Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2634: "Lone Survivor" Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell, "60 Minutes" Interview - Body Language (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Marcus Luttrell, the former U.S. Navy SEAL upon which the upcoming movie "Lone Survivor" is based (starring Mark Wahlberg and to be released next month and based on the nonfiction book of the same name by Luttrell) is shown here in this heart-wrenching "60 Minutes" interview.

During the 2:18 - 2:20 segment, Luttrell gently bites his right lower lip.
He did this just after he said, "[deep nasal inhalation]... You know they, they, they say every man has his breaking point. I never thought I'd find mine. The only way you break a Navy SEAL is you have to kill us. But I broke right there. I quit right there. Ahhhh ..." acknowledging his momentary inaction as his friend lay dying. The lone survivor's lip biting is indicative of anxiety and emotional suppression of sadness as well as helping to prevent the expression of tears.


Lip biting can indicate other emotions depending on the other nonverbal signals with which it is clustered.

Note that Luttrell looks down and to his right at this same time. Gaze in this quadrant is highly correlative to highly (usually negative) emotional tones - particularly in right-handed individuals. 

What other crucial body language is seen during this interview?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2626: Rashida Jones's Anxiety regarding YouTube Awards on Jimmy Fallon

Nonverbal Analysis # 1820: What Causes David Beckham's Greater Anxiety -  Barack Obama Teasing Him About His Age or His Underwear?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2621: Matt Smith (11th Incarnation of 'Dr. Who'), Anxiety and American Psycho

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2604: Obamacare Girl "Adrianna" on GMA - Body Language Harbingers of ....

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2601: "Governor Christie, Are You a Tea Party Republican?" Why His Answer Tells Us Whether or Not He Will Run for President in 2016

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2617: Walter Cronkite Announces President John Kennedy's Death - Body Language and Suppression of Grief

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2229:  President Obama and a Body Language Signal of  Holding Back Grief, Tears & other Negative Emotions - Sandy Hook Shooting

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2448: Sabine Lisicki Post Match Interview After Defeating Serena Williams - Top Teeth Biting Lower Lip & Sincere Smiles (Video, Photos)

Sabine Lisicki defeated Serena Williams yesterday 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals. Today at Wimbledon she bested Kaia Kanepi 6-3, 6-3 to reach the semifinals.



Lip biting is often used by the subconscious as a way to suppress an outward display of a significant emotion. Here the German tennis pro bites her bottom lip just prior to "Tears of Joy". The rising star showed this nonverbal several times in this interview. Did you spot them all?

Milliseconds after the interviewer says the word "... smile ...", Sabine first briefly laughs (at 0:40) - and then displays a sincere (Duchenne) smile of joy-happiness (at 0:41). Note her partially closed eyelids, the concave-up dynamic furrow in each lower eyelid and her relaxed forehead muscles. These are all required components of a sincere smile. Also important is the upward vectoring of the cheek muscles (Zygomaticus major) exposing the upper teeth only. It is however possible that the smile is a sincere one and yet no teeth are exposed - when the smile is suppressed. When the smile is a sincere one and teeth are exposed - look for those on top as Sabine shows here.

If the lower teeth are exposed there could be muscle fatigue present (e.g. taking multiple photos and thus multiple posed smiles), a downward view/camera angle - or during the beginning or end stages of a bout of laughter (see below). When these conditions are not present but the bottom teeth are seen (extremely common) - think an insincere smile.

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

In this image Ms. Lisicki is laughing (very sincerely) with significant exposure of her lower teeth.









What other classic body language was exampled during this interview? What do these body language signals indicate?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2345:  Tiger Woods & Lindsey Vonn -  Body Language of True Affection?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2374:  Tom Cruise on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and Body Language of Emotional Dissonance

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2359:  Anne Smedinghoff and her Body Language of Joy-Happiness 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2099:  Nikki Haley & Sarah Palin - Governors in Contrast

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2204:  Kate Winslet's Body Language Shows  Disgust, Humility and Sincerity Over Award

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1600:  Senator Marco Rubio -  Sincerity, Self-directed Incredulity & Humor, Blocking and Appeals for the Vice Presidency

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