Body Language & Emotional Intelligence: psychopath

Showing posts with label psychopath. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Body Language Analysis No. 4342: Alleged Jacksonville Shooter David Katz - Threat Assessment and Emotional Intelligence (PHOTO)

David Katz was in Jacksonville, Florida on Saturday. He had traveled from his home in Baltimore to participate in a Madden video tournament. Tragically, and with motives yet unknown, a lone gunman - allegedly Katz, shot and killed two people while injuring ten others before taking his own life.

From a nonverbal perspective, the above image of Katz, captured last year after he won a tournament, is worth analyzing in greater detail.

Note that Katz's central forehead is both contracted and vectored upward. In nonverbal parlance, this is termed an Elevated Central Forehead Contraction (Elevated CFC). In addition, Katz is displaying a simultaneous slight mouth "smile". However, this "smile" is no smile at all. It's insincere. It's a ruse.

Now, this particular combination of an elevated CFC, together with a partial mouth pseudo-smile is an expression we all exhibit - every emotionally healthy person - once in a while. On these relatively infrequent occasions, one (or more) of the following three emotions is being experienced:

• Arrogance
• Contempt
• Disbelief (more specifically, a Smug-Disbelief with Impatient-Dismissal)

It's important to stress that all three of these emotions may be conveyed with other facial displays. In addition, these emotions also may overlap. We all will, of course, experience these feelings from time to time but - hopefully not too frequently. So it follows that, now and again, we also will make this facial expression.

However, individuals who frequently display this facial expression, have a very high correlation with Antisocial Personality Disorder (Abbreviated as APD and includes both Sociopathy and Psychopathy [which are somewhat common/colloquial terms]).

Two key personality traits common to both sociopaths and psychopaths are:

• Very low or nonexistent Empathy

combined with:

• Low Sincerity Quotients (e.g., people who aren't necessarily lying IN THAT MOMENT - but they have a strong pattern of frequent deception)

Please see Robert Hare's psychopathy checklist for additional characteristics.

SUMMARY: The particular facial expression of an Elevated Central Forehead Contraction together with a Simultaneous Partial Mouth "Smile" (often suppressed and subtle) - when frequently displayed - has an extremely high correlation with Sociopathy and Psychopathy.

Low Empathy Quotients combined with Low or Absent Sincerity (Chronic Lying) - are characteristics common to Sociopaths and Psychopathy (Antisocial Personality Disorder).

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See also:

Body Language Analysis No. 4341: Donald Trump, Michael Cohen, and Hush Money

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

Body Language Analysis No. 4336: Alita: Battle Angel, Large Eyes, and Sexual Attraction

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

Body Language Analysis No. 4325: Part II - Trump Putin Helsinki Summit Press Conference

Body Language Analysis No. 4240: Cambridge Analytica's Alexander Nix (Part I)

Body Language Analysis No. 4135: What Makes Markle's Eyes Sparkle? - The Emotional Intelligence of Twinkling Eyes

Body Language Analysis No. 4111: Selena Gomez, Francia Raisa, and a Kidney Transplant

Body Language Analysis No.4156: President Trump's Cabinet Meeting - Crossing Arms and Excessive Motion

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Thursday, August 1, 2013

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2477:
Ariel Castro, "I am not a monster",
Trying to Convince the Us ....
Body Language of a Psychopath
(Video, Photo)

Today Ariel Castro was sentenced to life in prison plus 1000 years. In the above video this kidnapper of Amanda Berry, Georgina "Gina" DeJesus and Michelle Knight - exemplifies the nonverbal signal of the Rationalization Rapport Empathy Expression (aka R2E2) several times. One of the most noticeable of these is seen during the 0:41- 0:45 segment, as Castro says, " ... What I'm trying to get at these people are tryng to paint as a monster and I'm not a monster ..." Many who see this will confuse it with the emotional display of contempt - and often it can look like disgust as well. Although it does indeed resemble both - its meaning is radically different.

The R2E2 is a nonverbal display seen during conversation when a speaker is attempting to rationalize, is seeking rapport and/or is trying to recruit the listener into co-rationalization (empathy recruitment, e.g. trying to get the listener to be a co-conspirator in their rationalization) of their idea, opinion, action, etc. This video shows many examples of R2E2. Ariel Castro wants the judge, the victims, their families and the public's empathy as well as them to co-rationalize with his pathology.

We all display the R2E2 - not only psychopaths like Ariel Castro. This body language-facial expression is often is accompanied by faster and higher pitch speech. Forced (feigned) laughter is also commonly seen. Additionally a leaning forward and a touching or reaching towards those being spoken to is often seen. These additional paralanguage modifiers and nonverbal behaviors serve as amplifiers of the emotion at the source of the R2E2.

Whenever you see the R2E2 nonverbal, it should raise a red flag. Ask yourself why another's psyche would not feel fully convinced of the words they're speaking - or why they believe you may not be fully convinced of their opinion, actions or plans. It can very well be a sign of either insincerity (particularly when used excessively) and/or they are trying too hard to sell you some thing or some idea.

When you see the Rationalization Rapport Empathy Expression, be cautious.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2393: Cleveland Kidnapper Ariel Castro's daughter Angie Gregg - Body Language of Sincere Emotional Pain & Empathy (Video, Photos)

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2396: Ariel Castro Caught on Dash-Cam in a Traffic Stop in 2008 - Body Language of Self-Disgust, Anxiety & Emotional Dissonance (Video, Photos)

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2394: Three Brothers from Cleveland Onil, Pedro and Ariel Castro - Kidnapping, Innocence, Guilt & Body Language (Video, Photos)

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2390: Charles Ramsey Interview & Cleveland Kidnappings - Sarcastic Disbelief, Disgust and Exclamation (Video, Photo)

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2313: Elisa Lam Video in Elevator at Cecil Hotel - What Her Body Language Tells Us ...

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2259: Game Show Killer Rodney Alcala Gets Two More Sentences - His Body Language Warning Signs

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2231: A Common Facial Expression of Mass Killers - Using Body Language as a Threat Assessment Tool

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Sunday, January 20, 2013

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2275:
Lance Armstrong's Insincerity -
Body Language revealed in Oprah Winfrey Interview
Part III

Another nonverbal signal of Lance Armstrong's insincerity is revealed in the way he touches his chest when trying to convey understanding and truthfulness. Most displays of "self-touching" are examples of what are known as MAPs (Manipulators, Adaptors or Pacifiers) and are, in general signals of anxiety - although when viewed in cluster-context, their meanings can be much more specific.

At multiple times throughout his interview with Oprah Winfrey, Armstrong touches his chest with only the tips of his fingers & thumb. During moments when we feeling true sincerity (not seen above), gestures of chest touching involve the whole hand including the palm. This "palmar touch" occurs with the whole hand contacting the chest over the heart (left side of chest) and/or the sternum/manubrium (although parts may extend to the right side of the chest). Note in the above video segment during the 2:30 mark, when the disgraced bicycler says, "...I understand ..." Armstrong touches with only his fingertips over his sternum. This is a great example where a person's words contradicting his body language. Whenever the verbal and the nonverbal are in disagreement - the nonverbal language always tells the truth.

It is contradictory body language to display a full-palm-to-chest nonverbal with one's legs crossed in the manner Armstrong has them configured throughout much of this interview (The "American figure-4"). If one had their legs crossed in this way, and then felt a moment of true sincerity, honesty, affection or empathy - the legs would naturally uncross. However, when clustered together, the "figure-4" along with the "fingertip-only to chest" contact are congruent with insincerity.

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This website serves as a reference source for the art and science of Body Language/Nonverbal Communication. The views and opinions expressed on this website are those of the author. In an effort to be both practical and academic, many examples from/of varied cultures, politicians, professional athletes, legal cases, public figures, etc., are cited in order to teach and illustrate both the interpretation of others’ body language as well as the projection of one’s own nonverbal skills in many different contexts – not to advance any political, religious or other agenda.

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