Body Language Analysis No. 4355: Comparing Donald Trump and the Tree of Life Synagogue to Ronald Reagan and the Challenger Disaster - Nonverbal and Emotional Intelligence (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

There's one crucial expression Donald Trump never once displayed during any of his statements regarding the recent mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.

It's certainly an expression he should have made - for it's indicative of the emotions of sadness, grief - and importantly, the empathy one feels for other peoples' suffering. This is true regardless of whether their suffering is emotional, physical, or both.

First, look carefully at the image below. On the evening of 28 January 1986, Ronald Reagan gave a speech regarding the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster (the video of the entire speech is included at the bottom of this article).

Note that the muscles of President Reagan's central forehead are contracted and vectored upward (an elevated central forehead contraction [CFC]). Simultaneously, his medial (inner) eyebrows are also elevated - while at the same time, his outer (lateral) eyebrows are lowered. The corners of his mouth are also down-turned. 

Regardless of your political affiliation, if you were watching President Reagan's speech that night, you had no doubt Ronald Reagan was truly grieving for the families and loved-ones of those seven Astronauts. It's also not surprising (to those with modest or high empathy quotients) that just by looking at a picture or video of another person who is sad, suffering, or grieving (without even knowing any specifics) - will engender those same emotions in the viewer.

Grieving is absolutely necessary for healing. When a leader grieves, they give both a momentary and historical personification to our collective grieving. It's in these moments when our grief is shared that perhaps we're most human.



SUMMARY: Donald Trump has never displayed any expression indicative of empathy, sadness, or grieving - associated with the deaths of eleven people and wounding of six others at recent Tree of Life Synagogue mass shooting. Nor did the President display these expressions after the Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting, the Charlottesville Riots and the death there of Heather Heyer, the Texas First Baptist Church massacre, the Las Vegas mass shooting, or any other national tragedy.

Empathy, by definition, is never conveyed via a simple reading of a prepared statement. Empathy must be felt and must be displayed. Donald Trump has yet to publicly display any expressions of empathy, sadness, or grieving since he announced his candidacy on 16 June 2015.

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Jack@BodyLanguageSuccess.com

See also:

Body Language Analysis No. 4354: Mass Shooter at Pittsburgh Synagogue - Threat Assessment

Body Language Analysis No. 4352: Donald Trump, Mohammed bin Salman, and Journalist Jamal Khashoggi

Body Language Analysis No. 4350: Ashley Kavanaugh during Brett Kavanaugh's Swearing-in Ceremonies for the Supreme Court

Body Language Analysis No. 4348: Kavanaugh Confirmation Hearings - Part II

Body Language Analysis No. 4346: Brett Kavanaugh's Fox News Interview

Body Language Analysis No. 4343: Idris Elba, Kate Winslet, Anxiety, and Empathy

Body Language Analysis No. 4333: Ivanka Trump's response to Robert Mueller and Trump Tower Meeting

Body Language Analysis No. 4308: DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen's most Telling Expression

Body Language Analysis No. 4289: A Royal Wedding, Suppression of Tears, and Meghan Markle's Mom

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Body Language Analysis No. 4354: Mass Shooting at Pittsburgh Synagogue - Nonverbal and Emotional Intelligence (PHOTO)

Earlier today, during Shabbat services, a mass shooting occurred at Tree of Life (L’Simcha) Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Eleven people were killed and at least six others were injured, two of them critically. Before opening fire, the alleged shooter, Robert D. Bowers, yelled, "All Jews must die!"

The above image of Robert Bowers is from one of his social media sites. From a nonverbal perspective, we can glean valuable information in its analysis.

While not extreme, Bowers is clearly displaying a blend of disgust and contempt. A primary component of each these emotional displays is revealed in the area above his upper lip and below his nose. You'll note this 'mustache area' is contracted and tightened (a characteristic of both disgust and contempt). Careful examination, however, reveals it's slightly more tense on one side (here, on HIS right). In this context, this particular asymmetry is indicative of contempt (which may be also manifested with left side bias). Surprisingly, many will confuse such mild (or even moderate) snarl-like expressions with a type of smile. This is a profound and common mistake.

Flaring of the nostrils is another component of both disgust and contempt, although with contempt the flaring is also more pronounced on one side (again, in this case, Bowers' right).

You'll also note that Robert Bowers is not looking directly at the camera. His eyes are turned toward the camera - but his head is only slightly turned - and a bit also with his torso. People will look directly with much less frequency toward those they don't trust/believe, don't respect, and/or don't like.

SUMMARY: When screening people for employment or for any other purpose, social media is a valuable tool in predicting their behavior - including with threat assessment. Social media often acts as a type of reverse Rorschach test - telegraphing to the world one's most prominent thought-emotions. Certainly, individuals who chronically display contempt, disgust, and/or anger (either on social media or in real-time) will not all commit violent crimes - but, crucially, those who do show these emotions with significant frequency will virtually all have impulse control disorder.

Group Appearances and One-on-One

Online Courses Available 

702-239-8503

Jack@BodyLanguageSuccess.com

 
See also:

Body Language Analysis No. 4353: The Murder of Jamal Khashoggi and Trump's Defense of Saudi Arabia

Body Language Analysis No. 4351: Donald Trump Stops Anthony Kennedy in His Tracks

Body Language Analysis No. 4349: Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford - Part III

Body Language Analysis No. 4347: Kavanaugh Confirmation Hearings - Part I

Body Language Analysis No. 4345: World Leaders Laugh at Donald Trump at the United Nations General Assembly

Body Language Analysis No. 4339: Pre-Confession Interview of Murderer, Chris Watts

Body Language Analysis No. 4334: Ivanka Trump and the Pistol Steeple

Body Language Analysis No. 4323: Trump Putin Helsinki Summit Press Conference

Body Language Analysis No. 4295: Elizabeth Holmes, Theranos, and Red Flags

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