Body Language Analysis No. 4314: Donald Trump, The Supreme Court, Abortion, and Punishment - Nonverbal and Emotional Intelligence (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

In the light of Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy's announcement of his retirement from the Supreme Court, the interview included here is profoundly important. In March 2016, Chris Matthews spoke with then-candidate Trump in a town hall type setting. One of the questions Mr. Matthews pressed Mr. Trump on was that of abortion - and specifically, because Trump believes abortions should be illegal - what was his view on the issue of punishment for women who undergo abortions?

In this image (captured from the above video during 2:16) - when Mr. Trump was attempting to formulate his response to Chris Matthews' question of, "... Do you believe in punishment for abortion - yes or no - as a principle?".

Donald Trump commonly displays several nonverbal signals which are distinctly beta (and feminine). One of these is exampled here. This display is much more commonly seen with women and gay men - but when it's displayed by a straight man, it projects a low-confidence/unsure/beta emotional tone.

Note the position of Trump's right wrist. It's extended (bent backward) close to its maximum. When a straight man displays this body language, it sends signals of low confidence. Moreover, when coupled with an upper arm that's positioned very closely to the torso (as we also see Trump doing), this nonverbal behavior cluster transmits even deeper beta and unsure emotions.

Notice also, Trump's eyes are looking up - fixated in the distance (middle-distance). This is a common direction of gaze and focus behavior associated with the formulation of an answer.
 

Then, just a couple of seconds later (2:18 - 2:20), once Trump makes up his mind ("... there has to be some form of punishment - Yeah. There has to be some form."), he first positions his hand in a vertically straight, ready-to-chop fashion, and then proceeds to quickly chop his hand in a very assertive (even hyper-assertive), decisive, alpha manner. Trump commonly uses this gesture - however, it's not typically temporally juxtaposed with a hyper-beta display as he does here. 

SUMMARY: Donald Trump had not thought through this question prior to Chris Matthews asking it. The candidate's nonverbal behavior displayed here - a low confidence signal followed rapidly by a high-confidence signal - is a window into the unsure mind of a person formulating his decision in that moment. We are seeing cognitive dissonance followed by a decision and absolutism. Upon deciding, Mr. Trump rapidly emotionally morphs into the bravado of hyper-confidence.

Moreover, in this particular context, his hand-chop also projects the additional visual metaphor of severe punishment for abortion.

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See also:

Body Language Analysis No. 4312: South Korea Defeats Germany at The World Cup

Body Language & Emotional Intelligence - Analysis No. 4311: Jeff Sessions, "We never really intended to do that"

Body Language Analysis No. 4309: The Little Girl in Red, "Tender Age" shelters, and Empathy

Body Language Analysis No. 4307: Jeff Sessions cites Bible Passage to Justify Separating Children From Parents

Body Language Analysis No. 4302: G7 Leaders Surrounding Donald Trump

Body Language Analysis No. 4286: Aaron Schlossberg's Racist Rant

Body Language Analysis No. 4262: Wendy Vitter, the U.S. District Court, and Brown v. Board of Education

Body Language Analysis No. 4244: Stormy Daniels' 60 Minutes Interview

Body Language Analysis No. 4016: Anthony Scaramucci - Faux Pas and Harbingers

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2904: Roger Goodell's Defending the NFL's Punishment for Ray Rice - Bad Crisis Management & Body Language Tells (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

In this video, Roger Goodell, the NFL commissioner makes a statement and answers some questions from reporters defending his very mild punishment handed down to Ray Rice. Mr. Rice stands accused of assaulting his fiancee (and now wife), Janay Palmer.

Although he has apologized and for his actions, Ray Rice, a running back for the Baltimore Ravens, has yet to be convinced.

In this video, you will note the virtually constant contraction of Goodell’s central forehead (thus called a “Central Forehead Contraction” or CFC). The central forehead contraction, when co-existing with a congruent mouth expression, is seen when there is physical pain or emotional pain – either for oneself by direct experience or for another person, group of people (or animal[s]) - secondarily via empathy.

The overuse of the CFC is seen routinely in those who are insincere (e.g., such as bad actors, most newscasters, pundits, many politicians, etc.) and who are trying to convince others of their “sincerity”. They are trying too hard – but they are acting (and very poorly).

If a person is apologizing - during those moments of remorse and empathy for those who have been wronged – the central forehead does indeed contract (this can even be seen in all but the most heavily Botox-treated foreheads – if one knows what to look for). Again – the simultaneous mouth configuration must be congruent with if sincerity is truly present. Yet the CFC is almost never present constantly during an apology.

Note Ray Rice’s apology yesterday (Nonverbal Communication Quiz-Analysis No. 2902: How Sincere was Ray Rice's Apology?). Rice never displays a CFC during the video. During 1:00 - 1:00 his left and central forehead and left eyebrow become elevated (indicating doubt/incredulity). And Mr. Rice also has extended periods when his eyebrows are drawn together and downward – but not his central forehead. When a CFC is present – there is an elevation (not a downward vectoring) of the central forehead and central eyebrows.

Mr. Goodell’s forehead is contracted nearly the entire time he is making this statement. Goodell does NOT believe what he, himself is saying. He is trying too hard to convince us.

In summary, when a person has constant or nearly constant contraction of the central forehead – always consider the following:

1. Extreme grief (for themselves or others via empathy) – must have a consistent mouth expression
2. Considerable pain (for themselves or others via empathy) – must have a consistent mouth expression
3. Bad Acting
4. Insincerity (Same as No. 3, simply in another context)
5. Deception

What other emotional states/psychological conditions are consistent with an extended-display CFC?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 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. 2724: Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan Twenty Years Later

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2405:  Anthony Weiner's Running For Mayor of New York  His Body Language & His Sincerity Quotient

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2441:  Paula Deen's Apology - What Does Her Body Language Say?

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