Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3369: University of Missouri Protesters Obstructing the Press (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Monday's events at the University of Missouri were in the national spotlight for several reasons. Tim Wolfe, the University President had resigned in the morning secondary to mounting pressure he had received for his alleged poor handling of multiple racist incidents on the campus in this autumn.  Students, including the football team - who with the support of their coach had refused to play, were the primary activists which brought this change. When members of the press attempted to photograph, video, interview and document the events (including the celebration of Wolfe's resignation) - they were met with intimidation and force.

The intent of this post is not to comment on the original inciting racist events, Wolfe's apparent mishandling of them - or the call for his resignation. Rather it is to showcase the nonverbal behavior exemplified here - specifically with respect to violation of personal and intimate space. 

At 2:17, Janna Basler,  assistant director of Greek Life & Leadership at the University of Missouri, appears to be  pushing Tim Tai. Immediately after this image was captured, Mr. Tai says, "Don't push me."

Here (5:52) and unidentified student appears to be pushing against Tim Tai as he is also seems to be grabbing for Tai's camera with Janna Basler in facing Mr. Tai. Just after this Tai again says, "Don't push me."




 

At this moment (6:08) the crowd is deliberately moving forward with their collective focus pushing on Mr. Tai as he says, "You're pushing me."

6:28

Melissa Click, who at the time was an assistant professor in the Department of Communication at University of Missouri, and has now resigned - is shown here grabbing the camera of Mark Schierbecker.




This is of course a small subset of all the events at the University of Missouri on Monday, and as Mr. Tai has said, "A lot of hardworking journalists were physically blocked from doing their jobs – I just happened to be on video. I didn't ask for notoriety." It should also be noted that photo and video credit for all those included here goes to Mark Schierbecker.

Many attorneys would conclude that the physicality shown involved in the direct touching, pushing, poking, etc. of Schierbecker and Tai constitutes assault. They both exhibit much greater than average emotional control by not, in some capacity, physically retaliating.

When personal space is encroached (at approximately 18 - 48 inches) and even further into our intimate space (from touching out to 18 inches) in the context of a typical subway ride, we tend to subdue our emotions, facial expressions and our other body language. Our arms and legs tend to be held significantly closer. We put on what is essentially physiologic crowd mask as our proxemic tolerance increases.

Yet in many other scenarios - and whenever emotions are even slightly elevated, our tolerance for such physical closeness with others diminishes significantly. We grow uneasy. Our adrenaline escalates along with our tempers. The probability of physical altercation becomes logarithmically more likely. That is what very clearly occurred here. These multiple and deliberate acts of encroachment coupled with the phenomenon of herd mentality (even if direct touching and pushing had not occurred) would have in most circumstances led to physical altercation. Deliberately entering into others' personal or intimate space (even once, let alone multiple times) is interpreted as a threat. This is not hyperbole, but normal physiology. To ignore or trivialize this behavior is naive at best - and more typically violence-provoking.


See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3368: Donald Trump, Insincerity and Starbucks

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3361: The Johnson Treatment - Body Language and Personal Space

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3303: Gorilla watching pics of other gorillas on Man's Phone at Zoo - Body Orientation, Personal Space and Emotional Comfort

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3209: G7 Summit - Angela Merkel, Barack Obama and Matteo Renzi - and a Major Body Language Faux Pas

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3244: Serena Williams' on-court interview at Wimbledon

Body Language, Flirting and Romance Secret No. 39:  Affectionate vs. Non-Affectionate Hug 


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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2920: Barack Obama, Michael Brown and Ferguson Police - Recognizing Subtle Alpha Tells (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Today Barack Obama addressed the nation regarding the recent death of 18 year-old Michael Brown by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. The President recognized both those using the town's angst and unrest at Mr. Brown's death as a excuse for looting and violence. He also spoke of Ferguson's police force violating the First Amendment rights of those peacefully assembled and protesting as well as arresting reporters (and allegedly others) without probable cause (a Fourth Amendment violation).

It is easy to imagine any U.S. President, republican or democrat, making a similar speech in such a scenario.

The video above (images captured below) provides several excellent examples of a nonverbal signal of a specific alpha body language tell that goes unnoticed by all but the most observant. We all know that the President is the most powerful person in this or any room in the United States. He doesn't have to spell it out for us. And yet as skilled as Mr. Obama is with his body language, he projects his Presidential power in a multitude of ways. Watch the video first and see if you can spot any in this example.

In other more everyday situations - for example when a person is trying to make us believe that they are our peer - and yet they really believe they are superior to us (e.g., depositions, negotiations, arbitrations, mediations, sales settings, political scenarios, corporate leadership, physicians attempting bedside manner, etc.). In these cases, both their thoughts and their nonverbals will be disparate from their words.

Again, in this example, the President and everyone else knows he's the top dog - yet it does serve to illustrate an important tell. Did you spot it yet?

Exaggerated mouth movements when speaking - above and beyond what is needed to normally pronounce any given word - is a solid alpha signal giveaway.

Often these "hyper-pronounced" words aren't necessarily the most crucial ones to emphasize - such as with this example, seen at 0:22, when the President says, "... tasked ...".

Note that near complete or complete eyelid closure occurs (a prolonged blink) frequently accompanying these exaggerated lip/mouth configurations.


Here Mr. Obama says, "... exactly ..." during the 0:49 mark.

A fraction of a second later still saying the word "... exactly ...". His eyes begin to open and yet the mouth remains hyperbolic.

Here POTUS says, "... accounts ..." at the 2:10 mark).

As with most nonverbal examples, these are often best appreciated within the dynamic context of video. This is no exception.






See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2919: Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama - Friends? - will they Hug it Out?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2460:  Third Year Law Student-Intern Channa Lloyd African-American on Zimmerman's Legal Team An Under-appreciated Alpha Body Language Signal

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1548:  Trayvon Martin's Death -  George Zimmerman and his First Court Appearance

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2835: Jay Carney Resigns - President Obama Shows Us a Body Language Tell

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2812: Barack Obama to Heckler, "You kinda screwed up my ending, but that's Okay" - Body Language
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