Cambridge Analytica, the data analytics company now infamous for its work on President Donald Trump's Presidential campaign, has suspended their CEO, Alexander Nix. An undercover video released recently shows him discussing the use of sexual entrapment and potential bribery.
Before his suspension, Alexander Nix gave an interview with the BBC's Emily Maitlis (a portion of which is included above), wherein he displayed a multitude of tells. What follows is a spotlight of one particularly valuable nonverbal signal.
ALEXANDER NIX: Well, it's certainly right, that he, he gave us access to, to a data set. Ahum, I think that we would disagree with ah, th-, the voracity of, ah, the claims concerning, ah, how powerful this - this, this data was. Ahum, we ran ahum - many models over a period of time, trying to understand if we could use this data in a meaningful way - and ultimately (0:24), ahum, it proved to be - fruitless. Ahum, and, and so we moved down a, a different avenue.
EMILY MAITLIS: 'Cause he says that the data came not just from using the apps - but from a far wider circle of friends - or their contacts - gave you status updates, likes, personal messages. So from touching two hundred thousand people - you expanded into their entire social networks which scaled you to most of America.
During 0:24, as he says the word "ultimately" ("... Ahum, we ran ahum - many models over a period of time, trying to understand if we could use this data in a meaningful way - and ultimately (0:24), ahum, it proved to be - fruitless. ..."), Mr. Nix displayed a great example of what is known as an Asymmetrical Blink (subconsciously, blinking only with one eye).
To be clear, an asymmetrical blink is NOT a wink. Winking is a fully conscious and deliberate behavior.
Asymmetrical Blinking is a nonverbal signal which indicates thought-emotions of:
• Contempt
• Sarcasm
• Pretentiousness
• Feigned Disbelief
In this particular context, Feigned Disbelief is profoundly important. Alexander Nix believes, very much, that Cambridge Analytica's data did indeed bear fruit.
It's helpful to think of Asymmetrical Blinking as a Unilateral, Partially Suppressed Eye Roll.
Summary: Alexander Nix's nonverbal behavior indicates he's being deceptive. He's overacting his incredulity.
Nix's Asymmetrical Blinking behavior, is perfectly encapsulated in a line from Hamlet, as Queen Gertrude says, (apologies to Shakespeare), "The Gentlemen doth protests too much, methinks".
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