Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3842: Bill Belichick and Julian Edelman - Body Language and Emotional Intelligence (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Bill Belichick doesn't seem to smile much, let alone laugh. However after such a phenomenal Super Bowl LI victory and his fifth Championship Ring, the Patriots' Head Coach let down his guard on Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show.

 



This moment shows an excellent example of Sincere Laughter (5:35). Moreover Belichick's laughter is also quite deep.

Sincere laughter may have a forehead which is relaxed or contracted - but during sincere smiling the forehead is ALWAYS relaxed.

True Laughter may show both upper and/or lower teeth, while sincere smiling ONLY displays upper teeth (with the exceptions of smiling crescendoing to, or decrescendoing from sincere laughter - or with a high camera/visual angle and/or with a tilting down of the head).

Sincere smiling ALWAYS has eye lids which partially or nearly entirely closed. This is also ALWAYS accompanied by a dynamic, concave-up furrow in the lower eyelids. This is well exemplified on both Bill Belichick and Julian Edelman. During sincere laughter which is both sincere and deep, the eye lids virtually always close - often very tightly.

Congratulations to the New England Patriots for what many will say was the most exciting football game they've ever seen.


See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3841: Tom Brady's and Roger Goodell's Handshake after Super Bowl LI

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3839: Andrew Garfield, Ryan Reynolds and Ryan Gosling - Embarrassment, Protection, Body Language and Emotional Intelligence

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3837: Donald Trump's Contentious Phone Call with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3823: Nina Dobrev, Flyboarding, Laughter and a Rapport/Bonding Amplifier

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3809: Horse Lays His Head On Coffin As He Mourns The Loss Of His Human Best Friend - Cross-Species Body Language & Emotional Intelligence

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3801: Marion Cotillard, Lip Syncing and Honest Anxiety

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3769: Fidel Castro and Nikita Khrushchev

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3693: Grace VanderWaal Wins America's Got Talent Season 11


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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3785: Hailee Steinfeld and Woody Harrelson "Edge of Seventeen" - Behavioral Contagions, Mirroring and Laughing - Body Language and Emotional Intelligence (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

One example of Nonverbal Behavior which is both interesting and joyful - is that the mere act of watching others laughing has a strong tendency to make us laugh as well. Thus laughing is one example of a "Behavioral Contagion" as well as type of "Mirroring". This phenomenon of "catching laughter" is true even if we don't find the subject about which they're laughing particularly funny, if we don't know what they are laughing about - or even if we don't speak their language.

It's not too surprising that laughter is more common with family and friends vs. acquaintances or those people whom we haven't met. Of course the vast majority of those watching this video don't know Hailee Steinfeld or Woody Harrelson - although we may some affinity for them through their acting (or Ms. Steinfeld via her music). If you have a particular foreknowledge or fondness for one or both of these actors - you'll most likely find it easier to laugh with them in the "blooper" section of the above video (1:19 - 1:49) from their recently released film, Edge of Seventeen.

It's also true that when we see another person suppressing laughter - it further "primes" our brain to mirror their behavior and engenders the odds of us crescendoing into a deep laughter. Although we laugh 30 times more frequently when we're in the presence of others, comedians often use this technique of maintaining an expression of a barely-contained laughter as a catalyst to make their audiences' belly-laugh more easily. You can even practice this on yourself as a spontaneous mood elevator or in the presence of others whenever your instinct tells you that laughter may act as a social lubricant (which is of course, very often).

Think of a particular comedian or funny film scene which has this effect on you. Watching the performance several times so that you can recall it easily will allow you to access the memory and re-create the scene (and thus also the true emotions) in your psyche. This is a variation on the Stanislavski method. Of course you probably can recall several movie scenes which has this enjoyable emotional trigger for you - and after watch Harrelson and Steinfeld you may now have another scene to add to your collection (especially since you now know some of the backstory).

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3784: Donald Trump on Daily Intelligence Briefings - "You Know I'm like a Smart Person" 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3782: Zoey Deutch, Ryan Seacrest and Embarrassment

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3780: Donald Trump's Chief Strategist Steve Bannon Time Magazine Pic

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3743: Ronda Rousey's Anxiety - Anticipating Her Next Fight

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3736: Newt Gingrich and Megyn Kelly re: Donald Trump

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3619: Lone Protester, Baton Rouge Police and Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3564: Kanye West, Ellen and Beta Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3512: Emilia Clarke, "Me Before You"


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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3532: Meryl Streep, Hugh Grant and The Graham Norton Show - Body Language Expert (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

As usual, The Graham Norton show is hilarious - and this clip is no exception. Also typical, but oft overlooked - the body language examples showcased here. In this recent appearance of Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant, Ms. Streep shows off her improv skills as she answers an otherwise rhetorical and slightly sarcastic question of Mr. Grant's.

Hugh Grant (beginning at 1:19): "... Who was the third one?"

Graham Norton: "Ah, Drew Barrymore."

Grant: "She made the mistake of giving me notes. Which a, how would you take that?" [shifting his eye contact to Meryl Streep]

Streep: [Laughing] Well

Grant: "You're acting with someone and they?"

Streep: [over-talking] "I took ..."

Grant: [over-talking] "they, they ..." [inaudible]

Steep: "... them very well, didn't I?" [laughing while shifting her gaze at Hugh Grant]

Grant: "Wowser!"

Ms. Streep laughs and then leans toward Mr. Grant rather dramatically. This leaning toward another person during laughter is a both a nonverbal signal of sincerity - as well as a rapport amplifier.

Psychological research shows that laughing is primarily a bonding phenomenon much more than a pure reaction to humor. This is well exemplified during the viewing of films and TV - for we laugh and cry more frequently and more deeply during comedy when we're with other people (and more specifically when we're part of a larger audience) versus when we are viewing the same material alone.

Moreover, leaning toward another person (only after a sufficient degree of baseline rapport has been established - which is a crucial point which cannot be emphasized enough), in the presence of underlying sincere laughter, will act as a rapport-building amplifier. However note that Hugh Grant does not lean in and also doesn't return much laughter either. This lack of reciprocal action is a form distancing and dissing behavior (serving to destroy rapport). Thus afterward, Meryl Streep may very well be left with a feeling of emotional distance and dislike for Grant - particularly because this occurred in such a public venue.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3531: Helen Mirren, Subways, Sincerity, Empathy and Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3530: Justin Trudeau, Quantum Computing and Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3528: Brothers Prank their younger sister with an ongoing Zombie Apocalypse

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3523: Jaws - "You're Going to Need a Bigger Boat"

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3508: Batman V Superman - Sad Affleck? (NOT!)

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3479: Vicente Fox regarding Donald Trump's Proposed Wall - ‘I’m not going to pay for that F***ing wall!’

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3425: Donald Trump's first Campaign Ad Commercial

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3448: Ted Cruz's Challenge to Debate Donald Trump One-on-One; Cruz's Default Facial Expression

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2679: Tina Fey & Amy Poehler - Body Language of Suppressed Smiles, The 2014 Golden Globe Awards and Variation on a Theme (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

 
Amy Poehler and Tina Fey were hilarious last night hosting the Golden Globe Awards again. One technique some comedians use to engender laughter is to maintain a partially suppressed smile. One common colloquial term for this nonverbal facial expression is a "smirk". Audience members seeing a suppressed smile will tend to mirror this same behavior - and thus be more predisposed to breaking into laughter. We tend to smile when other people smile, we also are more likely to cry when others cry, etc. Of course every comedian wants to be truly funny and of course they don't all use this method. And often the comedian who maintains this near laughter state will break into laughter themselves - and then they'll need a real suppressed smile to avoid from outright laughing. So this is a delicate balance. Enough smile to make others laugh - but not too much to evoke laughing themselves.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2652: Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon on Saturday Night Live - Trying to Suppress the Laughter

Negotiation Body Language Secret # 501:  Bonding and Rapport Facilitators - The Laughing Lean, Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey

Negotiation Body Language Secret # 361:  Another Bonding Adjunct During Laughter - Herman Cain and Mitt Romney

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2448:  Sabine Lisicki Post Match Interview  After Defeating Serena Williams  Top Teeth Biting Lower Lip & Sincere Smiles

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

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2678: French President François Hollande, Valerie Trierweiler and Julie Gayet - Of Affairs, Affection and Body Language Tells 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2669: Sara Bareilles and the Body Language of the Rationalization Rapport Empathy Expression 

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Nonverbal Communication Secret # 2091: Sincere Smiling (a' la Blake Lively) and Laughing - Reduces Anxiety and Heart Rate, Boosts Immune System and Relieves Pain

The results of this study are no surprise to those who study body language. People who adopt a smile, particularly a true smile consistent with joy (Duchenne Smile), have lower heart rates and lower anxiety levels - both during and after the stressor. The multiple images of the people shown during the 0:36 - 0:46 segment are genuine, sincere smiles characterized by the cardinal nonverbal signs of partial eyelid closure, a concave up dynamic furrow on the lower eyelids, only the upper teeth visible and a relaxed forehead.

The same study showed that laughter has the added effect of boosting the immune system and relieving pain. Although this particular study was new, these and other similar benefits of adopting positive body language have been well described for decades.

Few people can call up a sincere smile on command (how good are you?) - but it's value is tremendous. For while everyone knows those who are joyful smile, this and other studies show us that the reverse is true - a sincere smile can alter our physiology and lead to true happiness.

See also:

Secret # 702: Mouth of Fear, Trying to Smile and Forehead of Pain

Secret # 133: Surprise or Smile or Neither?

Analysis # 2: Body Language of Blake Lively and Penn Badgley Strongly Suggests an Impending Break-up in Near Future

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2203: A Body Language Metric of Intimacy and Affection -  How Do YOU cuddle?

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Negotiation Body Language Secret # 361: Another Bonding Adjunct During Laughter

Although many people are unaware of it, a primary role of laughter is a means of bonding more than it is a result of humor. This is a fundamental staple of Psychology 101. I pointed out in a post a few days ago (Negotiation Body Language Secret # 501: Bonding and Rapport Facilitators - The Laughing Lean) that women will often lean towards each other as the laughter maximizes and peaks. This nonverbal promotes bonding and builds rapport even further. In the above image, Herman Cain is leaning a bit towards Mitt Romney during a break at a recent Republican debate in Orlando, Florida. Sometimes when women or lovers do this, their heads will even touch - although such head touching is rare among straight men.

The shoulder or arm touch is a similar bonding adjunct. This nonverbal is seen commonly with both sexes. Discretion must be exercised though, so as to avoid evoking patronizing feelings. In some contexts this body language will back fire - and you may rapidly "Un-bond".

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Negotiation Body Language Secret # 501: Bonding and Rapport Facilitators - The Laughing Lean

Laughter is really more of a bonding facilitator than it is necessarily a pure byproduct of humor. A common example of this phenomenon is manifested daily in cinemas all over the World. When the same comedy is played, people always laugh more when the theater is crowded - compared to when it's sparsely filled.

There are several body language gestures which can accentuate this laughing-bonding-rapport building process. A very common one is demonstrated here between U.S. First Lady, Michelle Obama and Ms. Oprah Winfrey. As bouts of laughter are near maximum crescendo as well as their peak, it is very common for those laughing to subconsciously reduce their interpersonal space. This is very often and sincerely manifested nonverbally by a leaning of the head(s) and upper body towards the other person. It often is mutual and simultaneous. Sometimes during extreme laughing bouts there may even be a touching of heads. This head tilt is significantly more common and pronounced with women compared with men.

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