Body Language Analysis No. 4097: Andre Agassi, Boris Becker, and a Tennis Tongue Tell - Nonverbal and Emotional Intelligence (VIDEO, PHOTO)

Andre Agassi and Boris Becker are two of history's greatest tennis players. After losing their first three matches, Andre Agassi noticed a detail in Becker's body language which thereafter gave him a profound advantage.

The astute Agassi observed that, as Becker began his rocking motion - his tongue betrayed the direction in which he intended to serve. This gave Andre such an advantage, that he beat Boris nine of their next eleven professional matches.




 

The video above gives a short account of Andre Agassi's incredible nonverbal coup. 


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See also:

Body Language Analysis No. 4096: President Trump Refutes Florida Congresswoman Frederica Wilson's Account Of Call To Soldier’s Widow

Body Language Analysis No. 4094: Donald Trump, Barack Obama, and Calling the Families of Fallen Soldiers

Body Language Analysis No. 4092: Rex Tillerson responds to Bob Corker's "Castration" Comment

Body Language Analysis No. 4090: Harvey Weinstein, Sexual Assault, and Impulse Control Disorder

Body Language Analysis No. 4078: Toddler Steals Prince Harry's Popcorn

Body Language Analysis No. 4029: Charlottesville, Heather Heyer, and Sincerity

Body Language Analysis No. 4035: Hope Hicks, Jared Kushner, and Phone Tells 

Body Language Analysis No. 3978: Keanu Reeves, Chuck Spadina, Sincerity, and Empathy

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3873: Brie Larson's Eyes, The Bachelor, and the Edge of Consciousness


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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3612: Sam Querrey defeats Novak Djokovic at Wimbeldon - Body Language (PHOTO)

 







Sam Querrey upset Novak Djokovic in the third round of Wimbledon last week (7–6^(8–6), 6–1, 3–6, 7–6^(7–5)). Querrey was ranked 28th in the World while Djokovic's ranking was 1st. Djokovic had also won his previous thirty grand slam matches. 

From a body language perspective, note the configuration of the two men's torsos at the end of the match. Querrey, the victor, leans into the "handshake", whereas Djokovic's torso is leaning slightly backward. Sam Querrey even leans over the while Djokovic's hand only comes up to the plane of the net. And although Djokovic is certainly an alpha male, in this moment Querrey is, understandably, displaying an even greater alpha status (thus Djokovic, in this context, is the Beta). The loser will rarely lean in during an after-match congratulation. 

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3611: Salma Hayek, Danny Trejo and a Tattoo 

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

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3596: Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds and Deadpool

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3584: Brock Turner's Mugshot, Duping Delight and Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3573: Angela Merkel, the G7, Destroying Rapport and Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3537: Stephen Colbert, Reince Priebus and a Flubbed Monologue - Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3519: Vladimir Putin, The Panama Papers and Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3287: Hillary Clinton, Email Servers and Crisis Management


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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3451: Angelique Kerber defeats Serena Williams in Australian Open - Body Language (PHOTOS)

Earlier today in her first appearance in a major final, Angelique Kerber upset Serena Williams in the Australian Open. Had Serena won, she would have tied Steffi Graf for total major wins in the Open Era. In these images Ms. Kerber is seen holding and kissing the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup of the Aussie Open.

When we kiss with our eyes closed, we want to drink in the full emotion of the moment - every drop. A full forty percent of the human brain is dedicated to vision. Moreover ninety percent all of our sensory input (all five of our senses) is visual. The remaining four senses have to "share" the other ten percent. So when we close our eyes during a kiss, the other four senses, along with other parts of the brain get a little bit more blood flow and a significant increase in electro-chemical activity. Thus when we close our eyes, we truly experience an increase in our sense of touch, taste, smell and hearing - as well as an increase in our cognitive ability - and our depth of emotion.

Here the trophy is an emotional surrogate/metaphor for her experience of winning this tournament. In personal relationships, sometime during a hug, a kiss or other affection displays - our eyes may not be closed one hundred percent of the time - but if we're sincere (and living fully in the moment) they should close (at least for a second or two) the vast majority of the time. If not - this is a red flag for significant affection drop-off (and reduced sincerity). This sign is one of thousands of nonverbal cues we can use to self-monitor our own thought-emotions as well as detecting the true intents of others.

The German tennis player is squeezing every drop out of her experience.  Congratulations on your first major win Angelique.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3450: Kanye West reacts to Paparazzi's questions regarding Wiz Khalifa

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3068: John Boehner Kissing Nancy Pelosi 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2508: Anne Frank, Sincere Smiles and Emotional Comfort

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2919: Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama - Friends? - will they Hug it Out?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3325: Vladimir Putin, the United Nations, Russian Soil and Confidence Levels

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3424: Donald Trump, "Hillary Clinton created ISIS with Obama" 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3436: Is Hillary Clinton Intimidated by Donald Trump?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3247: Barack Obama's Response to Question regarding Revoking Bill Cosby's Presidential Medal of Freedom 


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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3430: Jack Sock, Lleyton Hewitt and Sportsmanship - Body Language (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

At the Hopman Cup in Perth, Australia this past Tuesday, a nice bit of sportsmanship was shown by American Jack Sock. In a match vs. Australian Lleyton Hewitt, a ball was called out on serve of Hewitt's. Hewitt was just about to take his second serve, when Sock said, "That was in if you want to challenge it."

Lleyton Hewitt's face is captured below the moment he realized what his opponent had just done. This moment shows three emotions, the combination of which is relatively unusual to rare to capture photographically.

What many will notice first is Hewitt's sincere (Duchenne) smile. Note his (momentary) concave-up furrows in both of his lower lids. His forehead is also relaxed. Only his upper teeth are showing and his cheek muscles are vectored primarily upward (rather than laterally).


Hewitt's second emotion he's experiencing is a form of embarrassment. His blushing is pronounced.

The Adelaide native, who announced he will be retiring after the Australian Open, is also feeling a third emotion - that of shock. What are the two key facial features which characterize Lleyton's shock?

Lleyton Hewitt went on to victory in this match, however what most people will remember is Sock's Sportsmanship.


See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3429: Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward met with Ammon Bundy

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3294: Ana Ivanovic, Lip Biting and the U.S. Open

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 131: When the eyes are "White and Wide" 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3054: Rory McIlroy laughs off "Sweet Caroline" tune (But Not Memories of Wozniacki) - Blushing, Smiling, Sincerity and Empathy

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2107: Andy Murray, Affection and Savoring the Moment

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3360: Donald Trump's Body Language Dissonance 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3406: Republican Debate, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and a Body Language Tell for Insincerity 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3264: Hillary Clinton, Likability and Perceived Trustworthiness


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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3294: Ana Ivanovic, Lip Biting, the U.S. Open and Body Language (PHOTOS)

We can say, "Those pepperoncinis are hot" or "That woman is hot" or "It's was hot in Phoenix today" or "Donald Trump's candidacy is a hot topic" - these all contain the word "hot" - which although are all spelled the same and pronounced the same - have wholly different meanings. Any young teen could discern these various homonyms because of the context their respective sentences give them. Body language signals also very often have multiple meanings - depending on the other nonverbal signs with which they are clustered. Lip biting is but one example of this nonverbal phenomenon.

In this image we see Ana Ivanovic, currently 7th in WTA women's singles rankings. Today - the first day of the U.S. Open Tennis Championship, this Serbian was upset by Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova (6-3, 3-6, 6-3). Note in this image Ms. Ivanovic is biting her bottom lip. In this context it's indicative of some anxiety (although not excessive) as well as very concentrated, focused thought. Intriguingly, within the realm of tennis, lip biting is almost never seen during a serve - essentially only during a return.

As with the "hot" homonym exampled above (and in a non-tennis setting) when Lip Biting is accompanied by a different set of facial and body expressions - it can be indicative of varied meanings such as - anger, anxiety, focused thought, sadness, embarrassment, mischievousness, frustration, vulnerability and even sexual arousal. Yet without knowing and recognizing all the words in a nonverbal sentence, most people often have no idea how to color the emotional nuance of the moment.

Here Heather Watson (Great Britain) is returning to Lauren Davis (United States). Watson lost to the match, 7-6, 7-6.

Canadian Milos Raonic - in another lip-biting return defeated Tim Smyczek (U.S.), 6-4, 7-6 (8), 6-1.


See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3293: Why is Donald Trump a Better Liar than Most Politicians?

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

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3259: Barack Obama responds to Mike Huckabee's Holocaust Reference 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3005: Barack Obama, "I would enjoy having some Kentucky Bourbon with Mitch McConnell" 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2379: Bill Clinton's Speech at the  George W. Bush Presidential Library Opening  Body Language of Former and Current President 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2254: John Boehner's Speech Today - One Major Body Language Improvement the U.S. Speaker of the House Should Make 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 1829: Dara Torres Interview with Piers Morgan - Embarrassment,  Visual Recall, Sexual Anticipation Lip Biting & Sincerity Quotients 


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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3054: Rory McIlroy laughs off "Sweet Caroline" tune (But Not Memories of Wozniacki) - Blushing, Smiling, Sincerity and Empathy (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Rory McIlroy recently spoke to a sideline reporter during the half-time interval at the Ulster vs. Connacht Rugby match on Boxing Day.

After Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" began playing over the public address system and the crowd enthusiastically joined in, we see the current World No. 1 Ranked Golfer display several sincere smiles as well as sincere laughter (although sometimes somewhat suppressed). He also looks down and blushes.

Blushing cannot be produced deliberately - it's entirely involuntary.

Of course in this context, Rory is somewhat embarrassed and many would say sheepish regarding the public referencing of his former fiancée and former World No. 1 Ranked Tennis Player, Caroline Wozniacki.

Blushing is always accompanied by a sincere smile (again, although sometimes these smiles are partially suppressed). Additionally, a person who blushes often and easily signals an overall personality that's sincere. People who blush easier also tend to have higher empathy quotients.

What other significant body language is seen here?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3053: Giada De Laurentiis, Insincere Smiles and Divorce

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2827: Caroline Wozniacki and Rory McIlroy - She was the Alpha, He was the Beta

Sincerity Secret # 20: Fiero Feels Good, Caroline Wozniacki & Our Mirror Neurons

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2916: Rory McIlroy, the PGA Championship and Body Language of Self-Contempt

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2911: Beck Hammon Part II - Blushing & a High Sincerity Quotient

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2969: Maggie Q, David Letterman, Empathy and Sincerity Quotients - Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2922: Evacuating Yazidis from Iraq's Mount Sinjar - A Daughter's Anguish, Empathy and Mirror Neurons

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2894: Maria Kirilenko, Alex Ovechkin and Subtle Body Language of .... (PHOTOS)

Maria Kirilenko has called off her engagement to Alex Ovechkin. Although in this image, the Russian tennis professional may not be directing it at her then Hockey Player (Captain of the Washington Capitals) fiancé - she is feeling anger. Note that her eyes and face are not directly facing the object of her anger. When we do not like, do not respect or do not trust another - we tend to not direct our feet, our torso, our head or our eyes directly at them.

Ms. Kirilenko's jaw is clenched and simultaneously slightly jutting forward (ergo "Jaw Jut") - both nonverbal signals of anger.

Maria's mouth is foreshortened as her lips are thinned - particularly her upper lip. These signs are also significant for anger.

The area above Kirilenko's upper lip and her nose (termed the "mustache area" in both genders) is contracted and tense. This tension co-exists with nostril flaring.

What other very slight signals of anger are seen on Ms. Kirilenko's face?

Maria's face does not have a full expression of anger. There are other components of this emotion which are not present here. Moreover, nonverbal signals of all emotions may exist for fractions of a second (microexpressions). These subtleties of both proportion and time are only two reasons why many don't see emotions displayed right in front of them - and thus suffer their ramifications. How many emotional displays have gone unseen by you this week?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No 2893: Petro Poroshenko - Downed Malaysia Air MH17 - like 9/11 & Pan Am Flight 103 (Lockerbie Bombing)

Flirting and Romance Secret # 51:  Dominance Display in a Couple:  Maria Sharapova & Sasha Vujačić

Negotiation Secret # 131:  When the eyes are "White and Wide" - Marion Bartoli

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2563: President Obama's Subtle Anger - Body Language of Government Shutdown & the Debt Ceiling

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2599: Spotting Subtle Signals of Arrogance - Tiger Woods and Rachel Nichols

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2870: Cate Blanchett and a Subtle Body Language Signal of Insincere Laughter 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2858: Hope Solo, Domestic Violence, Arrests and Wedding Rings - Body Language Tells 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2880: Bowe Bergdahl & Badruddin Haqqani Photo - What Does Body Language Tell Us?

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2663: Caroline Wozniacki and Rory McIlroy Engaged - A Body Language Sign of Affection (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Caroline Wozniacki and Rory McIlroy have just announced their engagement via Wozniacki' twitter account (New Year's Eve 2013).

Wozniacki and McIlroy are both former World No. 1 ranked athletes in tennis and golf respectively.

Why it's possible to have love without (or with minimal) affection, when affection is felt and displayed - love is also present (though of course it's not always romantic love). 

... And within the context of romantic relationships - when affection is waning, it's a warning signal that love many be very well also be diminishing.

In all three of these images both Wozniacki's and McIlroy's head & neck are leaning towards each other - displaying certain affection.

Body Language signals of affection are often poorly understood and unfortunately often confused with and "lumped-in" with sexuality and sexual displays. This is particularly true when it comes to dating, romantic and/or marital scenarios.  And while affection can and should exist during sex - affection (and therefore affectionate displays) can and should "stand on their own" for romantic love to be healthy and project longevity.

Quick - how many affectionate nonverbal signals can you think of? How many do you display on a regular basis?

See also:

Sincerity Secret # 20: Fiero Feels Good, Caroline Wozniacki & Our Mirror Neurons

Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1423:  Head First Affection &  Head Surrogate Hugs

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2643: Is this Hug More Sexual or Affectionate? Student Suspended One Year for Hugging a Teacher

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2662: Mike Shanahan Fired - A Man of Many Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2599: Spotting Subtle Signals of Arrogance - Tiger Woods and Rachel Nichols

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2478:  Acting Affectionate Engenders Affection  Body Language and Strangers 

Body Language Secret # 105: Parental Affection and Love

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2502:  A Body Language Sign of True Love & Affection -  A Father Reunited with Young Son Who He Believed died in  Syria Poison Gas Attack 

Romance, Flirting & Dating Body Language Secret # 1893:  Nonverbal Communication of the Facial Platter 

Dating & Romance Body Language Secret # 2020:  The Art of Looking Flirtatious

Romance and Dating Secret # 231:  A Classic Female Sexual Display 



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

Andy Murray finally won his major. He was the first British (Scottish) man since 1936 to do so. Those who even peripherally follow tennis have watched and rooted for him during this struggle. After finishing a heart-wrenching second to Roger Federer at Wimbledon, and then defeating Federer a few weeks later to win a Gold Medal at the London Olympics, Murray beat Novak Djokovic in five sets at the U.S. Open yesterday at Flushing Meadows, 7–6(12–10), 7–5, 2–6, 3–6, 6–2.

Whenever we kiss another person, or in this case a highly-symbolic object - if our eyes are closed during the kiss, it is a strong nonverbal indicator of deep affection. Ninety-percent of our sensory input is visual - as is forty percent of the human brain's mass. Thus when we close our eyes, the blood flow/oxygen/nutrients are slightly increased to the non-visual portions of the brain - smell, taste, touch, hearing as well as cognition and emotional functions. We shut our eyes when we are trying to drink-in the entire experience and fully savor the moment. This all occurs subconsciously. In the context of a relationship, the primary focus of the mind during a kiss should be love and affection. If there is a repeated pattern of "eyes open during kissing" (and/or hugging) - this is a body language red flag of waning (or false) affection.

See also:

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

Analysis # 202: Revealed in a Kiss - Prince Albert and Princess Charlene

Analysis # 363: Simon Cowell, Kissing and Lack of Affection

Analysis # 1916: Katie Holmes & Tom Cruise - What Body Language Metric Predicted their Divorce?

Analysis-Secret # 737: Cuddling with your Feet

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

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Negotiation Secret # 175: Dominance Display at Wimbledon

Who would you guess just won this recent Wimbledon tennis match? If this were in a corporate setting, who would you say is the CEO? If these two were political office holders, who would hold the higher ranking office? It probably doesn't surprise you that the answer would be the same for all three question. Here, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga just defeated Roger Federer in the quarter-finals at the 2011 Wimbledon Tournament. His hands-on gesture here is a dominance display allowed only for the winner, boss or senior in the pecking-order.

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Negotiation Secret # 131: When the eyes are "White and Wide"

This is French tennis player Marion Bartoli at the recent French Open. Notice the "Whites" of her eyes (sclera) are visible on the upper portions of each eye.  During most "normal" activity, about 2 to 3 millimeters of the tops of the iris/cornea are covered by the upper eyelids - from about 10 o'clock to 2 o'clock.  During activities of some extreme emotions, such as surprise and fear, the eyes display this "White and Wide" appearance. These emotional states are both accompanied by adrenaline rushes. Ms. Bartoli's adrenaline is elevated for another reason though - extreme athletic exertion. What are some other examples of this scleral show that we see every day - and should they be raising red flags?

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Flirting and Romance Secret # 51: Dominance Display in a Couple: Maria Sharapova & Sasha Vujačić

Tennis great Maria Sharapova and her Fiancé Sasha Vujačić of the Los Angeles Lakers (update - since July 2011 of the Anadolu Efes in Turkey), walk hand in hand for a Saturday Stroll. Although you can't quite see Maria's engagement ring in this photo, what you can see is that his hand is in front of hers. This is a dominance display. It is fairly uncommon to see the opposite - the woman with her hand in front. Many other body language signals and gestures display dominance - some in the world of  romance - and others in the world of business. Overlook them at your peril.

Congrats Maria and Sasha!

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Sincerity Secret # 20: Fiero Feels Good, Caroline Wozniacki & Our Mirror Neurons

This is Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark. Caroline is current ranked number one in the World by the WTA. Here she is experiencing Fiero after victory.  Fiero is a specific and intense emotion of accomplishment after overcoming a great obstacle. It is certainly not limited to athletic events, but these are commonly photographed. It can also result from overcoming emotional, financial, family, or business obstacles. There is no equivalent word for this in English. Fiero is a term coined by Italian psychologist Isabella Poggi.

The facial expressions and body posture of fiero are interestingly similar to those of extreme pain. Note Caroline's eyes are closed tightly, and her mouth is open wide. If the picture were wider in angle - you would see her fists clenched and if it had audio, you would hear the tennis star screaming. Yet when we see this picture, even though at this writing, her winning this match is about three week old, we not only easily make the distinction that she is experiencing extreme fiero - but we feel it too. 

The fact that we truly feel a bit of  Ms. Wozniacki's fiero, or that of any winning athlete, or we cry during a sad movie, or feel pain when we witness another being injured - are all indirect evidence for the existence of our "Mirror Neurons".

Mirror neurons are a new class of neurons first discovered in monkeys about 20 years ago and have since been found in birds, dogs and humans.  Many experts feel that defects in these neurons play a key role in the development of autism, sociopathic and psychopathic behavior, and perhaps such defects are at the root of much criminal behavior. The same experts feel that healthy mirror neurons also enable us to learn. A better name for mirror neurons may be "empathy neurons".

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