Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2491: President Obama's Reaction to Egypt Military's Massive Killing of Protesters - Beta Body Language Where Alpha Had Been Barack's Baseline Behavior (VIDEO, PHOTO)

This morning Barack Obama spoke of the tragic and massive massacring of hundreds of Egyptian civilians (protesters) by their own military as well as the overlying problems of the Egyptian government in transition. Throughout a large fraction of this speech, the President placed one hand over the other on the lectern. This nonverbal MAP pattern (Manipulator, Adaptor, Pacifier) signifies a relatively dramatic departure from Commander in Chief's "Norm" - (normal baseline behavior) compared with the vast majority of his speeches.

Note: The original video has, since the original post, been removed from its online source. The images below however, were captured from this video. 

This hand on hand body language display is similar in meaning to a fig leaf configuration, although not quite as beta in magnitude. It is significant for low comfort and lower confidence about his position on Egypt. The President is experiencing emotional dissonance between what he is saying and what he is feeling. If Mr. Obama felt a high amount of confidence in his complete position regarding Egypt, his gestures would not have been so passive. This nonverbal display of "my hands are tied" is indicative of the President's emotional conflict between what he feels is right for the innocent Egyptian victims and what is strategically important for America's national interest. In short, the President feels in his heart he should/could do more, but this is against his political judgment.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2485:  Barack Obama on Next Federal Reserve Chairman -  Anger, Disgust, Regret and Contempt

Nonverbal Communication Test No. 2465:  Barack Obama's Comments on  Trayvon Martin & George Zimmerman Body Language & Sincerity

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1153:  President Obama's Tongue in Cheek

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2342:  Barack Obama at Jerusalem Convention Center in Israel  What the President's Body Language Says to a Heckler

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2436:  Vladimir Putin next to Barack Obama -  G8 Body Language

Negotiation Body Language Secret # 926:  When Not to Ask for the Sale

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2152:  Second Presidential Debate - 16 October 2012 -  Barack Obama's Duping Delight -  Benghazi, Libya Attack was an "Act of Terror" -  Alpha, Beta, Confidence & Acquiescence ...

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2423: Kirsten Gillibrand regarding Senate Hearing - What other Body Language Accompanies Blushing?(Video, Photos)

In the video above Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D - NY) is being interviewed this morning on "Face the Nation". Bob Schieffer recalls her grilling of the senior officers of all branches of the U.S. Military last week with regards to sexual assault under their commands' - and how to fix it.

Ms. Gillibrand blushes in this video (at the replaying of her statement during the hearing, "... not every single commander can distinguish between a slap on the ass and a rape."). Her blushing initiates at 0:25 - 0:30 (cut-away) and continues during 0:35 - 0:41. Watching the dynamics of this video (despite the bright studio lights) clearly demonstrates this transient reddening of her face. When blushing occurs from embarrassment (as it does in this example) or from sexual-romantic attraction (not the case with the New York Senator here) there is almost always a sincere smile accompanying it (What are the other emotions that accompany blushing?).

The recognition of this quality of smile is one way that blushing can sometimes be "seen" in dark-skinned people. There are of course many (the great majority) sincere smiles which have no blushing component - however nearly all blushes are accompanied by sincere smiles.

This image (taken at 0:37) shows Sen. Gillibrand in the midst of a strong blush. She is displaying a sincere, but partially suppressed smile. Notable are her "smiling eyes" with eyelids closer together/partially closed (more so on her right) with dynamic (temporary) concave-up furrows in both of her lower eyelids, her relaxed forehead (it would be relaxed here even if she had no Botox treatments of her forehead) and her obvious partial mouth smile - which is also less suppressed on the right (similar to eyelids).

This image, taken at 0:50 shows Sen. Gillibrand's face after her blushing has resolved.












See also:

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

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1829:  Dara Torres Interview with Piers Morgan - Embarrassment,  Visual Recall, Sexual Anticipation Lip Biting & Sincerity Quotients

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2318:  John Boehner at Rosa Parks Statue Unveiling  A Body Language Signal of Squelching Tears

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2379:  Bill Clinton's Speech at the George W. Bush Presidential Library Opening Body Language of Former and Current President

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

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2090:  Hope Solo on Piers Morgan - Flirting 101

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


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Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1933: Iran's Aggression and their Military's Salute - A Visual Metaphor of WWII & Nazi Fear

Iran's Military salute is very similar to the Nazi salute initiated in pre-WWII Germany. I thought of including a historical image for comparison - but that is not necessary. Immediately when we look at this recent picture, those of the 1930's and early 40's evoke other dark images, empathy (for their victims) and pain. The act of not including such a photo illustrates just how strongly the Nazi World-view is cemented fearfully in our mind and minds-eye, even though most alive now were not alive then. The vast majority of people experience these painful emotions in historical context, or perhaps by stories told or read, etc.

From a pure body language point of view, the Iranian salute is even more caustic than the Nazi's. The closed-fisted message is more dominant and violence provoking than Hitler's open, palm-down configuration. Of course, neither is welcomed.

Iran again announced today that it would attack preemptively any country which it perceives as a threat to it's national interests. Israel and Iran have traded threats for some time. This comes as tension in the Mideast grows and the IAEA, the United Nations' nuclear monitoring body, begins another set of talks with the Iranian Government in an attempt to ascertain the full scope of Iran's nuclear intentions.

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