Negotiation Body Language Secret # 367: Insincere Smile - Van Rompuy needs some Acting Classes

Greek Prime Minister George Papadreou is arguably got one of the toughest jobs in the World right now. Everyone is watching to see what's next in the Greek Debt Crisis. Here Papadreou is seen shaking hands in a posed photo shoot with Herman Van Rompuy, the President of the European Council. If you search for images of Van Rompuy, in the majority of photos where he looks like he is trying to smile, he is only smiling out of the left side of his mouth. This is an incredibly common Body Language signal in general - and so very characteristic of Herman - it's almost as if he has a medical problem where he cannot smile with his right side - but this is not so. His attempt at smiling is insincere at best. The conscious brain is attempting to smile, but the unconscious brain doesn't feel joy, ergo it won't let a full smile appear. Interestingly, when there is an asymmetric smile - with most people, the majority of time - it is the left side of the mouth that "smiles" while the right side remains neutral or even frowns (Pease). There is also more than a bit of nonverbal contempt displayed by Van Rompuy here as well. He hasn't got an easy job either.

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Negotiation Secret # 779: Classic Incredulous Cluster

Bollywood actress, Pranitha (aka Praneetha) gives us a great incredulous cluster here. Her head is not turned toward the subject of interest (ergo disinterest). We don't look directly at those we don't like, don't respect or don't believe. Her raised eyebrows and wrinkled forehead along with an asymmetric-slight smile - completes this classic tetrad cluster of disbelief. Her asymmetric smile and mild nasal flaring together are displaying a beacon of contempt, which of course, often co-exists with skepticism. When interpreting Body Language, it is important to see three or more signals of congruence in order to be sure of another's true emotion state.

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Body Language Secret # 702: Mouth of Fear, trying to Smile and Forehead of Pain

Blake Lively has got one of the best "Social Smiles" in Hollywood. That is, her "acted smiles" in social/interview/public appearance settings - most of the time comes pretty close to resembling a "Sincere, Felt Smile". Very few people - even actors/actresses can truly pull this off. That's one reason why this particular image is a great example here. Her mouth shows a trace amount of fear - not the typical type of fear though. She's trying to smile, but she can't in this particular moment. Her bottom teeth are showing and they shouldn't be with a sincere smile, but it is a characteristic of fear. In this case, it's an empathy-embarrassment-apology type of fear. The kind of fear where she has just delivered some bad news or she has to back out of a commitment, etc. It's not danger-fear, but it is a type of fear. One signal that it's not a classic fear is that her eyes are not opened wider than normal (e.g., with "whites of the eyes" showing above the irises/irides - not just on the sides of the eyes) in fact her lids are a bit more closed.

Blake's central eyebrows are also elevated. Another sign that goes along with this - is her central forehead being contracted. This is a classic signal of pain, either physical or emotional pain and either directly felt or experienced through empathy.

This whole smorgasbord of signals  is what is known as a gesture cluster, when several body language signs are seen simultaneously or nearly so - like words in a sentence - they take on a specific meaning. So, in summary, when you see this mild "yikes" type of expression displayed by the mouth, the eyes closed slightly, the central eyebrows raised and the central forehead wrinkled - you know that she/he is about to deliver some news that they know you don't want to hear (and they fear speaking it). You may very well see this beacon several minutes before the news is spoken - which will give you time to mentally and emotionally prepare. Your own body language, tone and words will then work to your advantage. Our overly emotional response to bad news is a common flaw that many share and a few seconds warning is priceless.

See also:

Secret # 133: Surprise or Smile or Neither?

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

Nonverbal Communication Secret # 2091: Sincere Smiling (a la' Blake Lively) and Laughing Reduces Anxiety and  Heart Rate, Boosts Immune System and Relieves Pain

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2203: A Body Language Metric of Intimacy and Affection -  How Do YOU cuddle?

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Negotiation Secret # 140: Duping Delight Microexpression

This is Chad O'Kelley's arrest photo. He was recently indited in federal court on selling U.S. Military arms to Iraqi citizens and businesses, money laundering and fraud. Mr. O'Kelley's expression is very telling.  While the left side of his mouth is, as expected, frowning - his right side shows a slight smile. Most people would expect a mug-shot to express negative emotions - often overwhelmingly negative. Why is Mr. O'Kelley showing a subtle smile?  It is very probable that Chad has a big secret that has not yet been discovered by the authorities. He feels that although he has just been arrested, somehow he is still fooling law enforcement. Paul Ekman has termed this subtle and often very fleeting and/or partial smile - "Duping Delight".  If this fraction of a smile is present for less than 0.5 seconds (and as little as 0.04 of a second!) it is known as a microexpression. This is just one example of many different emotions which are expressed in these clue-expressing, micro-bursts of display. While only about one in 300 people can see them naturally in real time - nearly everyone can be trained to see them. What secrets are slipping by you?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2050: George Zimmerman's Interview on Fox -  Microexpression of Contempt and  Duping Delight

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2216:  Senator Jim DeMint's Body Language -  Lip Purse, Suppressed Smile, Duping Delight & Retiring Early

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2152:  Second Presidential Debate - 16 October 2012 -  Barack Obama's Duping Delight -  Benghazi, Libya Attack was an "Act of Terror" -  Alpha, Beta, Confidence & Acquiescence .... 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2188:  Paula Broadwell on Petraeus Relationship -  Body Language of Prolonged Blink,  Hard Swallow and More Duping Delight

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2093:  Ann Curry's Tearful Goodbye -  Matt Lauer's Classic "Tongue-in-Cheek" and Duplicitous Smile

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2187:  Paula Broadwell with Hearsay on Benghazi Attack -  Excerpt from University of Denver Speech and a Body Language form of "Duping Delight" ....

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2236:  John Boehner & the Fiscal Cliff Plan B Failure - Body Language of Duping Delight ....

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2182:  Jennifer Granholm & Newt Gingrich  the Day After the 2012 Election - Governor Granholm's Duping Delight and Suppressed Smile

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Defense! Defense! Defense! .... and a False Smile...

Ms. Sofya Trotsenko, head of the Winzavod Center of Contemporary Art in Moscow, displays a tight-lipped false smile in this photograph.  It is commonly seen when people are trying to give a polite impression, but their real emotions are not just neutral or disinterested, but considerably negative.  People also display it when they are holding back a secret or have just spoken a partial truth.  Note how Sofya's mid-face is tightened and her "smile", although it looks slightly upturned because of her downward head tilt, is horizontal.  Her eyes are wide open which is never consistent with a true, felt smile.

Ms. Trotsenko's right hand is reaching across her front. It looks like she might be adjusting her hair or scratching - but this is a great example of a manipulator aka pacifier.  In this setting, it is an indicator of defensive-anxiety.

Her downward head tilt is also consistent with a defensive posture.  It can also be associated with anger, but because her forehead is relaxed and her eyebrows are not drawn together or downwardly displaced, we can be sure that here - Soyfa's head tilt is caused by a defensive emotional tone.

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