Negotiation Body Language Secret # 331: Corzine's False and Bitter Smile

In this photo, President Obama was giving political support to Jon Corzine in his effort to get re-elected in 2010 as the Governor of New Jersey. Corzine eventually lost to Chris Christie. Contrasting these two men's faces: President Obama has a sincere smile - only his top teeth are visible and he's "smiling with his eyes" nicely. With respect to Barack's eyes, his lower lids bunch-up in a manner highly characteristic with a true, felt smile (Ekman) - whereas Jon Corzine's lids, although partially closed (which is absolutely required in a sincere smile), have a different look to them - there's no "puckering-up" of the lower lid present as is seen on the President's face [this characteristic pucker occurs via the contraction of the orbicularis oculi (pars orbitalis) muscles - which most of the time it is subconsciously stimulated]. Corzine's eyes are being closed with a different muscle however [the orbicularis oculi (pars palpebralis) - when this is used in an attempt to smile - it is consciously controlled] - so they look quite different - and ergo Corzine's smile isn't sincere. In fact, Jon Corzine's "false smile" in this photo indicates bitterness and regret.

Moreover look at Corzine's mouth. The contour of his lips are concave-down, rather than concave up as they should be with any true smile. Of course we all know this without being taught in the first days of our lives - even those who are born blind! Incredible as it seems, virtually everyone who makes a facial expression as Corzine is doing in this image (which occurs very often), believes in the moment, that they are making a slight-to-modest smile. This particular facial expression is one of the most common and demonstrative examples I know of showing the lack of emotional proprioceptive awareness from which most people suffer. It's a very profound disconnect. Most of us aren't really very aware of what our faces and bodies are doing in space and time. This emotional awareness disparity is even wider when the emotions present are negative ones - like anxiety, anger or fear. 

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Negotiation Body Language Secret # 383: Low Confidence, Corzine and Testimony

Baring a rotator cuff injury, when swearing-in, whether before congress or in a court room, it is a strong nonverbal signal of low confidence when the arm is not lifted high. This is former New Jersey Governor and U.S Senator Jon Corzine before the U.S. House Agriculture Committee last week. He proceeded to testify that he did not know the whereabouts of a missing $1.2 Billion that went missing while he was Chairman and CEO of MF Global.

See also: Negotiation Body Language Secret # 339: When a Lie is Heard or Told
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Negotiation Body Language Secret # 717: Barry Bonds and the Obstruction of Justice

Federal prosecutors want Barry Bonds to go to Prison. They are seeking a sentence of 15 months for the former San Francisco Giants star. The charges stem from his obstruction of their investigation into BALCO, steroids, human growth hormone and other performance enhancing substances and their illegal sale and distribution to professional athletes.

The most common reason for a nose "itch" is not a rash, a nasal hair or allergic rhinitis - it's anxiety. This is also true for similar sensations elsewhere on the face and neck. There are many reasons for anxiety however, and deception is but one - but it's a very common one. Depending on the particular area touched/rubbed/itched/etc., the other nonverbals it is clustered with, the paralanguage and the statement analysis/language analysis - if you know what to look for, your ability to detect lies is very significantly enhanced.  

Everyone tells "white lies". The next time you tell one, or even think about telling one - if you're self-aware (everyone thinks they are - but this is true for very few) - you'll notice that somewhere on your face or neck will probably itch. You may be like Barry Bonds or Megan Fox (See Lie Detection Secret # 652: Megan Fox has got an Itch) and scratch your nose, you may be like Jon Corzine (See Negotiation Body Language Secret # 339: When a Lie is Heard or Told) and scratch next to your ear. It can even work in reverse, for if you hear or see something you believe to be deception, as Angela Merkel does here (see Negotiation Secret # 29: Eye Rub when some else is speaking - Angela doubts Vladimir) - you'll have similar sensations and may rub your eye like the German Chancellor.

Remember, there is no one body language signal for detecting a lie. Many things must be taken into account (see above) - including the honest person who experiences anxiety associated with being falsely accused. Paul Ekman calls this the "Othello error" after the character in the Shakespeare play of the same name, who falsely reads his wife's (Desdemona) signs of anxiety as that of guilt.

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Negotiation Body Language Secret # 339: When a Lie is Heard or Told

Self-touching fits into a class of nonverbal behaviors that are known as Manipulators, Adaptors or Pacifiers (MAPs). MAPs are significant body language signals of anxiety. When the area being touched involves the ear, eye, nose, mouth, cheek or anterior (front) neck - there's an even higher correlation with deception. The remainder of the head and neck have a lower correlation with lying.

Jon Corzine, former Chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs, U.S. Senator and Governor of New Jersey testified before the U.S. House Agriculture Committee today. He resigned on November 4th of this year from MF Global, where he was CEO and Chairman since March 2010. MF Global declared bankruptcy on October 31, 2011 - the eighth largest in U.S. history. The company is under investigation by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Among other things, $1.2 billion is missing. Hmmm...

Corzine was asked repeatedly during his testimony about the missing money: "I don't know whether this is inadvertent. I don't know whether in the flows of transfers someone held on to some funds," Corzine said. "I don't have the ability other than to speculate where they would be."

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