Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2772: Mary Barra, General Motors' CEO, Testifies Before Congress - Body Language Tells (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Mary Barra, General Motors' CEO testified before congress today. Prior to her recent promotion to head up the automotive company - over a ten year period thirteen deaths resulted from a faulty 57 cent component of the ignition switch that the company allegedly failed to act upon. 

In the above image we see several important nonverbal signals at the same moment - what in body language terminology is known as a "cluster".

Most obviously is Ms. Barra's inward lip roll. An "Inward Lip Roll" (ILR) is one way the subconscious tries to suppress the inward escalation and the outward manifestation of significant emotions. These strong emotions are usually negative (as is the case with Ms. Barra) - although joy-happiness may be suppressed this way when a person does not want to fully express it (e.g. out of social context, accompanying "duping delight", etc.).

In this moment the General Motors CEO is feeling significant anger. One way we know this is her "Jaw Clenching" which is accompanying her ILR. This gives the ILR a somewhat atypical appearance - for the lips cannot roll completely inward (which is more common) as they are blocked by the closed teeth. Thus the tissue adjacent to the lips - bulges outward in a "Peri-Lip Bulge". Chin dimpling, which also is extremely common this scenario, is also seen here. This combination of the ILR with a Jaw Clench is a very common expression of President Obama.

In addition, Ms. Barra's nostrils are flared, her eyelids are opened wider than her baseline and her forehead is contracted together with raised eyebrows.

The above cluster-context findings are indicative of a heightened adrenaline state and anger.

See also:


Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2771: Australian PM Tony Abbott regarding Malaysian Airlines MH370 Search - Body Language Misinterpretations and Regret 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2444:  George Zimmerman Trial  Jonathan Good - Eyewitness Testifies regarding  The Last Seconds of Trayvon Martin's Life 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1922:  Jamie Dimon Testifies Before Congress  My Guest Commentary on NPR -  KPCC Southern California Public Radio

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2437:  Michael Jackson's Wrongful Death Trial  Faux Pas Body Language during Testimony by AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2507:  Secretary of State Kerry's Disgust  An Oft Overlooked and Camouflaged Body Language Signal

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2138:  President Obama's Anger-Frustration During Debate -  An Under-Appreciated Body Language Signal  

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




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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2579: Brandon Bryant Body Language of Disgust and Empathy - Confessions of a Drone Operator (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

 Brandon Bryant is a former drone operator (aka drone sensor operator) for the U.S. Military.

At 4:54 Bryant states, "... there's a lot less mistakes than an F-16, but it's still made me feel like, like I just ended a human life, you know ... ah, how is anyone supposed to deal with that?". During the 5:01 - 5:02 segment (underlined) the former Drone operator beautifully exemplifies a combination of two different emotions felt simultaneously - that of empathy and disgust.

Bryant's central forehead muscle contracts and is somewhat subtle and higher up in this particular moment and example (in ellipse withing photo below yet best see in the dynamic context of the video). Whenever one feels either emotional pain or physical pain directly for oneself or indirectly for another via empathy - the central forehead contracts (take heed though, for there are other contexts for a CFC).

The CFC is also accompanied by an elevation of his inner (medial) eyebrows.

Disgust in the former drone operator's face is shown by a bilateral nostril flaring and a tightening of his "mustache area" (referred to as such regardless of gender or absence facial hair) along with an evanescent deepening of both nasal-labial folds. And although not required for disgust, the partial closing of Bryant's eyelids here amplifies his disgust.

The fact that Brandon Bryant displays these facial expressions in this context in highly consistent with one who experiencing as well as predicting who is prone to developing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

From a nonverbal communication standpoint, this interview is a fantastic teaching video. What other telling body language did you spot?

See also:

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1499:  Bill Clinton's Empathy for Eric Fehrnstrom and  Mitt Romney ... What's Your Sincerity Quotient

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2565: Goblin Valley State Park - Knocking over Hoodoo Rock Formation - Body Language of Boy Scout "Leaders"

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1732:  Rationalization, Rapport, Empathy Expression  How Jewel got her name

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!

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2537: Kenya Mall Attack Witness, Body Language Tell

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2390:  Charles Ramsey Interview & Cleveland Kidnappings -  Sarcastic Disbelief, Disgust and Exclamation 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2507:  Secretary of State Kerry's Disgust  An Oft Overlooked and Camouflaged Body Language Signal

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2416: Brit Marling, the Every Woman & "The East" Body Language of Mild to Moderate Disgust and ...

The beautiful and talented Brit Marling stars in the new movie, "The East". She also co-wrote and co-produced the film.

Several times during the 0:36 - 0:45 (example imaged below) segment, Ms. Marling gives us a great body language-facial expression of mild-moderate disgust (about a 3 or 4 on a scale of 1-10). Note her mild nostril dilation (aka nasal flaring) coupled with her mid-face tension. In particular the area between her upper lip and nose (aka the "mustache area") vertically elongates and grows tense. This causes the philtrum to lose definition. Superimposed over her speech, a subtle and evanescent down turning of the corners of her mouth can be seen as well as a slight protrusion of her lower lip. Notably Brit's eyelid closure and lowering of her eyebrows are also consistent with disgust.

What other nonverbals does Ms. Marling display? What other emotions is she feeling?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2164:  Mitt Romney's Disgust Display regarding  President Obama's Relationship with Putin and Russia -  ".... I'll give you more flexibility after the election ....

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2045:  Disgust in New Delhi

Negotiation Secret # 72 & 73: Disgust & Incredulity

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1841:  Disgust in Response to Rep. Barney Frank's "Hoodie" Joke

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2390:  Charles Ramsey Interview & Cleveland Kidnappings -  Sarcastic Disbelief, Disgust and Exclamation

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2051:  Mitt Romney regarding Campaign Finance Rules -  Near-Microexpression of Disgust

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1496:  Tiger Woods' Disgust & Biofeedback

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2191:  Anne Hathaway's Impersonation of Katie Holmes on SNL -  "Norming" Katie and Variations on a Theme

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2414: Sen. John McCain after his Trip to Syria - Body Language of Regret and Contempt

Senator John McCain (R-AZ) just returned from a trip to Syria. It is well known that Sen. McCain has long believed the United States should supply weapons to the Syrian Rebels (those forces opposed to Bashar al Assad). When Anderson Cooper asks him about his feelings after direct experience while in Syria, Sen. McCain displays some telling facial expressions.

What makes his particular facial nonverbals more difficult to dissect is the fact that Sen. McCain has residual facial nerve (Cranial Nerve VII) palsy (when no causes are found after a complete medical evaluation, this is referred to as Bell's Palsy). This leaves his left forehead, eyebrow, cheek and mouth corner mildly hypo-reactive and "droopy" - thus making his expressions more complex than most to accurately assess.

At 0:06, the left corner of John McCain's mouth pulls primarily laterally (note dynamic dimple adjacent to left mouth) - signaling the emotion of regret. 

There are other nonverbal manifestations of regret - Do you know these?

At 0:07, we can see significantly greater upward vectoring and tightening of McCain's Cheek and the left portion of his "mustache area" - consistent with a greater contempt emotional component.

The Senator has slight nose asymmetry leaving his baseline configuration of a left nostril (nostril dilation aka nasal flaring) larger than his right - implying contempt

Bilateral closing of the eyelids in this context is contempt amplifier.

In summary Senator McCain feels two emotions here - first regret followed rapidly by contempt.  What other nonverbal signals do you see in this video?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2320:  Estonian Skier Andrus Veerpalu  Denies Performance Enhancing Drugs -  What his Body Language Tells Us

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1517:  Signals of Acquiescence and Regret  Rick Santorum Drops Out

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2408:  Sen. Kelly Ayotte's Anxiety & Regret via  Senators Graham & McCain - Republican Body Language in Response to  President Obama's National Defense University Speech

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2323:  Jodi Arias Murder Trial  The Body Language of Unilateral Regret vs. Contempt

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2228:  Jay Carney's Body Language -  Contempt disguised as a Sniff ....  for Republicans' Solutions to the Fiscal Cliff

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2350:  Contempt - both dramatic and subtle -  Backpedaling and Body Language

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1267:  John McCain, Sarah Palin and Bell's Palsy

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2312: Bruce Willis' Body Language - Contempt vs. Suppressed Smile vs. Pseudo Smile vs. Sincere Smile

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2384:  Bashar al-Assad on 1 May 2013 - Demure, Beta and Nervous - Body Language Lessons on how NOT to appear Confident

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2316: Jennifer Lawrence's Response to Her Oscar Stumble - Silver Linings Body Language

You probably have seen Jennifer Lawrence receive her Oscar for Best Actress. You probably also recall her tripping on her dress on the way up those stairs. The heels and the tremendous emotions of the moment certainly contributed. Many would have done similar. When a reporter asked the "Silver Linings Playbook" star, "... um ... The fall on the way up to the stage - was, was it a fall? What happened?" and Ms. Lawrence answered, "Was it on purpose? Absolutely. What do you mean what happened? Look at my dress! I tried to walk upstairs in this dress. That's what happened. I didn't actually ... yeah, I think I just stepped on the fabric and, and there wa..., they waxed the stairs." Just after she said, "...stairs". 

At the 1:26 mark, the "Hunger Games" heroine displays a rapid and evanescent thinning of her upper lip, a tightening of the tissue between the nose and upper lip (aka the "mustache area", regardless of gender), a dilation of both nostrils, along with a protrusion of her lower lip, an extended bilateral blink and looking down and away from the reporter. This cluster of nonverbal facial changes constitutes a microexpression of anger & disgust.

Two questions later when another reporter says, "Here Jennifer, over here, here you go. Ah. At twenty-two years old you've got your first Oscar and you've already had two nominations, um, it's awfully young to have so much success so far. Do you feel, is it a good thing that it's coming so early in the career?" and Lawrence answers, "I hope so, yeah, I mean I ..., who knows? I guess we'll see!" The reporter retorts, "You don't worry about peaking too soon?" and she answers, "Well now I am! God!" From 2:04 to 2:22 she gives many nonverbal signals of fear. Some of these are encapsulated below.

 Of particular note is Ms. Lawrence's tightened lips/mouth corners which are pulled down and backwards (mouth of fear). Look at her neck as well - this classic "tenting" of the neck muscles - which is mild-to-moderately displayed here is known as the "neck of fear". Fear is the only emotion which causes this characteristic neck change. It also tends to "bunch up" the tissue beneath the jaw - and gives a temporary "double chin" appearance. Jennifer's eyelids are opened wider than her normal.

This image is slightly later in time than the one above.  In the video you can see her take a small step backwards (2:09). In this still shot, Ms. Lawrence's leaning backwards is highly indicative of fear - although it also can be seen with disgust and contempt. As obvious as it may seem here, this body language goes largely unappreciated in the everyday world.












See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2267:  Body Language at the 2013 Golden Globes The Influence of Color on Human Sexuality - Claire Danes, Zooey Deschanel & Jennifer Lawrence

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2315:  Daniel Day-Lewis' Wins His 3rd Oscar -  Even the Best Actors will  "Leak" Their True Feelings via Body Language ...  Here via a Microexpression of Fear

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2314:  Naomi Watts Pre-Oscar Interview and her  Body Language of the "Jaw Confessional" and the Sincerity Quotient

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2019:  Sarah Palin's "Co-Hosting" on The Today Show -  She Fears Romney's Candidacy

Negotiation Secret # 329: Angela Merkel's Neck of Fear

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1555:  Ann Romney Hits it Back Over the Net to Hilary Rosen

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1211:  Tiger's Eyes -  Subtle Signal, Severe Anger


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Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1403: Gustaf Gets Galled

King Carl XVI Gustaf is angry. What key cues can you spot? There are several that you shouldn't miss.

The most obvious (and somewhat less reliable) sign of anger is the drawing together and downwards of the Swedish Leader's eyebrows. If this were the only facial change we saw, then we also have to consider that Carl was perplexed or intensely concentrating. People in the midst of times of intense thinking are often mistaken for being angry. But as usual, there are other nonverbal cues available.

If you see an increase in exposure of the "whites of the eyes" (sclera) - three primary and common emotions (there are other less common ones though) should immediately spring to mind - anger (moderate to severe), fear and surprise. Note that in particular, the King's right eye has an increased "white and wide" appearance. However, even if we didn't observe this ocular body language, the tension we see in his "mustache area" is certainly driven by this negative emotion. Both of Gustaf's nostrils are flared - consistent with anger and disgust. In particular, the thinning of his lips is highly correlative with anger.

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Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1055: The Subtle Lip Purse

This Image of Tom Brady taken during the media availability-press conference in preparation for Super Bowl XLVI yesterday, shows two subtle emotional displays.

Anyone can spot dramatic emotion. I am continually dumbfounded by the percentage of otherwise socially adept, worldly and educated adults who cannot accurately identify moderate, let alone subtle emotional body language cues. The New England quarterback is displaying a very subtle lip purse here (see: Negotiation Secret # 9: Nancy's Lip Purse, for a more obvious example). When the lips are pursed, there is a disagreement taking place. But in a high percentage of the time, the disagreement will not be verbally expressed. In addition, those who display this expression are in a "position of power" wherein they feel they can implement their plan/idea. Thus when you see this nonverbal signal, be prepared for a proverbial "end-run". There is a reason that their opinion is not being openly expressed. Ambush. Hmmm..... perhaps there are some business applications here.

Emotions rarely occur in isolation, and here the Patriots' QB is no exception. Mr. Gisele Bundchen's second emotion is disgust. The specific facial signals to look for here are both the mild tightening of the "mustache area" and particularly his subtle nostril flare. Additionally, he is not looking directly at the person(s) who is (are) the object of his feelings. We don't look directly at those who we don't like, don't respect or don't believe

New York Giants by 7

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Negotiation Body Language Secret # 1014: What Do You Call an Ex-Knight?

What emotions or intentions are signaled by an Asymmetric Smile? One possible tell beneath this nonverbal clue is an Insincerity - being acted and forced onto the face. It's wearer does NOT feel true Joy-Happiness. It does not mean that the person as a whole is necessarily insincere, but in that moment the expression is feigned. If chronically displayed however, the knight ... er, ah person has been measured and found wanting.

The second major emotion that should come to mind when an asymmetric smile is seen is Contempt. Unilateral nostril flaring is often also present. When contempt is subtle or even moderate, many mistake it for a coy smile.

Fred Goodwin, pictured above was Knighted in 2004. Yesterday his Knighthood was "cancelled and annulled" by the Queen "on the advice of her government and the Honours Forfeiture Committee" as the CEO of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and for its role in the financial crisis.

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Negotiation Body Language Secret # 925: Hemsworth's False Smile is Worthless

At first glace to the untrained eye, Liam Hemsworth's mouth looks as if he's trying to squeeze out a smile at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards. If you look carefully though, you'll notice his "mustache area" is slightly tensed and his upper lip is mildly stretched and thinned as well. Hemsworth's nostrils are flared too. His eyelids are partially closed, but not in the sincere smile manner. If his lids were closed as a result of a true, felt smile - we would see the classic, concave-down furrow nonverbal sign in Hemsworth's lower lids (see Secret #921: Spotting Giants' Sincerity). This young actor is not smiling sincerely at all, moreover his attempt at a social smile is also poor. Liam's emotions are disgust (best exemplified by his flared nostrils) and anger (his out-of-context Clint Eastwood-like eyelid squint as well as his thinned upper lip).

Anyone can spot severe anger or disgust. How skilled are you at picking out moderate or subtle examples? Miss them at your own risk.

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Negotiation Body Language Secret # 273: Anger and Disgust in Azerbaijan

On the streets of Baku earlier this year, an Azerbaijani police officer detains a protester of the Musavat (opposition) Party. In the midst of the arrest, he exhibits two strong emotions. His protruded jaw, known as a "Jaw Jut" is a classic nonverbal signal of significant anger. Moreover, it is particularly common when the anger is strong enough to be a harbinger of, or coexists with a physical action (nearly always directed at the perceived source of anger). Thus, when you see this body language displayed, be warned, for violence is often imminent. 

In addition, the officer's bilateral and symmetrical nostril flaring, deepened nasal-labial furrows, tightening of his "mustache region" and raised upper lip - all indicate the emotion of disgust. Emotions rarely exist in isolation - often two or three are simultaneous and quite evanescent.

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