Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3291: Molly Huddle Celebrates Early at World Championships - Body Language of Emotional Pain (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Molly Huddle was positioned to take a bronze medal in the Track and Field World Championship for 10,000 meters. Although she certainly knew better, in the emotion of the moment she began to celebrate a bit early, slowing her stride before the finish line and raising her arms. That's when her teammate, Emily Infeld, edged her out for a medal (by only 0.09 seconds). Anyone with even a modest empathy quotient who watches this clip will feel the athlete's anguish. It also provides a highly illustrative body language teaching moment.

Molly Huddle's central forehead is contracted and elevated (Elevated CFC). Concurrently her inner (medial) eyebrows are also raised. Still in state of shock-surprise, her upper eyelids are also very elevated (1:06).

Whenever there physical pain of any significance is present - or as we see here, the initial manifestations of emotional pain, there is also an elevated central forehead contraction.

A very important nonverbal corollary in these moments of emotional or physical pain - is that there must also be a simultaneous mouth expression of sadness. 

At the very end of this video (1:11) we see a re-emergence of the CFC which had briefly diminished with the covering of Huddle's entire face.

Facial covering (almost always occurring suddenly) such as we see here is not an attempt to prevent others from seeing one's sadness - rather it's a sign of emotional processing. The emotional brain is still trying to wrap around the ramifications of the recent events - that which the intellectual brain already knows.

This image (from earlier in the video at 0:25) captures a blending of at least 3 emotional expressions displayed on Molly Huddle's face (far right on photo):

1. Fear
2. Surprise (Shock)
3. Sadness (Grief)

Can you discern and separate the different components of these 3 emotions?

Notice also Ms. Huddle's shoulders are rounded and vectored forward - indicative of shock-sadness.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3290: Miley Cyrus Undercover, I Witness News & Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3289: Jorge Ramos, Donald Trump Event, "Get Out of My Country" and De-Escalation

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2483:  Alex Rodriguez's Subtle Sadness Signal  Body Language, PEDs and A-Rod 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3173: Maryland State Attorney Marilyn Mosby - Freddie Gray's Death Ruled Homicide - charges to be pressed against police 


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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2258: Prince Charles worried about Harry? What his Body Language Says

In this interview Prince Charles expresses his concern for his son Harry - both verbally and nonverbally. The more obvious body language signal of worry seen here are the multiple elevations of the Prince's medial (inner) eyebrows. What is not as well known however is the epiphenomenon of eye movement and how these patterns of dynamism correlate with emotions and thoughts. When right-handed people are discussing issues which are emotionally charged - particularly when dealing with someone with who they have affection for, 95+% of the time they will look down to their right. This body language is clearly seen multiple times throughout this video as Charles speaks about Harry serving in Afghanistan.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2146: Biden vs. Ryan Vice Presidential Debates - Both Candidates Displayed Body Language of Contempt

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1709: Peyton Manning's Agent Does Not Fully Believe

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

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2186: Paula Broadwell, David Petraeus, Body Language and the man who would be President ...

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1808: Time Magazine's Breast Feeding, Dr. William Sears, and Attachment Parenting Controversy - Shows Emotional Dissonance at Best

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2107: Andy Murray, Affection and Savoring the Moment

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

Body Language Secret # 105: Parental Affection and Love  

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Negotiation Body Language Secret # 617: Ginger White and Herman Cain

Herman Cain's latest accuser, Ms. Ginger White, displays signals of emotional pain, sadness and anxiety throughout the duration of this approximately 90 second video. Ms. White's central forehead is contracted the entire time with simultaneous elevation of her inner (medial) eyebrows. Along with her continual frown and partially closed eyelids, this is a classic nonverbal cluster consistent with emotional or physical pain. Ms. White's constant "wringing" of her hands is a clear indicator of anxiety. She also looks often down and to her right through out the interview. The vast majority of the time, during highly emotional moments/conversations, right handed people will look to this quadrant (I don't know Ms. White's handedness). At the very end of this clip, she closes her eyes in an "extended blink" - a classic blocking behavior (trying to block it out of her mind) when she says, ".....it's really not been fun." She finishes the interview with a hard swallow (anxiety indicator). The Body language signals we see here indicate emotional pain (constant), sadness (constant) and anxiety - in this context indicates Ginger White is probably telling the truth (very high confidence index). Moreover, at no time did her body language and her words contradict each other - another strong signal of honesty. (See Body Language Secret # 731: Sharon Bialek isn't Telling the Whole Truth).

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