Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2998: Fugitive Eric Frein Arrested - Body Language Tells often mistaken (PHOTO)

This low resolution image of Eric Frein was taken on Thursday 30 October just after his capture. Frein had been a fugitive since 12 September 2014 after the alleged murder of Pennsylvania officer Bryon Dickson and the alleged attempted murder of another trooper, Alex Douglas and been added to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list.

Frein's expression in this photo has been repeatedly misidentified by the media. It is intriguing and yet very common that many professionals who are otherwise socially adept repeatedly misidentify subtle and often moderate emotions. Frein's primary emotion in this moment is that of regret. What is his secondary (less prominent) emotion?

It is important to note that with this one image we cannot say what is the source of his regret - yet as majorities would speculate, it is of course most probably not for the crimes he is alleged to have committed - but rather that he was caught, or he is mentally chastising himself for mistakes leading to his capture. 

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2997: Halloween Haunted Houses - Transitioning from Expressions of Surprise to Fear

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 No. 2886: Israeli Citizens in the Streets - Body Language of ......

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2824: Michael Jace ("The Shield" Actor) Arrested for Alleged Murder of His Wife - Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2956: Eric Frein - Suspect in Murder of Pennsylvania Officer - Body Language Sign of Impeding Violence

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2995: 10 Hours of Walking in NYC as a Woman - Catcalls, Street Harassment, Body Language, Personal Safety & Threat Assessment

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2956: Eric Frein - Suspect in Murder of Pennsylvania Officer - Body Language Sign of Impeding Violence (VIDEO, PHOTO)

This is a photo of Eric Frein. He is currently the primary suspect in the murder of a State Trooper (Bryon Dickson) and the serious wounding/attempted murder of another (Alex Douglas) on Friday, 12 September 2014 in Pike County, Pennsylvania. The FBI has subsequently classified Frein as one of their Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. Eric Frein is a survivalist who has allegedly spoken of committing mass murder.

When you look at Frein's face - what emotion do you see? Now try again. Glancing at for just a slit-second; what do you "feel"? Don't over-think it.


Eric Frein was feeling contempt at the moment of the image. It is not extreme or moderated - indeed it's a subtle-to-mild contempt expression (don't let his asymmetric, old, healed, broken nose confuse you). Do you see the contempt? Do you feel it? Those who commit violent acts, especially premeditated shootings and similar terrorist/terrorist-like activities VERY COMMONLY have nonverbal displays of CHRONIC CONTEMPT and/or CHRONIC DISGUST. We all display contempt and disgust from time to time. However the recognition of those who display this facial expression CHRONICALLY is profoundly valuable in threat assessment/predicting violent behavior.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2955: Adrian Peterson - a Telling Body Language Cluster

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2954: Attempted robbery at gunpoint caught on GoPro - Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2897: Fifty Shades of Grey - Part II - Warning Signs & Threat Assessment

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2658: Misidentifying Emotional Expressions - Greece's Golden Dawn Party Arrests - Body Language and Threat Assessment

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2231:  A Common Facial Expression of Mass Killers - Using Body Language as a Threat Assessment Tool

Body Language Secret # 509: Mohamed Atta, 9/11 and Predicting Violent Behavior on the Basis of Body Language Alone 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2500:  Ft. Hood Shooter Nidal Malik Hasan and Contempt




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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2176: James Carville's Body Language - Pennsylvania & Swing States

James Carville, a well-known political consultant and lead strategist for Bill Clinton in 1992, gives a monolog in this CNN video clip wherein he discusses his view of where the electoral college stands, his definition of swing states and which of those states are particularly important. Early in the video, he says, ".... I do not count Pennsylvania as a swing state, because if the Democrats lose Pennsylvania - they lose the election ...." then at the 0:17 mark he rubs his upper "mustache area" adjacent to his nose with his right hand. This nonverbal display upon making a definitive statement during an interview/monolog setting (or if he were answering a question) indicates that he does not believe his own statement. His body language shows us that there is a level of deception here - either Carville is lying to himself or to the audience.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2175: Mayor Bloomberg, Body Language, Hurricane Sandy and the NYC Marathon 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2156: Barack Obama's Body Language at Al Smith Charity Dinner - Comedy, White Lies and Facial Touching MAPs 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2150: Body Language Advice for President Obama and Governor Romney for Debates 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1824: Mexico's New President has a Poor Poker Face - Enrique Peña Nieto

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1897: George Zimmerman's Reenactment of Trayvon Martin Shooting  

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Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1059: Santorum's Dominant Spider

This Hand Gesture Rick Santorum is using, is known as "The Dominant Spider". It tends to be used by primarily by alpha males and somewhat less frequently by alpha females. Although not as dominant or negatively received as the closed-palm or nearly closed-palm down gesture (see Secret # 222: Palms Down vs. Palms Up), it should be used sparingly and for very brief moments in order to assert authority and dominance. If over-used (which doesn't take much and is a strong tendency for the alpha-personality types to do), the audience (even an audience of one) will feel domineered and patronized. 

Tonight the former U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania is certainly feeling very dominant - so spiders abound. As of this writing, he is projected to win both the Minnesota Caucuses and the Missouri Republican Presidential Primary. It's still too early to call Colorado's Caucuses, but Rick may have just pull off the hat trick. 

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