Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2715: Olympic Figure Skater Ashley Wagner and her Body Language display of.... (PHOTOS)

In this image, U.S. figure skater Ashley Wagner is shown just as she views her scores for the short program in Sochi, Russia Yesterday. The Olympic skater was not pleased with the judges' opinions. Nonverbal displays of anger are evident in the simultaneous lowering and pulling together of her eyebrows. Less often observed by most is the tension in her lower eyelids and the slight closing of her eyes.

Ms. Wagner's facial expression also has a trace component of contempt. Note her mid-face tightening is slightly greater on her left resulting in dilation of her left nostril, a subtly more defined left nasal labial furrow and a trace more elevation of her left upper lip vs. her right side (e.g. one more upper tooth is visible on her left).

Asymmetrical facial displays (here contempt) tend to be biased to one side, idiosyncratic to each person and are independent of hand dominance.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2714: Justine Dufour-Lapointe Wins Olympic Gold in Sochi and Brandishes Swagger - Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2061:  David Cameron Defends London Olympics against  Mitt Romney's Remarks -  Alpha Dominance and Illustrators -  Matching Hands and Feet as Sincerity Amplifiers

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2088:  McKayla Maroney's Expression - Everyone Got it Wrong  2012 Olympic Vault Silver Medalist

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2077:  The Body Language of a Russian Face-Plant 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1829: Dara Torres Interview with Piers Morgan - Embarrassment, Visual Recall, Sexual Anticipation Lip Biting & Sincerity Quotients 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1858:  What the Eyes Do - Transitioning from Mild to Severe Anger 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1863:  Sharapova's Lips of Anger

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2371: Barack Obama & Anger in the Rose Garden - POTUS's Body Language & the Gun Laws

Today the U.S. Senate voted down a bill that would have acted to expand background checks prior to the purchase of a gun. Subsequently President Obama gave a speech in the Rose Garden. Above is a video clip from that speech. At the 0:23 second mark he begins, "...Ninety percent of the democrats in the Senate voted for that idea. But it's not going to happen. Because ninety percent of republicans in the Senate just voted against that idea." Just after this segment, during the 0:35 - 0:37, the President's facial expression is highly indicative of anger-frustration.

This particular body language seen at this moment has several components centered around the mouth-jaw-lips-chin and the tissue adjacent to the lips. Clenching the jaw is a nonverbal which is highly consistent with anger. The masseter muscles which close the jaw can be seen contracting here. The Presidents lips also grow very thin as the tissue is stretched in a straight horizontal line - this is also very indicative and highly reliable sign of anger. In addition Mr. Obama's lips also are rolling inwards - however unlike the conventional and completely expressed "Inward Lip roll" (ILR) - due to his tightly closed jaw, the lips cannot be fully "rolled in"; subsequently the tissue adjacent to his lips, particularly his lower lip gets "bunched up" (peri-lip bulge). Another finding here is a bit more difficult to see, but even though this video and image below are not high definition, a dynamic wrinkling-dimpling of the skin on his chin can still be visualized.

The President's eyebrows are also pulled together and down - a signal of anger which is recognized by most people if prompted. However most people are fully present enough and are not observant enough to look for this nonverbal.

Much less recognized is the slight narrowing of the distance between the President's upper and lower eyelids and a coexisting tightening of the eyelid muscles, the orbicularis oculi (pars palpebralis) - most easily seen on the lower eyelids.

This video, like most, is chocked-full of body language - but just looking at POTUS's mouth-lips-jaw-chin we see four nonverbal configurations clustered together and are strong indicators of anger-frustration.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2138:  President Obama's Anger-Frustration During Debate -  An Under-Appreciated Body Language Signal

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2247:  Barack Obama's Body Language on Meet the Press  "That was the worst day of my Presidency"

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1859:  Prince William is Angry at the Queen's Jubilee

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1863:  Sharapova's Lips of Anger

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1465: Santorum's Anger Eyes - White and Wide  Confrontation with Jeff Zeleny of The New York Times

Negotiation Body Language Secret # 273:  Anger and Disgust in Azerbaijan

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1858:  What the Eyes Do - Transitioning from Mild to Severe Anger

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Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1403: Gustaf Gets Galled

King Carl XVI Gustaf is angry. What key cues can you spot? There are several that you shouldn't miss.

The most obvious (and somewhat less reliable) sign of anger is the drawing together and downwards of the Swedish Leader's eyebrows. If this were the only facial change we saw, then we also have to consider that Carl was perplexed or intensely concentrating. People in the midst of times of intense thinking are often mistaken for being angry. But as usual, there are other nonverbal cues available.

If you see an increase in exposure of the "whites of the eyes" (sclera) - three primary and common emotions (there are other less common ones though) should immediately spring to mind - anger (moderate to severe), fear and surprise. Note that in particular, the King's right eye has an increased "white and wide" appearance. However, even if we didn't observe this ocular body language, the tension we see in his "mustache area" is certainly driven by this negative emotion. Both of Gustaf's nostrils are flared - consistent with anger and disgust. In particular, the thinning of his lips is highly correlative with anger.

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Negotiation Body Language Secret # 493: Contrasting David Cameron and Nicolas Sarkozy - Alpha & Beta Behavior

This video shows a great contrast in the Body Language of French President Nicolas Sarkozy and U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron - as they speak on the U.K. not being given concessions and the ability to "opt-out" of financial rules of an EU treaty should they so choose. President Sarkozy displays significant low confidence posture throughout - with multiple shoulder shrugs, shoulder elevation/foreshortened neck (think of a turtle who's head is not quite withdrawn in its shell) as well as multiple palms up displays. His forehead is nearly constantly contracted and elevated along with his eyebrows. This forehead-eyebrow elevation tends to be strongly concomitant with the shoulder shrugs (and is a common manifestation of the shrug-gesture cluster).  All these collectively form and reinforce the nonverbal message of a beta, low confidence emotional mindset. Sarkozy's body language is strongly saying, "Don't blame me, what else could I do?" 

Interestingly, the French President also gives us a clear nose rub near the very end of his segment (1:32 mark) when he says, "...which according to the basic treaty, we are all destined to be in the Eurozone." His nose rub at this moment indicates a high probability he does not believe this.

Prime minister Cameron displays confidence for the duration with confident shoulder posture (no shrugs), an extended (confident) neck as well as multiple alpha, hand-arm displays such as the half and full basketball steeple, a brief low conventional steeple (it's good to be brief when displaying the traditional steeple) and an arm-not-fully-extended-fingers-held-loose-hand-chop (which should never be done with an extended finger point or with the arm fully extended). David Cameron is doing a very good job displaying confident, alpha leadership nonverbals. His words match his body language nicely.

European Commission President Jose' Manuel Barroso is shown in the final third of the video. At the 3:32 mark he rocks side to side (moderate frequency) and he repeats this just before the end of the clip. When a speaker displays this nonverbal, it's a strong indicator that he/she has high degree of confidence in what they are saying.

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Negotiation Body Language Secret # 357: Mila Kunis and Sergeant Scott Moore

Mila Kunis made good Friday night on her promise and attended the 236th Marine Corps Birthday Ball with Sergeant Scott Moore in Greenville, North Carolina. On a bet with a fellow marine, Sgt. Moore asked Mila out via YouTube from Afghanistan this past summer. The beautiful star of Friends with Benefits and Black Swan said, "yes". Kinda fairy tale, isn't it?

There are several great Body Language examples in this photo. Here's a caveat: it's difficult to read the nonverbal signals on a person's forehead when they have bangs. There is a lot of expression, variations (or just as telling - sometimes a lack of expression) on the forehead, and if covered, you've got less cues on which to rely. Bangs detract from the ability to act and show emotion. In general, if you're directing a movie - you want your actors/actresses to be able to use as much as their face as possible with which to act. No Bangs! 

In this particular image, it may be difficult for some to note, but Mila's eyebrows are elevated - so it's a very safe bet her forehead is raised (contracted) as well. Here's a fantastic nonverbal correlate - WHEN A PERSON IS BEING HONEST & SINCERE, THE FACE IS ALMOST ALWAYS CONGRUENT WITH THE HANDS (the reverse is seen too, but it is not as reliable); e.g. - If the hands shows stress, so will the face - if the hands show anger, the face will too, etc. So here, Mila's hands (and words) are telling a story. We have no idea what the story's about, but here she's holding her hands about 18 inches apart to demonstrate emphasis. Because her eyebrows and forehead are elevated - these are also, in this context, serving as exclamation marks. Thus because Ms. Kunis' facial nonverbal is congruent with the body language of her hands, we have a high degree of confidence that she is being sincere and honest. It would be much easier to observe this though if we could see Mila's forehead.

Wouldn't it be great if they lived happily ever after?

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