Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2351: Mila Kunis on Graham Norton - Body Language, Sitting and being "Emotionally Comfortable" (VIDEO, PHOTO)

This is a hilarious video clip from Graham Norton's show from 3 March 2013. Mila Kunis is featured here promoting her recent film, "Oz the Great and Powerful". Judi Dench and Jude Law are also guests. It's also a segment that's packed full of great body language examples.

Everyone enjoys watching Mila because she's so sincere. In street lingo, people oft say, "she's real". They will also describe her as "very being comfortable in her own skin". We all gravitate to those who exude these characteristic - and nonverbal communication makes up a huge fraction of this intangible yet profoundly important quality.

Coexisting with anyone who displays such a high sincerity quotient as this Ukrainian native does - is emotional comfort. Note the manner in which Mila is sitting - one leg folded under the other, with her right calf and/or ankle beneath her left thigh. This configuration (or its mirror image) is a strong signal of emotional comfort. It's seen more commonly in women and gay/bisexual men - although straight men will display it as well. Despite the fact she's on T.V., Mila is very comfortable. If you ask people why they are sitting in this manner - they will in fact say "it's comfortable". They mean it's physically comfortable and indeed it is - but only with the prerequisite of emotional comfort. Without being at ease with the people around you and the entire situation, this body language will not be displayed. In fact when an awkward, embarrassing or confrontational change in the conversation occurs - along with other simultaneous facial and hand nonverbal changes, this sitting posture will immediately cease.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2325: Mila Kunis' interview with Chris Stark on BBC Radio 1 re: Oz the Great and Powerful -  Body Language, Sexual Attraction and Mirroring

Negotiation Body Language Secret No. 357:  Mila Kunis and Sergeant Scott Moore

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2330:  Body Language of Foot Placement on another Person's Chair

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2332:  Instinctive Body Language, Comforting an Infant & Empathy

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2238:  Sandy Hook Elementary Teacher Lauren Rousseau's  Boyfriend's Body Language - Grief & Suppression of Negative Emotions & Empathy

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2177: "I'm Tired of Bronco Bamma and Mitt Romney" -  We're all Abigael Evans  Dialing up her Alpha

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2281:  Inaugural Luncheon Anxiety  Barack Obama's Body Language  Michelle's Mirroring

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2347: Body Language, Jazz Hands and Powerball

Within the context of performance dance, "Jazz Hands" are a configuration of palms directed towards the audience with fingers splayed. This deliberate gesture in performance may also be referred to as "Jazz Fingers" or "Spirit Fingers" are more commonly seen with Jazz dance, revue, cheerleading, show choir and musicals. 

In the video above (during 2:00 - 2:02) and captured below in an image, the translator for Pedro Quezada shows us the off-stage, real world (and performed subconsciously or at the edge-of-consciousness) version of jazz hands. Mr. Quezada, a hard working husband and father of five, who owns and works at a deli in New Jersey, won the 338 million Powerball jackpot this past week.

In stage performances, Jazz hands & fingers are associated with exuberance and melodrama. They may also imply a level of campiness. In the everyday they indicate these same emotions in an effort to recreate a truly excited - or sarcastically (falsely) excited retelling of a story or event. They are often associated with a coexisting arm movement of rapid shaking. In body language parlance they are a variety of an "illustrator". Straight men tend to have their elbows further from their body when using this nonverbal, while women and gay men most often display jazz hands with their elbows much closer to their abdomen. To differentiate between the two emotional extremes of jazz hands (sincere vs. insincere) - one must look elsewhere in the "nonverbal sentence" aka the body language cluster.

The young woman interpreter here is very sincere. What body language signals indicate this?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2078:  Mitt Romney's Taxes and Harry Reid's Accusations

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2121:  Mitt Romney's 47 Percent - The Hidden Video

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2052:  Dialing Up Empathy and Sincerity -  Mitt Romney's & Barack Obama's Response to  Aurora, Colorado "Batman Shooting"

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2150:  Body Language Advice for  President Obama and Governor Romney in Tonight's Debate

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1915: Mitt Romney's Response to Supreme Court's Decision on "Obamacare"

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2165: Maria Bartiromo - Variation on a Facial Platter - A Flirtatious Body Language Display

Maria Bartiromo is displaying a body language variation of the "facial platter" in the above image. Like all nonverbals, it must be interpreted in context, however here Ms. Bartiromo is projecting flirtatious nonverbal emotions - although she, her photographer or agent may not necessarily be aware of it. While the classic "facial platter" is used almost exclusively by women and gay men, this lose-fist variation - although not common, may also be displayed by straight men too.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication - Dating & Romance Secret # 38: The Facial Platter

Nonverbal Communication - Dating, Flirting & Romance # 1893: Norah Jones' Bod Language of the Facial Platter

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 Communication Analysis # 2161: Body Language of the Third Presidential Debate - Barack Obama and Mitt Romney - What Did They Do With Their Hands When They Weren't Talking - and What Does This Tell Us?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2152: Second Presidential Debate - Barack Obama's Duping Delight - Benghazi, Libya Attack was an "Act of Terror" - Alpha, Beta, Confidence & Acquiescence

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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