nose (aka the "mustache area"). Both of Secretary Kerry's nostrils are also flared (dilated).

This photo is captured a fraction of a second after the one shown above. There is significantly increased nasal flaring as well as more tension in the mustache area.

The corners of Kerry's mouth are slightly depressed in this moment as is his lower lip (both consistent with disgust).

His thinned upper lip also is strongly suggestive of the presence of a component of anger.

It is a very common phenomenon that in the split second just prior to, during or immediately after a display of disgust, contempt or anger - that the eyelids shut for an extended or prolonged blink.

An increased rate of blinking is a different but related body language tell.

These subtle but significant nonverbals act as body language amplifiers. Here they amplify disgust and to a lesser degree anger.


It is also important to note that the Secretary's right upper eyelid is "droopy" (see first two images and video). This condition is known as "ptosis" and is most probably age-related. This change is separate and distinct form the other eyelid dynamics described above. It is advisable, particularly because of his importance on the World stage, that Secretary Kerry has this condition surgically corrected - as it will influence the way others interpret the diplomat's emotions.

Mr. Kerry is clearly disgusted in this moment and the timing of his expression strongly implies that the source of his disgust is the "backlash" directed at President Obama of which Mr. Garrett speaks (Although it is very possible that his disgust may directed towards the events in Syria, the news anchor himself or the manner in which he asked the question).

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2504:  Former New England Patriot Aaron Hernandez and a  Commonly Missed Body Language Signal

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2443:  Kristen Wiig's Disgust & Fear Face -  Graham Norton, Chris O'Dowd and Fly Eating 

Negotiation Secret # 72 & 73: Christine Lagarde's Disgust & Incredulity

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2449:  Jessica Korda Fires Her Caddie &  Recruits her Boyfriend  Body Language at Women's U.S. Open

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 # 2045:  Disgust in New Delhi

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1841:  Disgust in Response to Rep. Barney Frank's "Hoodie" Joke

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Negotiation Body Language Secret # 273: Anger and Disgust in Azerbaijan

On the streets of Baku earlier this year, an Azerbaijani police officer detains a protester of the Musavat (opposition) Party. In the midst of the arrest, he exhibits two strong emotions. His protruded jaw, known as a "Jaw Jut" is a classic nonverbal signal of significant anger. Moreover, it is particularly common when the anger is strong enough to be a harbinger of, or coexists with a physical action (nearly always directed at the perceived source of anger). Thus, when you see this body language displayed, be warned, for violence is often imminent. 

In addition, the officer's bilateral and symmetrical nostril flaring, deepened nasal-labial furrows, tightening of his "mustache region" and raised upper lip - all indicate the emotion of disgust. Emotions rarely exist in isolation - often two or three are simultaneous and quite evanescent.

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Negotiation Body Languge Secret # 361: Conrad Murray's Fingers and Nostrils

Doctor Conrad Murray is pictured here at his hearing from earlier today. He received a sentenced of four years for involuntary manslaughter in the death of Michael Jackson. This image was captured just prior to his sentencing. His interlaced and straightened fingers are strong indicators of anxiety - and more specifically that of frustration and insecurity. Of course, we know the context here - and the idea that Dr. Murray is feeling this way is not a surprise. While his face does not show dramatic signals of anxiety, if you look close you can see nostril flaring. What does this nonverbal indicate? What about the angle of his head/neck tilt? In your everyday life, how often do you miss these subtle but important nonverbal signals?

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Negotiation Body Language Secret # 373: Papademos, Greece and Eyelids

Pictured above is Lucas Papademos, the New Prime Minister of Greece. Notice his eyelids are both partially closed, but his left is closed a bit more. This is a fantastic tell of a negative judgement and/or a skeptical opinion. You can almost hear him rendering a negative statement here - and yet it's incredible how often people will speak positivity about a person and/or issue and use this expression. Duplicitous! Now of course, the Prime Minister may very well had making a negative declaration in this moment - and if he was, this facial body language is completely expected. However...if you see another use this facial nonverbal tell - but they speak glowingly - believe their body language, not their words. Watch out!

There often is co-existing mid-face tightening seen with this asymmetrical eyelid closure as well, particularly in the "mustache area". Lucas demonstrates that splendidly here. Also be on the lookout for nasal dilation. Mr. Papademos' left nostril is brilliantly flared here, indicating coexisting contempt. I wonder to whom he was speaking?

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Negotiation Body Language Secret # 271: Disgust with very little Mouth Component

It is useful to teach body language, as with any subject, one subtopic at a time, but nonverbal signals in the real world rarely occur in isolation, but in clusters - simultaneously or very close in time, with verbals and many other distractions thrown in. Here, Bruce Willis' contempt is difficult for some to see, primarily because he is displaying very little mouth component - the right side is only slightly elevated. What's more visible though is his mid-face tightening, specifically his nostril dilation. His nares are dilated, but more so on his right. This is highly consistent with contempt (unilateral) - and disgust (bilateral). Another subtle and almost never looked for signal seen with both of these emotions is the tightening of the "mustache area" (MA) - Bruce's MA is fairly tense. The closing of his eyelids along with the lowering and coming together of his eyebrows are indicative of disgust and contempt too, but also anger. In this context, the eyelid and brow changes primarily represent anger - since so little lower facial component of disgust-contempt are present. Although this is close to Willis' "Tough Guy" cliche look - there is real emotion here.

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Negotiation Secret # 405: Carli Bruni & Dagger Eyes

This is the President of the French Republic, Nicolas Sarkozy, and his actress-model-singer-song writer wife, Carla Bruni. We've all heard the expression, "If looks could kill", or "She is Shooting Daggers" at him, etc. Here Ms. Bruni is giving us a subtle to moderate example of "Dagger Eyes". Her eyes are opened wider than her non-angry eyes would be and her brows are also elevated. Her lips are stretched/thinned and her mid-face is subtly tightened as well. Ms. Bruni's nostrils are clearly slightly dilated too. All of these are consistent in with anger. 

Most everyone people can spot Body Language signals when they are exhibited in their extreme or nearly so, but I am uterly amazed at the number of educated, skilled and otherwise socially adept professionals who will continuously miss moderate, let alone subtle examples of Body Language. They are truly missing a gold mine of information, for it is in the detection and understanding of these milder examples that you will give yourself a profound advantage. 

Another similarly related issue is the brevity of many Nonverbal signals. Since this is a still image, and not a video - it's impossible to say how long Carla displayed this look. It may very well have been an example of a "Microexpression". Microexpressions are exceedingly common and by definition are very evanescent - as brief as 0.04 of a second. One of the reasons for this is that they are initiated by our subconscious - before our consciousness is even aware of our feelings. While about 1 in 300 people detect these microexpressions naturally, virtually everyone can be trained to recognize them.

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