Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3199: Losing wrestler's sportsmanship wows crowd - A Common Body Language Sign of Anxiety (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

This short and currently viral video is a beautiful example of what here is termed "sportsmanship" - yet more accurately described - this act is demonstrating empathy. Malik Stewart, immediately after his loss in the 2014 Minnesota Wrestling State Finals (120 weight class) - hugs the father of his opponent and the State Champion (Mitchell McKee) - because McKee's Dad is battling cancer. As he mentions, Malik also lost his father several years ago.

Those individuals who are moved to actively suppress or display their tears while watching this video (even if they're lucky enough to have never lost a loved-one) have higher empathy quotients vs. those who remain relatively emotionally-neutral.

From a body language perspective, Mitchell McKee, Malik Stewart - and Josh Prokosch (Stewart's Coach) all interviewed in the above video - display an extremely common anxiety tell. They all rock back and forth, shifting their weight from one leg to another as they speak to the reporter. In addition, each of these athletes also display other anxiety-nonverbal signals. Did you catch these more subtler tells?

Photo & video credit: Vanessa Schlueter

Mitchell McKee

Josh Prokosch

Malik Stewart













See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3198: Sepp Blatter, FIFA, Subtle Fear & Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2831: "Walking Contest", Anxiety, Mirroring and False Intimacy

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3078: Tom Brady, Deflategate, Deception and Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2533: Angela Merkel's Low Steeple "Trademark" - A Major Body Language Mistake

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2914: François Hollande, Anxiety and Dialing up his Alpha

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 1876:  Noomi Rapace, Anxiety & False Mastication 

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret No. 1209:  Even Putin has Anxiety - False Tie Adjust

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2326: Russian Ballet Dancer Pavel DmitrichenkoConfesses to Sulfuric Acid Attack on Colleague Sergei Filin Body Language Signals of Anxiety

In the above video, Pavel Dmitrichenko - a lead solo dancer at Bolshoi, the famed Russian Classical Ballet company confesses to masterminding the attack on Sergei Filin. Dmitrichenko says that he orchestrated the attack, but that it was not intended to involve sulfuric acid. The caustic chemical was thrown onto the face of the Bolshoi's artistic director on 17 January 2013. He suffered severe burns of his face and eyes requiring numerous surgeries. It is not known to what extent his vision will recover.

During the 0:15 - 0:40 segment of this video, when first he states he is a suspect and subsequently confesses to organizing the assault, his rate of blinking is quite dramatic. The individual blinks are also of longer duration. These are both strong  nonverbal indicators of anxiety. It is most important to note any increase frequency of blinking at these moments of suspected stress - compared to other times when the anxiety level is much lower. With rare exception however, Dmitrichenko' blinking is so frequent - this body language stands on its own.

Another coexistent nonverbal is his relatively rapid rocking back and forth. In this context - what is indicated by this body language?

There are several other signals here which indicate Pavel Dmitrichenko confessed prior to this video - e.g. this was the second (or third, etc.) time he made this confession. What nonverbals point to this conclusion?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1876:  Noomi Rapace, Anxiety & False Mastication

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2281:  Inaugural Luncheon Anxiety  Barack Obama's Body Language  Michelle's Mirroring

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2053:  Strong Signal of Fear-Sadness Anxiety -  Aurora, Colorado "Batman Shooting"

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1901:  Maria Sharapova's Anxiety

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1209:  Even Putin has Anxiety -  False Tie Adjust

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1869:  One Body Language Signal a President Should Never Display

Nonverbal Analysis # 1820: What Causes David Beckham's Greater Anxiety -  Barack Obama Teasing Him About His Age or His Underwear?

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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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