Body Language Analysis No. 4294: LeBron James, Adrenaline Surges, and Emotional Intelligence - Nonverbal Tells (PHOTOS)

The image above shows LeBron James just after he drained a three-pointer over Jayson Tatum last night in game six of the 2018 NBA's Eastern Conference Finals.

Notice LeBron's jaw - and the degree to which it's jutting forward. This is known as a Jaw Jut - and it's highly indicative of an adrenaline surge.

His eyebrows are also drawn together and vectored downward - yet his eyelids are open wide and tight. His nostrils are also flared. James' face - identical to that of rage is further evidence of his extreme adrenaline surge in this moment.

A few seconds earlier we see King James in action. This would be LeBron's 44th, 45th, and 46th points - in a game where he would score 48 points in 48 minutes.

After making the shot, he bumped Jayson Tatum in another display of dominance.

Other hyper-alpha behaviors displayed by the Cleveland Cavalier forward included screaming and the near-beating of his chest with closed fists.


SUMMARY:  Every experienced athlete knows, that at certain times, such dominance displays not only serve to psych oneself up - but also psyche-out their opponents. Simultaneously, these phenomena are, of course, also celebratory.

Along with LeBron, some athletes are much more skilled at channeling their adrenaline surges' than others. This ability allows them to not only perform superiorly on the court, field, pitch, or rink - but more importantly, it's a life skill which helps hone their impulse control - minimizing anger crescendos and (hopefully) preventing violence. This is not only a reason to take up sports - but should be sought and remain a continuing focus of development, particularly with younger athletes.

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See also:

Body Language Analysis No. 4293: Why is Harvey Weinstein Smiling?

Body Language Analysis No. 4291: Donald Trump and Disguising Disgust - "I don't know who the hell wrote that line"

Body Language Analysis No. 4289: A Royal Wedding, Suppression of Tears, and Meghan Markle's Mom

Body Language Analysis No. 4287: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle - Why Do We Kiss with Our Eyes' Closed (most of the time)

Body Language Analysis No. 4275: Rudy Giuliani's Interview on Fox News

Body Language Analysis No. 4253: Tiger Woods at The 2018 Masters - Nonverbal Biofeedback, Sports psychology, and Emotional Intelligence

Body Language Analysis No. 4249: Will Smith, Sophia the Robot, Robot-Empathy, and Responding in Context 

Body Language and Medical Analysis No. 4221: Why are Donald Trump's Pupils So Large?

Body Language Analysis No. 4077: A Facial Expression Common to Both Bad Actors and Sociopaths

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3800: Houston Rocket's Chinanu Onuaku Shooting Underhanded ("Granny Style") Free Throws (and His Teammates' responses) - Body Language and Emotional Intelligence (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Chinanu Onuaku made his NBA career debut on Monday night with the Houston Rockets. He came in the game in the fourth quarter, scoring six points and three rebounds in a 131 - 115 victory over the Phoenix Suns. Onuaku has made viral news by the sinking of his two free throws using the underhanded technique - which is often times colloquially (and patronizingly) referred to as "Granny Style".

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

Although many technical analysts and players (including NBA great, Rick Barry) believe the underhanded configuration is indeed a method which is statistically superior (often far superior) to the ubiquitous overhanded free throw (even Wilt Chamberlain used it in the 1961-62 season, including 28 free throws in one game), it has not been used in decades.

The response of his teammates in the above video provide fantastic examples of some nonverbal tells indicative of emotional suppression.

Note his teammates' (and even some of the audience) reaction. In this post, for nonverbal teaching purposes, his colleague Ryan Anderson's reaction is highlighted and analyzed.

In the frame above, once Chinanu Onuaku makes his first free underhanded free throw, Ryan Anderson stands, cheers and "fist-pumps" the air (red shirt with white towel around his neck). It's the first in Onuaku's NBA career, so perhaps a cheer from a teammate is in order - yet for a free throw this is disproportional and out-of-context.

As Ryan sits back down, his mouth is configured in an "Inward Lip Roll". An inward lip roll (aka ILR) is a sign of emotional suppression. This is subconscious attempt of the mind to minimize both inward emotion growth (can you tell what feelings he's suppressing?) as well as outward expression of that same emotion.

A moment later Anderson displays a "Tight Tongue Jut". In this nonverbal behavior, the term "Tight" is included to describe the concomitant jaw tension (in distinction to a "Loose Tongue Jut" which has a completely different meaning). A tight tongue jut signals disdain and repulsion - in this moment, at the idea/sight of a "Granny Style" free throw. This is identical to what occurs when infants push out food which they find "distasteful".

He then re-configures into another Inward Lip Roll. Note his simultaneous jaw jutting as well as his mid-face (mustache region and nostrils) tension. Disgust is being felt (and suppressed).

In this next image, we see a rarely photographed (yet not at all rarely displayed) variant of an inward lip roll - with Ryan Anderson's mouth open moderately (Did you catch the inward and downward vectoring of his eyebrows and lower forehead?).

In this final image, Anderson recruits his towel as a pseudo-mouth wipe in order to cover his feelings of disdain and disgust.

Summary: Ryan Anderson's clapping for Chinanu Onuaku's underhanded free throws is hyperbolic and sarcastic. He is strongly suppressing emotions of repulsion and disgust. These feelings may be secondary reactions to other emotions or conflicts.


See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3799: Carrie Fisher and Princess Leia - Full Lips and Lip Pursing

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3797: Donald Trump's Out of Context Christmas Tweet

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3795: Donald Trump's White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer comments regarding Trump's, "Let It Be An Arms Race" Statement

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3761: Mitt Romney meets with Donald Trump

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3674: Drake Presents Rihanna with Vanguard Award - 2016 MTV Video Music Awards

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3638: Hillary Clinton's DNC Speech - and One Expression Which Profoundly Lowers Her Likability

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3599: The Brexit, David Cameron announces his Resignation, Protection and Body Language

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


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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3073: Russell Westbrook - Execution Interview - Body Language Tells (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Yesterday the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Golden State Warriors, 127 - 115, and after a triple double (17 pts., 17 ast., 15 reb.) Russell Westbrook was doing his best Marshawn Lynch impression. Now being referred to as "The Execution Interview" because the three time NBA all-star answered, "We did a good job executing" (and very slight variations on that script) six times in the 89 second interview.

What follows is a partial body language analysis of Russell Westbrook's "Execution interview".

0:14

A partially "Suppressed Smile" is displayed by Westbrook after he says, "... execution ..." for the second time. This is a form of "Duping Delight" since his answers are a thinly veiled acting job.

0:15

Shortly after this duping delight display, Westbrook shows us a "Tongue Jut" (aka "Lizard Tongue") which in this context is a nonverbal indicator for "I've been bad" or "I just got caught".

Depending on the other nonverbals with which it's accompanied, a tongue jut has what other meanings?

0:50

Eyelids opened very wide along with Tongue Jut

After a report asks, "Are you upset with something?" and then Westbrook pauses and says, "I just don't like you .... nah." ... he then displays another tongue jut.

While the reporter and Westbrook may not have been best friends before this moment - Westbrook already had reasons for his near monosyllabic responses - and this reporter's question led to this particular answer and added to Westbrook's negative attitude, yet their lack of friendship here was not the initiating factor in this awkward interview (e.g. for Westbrook's absence of diplomacy).

0:57 - 0:58

Westbrook's rapid fluttering of eyelids here as he asks reporter, "You got enough questions?" Is a strong signal of contempt, condescension and anger.

(What other nonverbal signals are present in this cluster?).

1:12

Yet another Tongue Jut just after Westbrook says, "Good execution"

1:26

A Tongue Jut again

1:28

Another occurrence of Duping Delight is seen once again in the last fraction of a second of the video.

When a person turns away or even puts his/her head down for a moment, the concentration to suppress their joy is often broken and the duping delight "leaks" out.




See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3072: Alison Lundergan Grimes - Body Language Tells

Negotiation Secret No. 140:  Duping Delight Microexpression

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2236:  John Boehner & the Fiscal Cliff Plan B Failure - Body Language of Duping Delight

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication No. Analysis 1492:  Ben Bernanke's Duping Delight &  Partial Emblematic Slip

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2216:  Senator Jim DeMint's Body Language -  Lip Purse, Suppressed Smile, Duping Delight & Retiring Early

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret No. 1482:  George Clooney's Lizard Tongue (Tongue Jut)

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2764: Embarrassment, Affection & Flirtation - Mila Kunis & Ashton Kutcher - Kiss Cam Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2547: Amanda Knox's ex-Boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, Piers Morgan Interview, Body Language Tells and Avoiding the Othello Error

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2911: Becky Hammon Part II - Blushing & a High Sincerity Quotient (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

This is the second post regarding Becky Hammon who was hired on Tuesday as the first female, full-time, salaried, assistant coach in the NBA by the San Antonio Spurs.

Although this video and the photos captured below are of lower resolution, one can easily see Ms. Hammon blushing. Not all blushing occurs in the presence of a smile - there are other emotions associated with blushing (can you name them?). And yet when blushing does occur in the presence of a smile - the smile is 99.9% of the time a sincere smile. Said another way, blushing almost never occurs in the presence of a feigned smile - although sometimes the sincere smile may be partially suppressed.

Moreover, when a person blushes frequently - it is a signal of a high sincerity quotient.

The two images below were captured during the 5:09 and 5:10 segments of the above video just after Becky references her father.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2910: Becky Hammon, First Female Full-Time NBA Assistant Basketball Coach and an Under-used Body Language Illustrator

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2508: Anne Frank, Sincere Smiles and Emotional Comfort

Nonverbal Communication Analysis 2790: Head Touch & Head Touch Surrogate - Body Language of Affection

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2836: Phil Mickelson, Insider Trading Allegations and Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2891: James Garner and ... Why was he so well liked?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2901: Sadie doesn't want her brother to grow up - Body Language of Sincere Affection

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2512:  Matthew Cordle's YouTube Confession  and the Death of Vincent Canzani  "I Killed a Man" - What His Body Language Tells Us ...  It's NOT what you think!

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2910: Becky Hammon, First Female Full-Time NBA Assistant Basketball Coach and an Under-used Body Language Illustrator (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Yesterday the San Antonio Spurs hired Becky Hammon as an assistant coach. She is just the second female coach in the history of the NBA - however she's the first in a full-time, salaried assistant position.

As many women leaders know, it is often a difficult balance to be assertive and alpha - and yet to not over-do these emotions. Many leaders, male or female do just that. The opposite extreme - too beta and diminutive is of course not an option. Hitting a happy-medium requires someone with both great interpersonal and intrapersonal skill.

In the sphere of nonverbal communication, there are many alpha-beta hybrids - and they are sorely underutilized. It is pure coincidence that the body language illustrator highlighted here is termed the "Unilateral Basketball Steeple".

While the "Conventional Steeple" is certainly a very strong alpha gesture - if used more than a second or two it will transmit feelings of arrogance and condescending emotional tones (and even when used very briefly, it must be choreographed for specially selected and very important moments of emphasis. See: Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2496:  Would You Buy a Car from this Man? [a Lykan Hypersport?],  Destroying Rapport with Arrogant Body Language)

An outstanding alpha-beta body language alternative to the conventional steeple is the basketball steeple - with the hands gesturing and held apart as if holding an invisible basketball (See: Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2710: Microsoft's New CEO Sayta Nadella's Body Language vs. Bill Gates). In this image (captured at the 9:57 mark) while at a press conference, Becky Hammon uses the unilateral basketball steeple. It is a nonverbal which projects strength, healthy leadership, assertiveness and confidence - and yet it is not over-zealous like the conventional steeple.

There is a ton of great nonverbals in this video - what others do you see?

Congratulations Becky Hammon!

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2102:  The Self-Righteous Head Wiggle and the  Conventional Steeple vs.Basketball Steeple

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2835: Jay Carney Resigns - President Obama Shows Us a Body Language Tell

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2605: President Obama and Health Insurance Cancellation Fix - and an Alpha-Beta Hybrid Body Language Illustrator

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2749: President Obama, Ukraine's Interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk and an Alpha-Beta Hybrid

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2834: LeBron James, Lance Stevenson and False Intimacy (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

The Miami Heat won game 6 yesterday (117 - 92) and has thus made it to their fourth consecutive NBA finals. They will face the winner of the Oklahoma City Thunder-San Antonio Spurs series.

Back in game 5 there was a particular nonverbal scenario that most have never seen in the setting of professional sports. Lance Stevenson blew in LeBron's ear. This is distracting to be sure - yet not for the reason many may first think. NBA players are often close enough where they breathe on each other - yet this specific act is considerably different. Blowing in a person's ear is an intimate act (an overt sign of "false intimacy").

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2738: LeBron James - Black Mask vs. Clear Mask, Body Language of Trust

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2284:  LeBron James in The White House -  A Fundamental Body Language Mistake

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1898:  Heat, Hugs & Head Surrogates

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2833: Edward Snowden, Mouth of Fear & Neck of Fear - Body Language Tells

In this image, James' is displaying a moderate level of disgust (0:43)














A moment later LeBron's emotions shift to that of contempt (on James' left side - at 0:46)










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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2816: Donald Sterling Interview - Body Language Tells (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling gave an interview today with CNN's Anderson Cooper. A portion of this interview is included in the above video.

At 2:16 Cooper begins, "Did you apologize to him, er ...?"

Sterling then responds, "Well .... Aaaah ... if I said anything wrong, I'm sorry. He's [Magic Johnson] a good person and he [pause with expression of disgust during 2:27.8 - 2:29.8] and what am I gonna say ..."

Donald Sterling then went on to describe how although is great, he feels that Magic Johnson is not a good role model for the children of Los Angeles.
 

In this close up view of Donald Sterling's face, we see a classic expression of disgust. Note the tightening of his "mustache area" and a flaring of both nostrils. A disgust amplifier is also present in the partial closing of his eyelids.

What other nonverbal signal here demonstrates the presence of a second emotion?




See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2640: Disgust at Denver area School Shooting - Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2443:  Kristen Wiig's Disgust & Fear Face -  Graham Norton, Chris O'Dowd and Fly Eating

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2811: Jason and David Benham are Dropped from HGTV - Body Language of Subtle Contempt, Anger & Disgust

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2603: Sarah Palin's Body Language - She Feels Disgust toward Pope Francis and ... She Tells a Fib

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2799: Magic Johnson Comments Regarding L.A. Clippers Owner Donald Sterling Alleged Racist Remarks - Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2801: Adam Silver Bans Donald Sterling for Life - Alpha Body Language Tell

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2798: Donald Sterling, Prejudice and Body Language of Contempt

Nonverbal Communication Quiz No. 2815: A.J. McCarron, Asymmetrical Smiles and the 5th Round? - Body Language

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2801: Adam Silver Bans Donald Sterling for Life - Alpha Body Language Tell (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Earlier today Adam Silver banned Donald Sterling for life from the NBA. He is not permitted to attend a game or a practice - or to make any decisions about the Los Angeles Clippers for the rest of his life. The NBA Commissioner also fined Sterling the maximum amount possible - $2.5 Million. In addition, Silver is seeking three quarters or greater consensus from the NBA owners in an effort to force Sterling to sell the basketball team.

There are many nonverbal signs in the video above of Mr. Silver's press conference. However there is one exemplified here that is rarely noted. Throughout this video (highlighted in three isolated images below) - Mr. Silver's mouth, lips and jaw display exaggerated movements. While there is certainly variation in such movements between any two people of the same culture speaking the same words - Mr. Silver's are amplified. It is not simply because he is trying to speak louder. This is a signal of an alpha emotional tone. People who display this body language/facial expression view themselves as dominant and are in the midst of asserting it.

In contrast, if Mr. Silver were in the company of the heads-of-state and other World leaders, his mouth, jaw and lips would never be moving in this manner.

Although not the case here, an even further exaggeration of these movements during speech is indicative of a patronizing and condescending mindset - and will very readily transmit such feelings.

There are also multiple examples of Mr. Silver thrusting his jaw forward - in what is known as a "Jaw Jut". This is a highly reliable signal of anger.

A Jaw Jut at 0:51 mark as Silver says "... deeply..." signifying the NBA commissioner's sincere anger.

1:16 mark as Silver speaks an exaggerated "....multi-ethnic..."


Mild Jaw Jut

More dramatic movements as Silver says "... within ..." at 1:27

More Jaw Jut (mild-moderate)









What other body language did you see during this video?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2460:  Third Year Law Student-Intern Channa Lloyd African-American on Zimmerman's Legal Team An Under-appreciated Alpha Body Language Signal

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2367:  North Korea, Jay Carney and  Body Language Tells from the White House Press Room

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2798: Donald Sterling, Prejudice and Body Language of Contempt

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2792: The First Woman to Run The Boston Marathon - Katherine Switzer and an Assault Warning Sign - Body Language

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

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2799: Magic Johnson Comments Regarding L.A. Clippers Owner Donald Sterling Alleged Racist Remarks - Body Language 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2800: Richard Gere Plays a Homeless Man and a Caring Parisian Gives Him Food - Body Language of Sincerity and Empathy

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