Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3267: Jeb Bush, Emotional Dissonance and Body Language (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Some critics of Jeb Bush say that he projects "low energy" and he's "not exciting enough". When they make this observation, whether they realize it or not, most of what these people are seeing is his body language.

In most (can you cite the exceptions?) of these five accompanying images, the former two-term Florida Governor's hand-arm positions are configured either relatively alpha or in a more neutral, yet still assertive alpha-beta hybrid stance.

However Jeb Bush negates these positive body language components with two similar and overlapping high-beta nonverbals.

Mr. Bush has a strong tendency to hunch his shoulders. Similarly he also foreshortens his neck and shift it forward (termed the "Turtle" or "Turtle Retreat"). Sometimes one is more prominent than the other, yet he displays both of these nonverbals fairly often. Taken in isolation, either of these body language signs send beta, low-energy and relatively weaker signals. When these are coexistent with hand-arm signals which are stronger or more alpha-beta balanced - the entire cluster then projects a level of emotional dissonance.



Of course his thoracic and cervical spine are not what they were when he was 25, yet this hunching and neck foreshortening are primarily NOT medical in nature - rather they are due to his collective emotional state.

Flashback to when Jeb made his formal declaration of his candidacy: This image was taken just before he went on stage. At this moment he was speaking to his father and the 41st President of the United States - George H.W. Bush. Note his straight back and squared shoulders. There is no hunching - or foreshortening of his neck. His left arm is at a 45 degree angle to his chest and his right arm is being held moderately away from his torso. His feet are slightly less than shoulder width apart. This posture is projecting strength and confidence. You can feel it. Yet this same feeling of strength is substantially lacking in many other moments.









The vast majority of people, certainly the middle 40% of the electorate, do NOT vote with their heads - they vote with their hearts. Of course these same people will dress up their emotions and rationalization with logic and facts - and then proceed to give you (as well as their own silent self-talk) a lot of intellectual reasons why they're voting one way or another.

While you may or may be voting for Mr. Bush or agree with him on any given issue - or you may be a staunch democrat - his body language sends signal to your psyche of a man who is less than full strength. This is NOT a political statement. It's certainly not to say he cannot govern, or perhaps become a good - or even great president. Yet if he is to win the republican nomination and then the White House, he has got to both elevate and project more confidence, assertiveness, energy and strength. As silly as it may sound to some, it is simple strong biology - we all want a leader who - not only is strong - but one who looks strong too. This is also how we choose a life partner - we are pre-programmed to pick a person who projects health and vigor - not age and wither.

Human beings are primarily emotional - and far too many "leaders" - elected or otherwise ignore this at their peril.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3265: Donald Trump, Exaggerated Mouth Movements and Narcissistic, Hyper-Alpha Personalities

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3264: Hillary Clinton, Likability, Perceived Trustworthiness

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3197: FIFA, Sepp Blatter and the Pseudo-Prayer

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2749: President Obama, Ukraine's Interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk and an Alpha-Beta Hybrid  

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2947: Governor Rick Perry - Beta Body Language 


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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3002: How NOT to sit in the Oval Office - Mitch McConnell ... your Beta is Showing (PHOTO)

Mitch McConnell (R - KY) is poised to snatch the Senate Majority Leader position away from Harry Reid if the mid-term elections favor the republicans tomorrow as many pundits and poles are predicting.

The above image was captured recently in the oval office. From a nonverbal perspective, Mitch McConnell, seated here with John Boehner and Barack Obama, is displaying a variation of a "Seated Fig-Leaf". The body language of a good leader - political or otherwise, projects assertiveness and strength - and a person who is emotionally comfortable. However the Kentucky Senator is transmitting none of these qualities here. In this moment McConnell is feeling intimidated and demure. Such a configuration should never be displayed by any leader unless perhaps meeting with a major religious figure or attending a similar ceremony, funeral, etc. By bearing his beta emotions to President, he projects emotional weakness and places himself and himself at a profound political disadvantage.

Although this photo does not give us an optimal viewing angle, along with the primary components of a fig-leaf (hands clasped or nearly-so over the groin, though here Sen. McConnell seems he is perhaps trying, unsuccessfully so, to project a low conventional steeple), his feet are too close together, his upper arms are touching his torso, his shoulders are hunched and neck foreshortened. This nonverbal cluster shouts "I feel weak".

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2999: Chris Christie to James Keady "Sit Down and Shut Up" - Body Language Congruent with ....

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2246:  Harry Reid vs. Mitch McConnell on the Senate Floor -  Their Body Language Betrays How they Feel about  Probability of Fiscal Cliff Deal

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1892:  Harry Reid, "That's a Clown Question Bro!" -  Tongue in Cheek

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2947: Governor Rick Perry - Beta Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2896: Hillary Clinton - Vladimir Putin Bears Some Responsibility for the Downing of Malaysia Air Flight MH17

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2320: Estonian Skier Andrus Veerpalu Denies Performance Enhancing Drugs - What his Body Language Tells Us

 

Estonian Cross Country Skier and three time Olympic Medalist (two golds and one silver) Andrus Veerpalu was accused of using performance enhancing drugs in April of 2011. At that time two tests were positive for HGH (Human Growth Hormone). The International Ski Federation (FIS), found the Estonian hero guilty of using this performance enhancing substance. Mr. Veerpalu appealed to the International Court of Justice for Sport (CAS). On 28 February 2013 the CAS deferred their decision until 25 March. This was the fourth time they postponed and no reason was given for the delay.

From a body language perspective, during the above video press conference/interviews (recorded at the beginning of this controversy in 2011), Andrus Veerpalu showed multiple signals of anxiety, shame, self-contempt, bitterness-regret and emotional pain. 

From the very beginning of this video, Andrus Veerpalu's body posture is consistent with very low confidence. If you were an actor trying to play the part of a demure, defeated, beta, low confidence and shameful character, you would want to emulated what he displayed throughout this video. His shoulders are hunched forward - slumped together and pulled inwards - not the posture of a world-class athlete or even that of a moderately confident person. Multiple times he shifts in his chair - indicative of significant anxiety. His head is flexed forward and his neck is foreshortened - resembling a turtle with its head partially retracted. He looks down with his eyes much of the time and when he does look up - he does so just with his eyes and his head still remains down. At multiple times he takes deep breaths and exhales. All these are strong nonverbal signs of low confidence/low emotional comfort - and in this context - when defending oneself from accusations - these body language signals are also consistent with shame. 

This image is taken at 1:22 in the video and this expression is best viewed in the dynamic nature of video. Here Veerpalu displays with his left mouth a very quick microexpression of self-contempt -bitterness - regret. Pure contempt (when directed at others) looks different - in that the upward component of the corner of the mouth occurs secondarily - with the primary upward vector occurring between the corner and the cupid's bow. Contempt has more of an upward vector than what is seen here (primarily laterally). Self-contempt/regret also has less nostril dilation accompanying this evanescent nonverbal display. Mr. Veerpalu made this expression at multiple times throughout this video signifying in this context a very strong signal of self-incrimination and regret. It is very atypical to see this expression so many times in the context of innocence. (See below)

At 1:42, when the reporter asks what he felt when he first heard that his blood test were positive for doping, Andrus Veerpalu contracts his central forehead and simultaneously displays a frown. This nonverbal (in isolation) is strongly consistent with significant emotional or physical pain - felt either for oneself or for another person, group or animal(s) via empathy. Thus, in this particular context, this facial configuration is strong emotional pain - certainly what we would expect in this scenario.

This image is taken at 2:09 just after Andrus denies performance enhancing substances. Again, he displays the self-contempt bitterness-regret microexpression simultaneous with a central forehead contraction of emotional pain. Again this is best viewed in the video as the subtle and rapid nature is best appreciated appreciated in motion. In the context of accusation this mouth microexpression is not consistent with innocence.

At the end of the video, Mr. Veerpalu appears to be in tears - a nonverbal display which is not congruent with innocence.

It is hard to watch a sports hero fall. On their shoulders rests hope and vicarious victory for millions. Lance Armstrong and Andrus Veerpalu are not the first to do so - and unfortunately they won't be the last.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2312: Bruce Willis' Body Language - Contempt vs. Suppressed Smile vs.  Pseudo Smile vs. Sincere Smile

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 # 457:  Salman Rushdie's & 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 # 2272:  Lance Armstrong's Mia Culpa with Oprah Winfrey  Body Language Part I

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2273: Lance Armstrong & Oprah Winfrey, Part II  Lance Gives Away More with His Body Language -  He told more Lies

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2275:  Lance Armstrong's Insincerity -  Body Language revealed in Oprah Winfrey Interview  Part III

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2310:  Oscar Pistorius' Body Language in Court - Part II  Central Forehead Contraction, Frown & Pupil Dilation ....

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2307:  Oscar Pistorius in Court, Body Language and the  Bilateral Eye Cover

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