Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3788: President Obama's Press Conference - "Not much happens in Russia without Vladimir Putin" - Body Language and Emotional Intelligence (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Earlier today President Obama gave his last press conference of the year (and the longest of his presidency). Not surprisingly, a good share of the questions revolved around the subject of the US Presidential Election, Russian hacking and Vladimir Putin.

One particular high point of the conference and it's accompanying set of body language behaviors is highlighted here.

Beginning at 58:25, President Obama says, "... But I'd, I make a larger point which is - Not much happens in Russia without Vladimir Putin ....". Just after saying this, during 58:31 Barack Obama displays a bilateral "Eyebrow Shrug" along with a bilateral "Thumb Shrug". Notice his shoulders barely moved - but this is none-the-less a shrug. Both of his thumbs point upward along with an elevation of his eyebrows and an upward contraction of his forehead muscles. He also extends his neck forward while turning it slightly to his left - as well as displaying an extended blink (a form of a pseudo-blink).

President Obama repeats this display again during 58:34 - only this time he rotates his head to his right and pseudo-blink display is partial.

This nonverbal cluster is a classic display indicating the thought-emotion: "Isn't it obvious?" / "Isn't it common knowledge?" / "What other conclusion is possible?".


See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3787: Meghan Markle's Body Language - and some Ramifications for Prince Harry 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3785: Hailee Steinfeld and Woody Harrelson "Edge of Seventeen" - Behavioral Contagions, Mirroring and Laughing 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3783: John McCain on CIA's assessment of Russia's Tampering in US Presidential Election 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3742: Evan McMullin, Donald Trump and Winning Utah 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3716: Fatherhood, Body Language, Emotional Intelligence and Ashton Kutcher's Pants 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3700: George Clooney comments regarding the News of Brad Pitt's and Angelina Jolie's Divorce 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3668: Donald Trump, Nigel Farage and The Brexit

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3609: Emma Watson, Tina Turner, Ring Tones and Body Language


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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3447: Chris Pine, "The Finest Hours" and Body Language (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Chris Pine was a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live earlier today to promote his most recent film, The Finest Hours - which will be released this Friday. And let the body language begin ...

During 0:52 seconds (above) and to a lesser extent at the 0:54 second mark (below) in the interview, Pine can be seen displaying an oft overlooked nonverbal - the "Shrug" - which does not involve the shoulders.

Although a shrug most often is associated with the shoulders - here Mr. Pine displays a "Thumb Shrug" with a simultaneous and minor eyebrow shrug/forehead shrug component. There is also a mild nasal flaring occurring in this moment. In these examples Pine's thumb/nasal-flare/eyebrow/forehead shrug indicates, "What Choice did we have?" or "What could I do?" (e.g., It's a film about a Coast Guard rescue, what could I do? Of course we were going to get wet!).

What other areas of the body besides the shoulders, thumbs, nostrils, forehead and eye brows can manifest a shrug? Depending on the other nonverbal signals with which it is clustered, what are some other meanings of a shrug?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3446: Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3432: Leonardo DiCaprio reacts to Lady Gaga at Golden Globe Awards 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3435: US Sailor captain Apologizes to Iran

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3046: Chris Pine Dials Up His Alpha - "Into the Woods"

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3023: High Heels and Their Ability to Influencing Men's Decision Making 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3409: Debbie Wasserman Schultz's Reaction to Bernie Sander's Criticism of the DNC

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3272: Donald Trump, Megyn Kelly, Deception and Misogyny

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


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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2996: Daniel Radcliffe Raps Blackalicious' "Alphabet Aerobics" on Tonight Show/Jimmy Fallon (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

On Tuesday Daniel Radcliffe was a guest on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon". The Harry Potter star is of course an accomplished actor of both stage and screen (and, as you learn here if you haven't yet seen the video, he's also an excellent rapper). Yet before he got himself "in character" - when he was just being Daniel - he was quite nervous.

Below is a partial analysis of Daniel Radcliffe's nonverbals leading up to his rendition of Blackalicious' "Alphabet Aerobics"

0:03

Radcliffe pulls up sock - this is a general and reliable anxiety indicator.

To thin-slice this specific body language even further, in sub-context, a man adjusting his socks also very often indicates anticipated action (often physical, but not always) which is eliciting the anxiety. Another way of thinking of the sock adjust, is that it signals the need for being more assertive, or up-regulating one's alpha qualities. Can you name any other nonverbal up-regulators?

Note also Mr. Radcliffe closes both of his eyes in an extended blink - a reliable indicator here of emotional processing (his emotions are trying to catch up to what his intellect already knows - he's about to perform a very difficult rap song on a major television show). 

0:16 Finger to mouth

At 0:13 Radcliffe says, "Every kid in my cl<stutter>, I, I think I was the first kid in my class to learn all the words to 'Real Slim Shady' ". At 0:16 as he says, "... learn ...." his (index) finger goes very briefly to his mouth. In the context of a declarative and definitive statement, this is a reliable indicator of deception.

0:38 - 0:52

Daniel displays a common general anxiety indicator - one of many varieties of self-touching MAPs (Manipulator, Adaptor, Pacifier) - squeezing and pinching his thumb




 

0:46

Another general anxiety indicator - a "Hard Swallow"

0:48

A subtle "Mouth of Fear" can be seen at the 0:48 mark

Voice, also betraying nervousness, cracks as he says, " ... well yeah ..."

0:49

A very subtle and rapid "Neck of Fear" with a tightening of Radcliffe's neck muscles is seen at 0:49. This must be viewed in the dynamic context of the above video to appreciate its subtlety.

0:52

At the 0:52 mark a "Thumb Shrug" is displayed. A thumb shrug is usually a truncated form of a standard shrug.

Shrugs most commonly indicate, "I don't know", "I don't care" or "What does it matter?" - and some may make the argument that the last of these three is exemplified here. Yet, this is another meaning of a shrug when accompanied by blushing (seen in this body language cluster context as well) along the other anxiety indicators mentioned above. This displays the emotion of a type of self-resignation or acquiescence in the context of pre-embarrassment - as if very much to say, "Here I go - but cut me some slack."


See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2995: 10 Hours of Walking in NYC as a Woman - Catcalls, Street Harassment, Body Language, Personal Safety & Threat Assessment

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2450:  Daniel Radcliffe on The Graham Norton Show -  Deception, Mirroring and Anxiety

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2947: Governor Rick Perry - Beta Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2641: John McCain with Protesters in Kiev, Ukraine - You Feel Safe There?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2914: François Hollande, Anxiety and Dialing up his Alpha   

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2344:  Jillian Michaels Body Language  Neck of Fear & Mouth of Fear

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2328:  Senator Rand Paul's Body Language -  Pens, Lies and Filibusters -  Finger to Mouth Surrogates

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