Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2649: How a Kiss can Change the World - Body Language of Affection (PHOTO)

Photo Credit Marco Bertorello

This is an incredible photo examples an incredible scenario of human emotion and the body language which accompanies it. The woman is protesting a high-speed train line in Susa, Italy. She is lifting the face-shield of a police officer to kiss him as a peace offering. Note that both of their eyes are closed. At moments of high affection (such as a kiss) and other affectionate, close head-touching scenarios (e.g. sincere hugs), the eyes will close. The emotional brain wants to drink in" and experience every little bit of the emotion of the moment - and such emotion is heightened by eyelid closure. Forty percent of the mass of the brain is visual. Ninety percent of all sensory input is also visual. Thus when the eyelids are closed there is a transient and subtle blood flow and neurochemical downshift in the visual portions of the central nervous system, while the other senses (taste, touch, smell and hearing) grow temporarily more sensitive - and the cognitive and emotional centers of the brain will also up-regulate. This is natural when tasting a chocolate desert, or often when a singer performs, during intense concentration, at the height of sexual orgasm, etc.

Perhaps the police officer and the woman knew each other prior to the protest. Perhaps not. We do not know his specific orders either. While this would seem to be contrary to law enforcement protocol, it seems she has, by her affectionate display, changed his World-view.

See also:

Body Language Analysis No. 2502:  A Nonverbal Sign of True Love & Affection - A Father Reunited with Young Son Who He Believed died in  Syria Poison Gas Attack

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2535: William Swenson, Medal of Honor and Body Language on the Battlefield (VIDEO, PHOTO)

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 1855: Sincere Kisses & Closed Eyes

Body Language Analysis No. 2108:  Rihanna's and Chris Brown's Kiss and Hug  What are they REALLY feeling?

Romance and Dating Secret No. 202: Revealed in a Kiss -  Prince Albert and Princess Charlene 

Body Language Analysis No. 2643: Is this Hug More Sexual or Affectionate? Student Suspended One Year for Hugging a Teacher

Body Language Secret No. 105: Parental Affection and Love

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2232: Vicki Soto, a Hero, Body Language and a Mother's Love & Affection - Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting Interview (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

There are oodles of body language examples in this video (original video is no longer able to be embeded - however link to video is here and the image captured as well as the body language are discussed are below). To delineate them all would take pages. Focusing on one example, near the end of this segment, illustrates a very telling and poignant nonverbal.

In this very emotional recounting of the events of last Friday morning at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Diane Licata describes the actions and motives of her son's teacher, Vicki Soto (4:13 - 4:36): "I know she would have done anything to protect those kids . I know she would have and I know she did everything she could at that moment. In the chaos and, and ascertaining what was happening, um, you know, ssssheeee is truly a hero .... and ah, it's very likely that because of her - our son is alive today."

Ms. Licata's prolonged eyelid closure (during 4:26 - 4:29), as the thankful parent says, "Sssssheee is" indicates a true and deeply sincere affection for her son's teacher-hero, Vicki Soto. Forty percent of the mass of our brain is dedicated to the visual system. And of the five senses, vision makes up ninety percent of a human's sensory input. Thus the visual portion of the brain also uses a huge portion of its blood supply.  When we close our eyes though, it changes the dynamics of the blood flow just a bit. It's not just the blind who have increased sensitivity of their other non-visual senses. All we have to do is close our eyes, and our brain's blood flow is shunted slightly more to the brain areas which control hearing, taste, touch, and smell - as well as the cognitive and emotional centers. We close our eyes when we feel affection. For this same reason we also close our eyes when we kiss, hug and make love. We want to amp up the emotion. We want to feel every last bit. We need to. We are human. So was Vicki Soto.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2231: A Common Facial Expression of Mass Killers - Using Body Language as a Threat Assessment Tool

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2229:  President Obama and a Body Language Signal of  Holding Back Grief, Tears & other Negative Emotions

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1855:  Sincere Kisses & Closed Eyes

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2: Body Language of Blake Lively and Penn Badgley  Strongly Suggests an Impending Break-up in Near Future

Romance, Marriage and Dating - Body Language Secret # 771: Ann's and Mitt's Affectionate Hug

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1898:  Heat, Hugs & Head Surrogates

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2183: Barack & Michelle Obama's Tweet - The Palmar Touch, Body Language and an Affectionate Hug

Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1423:  Head First Affection & Head Surrogate Hug- Shootings in France

 

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Dating & Romance Body Language Secret # 1139: Is Their Hug Sincere? Karen & Rick Santorum

If someone says they love you, how do you know it's truthful? Well, one way to tell is the quality of their hug. What are the characteristics of a sincere hug? In this photo of Rick and Karen Santorum, they are locked in an embrace during a recent Primary victory celebration. When the palms are flat, this is a signal of true affection. We cannot see Rick's hands, however Karen's are certainly flat against her husband's back. If someone hugs with just a finger-contact, at the very best, they are not fully present in the moment. Hugs are rare enough - only seconds in our lives - and important enough - that they should always command 100% attention. More typically though, with a finger-tip hug, affection is simply minimal or absent. 

Although, we cannot see it here (because the image is cropped), another characteristic of a truly affectionate hug, is contact between the waists and lower bodies. This is certainly true with a spouse, girlfriend/boyfriend, etc. - but also with child-parent, or sibling-sibling relationships - but only in the presence of true affection.

Karen Santorum also exhibits another affection-absolute of a sincere hug - that of eyelid closing. Forty percent of the mass of the brain - and thus a corresponding amount of the blood supply and oxygen goes to our visual brain components. Moreover, we get a full ninety percent of our sensory input through our vision. When we close our eyes, a bit of this massive blood supply gets shunted to the other parts of our brains - e.g. the other four senses, our cognitive centers and our emotional brain. Thus in the act of closing the eyelids, we are trying to "drink in" the full emotion of the moment. We are trying to maximize our hug-experience. If a person does not close their eyes during a hug, they are not emotionally engaged - the only question is why? Is it because they are distracted .... or apathetic?

Karen Santorum's hug is very sincere. She is experiencing the full emotion of the moment. Few feelings compare with the giving and receiving of true affection. Seek it. Give it. Covet it .... and don't take it for granted.

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Negotiation Body Language Secret # 391: Hillary Clinton and Aung San Suu Kyi

U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton is show here hugging Myanmar's (Burma's) pro-democracy opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. The Burmese leader is the winner of numerous awards including the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize. Although the two women have not known each other very long, their new friendship is quite sincere. Three classic signals of a truly affectionate hug are clearly demonstrated in this image: head touching, eye closure and full contact with the palms of their hands. A sincere embrace is very difficult to fake, and friendship among leaders is all too rare.

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Negotiation Body Language Secret # 771: Many Signals Steeple on the Super Committee

This is an excellent Body Language photo of the four of the Congressional "Super Committee" members (United States Congress Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction). Most notable here and in most in focus is Rep. Fred Upton R-MI (light colored shirt and only one not in a suit jacket). His hands (and eyes) are in sending several messages in a group of simultaneous gestures. 

Notice how Representative Upton is covering his mouth - as are three of the four men pictured here. In this context, it is a signal of strong disapproval and even disbelief of the speaker (unseen) or the opinion being voiced. 

Mr. Upton's mostly interlaced fingers indicates negative/frustrated/defensive emotions and perhaps impatience (as does his democratic colleague to his right, Rep. Jim Clyburn D-SC). 

Upton's index fingers are meeting in a modified, partial steeple which is an extremely common nonverbal in a person of authority. A steeple, particularly a high steeple indicates confidence - however this is a partial steeple - ergo a lower level of confidence. The steeple gesture (particularly a full steeple) should be used only briefly and in well chosen times and settings as it often sends signals of arrogance and condescension. 

Thumbs on the chin is often a sign of true thought and consideration (note the Committee Member two seats to Mr. Upton's right - while not fully visible, probably has his thumb on his chin as well). 

Finally notice Fred Upton's eyes are mostly or entirely closed. This is a blocking signal - in effect Mr. Upton's subconscious is wishing whatever he is hearing/visualizing away for a few seconds.

So in summary in Representative Upton we see the following emotions as displayed via Body Language:  

1. Strong disapproval, and perhaps thoughts he (and others) believe he (they) are hearing deception
2. Negative/frustrated/defensive emotions and/or impatience
3. Confidence (but not overly confident)
4. True thought and contemplation
5. A "wishing away" (psychological blocking)

This is a very complex body language photo (still only partially analyzed). Of course in the real world in which we all live and work is in a constant state of flux with words being spoken and many other distractions ....and they won't hold still for us to dissect. 

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Body Language Secret # 105: Parental Affection and Love

Although a "hug" does not require closed eyes, doing so is a strong sign of affection and love. It's as if your emotional brain is trying to "drink in" the entire moment. Physiologically, our visual systems take up about 40% of the mass - and blood supply - of our brains. The visual sense also makes up 90% of our sensory input. It tends to often overpower our senses of smell, touch, taste and hearing - as well as our cognition and emotions.  When we close our eyes, this allows a bit more blood (and thus more oxygen) to be directed to other portions - including the emotional components - of our brains. This phenomenon is biological. While certainly not the only warning sign to watch for -  parents who consistently lack eye closure during the hugging their children - also tend to lack affection and love for these same children.

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Negotiation Secret # 279 & 317: Angela's Two Tells

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is not known for her poker face. Here she displays two classic facial expressions. Can you describe them? Her mouth has taken on the classic morphology of moderate fear. Her lips are pulled outwards and down very tightly. The jaw is pulled backwards and her chin is wrinkled as well. Her neck muscles are also tightened. All of these are classic signs of fear. 

Another facial signal that may accompany fear, but may also be present with other emotions - is her bilateral eye closure (eye blocking). This is a subconscious attempt by the mind to temporarily block the object of fear, contempt, disgust, etc. - as if to say, "If I close my eyes for a second, this may go away." The fact that even those who are born blind, still routinely exhibit this signal, speaks to the deeply rooted nature of body language.

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