Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3111: Dakota Johnson rips into her Mom, Melanie Griffith at Oscars (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

An interesting and awkward family moment was on display last night at the Oscars. Dakota Johnson took her mother to the Academy Awards. Melanie Griffith, an actor in her own right, to everyone's surprise had not yet seen her daughter's first starring role. What follows is a partial body language analysis.

Just as Melanie is asked if she has seen "Fifty Shades of Grey" - Dakota begins to display an "Inward Lip Roll" (ILR). She knows what her mom's answer is going to be and the inward lip roll is (subconsciously) partially suppressing her negative emotions - as well as a more dramatic facial expression (0:36).

A close up of the ILR as it wanes (0:37).

0:40

Dakota is pleading to her mother with mild fear face and elevated central forehead contraction (CFC). This one expression very commonly used when trying to engender empathy in another.

Melanie is tight-lipped, nonverbally projecting, "I don't want to say it ...."

0:41

As her elevated CFC persists,
Dakota's mid-face is projecting a Rationalization Rapport Empathy Expression (R2E2) - she's verbally and nonverbally asking her mother to agree with her - at least here, on the red carpet (e.g., Pleeeease!? Mom!)

Melanie is staring - her upper eyelids elevated higher than baseline and with a tight-lipped (now beginning to down-turn) false smile persisting

1:01- 1:02

As Dakota says, "Alright! You don't have to see it [inaudible]" - she displays a Subtle Eye Roll - which projects both her Contempt & Dismissive feelings.

Meanwhile Melanie's mouth is configured in a Tight-Lipped False-Smile while her mid-face is also manifesting Disgust.

1:03

Dakota then Melanie each then turn their heads (and Dakota her back) away from each other - signaling dissociating, distancing, disliking and disagreeing emotional tones.








1:16

Dakota is displaying a forward lip purse when her mother says, "If she tells me to see it, I will go see it."

Lip pursing, in this cluster-context, is a strong nonverbal signal of clandestine disagreement. Dakota does not at all believe her mother will watch her break-out movie. Dakota is also projecting disgust.

Johnson's partial eyelid closure here is an amplifier of her both her disbelief and disgust.

See also:

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

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3102: Movie Portrayal of "Christian Grey" is a Sociopath or Worse

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2603: Sarah Palin's Body Language - She Feels Disgust toward Pope Francis and ... She Tells a Fib

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3056: Jeb Bush Interview - 14 Dec. 2014 - Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3091: Vladimir Putin has Asperger's Syndrome according to Pentagon Report

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2468:  Princess Kate, Prince William & a New Baby Boy -  Body Language, Rapport & Saving Face

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3061: Jimmy Fallon Blew a Chance to Date Nicole Kidman 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3064: Pastor Recounts Punching a Child in the Chest


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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3102: Movie Portrayal of "Christian Grey" is a Sociopath or Worse - Body Language (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Throughout much of the film, Fifty Shades of Grey, the actor who portrays Christian Grey - Jamie Dornan - uses facial expressions consistent with a sociopath or psychopath. Note in the image below, his right eyelid is opened slightly more than a resting eye - while his left is closed slightly more. With mild to moderate levels of anger, the eyelids partially close - and with greater anger (e.g., rage) they open wider (exceptions of course for some medical conditions). His eyebrows are also displaced downward (especially the inner aka medial brows) while they are also being drawn together - also is transmitting signals of anger. Thus in this image - just looking at Dornan's/Grey's eyelids we see two different levels of anger - and should instinctually bias us to interpreting this as an anger crescendo.

Grey's lower face seems a contradiction though - here displaying a mild "mouth smile" (This smile is far from sincere though). This disparity between his mouth and eyes should send up a red flag for most everyone - yet a high percentage of people mislabel this expression. Unfortunately this facial configuration has been largely indoctrinated by Hollywood for some type of swagger or romantic expression. There is no romance here. And while some may feel alpha/assertive/powerful when using this face, those who use it often are absolutely to be avoided.

We're all human - and from time to time we all express the full gamut of emotions and their nonverbal signals. Yet people who display this particular facial expression frequently are sociopaths or psychopaths. Run don't walk.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3101: Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jada Pickett Smith and "Focus"

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2259: Game Show Killer Rodney Alcala Gets Two More Sentences - His Body Language Warning Signs

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3063: Former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell Sentenced to Two Years for Corruption

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2231:  A Common Facial Expression of Mass Killers - Using Body Language as a Threat Assessment Tool

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2656: Threat Assessment during Robbery - Body Language of Perpetrator

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3085: Olivia Munn Doesn't Like Johnny Depp - Just Listen to Her Body Language (Not Her Words)

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3047: Ethan's Christmas wish comes true - Emotional Processing of Joy-Happiness

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2897: Fifty Shades of Grey - Part II - Warning Signs & Threat Assessment (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

This is the second post regarding the recent movie trailer release of "Fifty Shades of Grey". Dakota Johnson is casted as Anastasia "Ana" Steele - and she does a very good job in this trailer portraying a naive college woman. In stark contrast, Jamie Dornan, who plays Christian Grey, as pointed out in Analysis No. 2894 - has the body language of a sociopath in this trailer.

To reiterate somewhat, the central forehead contraction (aka "CFC" - even when seen in trace amounts) when seen simultaneously with any degree of "mouth smile" is consistent with contempt, incredulity or arrogance. This is not the only nonverbal consistent with these three emotional states. Moreover every human being feels these from time to time. However when the CFC is together with any degree of a "mouth smile" is seen chronically - this is consistent with sociopathic behavior. It also signals very low (or nonexistent) empathy and insincerity. Be warned.

Another nonverbal signal that is present in this very brief segment of this film - are eyelids that are opened wider than normal on a chronic basis. Like everything in the world of body language, specific body language signals must never be interpreted in isolation. Eyes that are opened wider than what for that person is considered baseline (and of course the heights of the upper eyelids varies from person to person and with age) may be seen with higher levels of anger (rage), surprise, shock, and fear. They also can be seen during moment of emphasis during conversation and in such context are a type of nonverbal "illustrator".

Some eyelids are opened wider than normal on a chronic basis however, either very frequently throughout the day or even nearly constantly. This is even indoctrinated in Hollywood from the mad genius (think "Doc Brown" on the "Back to the Future" movies) as well as in almost innumerable animations. Curiously though, this sign is largely ignored in the medical community - even though most would call the appearance "creepy", "weird", or "scary". There are of course some medical conditions which cause the eyelids to be retracted and have this "white and wide" appearance (such as hyperthyroid conditions). These are relatively easy for a physician to exclude however. When a physiologic or other traditional medical condition cannot be found - physiological diagnoses should be diligently sought.

Christian Grey - the character portrayed by Jamie Dornan - is of course a young, wealthy entrepreneur. He is not entitled to be crazy or chronically angry however - nor is anyone of course regardless of their financial status. Note Grey's/Dornan's upper eyelids are opened wider than what is normal. Of course this is only an actor playing a fictional character - but if you see this nonverbal signal displayed chronically or outside the setting of anger (rage), surprise, shock, fear or illustration of emphasis - consider it a red flag. You've been warned. Stay away.

Ted Bundy

James Holmes

Marshall Applewhite

Adam Lanza



























See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2747: Adam Lanza's Warning Sign - Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2503:  Fort Hood Shooter and his Tell-Tale Body Language  Common to many Mass-Killers -  Nidal Malik Hasan gets the Death Penalty

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2828: Elliot Roger, Isla Vista/U.C. Santa Barbara Mass Shooting & Threat Assessment - Body Language and Threat Assessment

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2895: "Fifty Shades of Grey" Trailer - If Christian Grey was a real person ..... Body Language Tells (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

The Movie Trailer for "Fifty Shades of Grey" was released today. Dakota Johnson (who plays Anastasia "Ana" Steele) is a good actress. Jamie Dornan (who plays Christian Grey) does a good job playing a sociopath. His body language screams it loud and clear. 

Whenever the central forehead is contracted (even subtly), aka a "CFC", and is simultaneous with a mouth smile (even a very small one) - a red flag should immediately be raised in your mind.

This CFC with a subtle or moderate smile is seen in every human being from time to time. Examples of such scenarios include arrogance - for we are all arrogant once in a while (although this is by no means is the only nonverbal signal of arrogance) - with incredulity (while there are certainly other body language signs of disbelief) - and contempt (again, contempt also has other nonverbal signals).

However when the Central Forehead is contracted frequently (in about 4% of the population) - it is a strong signal of a sociopath.

Regardless of the precise psychological profile of the fictional character "Christian Grey" - Jamie Dornan is portraying a sociopath. A person who chronically displays the CFC with a subtle/moderate (or even dramatic) mouth smile has both low sincerity and a low empathy quotient. This is a very reliable nonverbal cluster indicative of this sociopathic. Of course, such people are to be strongly avoided.

Another warning signal added to the mix here is a component of anger. Note how Dornan's eyebrows are both lowered and drawn together (Along with another sign of anger ... do you see it?) Of course this is an actor playing a fictional character - yet if you were to come across this person in your business or personal life - keep clear.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2656: Threat Assessment during Robbery - Body Language of Perpetrator 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2894: Maria Kirilenko, Alex Ovechkin and Subtle Body Language of ...

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2658: Misidentifying Emotional Expressions - Greece's Golden Dawn Party Arrests - Body Language and Threat Assessment

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2313: Elisa Lam Video in Elevator at Cecil Hotel - What Her Body Language Tells Us

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

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