Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1450: Rick Santorum's Contempt and Frown - The Proverbial Twisted Smile

Rick Santorum is showing us a classic body language display of contempt in this image. Any unilateral smile is highly suspicious for this very toxic emotion. The "squinting" or partial closure of the former U.S. Senator's right eye is highly congruent with contempt and taken together with his unilateral "one-sided, pseudo-smile"- clinches this emotional diagnosis. Notice that neither of Santorum's lower eyelids have the required concave-up furrow characteristic of all sincere smiles (See Secret # 353: Brad Pitt's Smiling Eyes - Sincere and Insincere Smiles). Note also that the squinting lid and contempt-mouth findings occur on the same side of Santorum's face. 

What is most intriguing and a brilliant nonverbal tell here - is that the left side of Rick Santorum's mouth is frowning. The right side of his face is displaying contempt and left side of his face is signalling sadness. This is the proverbial "Twisted Smile".  Regardless of your speaking ability, your resume', your platform or your looks - you won't win votes or get people to follow your lead with this facial expression.

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Negotiation Body Language Secret # 333: A Common False Diagnosis: The Asymmetrical Sincere but Suppressed Smile

When an asymmetrical smile is seen, it is very important to consider the emotions being displayed are either a feigned joy-happiness (thus an insincere smile) or contempt (see Body Language and Advertising Secret # 101: Contempt Doesn't Sell). An additional possibility however, is a sincere smile which is being partially suppressed - which is what we see very well exampled here on Matthew McConaughey's face. In this photo he's seen with his fiancee' and Camila Alves. Although the resolution is somewhat low in this image, we can clearly see his bilaterally partially closed eyelids. This dynamic partial closure is required for the smile to be sincere. Additionally though (as pointed out in higher detail in another recent post: Secret # 353: Brad Pitt's Eyes - Sincere and Insincere Smiles), another tell tale signal which must be present for the smile to be sincere, is the concave-up furrows temporarily created in the lower eyelids (seen above on Mr. McConaughey's left eye). If these furrows are NOT seen, even if the eyelids are partially closed - the smile is NOT sincere - and thus it's huge Nonverbal Red Flag signal. But this is certainly not the case here - for Matthew and Camila are now engaged and McConaughey's smile is sincere, just partially suppressed. Congratulations!

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