Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3246: Suicide Squad - What Makes Jared Leto's Joker so Frightening? Body Language Tells (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

The trailer for "Suicide Squad" was published on YouTube yesterday. The film is due to be released on 5 August 2015. And The Joker is getting scarier and scarier. But what's the primary reason Jared Leto is so frightening? It's not his green, greasy hair (yet still a bit unnerving). It's not the metal in his mouth (though this certainly adds to his "freak factor"). It's not even his lipstick (a bit heavy though, don't you think?). It's his nonverbal signals.

What is extra creepy regarding the body language of Jared's Joker? Specifically two key components send strong signals of theatrical sickness - his widely opened eyes and their coexistence with a mouth smile.

Take detail notice of Leto's upper eyelids - they're open very wide - so widely in fact as to show the "whites of his eyes" (the sclera) between the edge of the central upper eyelids and the irises (aka irides or the colored portion of the eyes). This little strip of white is sometimes referred to as "scleral show". At physiologic and emotional baseline the margin of the upper eyelid should be ~ 2 mm below the upper margin of the iris - yet his are 1-2 mm higher (a net difference of 3-4 mm). This measurement may sound subtle, yet human brains (and many animal brains) are designed to recognize this nuance without conscious thought (though our conscious and edge-of-consciousness minds' often rationalize this warning sign away - discounting it thus adding danger and disadvantage).

What are the main emotional conditions which cause the eyes to be opened widely?

1. Mild to moderate anger the eyelids are partially closed - yet in severe to extreme anger (rage) they open widely.

2. Surprise

3. Fear

4. As form of emphasis (often an edge-of-consciousness action)

Sometimes joy-happiness follows surprise - and on such occasions a mouth smile can be seen with widely opened eyes. Also during moments of emphasis (more common in the context of melodrama, manipulation or hyperbolic personalities) the eyelids can also be open wider with mouth smiles. Yet in these scenarios the two facial components don't appear together for but short moments - ergo number five ....

5. When these two components of emotion (eyes widely opened with a mouth smile) are both seen together repeatedly or they're observed to coexist for longer durations - one should strongly suspect a sociopath (Antisocial Personality Disorder).

Another helpful way to think about this combination of facial expressions (a facial cluster) is that it feels contradictory to the observer - and thus it also feels creepy. As mentioned, with relatively rare and evanescent exception - a mouth smile does not appear commonly with widely opened eyes. And it doesn't make those people seeing it feel normal - and it shouldn't. It immediately sends up alarm bells in our psyche - yet surprisingly it doesn't do so as often as you may think. Here lies the danger - for here there be dragons.


See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3245: Gov. Scott Walker Jumps into the 2016 Presidential Race - Body Language Amplifiers and Misdirection

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2959: The Hunger Games Mockingjay - What makes Donald Sutherland (as President Coriolanus Snow) look so Evil? Body Language Trailer Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2355:  Adam Lanza's College ID and the  Body Language of Eyes Chronically Wide Open

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3149: Edward Snowden on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Government Surveillance (HBO) - Body Language 

Nonverbal Communication No. 3110: Scarlett Johansson gets invaded by John Travolta - An Awkward Moment from the 2015 Oscars 

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3236: A Common Body Language Disparity Display - Donald Trump (PHOTOS)

Politicians are always giving the "Thumbs Up" sign. Richard Nixon did it, Ronald Reagan did it and so did Bill Clinton. Many people will tell you that the thumbs up nonverbal arose out of ancient Rome - the spectators' signal as to whether a gladiator should live or die. However some historians will say this is apocryphal  - a re-write of history which had its origins from artwork of the 19th Century (Pollice Verso, 1872 painting by Jean-Léon Gérôme). Regardless of its origins, the thumbs up body language gesture has come to mean an enthusiastic statement of the affirmative, proceed with your current action, you're on the correct path and or a simple yes.

Donald Trump probably uses the thumbs-up illustrator more often than most politicians. Regardless of party or country, a phenomenon associated with this gesture is that the facial expression is very often incongruent with the optimism an upward pointing thumb is supposed to be projecting. When the hands are not in agreement with the face - what is the true emotion? Are they both somehow correct? Hmmm.

The thumbs up display is a very conscious nonverbal signal - however the simultaneous facial expression is virtually always subconsciously generated. This is an excellent example of what in body language nomenclature is known as "leakage". A significant amount of mental energy and effort (albeit brief) is dedicated to the action of thinking about and then displaying this hand gesture. In this evanescence of the thumbs-up illustrator, the remainder of the mind's filter has a lower threshold to social norms and acting. Thus everything except the hand/arm becomes a bit more transparent - allowing us to glimpse into the psyche for a second. The facial expression of true emotion "leaks" out - when normally it would be more contained.

These four images of Mr. Trump all show him with his thumb(s) vectored upward - yet they all four have different facial expressions. And his face tells the real story.

Take home point: When there is a disparity between the conscious and the subconscious body language signals - the true emotions are revealed in those nonverbals initiated subconsciously.

In the first image (above) Mr. Trump's facial expression is primarily that of (subtle) anger. What is his secondary emotion?

This second image reveals Mr. Trump at a moment where his face is close to a sincere smile - close, but not quite sincere. What is/are the specific characteristic(s) here which tells us this is not complete sincerity?

In this instant, Donald Trump's thumb is saying yes, but his face (his true emotion) is projecting disgust.

Donald Trump is displaying two emotions here - the more prevalent one is incredulity - while contempt comes in second. 

What emotion is often seen when contempt and disbelief coexist?


If a person made this expression often, what other personality tendency would she/he most likely have?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3235: Jim Webb Announces His Presidential Bid .... and some Body Language Weakness

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2763: Richard Nixon, My Lai Massacre - Conscious and Subconscious Body Language Display

Negotiation Body Language Secret No. 441:  Bill Clinton's Rapport and His Temporary Universe

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2861: Ronald Reagan and Variations on Thumbs-Up Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3152: Hillary Clinton First Campaign Ad - "Getting Started" 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2426:  Remembering Ronald Reagan,  "Mr. Gorbachev, Tear Down This Wall"  Body Language at the Brandenburg Gate 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2674: Did Chris Christie Orchestrate Bridge Closure or Cover Up His Subordinates Actions? Body Language Tells Us ... 

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2988: How did John Elway feel about Peyton Manning's Touchdown Record? (PHOTOS)

Those of you who are American football fans are of course fully aware that last night Peyton Manning broke Brett Favre's career record for touchdown passes. By the end of his play he had added another as well finishing the night with 4 touchdowns and with 510 for his career.

Of course, the Denver Broncos General Manager and Executive Vice President of Football Operations is John Elway. Elway captained the Broncos to five Super Bowl appearances of which two were victorious - and also had 300 career touchdown passes (fifth all time in the NFL). Manning thus far has three career Super Bowl appearances - one with Denver and two with Indianapolis, however his only victory was with the Colts.

The following is a brief nonverbal analysis of John Elway captured immediately after Peyton's record 509th touchdown pass.

Obviously, Elway is clapping in the image above as well this second photo which shows his final clap - which is very conscious body language behavior. Evaluating his face however, even at this low resolution, we can see his thinned lips, an inward lip roll (partial), downward directed mouth corners, his mid-face tension, nostril flaring, eyelids partially and tightly closed, downward vectored eyebrows and, in the first image above, we can see the eyebrows are pulled together as well.

This nonverbal facial cluster configuration is consistent with anger-disgust - and is subconsciously generated.

Here all the above facial features persist with the exception of the addition of a greater degree of inward lip roll - consistent with a subconscious attempt to suppress his negative emotions - as his hands go in his pockets.

When a man puts his hands in his pockets (with the exception of deliberately posing for a picture) - it signals lower levels of emotional comfort, lower confidence and disengagement. Here Elway is a turtle wanting to go into his shell.

In this moment Elway's hands are fully inside his pockets - with the expression of disgust very clearly demonstrated.











In summary, John Elway has anger-disgust during the celebratory moments of Manning's record breaking performance. Although other possibilities exist, the context of this moment strongly suggests these emotions are either self-directed - e.g. Elway is feeling he could have and should have done better in his career - or they are being projected at Peyton Manning as a manifestation of jealousy.

It is also profoundly important to note that whenever a conscious body language act (e.g., clapping) is seen with unconscious nonverbals - it is the unconscious behaviors which betray the true emotions. Gloss over this caveat at your peril.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2987: Tristan Thompson Kisses Sideline Reporter Allie Clifton 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2690: Peyton Manning Explains the Meaning of "Omaha" Call - Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2622: Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, What Faces Reveal - Body Language in Foxborough

Negotiation Secret # 146: Anthony Weiner's Inward Lip Roll

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

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2912: Gerald Ford Pardoning of Richard Nixon

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2074:  Mitt Romney and Senator Kelly Ayotte  What Body Language Tells?

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