Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3579: Donald Trump, Trump University Lawsuit, a Judge's 'Mexican heritage' and Body Language (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

During her speech yesterday, Hillary Clinton said that Donald Trump's attack on U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel, was racist in nature. Today Mr. Trump defended himself against her accusation. The above video is an excerpt from an interview Mr. Trump gave today with CNN's Jake Tapper. What follows is partial nonverbal analysis of this video.

At multiple times during the interview, Donald Trump displayed a Jaw Jut. To many body language novices - a jaw jut automatically indicates anger - but this is not always true. Here we see an exception. The Republican candidate shows a jaw jut - yet there is no anger (How can we exclude anger in this moment?).

To nuance this body language expression a bit further - when a jaw jut is made in the absence of anger with the lips are pulled back to significantly expose the lower teeth - it's a strong nonverbal signal of both Hubris and Insincerity.

Another particularly telling nonverbal moment occurs during 0:32.3 - as Mr. Trump said, "... He's a Mexican ..."

And about tenth of a second later, during 0:32.4 - as Mr. Trump finishes the word, "... He's a Mexican ..." we see the remainder of this expression.









These last two image capture two slit seconds of what is known as a microexpression - and this one, sliced more specifically, illustrates a microexpression of contempt.

Contempt is a very specific emotion wherein the person feeling it places another person (or group of people) at an unworthy place, beneath them. It overlaps significantly with anger - and indeed some define contempt as anger directed at someone (or group) of lower status. Moreover, contempt is a very damaging emotion - so much so that within the context of marriage, contempt is the number one predictor of divorce (The worst  John Gottman's Four Horsemen of Marriage Apocalypse). If seen in the workplace displayed by one's supervisor - it is portends a very high likelihood of being fired. The recipient of chronic contempt will even experience a down-regulation in their immune system, significantly increasing the chance of infection and even malignancy.

This website serves as an objective reference source for the science and art of Body Language/Nonverbal Communication. In an effort to be both practical and academic, many examples from/of varied cultures, politicians, professional athletes, legal cases, public figures, etc., are cited in order to teach and illustrate both the interpretation of others’ body language as well as the projection of one’s own nonverbal skills in many different contexts – not to advance any political, religious or other agenda.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3578: Megan Fox, Body Language and Dismissive Emotions

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3577: Tape Face - America's Got Talent 2016 Auditions

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3572: Bernie Sanders on Jimmy Kimmel - regarding Donald Trump Debate

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3565: Adolf Hitler, Jesse Owens, Archie Williams and Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3538: Barack Obama, David Cameron, Number 10, Brexit and Body Language 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3517: Before His Walk Back, Donald Trump "There Has To Be Some Form of Punishment" to Women who have Abortions 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3470: Taylor Swift's Speech at 2016 Grammys 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3432: Leonardo DiCaprio reacts to Lady Gaga at Golden Globe Awards 

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2294: Girl's Comments & Gesture Gets her Increased Punishment - Multiple Body Language Tells in Florida Courtroom

In the above video there a several great body language signs. Some of them are captured and discussed in the images below.

Clearly Flirtatious Verbals, tone of voice, cadence, pitch, etc.  (Paralanguage) and Nonverbals. An over the raised-shoulder backwards glance with flirtatious smile is a classic body language exuding sexuality. 

Judge Jorge Rodriguez-Chomat and many in the news media misread this as sarcastic. While flirting with the judge is certainly disrespectful - it isn't sarcasm.

Clearly embarrassed with full & bilateral palmar contact to both cheeks, Ms. Soto is returning after the Judge Rodriguez-Chomat called her back. She believes at this point that her flirtatious behavior will soften her punishment.

Although it is a lower resolution image, clear blushing can be seen here. Her left arm crosses over her abdomen in a lower-confidence signal.

Ms. Soto is still blushing and her hands have drawn together and are about to cover her mouth displaying additional embarrassment. Her embarrassment-blushing can still be seen.

This is sincere surprise with overlying shock. Her expression lasts for longer than is natural for surprise. When surprise lasts longer than 1-2 seconds, there is either a component (or entirely) of insincerity (very common) or a component of shock is accompanying it - which is what is seen here.

Arms crossed and eyes in extended blink are signaling clear defensiveness.

Just after this there is a variation of the self-righteous head wiggle (SRHW) seen in the above video from 0:53 - 0:55. This variety is learned and is truly an emblem in some sub-cultures. It is much more common in women and gay men.  Once learned, thereafter it occurs at the level of edge of consciousness or the subconscious. The more common type of SRHW is unconscious and occurs equally in both sexes. See below for cross-references.

Here Ms. Soto displays a bilateral hair just - here a form of Manipulator-Adaptor-Pacifier aka MAP. MAPs in general are signals of anxiety. This particular Body Language cluster (note raised eyebrows and contracted forehead as well) is a visual metaphor for "I surrender" and is commonly seen after a defeat on the sports field, on the battlefield or in law enforcement confrontation scenarios.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2148:  Joe Biden vs. Paul Ryan and the  "Self-Righteous Head Wiggle" in the Vice Presidential Debate

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1923:  Hillary Clinton's Body Language re: Syrian Government -  The Self-Righteous Head Wiggle

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1490:  Kansas Surrenders

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2067:  Leryn Franco's Arms and Missed Opportunity

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

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2170:  The San Francisco Giants, Surprise,  Bird Poop and Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2169:  President Obama's Deputy Campaign Manager  Stephanie Cutter, Causes of Blushing & -  Blushing in the Neck and Peri-Sternal Region ....

Confidence Secret # 33: Keanu Reeves - Covering the Mouth While Smiling 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2165:  Maria Bartiromo - Variation on a Facial Platter -  A Flirtatious Body Language Display

Romance & Dating Body Language Secret # 33:  Maria Menounos - Classically Flirtatious


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