Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3263: Barack Obama on Jon Stewart's "The Daily Show" - The Sarcastic Bobble Body Language (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

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President Obama appeared on The Daily Show last week. Of course there was a multitude of body language signals displayed by both men. However one displayed by Barack Obama when Jon Stewart asked about the Nuclear Arms Agreement with Iran - is very revealing, fairly common and yet rarely discussed.

Beginning at 7:21, Mr. Obama continues, ".... and when you hear the critics talk about, 'Well, it's a bad deal, we coulda, coulda got a better deal', you then ask them, 'Well what represents a better deal? What is it that you think, ah, could happen?' Typically they're vague and the fall back on, 'Well, if you'd, ah, beat your chest a little bit more and [pauses] .....' "

When he says, ".... more and ..... (and during a bit of the pause afterwards), we see Mr. Obama's whole torso oscillate back and forth. Though to some this may look like an example of a "Self-Righteous Head Wiggle" (SRHW) - it's not. This is its nonverbal cousin known as a "Sarcastic Bobble" - which has similar but important physical and emotional distinctions. The Sarcastic Bobble involves primarily the torso (although of course, there is a secondary head movement) - in contrast to the SRHW which usually (although not always) is primarily a head-neck phenomena (see links below). In addition, the SRHW is typically expressed with a more rapid movement (higher frequency) vs. the Sarcastic Bobble.

The Sarcastic Bobble, as its name suggests, is a sardonic body language expression which mocks another person or group. In this context, Mr. Obama is belittling many in the American Republican Party - who oppose the Iran Nuclear Arms deal. To nuance this further, the Sarcastic Bobble is usually seen when mocking: hubris, naïveté, over-simplification, inexperience or lack of insight. It's important to note, this illustrator is, of course, SUBJECTIVE with respect to the person expressing it. Not surprisingly, the Sarcastic Bobble is not rapport-building, but rapport-destroying. It should essentially never be used during negotiation or when trying to build coalition - except perhaps to point out opinions regarding a third party who is not present.

This behavior cannot be accurately captured in a still image - please view the video to appreciate it in a dynamic context.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3262: Donald Trump, Breast Pumping and Donald's "That's Disgusting"

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2506:  Barack Obama, the Self-Righteous Head Wiggle and  Retaliation Against Syrian Poison Gas Attack  

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2561: President Obama's Self-Righteous Jaw Wiggle

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 1923:  Hillary Clinton's Body Language re: Syrian Government -  The Self-Righteous Head Wiggle

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2982: Politicians Should Never Do This If They Want To Be Elected - Hillary Clinton's Body Language Faux Pas  Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3169: Baltimore Deputy Police Commissioner Jerry Rodriguez regarding the Death of Freddie Gray

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3141: Carly Fiorina "Higher than 90%" Chances She's Running for President  

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3099: Jon Stewart Announces he's Leaving "The Daily Show" - A Classic Body Language Cluster (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Yesterday Jon Stewart announced he'll be leaving The Daily Show. A video segment of this surprise is included above.

While Stewart's eyes do mildly well-up with tears here (note the inside corner of Stewart's left eye) he does not fully cry. He also gives us a great example of multiple other congruent body language indicators. When two or more signs occur simultaneously (or nearly so) such temporal grouping is termed a nonverbal "cluster".

So other than the tears, the following nonverbals are very common during moments when crying and sadness are being partially suppressed:

• Extended upward gaze 
• Whites of Eyes turning Red (injected conjunctiva)
• Flared Nostrils
• A Vertical Stretching of the Mid-face
• Jaw Clenching
• Jaw Jut
• Inward Lip Roll (ILR)
• Hard Swallows (two)
• Facial Flushing (reddening)
• Banging on the Table

Although seen in varying degrees at different moments in this video - all ten (and Jon's tears make eleven) can be seen in one second during 2:30-2:31. What are some other common body language signs of suppression of sadness which are missing in this second?

Of course Stewart openly admits to near-crying here and because these nonverbal signals are densely clustered most will see and identify this emotional moment accurately. Yet very often people will display only one or two of these signs and they'll be spread out over longer duration. You'd be very surprised at just how often the otherwise socially adept and "successful" professional will completely miss these emotional cues.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3098: Drew Peterson Alleged to have Hired a Hit Man to Kill Attorney James Glasgow - Peterson's Mug Shot - Contempt vs. Duping Delight?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2888: Hillary Clinton, Jon Stewart and Destroying Rapport

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2796: Olivia Wilde, Butter, Jon Stewart and the Tongue in Cheek

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2186:  Paula Broadwell, David Petraeus,  Body Language and the man who would be President ....

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

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2839: Jonah Hill's Apology on Jimmy Fallon - Sincere or Insincere? 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2723: Bode Miller's Interview after His Super G Bronze at Sochi 

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

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2888: Hillary Clinton, Jon Stewart and Destroying Rapport (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

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Hillary Clinton was on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Tuesday. By now there can be no doubt that she will run for President in 2016.

Critics and supporters alike have pointed out Hillary has had some difficulty at times bonding with her audiences. In the 2008 campaign, her numbers in the polls rose significantly when she projected high sincerity - and thus bonded with her audience.

There are many body language signals which build rapport - and many that destroy it. The former Secretary of State displays several nonverbal rapport destroyers in the video above - two of which are captured in images and described below.

Although she has a suppressed smile, here Hillary Clinton shows us emotional dissonance - for her hands are configured in a partial (near) "Double-L".

She is making a strong effort, yet is unable to suppress this display of critical evaluation for Jon Stewart.

Although she only does so relatively briefly, the conventional steeple (here a fairly high one) should almost never be used by a President or a Presidential Candidate - or anyone who professes to be a leader.

In small doses, the conventional steeple can project confidence and an alpha emotional tone. But it must be very evanescent and choreographed to specific and important moments - lest it project hyper-alpha emotional tones, arrogance and a patronizing attitude. Most people who use it - overuse it - and thus push those away whom they are attempting to influence.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2887 Derek Jeter, Smiles, Laughter and Body Language Nuance

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2783: Hillary Clinton asked again about 2016 - Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2855: Hillary Clinton, 2016 Presidential Race and Duping Delight - Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2569: Hillary Clinton, Visibility, Trust and a Harbinger of 2016

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2533: Angela Merkel's Low Steeple "Trademark" - A Major Body Language Mistake

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2751: Oscar Pistorius, Reeva Steenkamp, Gina Meyers and Body Language  

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2796: Olivia Wilde, Butter, Jon Stewart and the Tongue in Cheek - Body Language (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

The Daily Show
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Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis became the proud parents of a baby boy yesterday - Otis Alexander Sudeikis.

In this video from late 2012 during her promotion of the film, Butter Ms. Wilde appeared on Jon Stewart's, "The Daily Show". There's a multitude of great body language in this interview, however what follows is an example and analysis of an oft misunderstood nonverbal signal.

At the 4:13 mark Ms. Wilde can be seen displaying a classic "Tongue in Cheek" nonverbal.

The tongue in cheek (isolated in this close up image) may indicate several different emotional-thoughts depending on the other nonverbals with which it is clustered - e.g. "I just won", sadness/grief, anger, "I gotcha" (you were caught), projecting sexuality, or even deception.

Becoming astutely observant of the other nonverbal signals simultaneously displayed (or nearly so) is extremely important - for these will give the tongue in cheek an entirely different meaning.

Intriguingly, tongue in cheek displays tend to be biased (idiosyncratic to the individual) to one side an alpha/positive context (e.g. I gotcha/I just won/you were caught, sexual context, an outright alpha display) - but they appear on the opposite side in a negative or beta scenario (e.g. anger, sadness, lying).

This tongue in cheek display is an "I just won/alpha" display as Olivia tries to suppress her joy at her upcoming joke - the pitch for which she is winding up for in this moment.

Congratulations Olivia and Jason. Savor every moment.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2665: Nick Saban's "Tongue in Cheek" Body Language - What Does It Mean?

Nonverbal Communication Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2434:  Brad Pitt's Tongue-in-Cheek regarding  Reasons for Choosing to Work on "World War Z"

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2352:  Mila Kunis' Tongue in Cheek  Graham Norton Part II

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2554: Harry Reid's Body Language Lets Us Know What He's Thinking - Short Term Debt Limit Hike

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2436:  Vladimir Putin next to Barack Obama -  G8 Body Language

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. 2794: Lupita Nyong'o's Speech on Black Beauty Essence, Body Language and Anxiety

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