Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3537: Stephen Colbert, Reince Priebus and a Flubbed Monologue - Body Language (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

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.

During this recent Stephen Colbert episode, the comedian botches his Reince Priebus Baileys-on-his-cereal-monologue (beginning at 3:03). In the process he exemplifies a rarely noted but commonly seen nonverbal display.

When there is a temporary disparity between we have just said - and what we intended to say - a variation of transient disbelief occurs. This manifests itself nonverbally in several ways. One type are specific facial touching MAPs (Manipulators, Adaptors, Pacifiers). Most commonly these are the nose rub/scratch or ...

the eye rub or (not exampled here) the ear screw, ear pull.
















Stephen is sincerely laughing at himself - and he can't believe he messed up. What are the other nonverbal signals present in this cluster which solidify this conclusion? What other thought-emotions should come to mind when you see a nose rub/scratch, an eye rub or an ear screw/pull clustered with different body language signals?


See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3536: Prince Explains His Name Change in 1999 Interview

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3524: Paddleboarder's Encounter with Spinner Shark

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

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3439: Ted Cruz and the Lateral Lip Purse 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3349: Justin Trudeau, Stephen Harper, Sophie Grégoire, & Laureen Harper in Ottawa for Nathan Cirillo's Ceremony

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2424: Giada De Laurentiis on Conan O'Brien -  Beautiful Teeth but Insincere Smiles and Some Body Language Signals of Waning Love

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2297: Rooney Mara on Conan O'Brien - A Common Body Language Tell - Fear Apology Query Expression-Cluster 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3328: PewDiePie on Stephen Colbert's Late Show - a Common Body Language Alpha Up-Regulator

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3095: Brian Williams Told Yet Another Fib - Body Language Deception Tell (VIDEO, PHOTO)

Brian Williams told yet another lie. The video above is from The Late Show with David Letterman on 26 March 2013. What follows is a partial nonverbal analysis.

At 4:46 Williams continues, "... the now deceased former four-star general we were traveling with, Wayne Downing, said to me ah, using an old Vietnam-era f... [stutter] ah term, because he was a Vietnam infantryman, 'We're over Indian Country', ah, you'll forgive, ah, the political incorrectness ...." 

Touching one's face in a certain manner just before or during a definitive statement or in the context of answering a question is highly consistent with deception. Notice that during the 4:53 - 4:54 segment, Brian Williams rubs/scratches his nose twice with his right thumb (see image below). The initiation and completion of this MAP (Manipulator, Adaptor, Pacifier) gesture is delineated above coincident with the red text. No doubt his nose itched. Anxiety caused by the intention to lie or the act of lying releases the neurotransmitter natriuretic polypeptide b (Nppb) (or a similar/related molecule) in specific facial regions - which extremely often in turn results in a very real itch. This occurs preferentially unilaterally, e.g. - in one ear, one eye (not both eyes) - but also in the mid-line, e.g., the nose or the mouth.

There was something specific regarding that statement Brian Williams said that was a lie. Either General Downing never said what Williams claimed, or that he said it - but at a different time/location, or that this was not American military jargon used in the 60s or 70s, etc. But Williams did indeed lie here. When someone such as a news anchor - and a very experienced one like Brian Williams, rubs his nose (who is very accustomed to suppressing this physiology and NOT touching his face) - you can be sure that the itch was strong and thus the drive to scratch it was considerably heightened as well.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3094: John Kerry at the 51st Munich Security Conference - Mouth of Fear

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2601: "Governor Christie, Are You a Tea Party Republican?" Why His Answer Tells Us Whether or Not He Will Run for President in 2016

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

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3078: Tom Brady, Deflategate, Deception and Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2400:  One Way Deception Could be Minimized in the Court Room -  O.J. Simpson's in Court

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3085: Olivia Munn Doesn't Like Johnny Depp - Just Listen to Her Body Language (Not Her Words)

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3091: Vladimir Putin has Asperger's Syndrome according to Pentagon Report - Body Language Tells 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2581: Syria, Ambassador Robert Ford and a Body Language of Deception

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

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