Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3660: Trump Attorney Michael Cohen's Awkward Exchange with Brianna Keilar, "Says Who?" - Body Language & Emotional Intelligence (VIDEO, PHOTO)

This exchange between CNN's Brianna Keilar and one of Donald Trump's attorneys, Michael Cohen, rapidly went viral for its high level of awkwardness. Yet when we thin-slice their conversation from a nonverbal perspective we can gain significant insight. What follows is a partial analysis:

When a person speaks out of one side of their mouth, there are several possible causes which should come to mind:

1. Medical or Injury: Certainly injuries can result in long term nerve or muscular deficits. Cerebral vascular accident (Stroke) and other nervous system conditions can also cause an asymmetrical speaking style.

2. Tic-like behavior/Long-Term Habit/Idiosyncratic: While relatively uncommon, it is certainly not rare for a person to have a long-term habit or what may be classified as a facial tic of speaking out of one side of their mouth.

3. Machismo/Swagger: While there is some overlap between the nonverbal swagger via speaking out of one side of the mouth overlapping with a manifestation of insincerity-deception, it's helpful to consider these as separate root causes. Machismo/Swagger is very common in Professional athletes as well as celebrities and as the category implies, this cause is more commonly displayed in men.

4. Insincerity & Deception: In the vast majority of circumstances, there are nonverbal other signals being displayed when deception or insincerity is taking place.

On multiple occasions Mr. Cohen repeats himself with, "Says who?". Note that during these questions as his mouth speaks asymmetrically, he also displays an extended blink with a simultaneous upward movement of his eyebrows and forehead.

During the 20 second segment he displays a hard swallow. At no time did we see him display any hand gestures. Cohen's head and neck extends backward in quick snaps as he repeats his question. 

Coupling these nonverbal observations together with his verbal messages and his vocal qualities - which of the four above possibilities do you think is the most likely explanation for Mr. Cohen's asymmetrical speaking style?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication No. 3659: Ryan Lochte's "Today Show" Interview regarding Alleged Rio Robbery

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3593: What does Tulsi Gabbard think about Hillary Clinton?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2673: New Jersey Bridge Closing - Fort Lee, NJ Mayor Mark Sokolich - What His Body Language Says about His Feelings towards Governor Chris Christie

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3635: Michelle Obama's DNC Speech and a Body Language Mistake

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3647: Yusra Mardini, Refugees, Syrian Swimmer, and Sincere Smiles

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3610: Star Swain sings The Star-Spangled Banner at the Lincoln Memorial - Why Do Singers Close Their Eyes?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3583: Donald Trump, Reaching out to Bernie Sanders' Supporters and Insincerity Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3432: Leonardo DiCaprio reacts to Lady Gaga at Golden Globe Awards


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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2865: John Boehner is Suing Barack Obama - Body Language (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

This past Wednesday, John Boehner announced that he is suing the Barack Obama for abuse of powers and not faithfully executing the office of the Presidency.

Many have inquired of late with regards to the Speaker of U.S. House of Representative's body language. At multiple times, Boehner's mouth rapidly and evanescently pulls up at both corners in what some novices mistake for disgust or regret - and still others confuse it with "duping delight" (Ekman). However this is a facial tic (particular image below is captured from 0:21). Mr. Boehner displays it often and it increases in frequency with his anxiety level. The presence of this facial tic makes other nonverbal signals (such as those associated with the emotions mentioned above) more difficult to discern.

What other body language (e.g. non-tic facial expressions) in this video betray the Speaker's true thought-feelings with regards to suing the President?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2318:  John Boehner at Rosa Parks Statue Unveiling  A Body Language Signal of Squelching Tears

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2704: Barack Obama, John Boehner and the State of the Union Address - Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2864: Mary Barra asked by Matt Lauer, Can you Run GM and be a good mom too? - Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1877:  John Boehner's Open Consideration

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2855: Hillary Clinton, 2016 Presidential Race and Duping Delight - Body Language Tells

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2559: John Boehner's Body Language - Microexpression of Contempt vs. Facial Tic (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Many are aware that John Boehner has a facial tic. Of course this does not exempt him from nonverbals displays which are indicative of valuable emotional tells. What follows is just such an example.

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

Rep. Boehner's stated (begins at 0:01) "Our leadership team met with ah, our members today, ah, trying to find a way forward in a bipartisan way, ah, that ah we continue to provide fairness to the American people, ah, under Obamacare. Ah, there are a lot of opinions about ah what direction to go. There have been no decisions about exactly we will do. Ah, but we're going to continue to work with out members on both sides of the isle, ah to try and make sure, ah that there's no ah issue, ah of default and to get our government reopened."

At 0:06, just after the Speaker of the House says, "... trying to find a way forward in a bipartisan way ...", Mr. Boehner displays a classic example of a microexpression of contempt. His "mustache area" is vectored primarily upward. His left nostril is also flared. In addition, the valuable "contempt amplifier" of simultaneous and partially closed eyelids are present.

Most of Speaker Boehner's "facial tics" are just that - a longstanding and frequent idiosyncrasy (see below). And indeed when viewed at regular speed, very few people can distinguish the difference between one of his baseline tics and any type of microexpression. This particular example however was not a facial tic. John Boehner clearly is feeling contempt in this moment.

This example (at 0:12) is a nearly symmetrical mouth tic - one very typical for the Ohio republican (His mouth, midface or eyes are not displaying a microexpression).

What other body language signal(s) do you see in this moment though?

This asymmetrical mouth expression is also a facial tic (captured at 0:16). Note there is no tightening or elevation of Mr. Boehner's "mustache area".











When you watch these three moments in the video, can you distinguish the difference between these examples? How many microexpressions (and the ramifications) have you missed today?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2235:  Barack Obama and John Boehner - The Fiscal Cliff and Contrasting Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2254:  John Boehner's Speech Today - One Major Body Language Improvement - The U.S. Speaker of the House Should Make

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1877:  John Boehner's Open ConsiderationNonverbal Communication Analysis # 1877:  John Boehner's Open Consideration

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2236:  John Boehner & the Fiscal Cliff Plan B Failure - Body Language of Duping Delight

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2318:  John Boehner at Rosa Parks Statue Unveiling - A Body Language Signal of Squelching Tears 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2276:  Michelle Obama's Eye Roll .... What was she thinking? and  What Did Boehner's & Barack's Body Language Say? 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2248:  Barack Obama's Body Language regarding  the Republicans & the Fiscal Cliff on  "Meet the Press" 

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2239: John Boehner's Body Language-Facial Tic of Anxiety vs. Another Facial Expression of Contempt

Many people have inquired about John Boehner's very rapid "smile-like" expressions recently. In the context of negotiations with President Obama regarding the "Fiscal Cliff", he has received more press than usual of late. One of these very evanescent facial expressions appears in the above video at the 0:06 mark. Note its symmetry - with equal elevation on both corners of the mouth. If one were inexperienced at reading nonverbals - or had not watched the U.S. Speaker of the House very much, they may mistake this rapid expression for what is known as a "duping delight". While we all display the duping delight expression occasionally - and Mr. Boehner is no exception (see also: Nonverbal Communication Analysis #2236: John Boehner & the Fiscal Cliff Plan B Failure - Body Language of Duping Delight), this particular expression is something different - a form of a facial tic. John Boehner displays this body language-facial expression very often (and is seen many times in the above segment). It tends to increase with Mr. Boehner's anxiety.

Note another very rapid, but asymmetrical pseudo-smile the congressman makes at the 0:07 mark. The quick "smile-like" elevation occurs much more predominantly on the left side of his mouth. While this asymmetry/mild difference may seem insignificant, this second particular expression conveys a very different emotion - one of contempt. This extremely rapid contempt display is one of many examples of emotions conveyed via microexpressions. Most of the Ohio republican's mouth movements (other than speech) in this segment are consistent with his anxiety-related idiosyncratic facial tic and not contempt related. However this body language is one exception.

See also:

Negotiation Body Language Secret # 457: Salman Rusdie and a Contempt Amplifier

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1890: Eric Holder has (Emotional) Contempt toward Darrell Issa - while Rep. Issa is Very Excited to be Seeking  "Contempt of Congress" against Holder

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2172: Governor Chris Christie's Body Language of Contempt -  Microexpressions and Subtle Displays 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2228: Jay Carney's Body Language - Contempt disguised as a Sniff .... for Republicans' Solutions to the Fiscal Cliff 

Negotiation Body Language Secret # 931: Harbaugh's Fear and Anxiety 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1901: Maria Sharapova's Anxiety

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1876: Noomi Rapace Body Language - Anxiety & False Mastication

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