Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3644: Eric Trump, Humayun Khan, Sexual Harassment and Patronizing Body Language (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Yesterday, Eric Trump - the son of the Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, was a guest on CBS This Morning where he discussed his father's escalating fight with the parents of U.S. Army Capt. Humayun Khan, who died a hero on the battlefield in 2004. Eric Trump also spoke of his own father, his sister Ivanka - and his thoughts on sexual harassment in the workplace - for which he received tremendous criticism far and wide.

During this interview, Eric Trump repeated used a body language display known as a "Pseudo-prayer" where the hands are placed together in a praying configuration. With the exception of a religious context, begging and a small number of cultural settings, the use of this gesture indicates arrogance and a condescending emotional tone.

If you see the pseudo-prayer (outside the above exceptions), you can be almost 100% certain that that person displaying it believes that they're in the right and believes the person(s) with whom they're speaking/interacting is wrong. This body language is significantly more commonly displayed by the wealthy, powerful ... and narcissistic - thus those who are more likely to abuse their power (and harass).

The additional dynamic of an up-and-down chopping motion amplifies the already patronizing emotional tone of the pseudo-prayer.

When the pseudo-prayer is being used, the words often being simultaneously expressed may appear to attempting to build rapport and understanding (e.g., during a negotiation or in the sales process) - but in such settings, the person rarely changes their position. Take caution - for when kind verbal language, appearing to be "reasonable" is used in conjunction with the pseudo-prayer - it's the body language which is telling their true thoughts and emotions. In short, the Pseudo-prayer is a big red flag.

This website serves as a reference source for the art and science of Body Language/Nonverbal Communication. The views and opinions expressed on this website are those of the author. 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.


See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3643: What Will Donald Trump Do If He Trails in the Polls By a Large Margin? - Body Language and Predicting Behavior

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3545: Eric Trump's Reaction to President Obama's Comments at the 2016 White House Correspondents' Dinner

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3478: Donald Trump Jr Does Not Like his Father's Statement, "I Love the Poorly Educated"

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3625: Donald Trump Introduces Mike Pence as his "1st Choice" VP Pick (Not!)

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3250: Donald Trump regarding John McCain: "He's no hero" - Body Language Tells us what he really thinks

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3549: Speaker Paul Ryan's interview with Jake Tapper - "I'm just not ready" to Support Donald Trump

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3500: Gal Gadot's last name used to be "Greenstein"

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3385: Adele, "Hello" and SNL - Body Language Tell



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

Ann Romney was made into somewhat of a target yesterday by Hilary Rosen, a democrat strategist. In this interview, Mrs. Romney defended herself, Mitt Romney and her position. There are several great nonverbal tells exhibited in this segment. This is not a political commentary, rather an objective body language analysis of the moments encapsulated here.

At multiple times [2:18 (a microexpression), 4:02-4:04, 4:05-4:12 (slows in frequency), 4:43-4:59, 6:11-6:16, 6:28-6:31, 7:27-8:05], while Mrs. Romney is waiting for Martha MacCallum to finish her statements/questions (Ann is not speaking), the potential first lady's head undergoes a quick side to side movement in a moderate-to-high frequency (relatively fast) and low amplitude (less than a centimeter) manner. Her upper body takes part in this movement to a lesser degree as well. This nonverbal, coupled with her mid-face tension (around the nose, nostrils, just below the nose and the upper lip) signals anger and indignation. It is a sign of a increase in adrenaline as well as a crescendo of sympathetic nervous system activity - here in the context of anger. Mrs. Romney is mad. When she is not expressing herself verbally, this negative emotion "shifts" and is expressed nonverbally instead. Although she's doing a pretty good job of letting her anger "roll off her back" - it's leaking out for us to see here.

There's another nonverbal that Mrs. Romney displays in this video, that if I were coaching her I would want her (or anyone else) to eliminate immediately. Specifically, she puts her hands together in a "pseudo-praying" configuration and then gesticulates them together in an up-and-down motion, while pointing them directly at the audience (seen during time-marks: 5:12 - 5:41). This is a somewhat toned-down version of a conventional steeple amalgamated with pointing and wagging one's index finger at the audience. It's patronizing and condescending. This does not build rapport, rather it destroys it. She should stop it. This particular nonverbal tends to be used by females considerably more than males - and alpha females in particular. Michelle Obama uses it as well. She should stop it too (Mrs. Obama can be seen in a still image here displaying a variation of this manifested in a "low steeple" body language: Secret # 1093: When NOT to be Alpha).

Take note also of how Ann Romney takes a deep breath after each time she speaks. This body language is related in cause-effect to the "Puffer Fish" (see Secret # 1122: Tiger, Pebble Beach and the Puffer Fish). Her overall respiration (breathing) rate is also significantly increased - which is consistent with any anxiety state and certainly with anger.

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Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1181: Helle Thorning-Schmidt & herFalse Praying Gesture

Helle Thorning-Schmidt, the Danish Prime Minister, exemplifies here a pseudo-praying gesture. Like all body language, the pseudo-prayer must be interpreted in the context of the other nonverbals with which it is clustered. With this particular facial expression - especially her eyes, eyelids, brows and forehead - whatever verbal message she's trying to convey, the nonverbal message she's transmitting is extremely patronizing. Unless you teach preschool, if you don't want to alienate your audience - DO NOT emulate Thorning-Schmidt.

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