Body Language Analysis No. 4101: Myeshia Johnson, the widow of Sgt. La David Johnson - Interview on Good Morning America - Nonverbal and Emotional Intelligence (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

On 4 October 2017, Sgt. La David Johnson, along with three other US soldiers - Staff Sgt. Bryan Black, Staff Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson,  Staff Sgt. Dustin Wright - as well as five Nigerien soldiers, were killed in an ambush in Tongo Tongo, Niger. Two American and eight Nigerien soldiers were also wounded in the attack.

Myeshia Johnson, the widow of Sgt. La David Johnson was interviewed on Good Morning America today. What follows is a partial nonverbal analysis of Ms. Johnson's conversation with George Stephanopoulos.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Are you confident you're going to get the answers you need?

MYESHIA JOHNSON: If I keep pushin' for 'em I will. 

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: And they just say they don't know?

As George Stephanopoulos, says, "And they just say they don't know?" (during 2:57), and for about a second afterward, Myeshia Johnson displays a "Lateral Jaw Thrust" to her right. This is vectored away from the camera, which makes it a bit difficult to see.

A lateral jaw thrust is indicative of High Sincerity and Strong Determination.

MYESHIA JOHNSON: Yes, the President said he knew what he signed up for, but it hurts anyways.

As she says, "... anyways" (during 3:57), Ms. Johnson displays Anger with the evanescent depression of her eyebrows, especially her medial eyebrows. 

During 4:05, as Ms. Johnson said, "And I was - it made me cry, because - I was very angry at the w-, the tone in his voice ...", she displayed Contempt.

Then, during 4:06 as she said, "and how he said - I, he, he c-, he couldn't remember my husband's name ...", Myeshia Johnson felt and displayed Disgust. 

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS (5:04): What did you say to the President?

MYESHIA JOHNSON: I,  I didn't s-, I didn't say anything.

During her answer, Ms. Johnson first projects her lower lip forward. She then shakes her head side-to-side, leans to her right, stutters, focuses her eyes at the mid-distance, and displays a Regret expression (pictured above during 5:08). This combination of nonverbal signals are indicative of Anxiety, Hesitation, and Regret and are best viewed in the dynamic context of the video.

During 5:13, just after she says, "I just listened", Myeshia Johnson displays an Inward Lip Roll (ILR). An inward lip roll is a subconsciously initiated attempt to suppress both the inward crescendo and the outward display of strong emotions.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: But you were upset when you got off the phone?

MYESHIA JOHNSON: Oh, very, very upset and hurt - very. It made me cry even worse.

From 5:18 through 5:22, Ms. Johnson's eyelids lower in another display of Anger (image immediately above).

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: The President said that the Congresswoman was lying about the phone call.

MYESHIA JOHNSON: Whatever Ms. Wilson said was not fabricated. What she said was a hundred percent correct. It was Master Sargent Neil, me, my Aunt, my Uncle, and the drive, and Ms. Wilson in the car. The phone was on speakerphone. [Tongue in Cheek Display during 6:19] Why would we fabricate something like that?

A Tongue in Cheek display indicates the high confidence thought-emotions of "I just won"/"I gotcha".

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Is there anything you'd like to say to the President now?

MYESHIA JOHNSON: [Lip Smack] No [lateral head shake, low amplitude, moderate frequency] I don't - Nah - I don't have nothin' to say to him.

During 6:29, as she says, "... Nah ...", Ms. Johnson displays a classic Contempt expression.

After Ms. Johnson's interview on Monday morning, President Trump responded via Twitter (immediately above).


Summary: Ms. Myeshia Johnson displayed a myriad of emotions during this interview including determination, anger, contempt, disgust, anxiety, and high confidence. And although she did not express so verbally, Myeshia Johnson's nonverbal signals show that she regrets not responding to President Trump during the phone call.

Myeshia Johnson's sincerity and honesty quotients are high - and specifically, at no time during this interview did she display any nonverbal signals of deception.


Group Appearances and One-on-One
Online Courses Available 
702-239-8503
Jack@BodyLanguageSuccess.com


See also:

Body Language Analysis No. 4100: Bryan Cranston and The Eyelid Pull

Body Language Analysis No. 4098: President Trump and Puerto Rico's Governor Ricardo Rosselló - A Candid Moment in the Oval Office

Body Language Analysis No. 4096: President Trump Refutes Florida Congresswoman Frederica Wilson's Account Of Call To Soldier’s Widow

Body Language Analysis No. 4094: Donald Trump, Barack Obama, and Calling the Families of Fallen Soldiers

Body Language Analysis No. 4087: Harrison Ford Accidentally Punches Ryan Gosling in the Face - Blade Runner 2049

Body Language Analysis No. 4081: Catalonia's Referendum vs. Spain's Control

Body Language Analysis No. 4071: Fans' Reaction to Trauma - Young Girl Hit By Foul Ball at Yankee Stadium

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3860: Ian McKellen, The Oscars and a spot-on Maggie Smith Impression

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3771: Tom Hanks Reenacts Iconic Forrest Gump Scene



_____________________________________________________________________________________

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 1706: Amanda Knox Interview after Guilty Verdict - Body Language Tells (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Amanda Knox was recently declared guilty (along with her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito) once again for the 2007 murder of Meredith Kercher. Yesterday Ms. Knox was interviewed by Robin Roberts on "Good Morning America". What follows is a body language analysis of one particular moment.

At the 2:45 mark, Robin Roberts says, "... We heard you say that you would not go willingly Amanda, that they would have to catch you first, and that you'd go kicking and screaming."

Ms. Knox responds, "Yeah, I am um ... I will never go willingly back to the place ... where I ...[exhale] .... I'm going to fight this until the very end ..."

At 2:50, as Ms. Roberts says, "... first ...", Amanda Knox exhibits a very subtle microexpression display of fear. This is one of the subtlest examples you'll see. Look for an evanescent tightening of her left neck. 

Ms. Knox's eye lids are also opened wider than baseline in this moment - highly consistent with the emotion of fear.

In addition there is a component of regret, although this is also a secondary emotion in this moment.

At 2:52 just after Roberts says, "... kicking and screaming." Knox displays a regret microexpression. At this moment she most probably regrets making this statement in public, or the image of herself kicking and screaming.

A fraction of a second later we see a very brief example (thus a microexpression) of duping delight (Ekman). This is very subtle. Watch this segment of the video if you don't see it at first.

In this context, this duping delight display does NOT indicate guilt. What does it mean then?

There's a myriad of other nonverbal displays in this video. What others did you spot?


See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2547: Amanda Knox's ex-Boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, Piers Morgan Interview, Body Language Tells and Avoiding the Othello Error

Negotiation Secret # 331: Amanda Knox's Sincerity

Negotiation Secret # 335 & 353: Incredulous with Contempt  Amanda Knox Redux

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2274:  The Eyes & Mouth of Fear -  Body Language of Ahmed Dogan during  Attempted Assassination

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2606: Brett Farve Displays Body Language of Fear about any Son Playing Football 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2338:  Why Does Keit Pentus-Rosimannus feel Fear?  Body Language of Estonia's Minister of Environment 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2705: Congressman Michael Grimm Apology - Sincere or Not? Body Language Tells

________________________________________________________________________________

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2159: Tom Hanks drops the F-bomb on GMA - Body Language of Fear, Surprise, MAPs and a Bitter Smile

Everyone loves Tom Hanks. In this CNN Video recapping a portion of his interview on Good Morning America shown on 19 October 2012 there are some great nonverbal displays. These facial expressions are so evanescent (particularly the best examples) that you may need several attempts to pause at the best split second marks.

At 0:01, CNN anchor Christi Paul gives us a great fear expression. Paul's emotional display is probably due to her painful memories of having committed (or witnessing) similar faux pas - and thus she has a good deal of empathy for Hanks and GMA interviewer, Elizabeth Vargas. Note Christi Paul's neck. The contraction of the thin superficial neck muscle (platysma) gives her neck a "tented-up" appearance. Sometimes this neck-tenting is the primary nonverbal display of this emotion. It is often missed and is a very reliable body language fear-tell (even at the poker table).

Paul's eyes also briefly open in a "white and wide" manner - which is also very consistent with the emotional of fear (it also occurs with surprise and severe anger - aka rage).

Christi's eyebrows (both) also elevate and the upper portion of her forehead muscle contracts. Her lower forehead doesn't contract and her eyebrows don't pull together (normally seen in fear) due to OnabotulinumtoxinA injection (aka Botox) - (which she clearly doesn't really need). Botox usage detracts from full human expression and therefore the display of emotions as well as the feedback and counter-feedback we need to fully communicate.

Lastly, Paul's mouth takes on the classic fear expression with tightly and laterally pulled lips, open mouth, teeth closed and nearly always (as is exampled here) the lower teeth more exposed than her upper ones. Notice also the characteristic gasp-hiss sound as air is inhaled (deep inhalation is also a signal of fear) though her closed mouth.

Now look at Tom Hanks and Elizabeth Vargas at the 0:28 mark. After Hanks swears, they both rapidly lean forward and cover their mouths. The rapidity with which this occurs is strongly suggestive of a sincere mistake - and it almost seems as if they are trying to put the word(s) back into their (Hanks') mouth. They are both quite surprised because - Hanks slipped into character so completely (method acting, Stanislavsky method) - and as he said he's never committed this mistake on live T.V. This is also one signal of embarrassment (in addition to his blushing at 0:34) - and interestingly is seen more often in individuals with higher empathy quotients. Both of their eye lids open widely as is seen with both fear and surprise (both of which are present here) as well as rage/extreme anger (which is not present in either) - which is very brief in both, but more short lived in Hanks. Surprise is the most evanescent of all emotions and is nearly always rapidly replaced by a second (or third) emotion - here by fear and embarrassment. Note how Hanks goes on to display facial MAPs (Manipulators, Adaptors, Pacifiers) of rubbing his mustache and chin for several seconds as well as a mouth cover - body language signals which betrays his significant anxiety, embarrassment and self-anger (see below).

During the 0:49 - 0:50 segment, we see Tom Hanks compress his lips as they stretch horizontally into a thin line. This is a highly reliable signal of anger (Hanks is angry at himself here). Just as this video blends into a view of his apology-tweet, we see the corners of his mouth turn downward in a "bitter smile". This incredibly interesting nonverbal phenomenon is a common and fantastic example of just how we (even the two-time Academy Award winners among us) are not nearly so aware of our own facial expressions and body language displays as we think we are when we are experiencing strong emotions - particularly negative ones. For when this "bitter smile" is being made, Tom Hanks and all the rest of us believe we are making a slight (albeit tight) social smile. Tom is better than most perhaps - but his mouth still takes on the configuration of a frown.

Thank you Christi, Elizabeth and Tom.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2053: Strong Signal of Fear-Sadness Anxiety - Aurora, Colorado "Batman Shooting" 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1696: George Zimmerman's Testimony - Fear, Incredulity, Regret & Contempt

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2119: Shaun White's Mug Shot - The Flying Tomato's Body Language Tells .... 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2031: Tina Fey arriving at Alec Baldwin's Wedding, Fear-Empathy with a (partial) Sincere Smile - Emotional Dissonance 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1914: Sincere Surprise - Often Faked & Difficult to Capture - Spain Beats Portugal in Euro 2012 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2096: Canadian Tenors, Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen) and Celine Dion

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2080: Ragù Commercial - 10 year old Boy Walks in on his Parents

___________________________________________________________________________________