Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3924: French Presidential Front-Runner Emmanuel Macron - Body Language and Emotional Intelligence (PHOTO)

If you were assessing Emmanuel Macron's expression at the moment this photo was captured, you may say he looks somewhat angry - for his eyebrows are drawn together with their medial (inner) portions directed downward. Yet this does not tell the full story.

Very often emotions don't exist in isolation - although one usually predominates, a simultaneous mixture of two or three feelings is common.
Those furrows on his forehead are not active - but temporary, residual furrows leftover from moments before when his forehead was contracted and strongly elevated in a prolonged fashion.

He's focused at middle-distance which is common during moments of concentration and when visualizing what another person is saying/describing.

Macron's jaw is displaced subtly to his left. Because this is a still image and not a video, it's impossible to say if it's prolonged or a very brief display (although the other nonverbal elements here suggest it is prolonged). The nonverbal ramification of this distinction is profound. 

With his left arm across his lower chest gripping the antecubital fossa region of his right arm - this probable next President of France conveys relatively low emotional comfort and a lower confidence level.

Now look a bit further up at his right hand. The manner in which he's gripping his mobile phone also is an emotional barometer of his conversation.

Although we cannot see it directly, we can tell his right index finger (aka forefinger) is NOT isolated - rather it's grouped with the middle and ring finger. This is significant for a relatively beta emotional tone. In contrast, when the index finger is separated (typically along the top of the phone) from the other three fingers (usually aligned on one side) - it signifies the predominance of alpha emotions. Thus, if you know what to look for, watching a person while they're on their phone allows an astute observer a grand view of their psyche (this is but one of many such signals).

The pose of Emmanuel Macron shown here is one in which candidates, heads-of-state, CEOs, athletes, leaders - or anyone else worried about their PR, should never allow themselves' be photographed.

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See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3923: John Boyega, Orlando Bloom, Swagger, and Alpha-Beta Balance 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3921: Kim Jong-un, North Korea, Alpha Status, and Clapping

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3919: Donald Trump's Hands vs. Xi Jinping's Hands - Beta & Alpha

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3916: Marine Le Pen's Anger and The French Election

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3871: Emma Watson's Old Habit, Harry Potter Outtake and Anxiety

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3850: Benjamin Netanyahu, Donald Trump and Michael Flynn - Press Conference

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3707: The Presidential Debates Part III - Donald Trump v. Hillary Clinton and Sniffing 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3811: Hayden Panettiere, Stephen Colbert and Personal Space 

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3738: Gary Johnson Loses His Temper - Body Language and Emotional Intelligence (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

After a Guardian Reporter pressed him on his sagging poll numbers as well as his tax policy, Gary Johnson simultaneously switched the subject while losing his temper.

Included in the above video are earlier gaffes where he did not know about the Crisis in/Battle of Aleppo ("And what is Aleppo?") as well as not being able to name a single foreign leader whom he respects. Some have attributed these mistakes as being the cause for his drop in the polls since mid-September.

From a nonverbal perspective, during the time leading up to his outburst, there were two signals of Governor Johnson's which were particularly telling.

Throughout much of this interview (leading up to his loss of temper), Governor Johnson was standing in a fig leaf configuration (aka "Genital Guarding"). Much of the time we can't directly visualize this MAP (Manipulator, Adaptor, Pacifier), however we can discern it by the position of his upper arms. Although the presidential candidate does occasionally gesture (Illustrate) with his arms and hands - he repeatedly returned to this fig-leaf position.

In some settings a fig-leaf display infers respect, deference and/or reverence (e.g., in a religious service or ceremony, at a funeral, meeting a high-level religious figure, at the tomb of the unknown soldier, etc.) However during the vast majority of scenarios, standing (or sitting) in this manner is a signal of lower confidence, lower emotional comfort, a beta mindset and defensiveness.

In addition, the entire width of Governor Johnson's forehead was contracted and elevated during the majority of this interview.

When such prolonged forehead elevation is simultaneous with and/or overlapping in time with a fig-leaf display, you can be sure the person who's displaying this nonverbal cluster is experiencing a lower confidence/defensive emotional state.

Because Governor Johnson was emotionally primed from an earlier incident (note the HBO segment at the beginning of this video - as well as The Guardian reporter referencing, "I could hear some loud voices there"), the candidate should have taken greater time or perhaps changed his schedule before participating in this second interview. He also increased the odds of his outburst when he responded with, "Maybe you'll get it now too" - a script his psyche followed shortly thereafter.

A person with a higher level of emotional intelligence may have known (in real time) that by simply conducting the interview with each man standing a slightly greater distance apart, this would have decreased the likelihood of any confrontation. A seated conversation (using chairs with arm-rests) would have also helped to down-regulate Johnson's emotional volatility.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3737: Donald Trump Rips His Notes at End of 3rd Debate

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3735: Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Mean Tweets

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3733: The 3rd Presidential Debate - Donald Trump v. Hillary Clinton - Part IV - The Turning Point of the Debate

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3711: Vin Scully calls Kirk Gibson's legendary walk-off homer during Game 1 of the 1988 World Series

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3701: Hillary Clinton, Between Two Ferns With Zach Galifianakis

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3672: Jessica Alba, Swass, Body Language and Emotional Intelligence

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3608: Attorney General Loretta Lynch on Meeting with Bill Clinton

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2469: Anthony Weiner, Huma Abedin and the NYC Mayoral Race - Body Language & the Five Burroughs, Part I 


Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3673: Anthony Weiner, Huma Abedin separate after Sexting Scandal


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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2142: Mitt Romney's face wipe by stranger - Preening as a signal of Affection

This video highlights Joseph Melluso, the owner of "The Tin Fish" restaurant in Port St. Lucie, Florida, wiping republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney's face multiple times. No doubt because he was the owner of the building, he felt a "temporary supervisorial" or "shepherding-like role" for this man who may be the U.S. President in less than a month - and this contributed to this nonverbal behavior. However, when one preens another - particularly in such a public scenario - this is also a body language signal consistent with feelings of affection. This is not to suggest that the two have any relationship or aspire to - but wiping, cleaning, picking at the remnants of a napkin/lint (seen during 1:01 - 1:03, 1:10 - 1:12, 1:15), straightening a tie, or smoothing out wrinkles in clothing, etc. - all examples of preening behavior - are signals of affection. It is common to have affection/false affection and similar feelings for those who we see images in the media. Note how Mitt pulls away and reflexively pats Melluso's arm during 0:21 - 0:22. This same patting action, performed at the end (and sometimes at the beginning or throughout) of a hug, lets the other person know that it's time for the hug to end. Joe Melluso obviously likes the candidate and will, of course, be voting for him. 

Jeanne Moos mentions that the secret service officer didn't raise an eyebrow - however his right eyebrow is certainly raised in a nonverbal signal of incredulity/disbelief at 1:48. 

Should you witness versions of such body language preening behavior at the office (or anywhere else) - even with significantly subtler examples, it's a strong signal that the emotion of affection is being felt.

See also:

Nonverbal Analysis # 2107: Andy Murray, Affection and Savoring the Moment 

Nonverbal Analysis # 2108: Rihanna's and Chris Brown's Kiss and Hug - What were they REALLY feeling? 

Nonverbal Analysis # 1911: Preening as a Signal of Affection-Attraction - Dina & Clint Eastwood 

Nonverbal Analysis # 1808: Time Magazine's Breast Feeding Story, Dr. William Sears and the Attachment Parenting Controversy - Cover Shows Emotional Dissonance at Best

Nonverbal Analysis # 1423: Head First Affection & Head Surrogate Hugs

Nonverbal Analysis # 771: Ann's & Mitt's Affectionate Hug

Nonverbal Analysis # 1921: Who was More Dominant - Tom Cruise or Katie Holmes?

Nonverbal Analysis # 2: Body Language of Blake Lively and Penn Badgley Strongly Predictive of an Impending Break-up in Near Future

Nonverbal Analysis # 33: Who is the Dominant Partner - Blake Lively or Penn Badgley?

Nonverbal Analysis # 2110: Pizza Guy - Scott Van Duzer's Bear-Hug Lift Encounter with President Obama - Staged or Real?

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Negotiation Body Language Secret # 881: Perry Endorses Newt ... or Does He?

In this video, Governor Rick Perry (R-TX) suspends his campaign and endorses Newt Gingrich. At several times during this short speech, Governor Perry's left eye brow and left forehead elevate indicating skepticism. This is a clear nonverbal signal that he does not completely believe everything he is saying. Whenever the verbal and the nonverbal are in disagreement - the body language is always correct. In addition, towards the beginning of this video, Perry twice exhibits a "Bitter Smile" (showing regret) simultaneous with an "Inward Lip Roll" (indicating an attempt to hold-in negative emotions) when announces he's ending his bid for the White House.

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Negotiation Body Language Secret # 871: Mouth Covering Candidate

Sudden mouth covering accompanied by elevated eyebrows, elevated forehead and increased scleral-show (eyes lids opened in a "White and Wide" appearance) indicate surprise-disbelief and empathy. There often is an element of fear accompanying this facial-appearance-hand-gesture as well, although in this particular example of Presidential Candidate hopeful and current Texas Governor Rick Perry - we would need to see either a brief video of this and adjacent moments, or images immediately before and after to definitively identify the emotion of fear.

See also:  Relationship Secret # 21: Surprise + Fear + Empathy

See also:  Leadership Secret # 221: Hillary's Empathy

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