Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3816: Secretary of State Nominee Rex Tillerson - Body Language and Emotional Intelligence (PHOTOS)

Rex Tillerson has a symmetry problem. The nominee for the US Secretary of State and former Exxon CEO speaks out of the right side of his mouth.

From a nonverbal perspective, we should immediately think of several different causes when we see such a one-sided speaking style:

1. Injury, Stroke, Muscle Palsy, etc.: Certainly there are numerous medical causes of an asymmetrical mouth while speaking.

2. Tic-like behavior/Long-term habit: We all know people who, although they have no medical causes, have spoken out of one side of their mouths' their whole lives.

3. Insincerity & Deception: A person may be overall an insincere individual, although not necessarily lying in a specific moment. Another person may be a pretty honest, yet they may currently be telling a lie. In either case, one signal of their sincerity could be an asymmetrical manner of speech (although it's certainly not always seen in the midst of deception).

4. Swagger/Bravado: Speaking out of one side of the mouth is one way a person may project Swagger and Bravado. This Braggadocio overlaps behaviorally with the emotional tone of insincerity.

Rex Tillerson appears to have spoken out of the right side of his mouth for years. Thus he most likely fits into one of the first two categories - and probably more specifically that of a Tic-like habit.

It's of crucial importance to note, those who speak out of one side of their mouth are overall judged by others to be less trustworthy. This tendency is also a cross-cultural phenomenon.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2815: Donald Trump's first Press Conference as President-Elect

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2812: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone & La La Land - Backstage Interview Golden Globes 2017

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3810: Mark Wahlberg, Justine Bieber and Ellen DeGeneres

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3798: Elle Fanning, Channing Tatum and Dialing Up the Alpha

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3768: Cuban Leader Fidel Castro Dies

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3723: The 2nd Presidential Debate - Donald Trump v. Hillary Clinton

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3658: Usain Bolt's "Cheeky Smile"

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3584: Brock Turner's Mugshot, Duping Delight and Body Language

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3660: Trump Attorney Michael Cohen's Awkward Exchange with Brianna Keilar, "Says Who?" - Body Language & Emotional Intelligence (VIDEO, PHOTO)

This exchange between CNN's Brianna Keilar and one of Donald Trump's attorneys, Michael Cohen, rapidly went viral for its high level of awkwardness. Yet when we thin-slice their conversation from a nonverbal perspective we can gain significant insight. What follows is a partial analysis:

When a person speaks out of one side of their mouth, there are several possible causes which should come to mind:

1. Medical or Injury: Certainly injuries can result in long term nerve or muscular deficits. Cerebral vascular accident (Stroke) and other nervous system conditions can also cause an asymmetrical speaking style.

2. Tic-like behavior/Long-Term Habit/Idiosyncratic: While relatively uncommon, it is certainly not rare for a person to have a long-term habit or what may be classified as a facial tic of speaking out of one side of their mouth.

3. Machismo/Swagger: While there is some overlap between the nonverbal swagger via speaking out of one side of the mouth overlapping with a manifestation of insincerity-deception, it's helpful to consider these as separate root causes. Machismo/Swagger is very common in Professional athletes as well as celebrities and as the category implies, this cause is more commonly displayed in men.

4. Insincerity & Deception: In the vast majority of circumstances, there are nonverbal other signals being displayed when deception or insincerity is taking place.

On multiple occasions Mr. Cohen repeats himself with, "Says who?". Note that during these questions as his mouth speaks asymmetrically, he also displays an extended blink with a simultaneous upward movement of his eyebrows and forehead.

During the 20 second segment he displays a hard swallow. At no time did we see him display any hand gestures. Cohen's head and neck extends backward in quick snaps as he repeats his question. 

Coupling these nonverbal observations together with his verbal messages and his vocal qualities - which of the four above possibilities do you think is the most likely explanation for Mr. Cohen's asymmetrical speaking style?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication No. 3659: Ryan Lochte's "Today Show" Interview regarding Alleged Rio Robbery

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3593: What does Tulsi Gabbard think about Hillary Clinton?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2673: New Jersey Bridge Closing - Fort Lee, NJ Mayor Mark Sokolich - What His Body Language Says about His Feelings towards Governor Chris Christie

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3635: Michelle Obama's DNC Speech and a Body Language Mistake

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3647: Yusra Mardini, Refugees, Syrian Swimmer, and Sincere Smiles

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3610: Star Swain sings The Star-Spangled Banner at the Lincoln Memorial - Why Do Singers Close Their Eyes?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3583: Donald Trump, Reaching out to Bernie Sanders' Supporters and Insincerity Tells

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


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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3492: Peyton Manning Retirement Press Conference - Body Language (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Yesterday Peyton Manning announced his retirement from Professional Football. He has amassed many coveted NFL records including most touchdowns in a season, career touchdowns, passing yards for a season and career passing yards. He also holds the record for quarterback career wins as well as winning two Super Bowls and five league MVPs.

There are many nonverbal signals projected by Mr. Manning during this press conference - yet one is particularly noteworthy

When a person speaks with a bias to one side of their mouth, there are many possible interpretations depending on the other nonverbal displays with which they are clustered. Here are a few thought-emotions and nonverbal displays should that should come to mind in the setting of such mouth asymmetry:

1. Insincerity/Dishonesty
2. Machismo/Hubris/Bravado/Swagger (which is to a degree, a form of insincerity)
3. Acquiesce/Resignation 
4. Idiosyncratic
5. Medical etiology (e.g., Stroke, Facial Nerve Palsy, Trauma history)
6. Suppressed Sincere Smile
7. Insincere Smile
8. Contempt
9. Regret
10. Fear
11. Tongue-in-cheek
12. Lip Biting
13. Lateral Lip Pursing
14. Lateral Jaw Thrust
15. Jaw Confessional

Throughout this press conference, Mr. Manning speaks with a strong preponderance out of the right side of his mouth. He's been doing so for many years, thus for Peyton, this mouth movement is a habitual mechanical idiosyncrasy.

Of course every human being who also has an idiosyncrasy may on occasion display a temporary and completely simultaneous and separate thought-emotion-behavior simultaneously. So even though Manning has this habit of speaking - it may, on occasion be superimposed with elements of other mindsets. The fact that one of these is part of his baseline body language behavior and the many others are brief elements of overlying emotions (with the exception of medical problems which may be longstanding or permanent) - makes these difficult for almost everyone to separate. Fortunately in such scenarios there are many other nonverbal cues, which, if one knows what to look for - allows us to make the distinctions between these thought-feelings.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3491: Nancy Reagan, Ronald Reagan and Sincere Affection

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3488: Donald Trump Brags about the size of penis - but His Body Language Indicates Anxiety/Deception

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3484: Chris Rock's Opening Monologue at the 2016 Oscars

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3473: Adele's Tongue, Ellen DeGeneres and Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2929: Jessica Alba, Sin City 2, Action Figures and the Jaw Confessional

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2320: Estonian Skier Andrus Veerpalu Denies Performance Enhancing Drugs - What his Body Language Tells Us

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3053: Giada De Laurentiis, Insincere Smiles and Divorce

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2352: Mila Kunis' Tongue in Cheek - Graham Norton Part II

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis 2759: Vladimir Putin, Annexation of Crimea and Mouth Asymmetry - Body Language (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Yesterday Vladimir Putin signed the documents formalizing Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. A video of the speech he gave is included above. Mr. Putin's mouth adopted an asymmetric configuration numerous times throughout this address - biasing towards his right side. This particular appearance is known as "mouth swagger". It is a manifestation of machismo - and is very common among politicians.

Like a coach giving a pep-talk prior to a game or a drill sergeant before new recruits - this nonverbal is seen when there is excessive melodrama ... or adrenaline - and thus is also seen after real victory on the sports field, the political arena or the battle field. 

Intriguingly, Mr. Putin also shifts his weight from foot to foot many times during this speech - which is a very common body language with anxiety. This nervousness reflects an incongruity in Mr. Putin's emotional state - he feels both bravo and anxiety - and is thus a great manifestation of emotional dissonance.

What are some other emotions are indicated by different asymmetrical mouth configurations?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2656: Threat Assessment during Robbery - Body Language of Perpetrator

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2714: Justine Dufour-Lapointe Wins Olympic Gold in Sochi and Brandishes Swagger - Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2739: Barack Obama at DNC Speech - Quieting a Heckler

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2670: Janet Yellen Confirmed by Senate for Federal Reserve Chair - Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2735: Mother confronts Driver about Brain-Damaged Son, Is His Apology Sincere?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2755: Vladimir Putin on Time Magazine, An Iconic Body Language Image

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2758: Barack Obama Regarding Further Sanctions to Russia for Annexation of Crimea - Body Language

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2714: Justine Dufour-Lapointe Wins Olympic Gold in Sochi and Brandishes Swagger - Body Language (PHOTOS)

Justine Dufour-Lapointe won Canada's first Gold Medal of the Sochi Olympics today. In this photo (close-up below) the Champion freestyle mogul skier is celebrating with a nonverbal facial sign commonly displayed with the swagger of victory (and of course often seen outside the arena of sports). Because this (female analog of) "Machismo" facial expression also has similar components of asymmetry, it is commonly mistaken for contempt - yet it is a very different emotion. Note how the right side of Justine's mouth is opened wider and her right eyelids are partially closed vs. her left side. Somewhat less asymmetrical is her mid-face contraction component - which is slightly more prominent on her right side.

The mouth component of this emotion is commonly seen in isolation and is referred to as "Mouth Swagger".

Amazingly Justine's sister finished with a Silver Medal and another sister Maxime finished 12th in this same Olympic event.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2680: Chris Christie's State of the State Address - Body Language Swagger and Sincerity

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2651: Peyton Manning sets a Single Season Touchdown Record - Body Language at Press Conference

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2670: Janet Yellen Confirmed by Senate for Federal Reserve Chair - Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2650: Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Pardoned by Putin, is Released from Prison, One Important Thing His Body Language Tells Us

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2506:  Barack Obama, the Self-Righteous Head Wiggle and  Retaliation Against Syrian Poison Gas Attack 
 

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2680: Chris Christie's State of the State Address - Body Language Swagger and Sincerity (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Chris Christie gave New Jersey's State of the State Address today. This year's Address was a particularly difficult one for him. The Governor's stressor of the recent scandal surrounding the George Washington Bridge lane closures has been compounded by allegations of abuse of funds intended for Hurricane Sandy relief. A commercial which featured the Governor and his family costing $ 4.7 million was opted for rather than a version for $ 2.5 million which did not feature the New Jersey first family. This commercial was intended to drive up tourism for the Jersey Shore. Many feel that this was essentially free campaigning for Christie in the months leading up to his re-election.

The video above features the first 2:42 of the Governor's 2014 State of the State address from earlier today. At several times (two of them captured in still images below) he displays a characteristic quick, head tilt-head turn - which conveys a significant alpha quality. This quick snap of the head and neck can be thought of as a form of body language swagger or machismo, even when displayed by women. It conveys strength, a high confidence level and determined mindset. Note that Christie displays this nonverbal signal in the context of defending himself amid attacks from his political foes. Although the head snap does not in isolation convey sincerity, in this cluster context it does. Governor Christie believes strongly he is in the right.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2674: Did Chris Christie Orchestrate Bridge Closure or Cover Up His Subordinates Actions? Body Language Tells Us ....

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2673: New Jersey Bridge Closing - Fort Lee, NJ Mayor Mark Sokolich - What His Body Language Says about His Feelings towards Governor Chris Christie

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2468:  Princess Kate, Prince William & a New Baby Boy -  Body Language, Rapport & Saving Face

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2548: Confused, Quizzical and Disbelieving Body Language from Eric Cantor's Colleagues

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2676: Nancy Pelosi, Chris Christie, Bling and a Handkerchief

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2538: Governor Chris Christie's Body Language Tells regarding Shutting Down the Government and Telling us He’s Running for President in 2016 

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

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