Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3294: Ana Ivanovic, Lip Biting, the U.S. Open and Body Language (PHOTOS)

We can say, "Those pepperoncinis are hot" or "That woman is hot" or "It's was hot in Phoenix today" or "Donald Trump's candidacy is a hot topic" - these all contain the word "hot" - which although are all spelled the same and pronounced the same - have wholly different meanings. Any young teen could discern these various homonyms because of the context their respective sentences give them. Body language signals also very often have multiple meanings - depending on the other nonverbal signs with which they are clustered. Lip biting is but one example of this nonverbal phenomenon.

In this image we see Ana Ivanovic, currently 7th in WTA women's singles rankings. Today - the first day of the U.S. Open Tennis Championship, this Serbian was upset by Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova (6-3, 3-6, 6-3). Note in this image Ms. Ivanovic is biting her bottom lip. In this context it's indicative of some anxiety (although not excessive) as well as very concentrated, focused thought. Intriguingly, within the realm of tennis, lip biting is almost never seen during a serve - essentially only during a return.

As with the "hot" homonym exampled above (and in a non-tennis setting) when Lip Biting is accompanied by a different set of facial and body expressions - it can be indicative of varied meanings such as - anger, anxiety, focused thought, sadness, embarrassment, mischievousness, frustration, vulnerability and even sexual arousal. Yet without knowing and recognizing all the words in a nonverbal sentence, most people often have no idea how to color the emotional nuance of the moment.

Here Heather Watson (Great Britain) is returning to Lauren Davis (United States). Watson lost to the match, 7-6, 7-6.

Canadian Milos Raonic - in another lip-biting return defeated Tim Smyczek (U.S.), 6-4, 7-6 (8), 6-1.


See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3293: Why is Donald Trump a Better Liar than Most Politicians?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2448:  Sabine Lisicki Post Match Interview  After Defeating Serena Williams  Top Teeth Biting Lower Lip & Sincere Smiles 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3259: Barack Obama responds to Mike Huckabee's Holocaust Reference 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3005: Barack Obama, "I would enjoy having some Kentucky Bourbon with Mitch McConnell" 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2379: Bill Clinton's Speech at the  George W. Bush Presidential Library Opening  Body Language of Former and Current President 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2254: John Boehner's Speech Today - One Major Body Language Improvement the U.S. Speaker of the House Should Make 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 1829: Dara Torres Interview with Piers Morgan - Embarrassment,  Visual Recall, Sexual Anticipation Lip Biting & Sincerity Quotients 


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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3167: Bruce Jenner's 20/20 Interview, Part II - Confidence, Vulnerability and Sincerity - Body Language Tells (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Part II nonverbal analysis of Bruce Jenner's 20/20 interview with Diane Sawyer - some highlights of the above video segment are discussed below.

During 0:17 - 0:19, 0:23 - 0:24 and 0:28 and 0:30 Bruce Jenner displays examples of the Self-Righteous Head Wiggle (SRHW).

A self-righteous head wiggle can be very short-lived (e.g. a microexpression or near-microexpression) - yet also may last several seconds. This nonverbal has a significant tendency to occur in clusters. It's comprised of a rapid side-to-side movement of the head & neck - which is high in frequency and typically has mild-to-moderate amplitude (amount of movement).

A SRHW is displayed by a person in the midst of an alpha mindset - with strong opinions who is highly confident. They may often be so self-assured that may consider them smug. They see themselves as a relative alpha or authority figure - at least during those moments.

The self-righteous head wiggle must be viewed in the dynamic context of a video. The primary movement is a side-to-side wiggle - however sometimes there is an additional backwards component or a forward vectoring. Contempt, disgust or incredulity body language often is seen with the backwards movement - while arrogance and condescending nonverbal signals may accompany the forward motion (which is often seen with smaller audiences and even in one-on-one scenarios. Very often there is an increase in vocal frequency (pitch) as well as volume and rate of speech with the self-righteous head wiggle. Similar analog nonverbal movements may also be seen with the torso, jaw or the entire body.



This particular loose and relatively relaxed hand illustrator is known as the "Spiral Staircase" because of the configuration of the fingers. It's one of many "Alpha-Beta Hybrids" - wherein it's not too aggressive (e.g., some nonverbal behavior can send signals of arrogance and patronizing emotional mindsets - thus destroying rapport) - yet it's not too demure, submissive or weak. Alpha-beta hybrids are profoundly valuable body language tools (yet very underutilized) and are extremely helpful in sales, interviews, the courtroom and in negotiations - for they dance skillfully within the nuance of the middle ground (where most people stumble).

At the very end of this video clip, Bruce Jenner's head and neck tilts (in relation to his already-angled torso). This tilting is a signal of sincere vulnerability (e.g., I'm letting you see the "real me", inside my heart, inside my thoughts. I'm sharing a personal side of me). Unless there is a physical injury, disease, etc. - when the torso is leaning to one side and/or the neck and head tilts in a similar manner - this dynamic body language configuration is indicative of sincerity-vulnerability.

In summary - in this video segment Bruce Jenner displays nonverbal signals indicating self-righteousness, confidence and sincere-vulnerability.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3165: Bruce Jenner's 20/20 Interview, Part I - Body Language Tell

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3075: Franklin Graham (Billy Graham's son) Blasts Duke University for Muslim "Call to Prayer"

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2506:  Barack Obama, the Self-Righteous Head Wiggle and  Retaliation Against Syrian Poison Gas Attack

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3048: Vladimir Putin's Press Conference, 18 December 2014, Economic Instability and Low Emotional Comfort

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2508: Anne Frank, Sincere Smiles and Emotional Comfort 

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2654: Carey Mulligan on Jimmy Kimmel - Body Language Part II (VIDEO, PHOTO)

In her recent appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live", Carey Mulligan touts her most recent film "Inside Llewyn Davis" (Coen Brothers). She also gives us a great body language cluster - which among other things is correlative with a High Sincerity Quotient.

Note: The original video has, since the original post, been removed from its online source. The image above however, was captured from this video. In the original, the talented (yet very human) actor tilts her head to her right (exposing a greater portion of her neck to Kimmel), looks slightly upwards and focused at a distance. The neck tilt demonstrates, particularly coincident with this "far away", upward gaze signifies an honest vulnerability and indicates a sincere emotional tone.

She also scratches her right arm with her left hand. This MAP (Manipulator, Adaptor, Pacifier) amounts to what is a partial arm cross. The nonverbal cluster occurs when she is contrasting "American Christmases" with Christmases in her home city and country (London, England). Her unilateral arm cross strongly suggests she has spent the holiday season in far from home and doesn't care for it.

For additional body language from this interview see:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2653: Carey Mulligan - Blunted Surprise and ... Body Language on Jimmy Kimmell, Part I

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2652: Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon on Saturday Night Live - Trying to Suppress the Laughter

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2311:  Reporter Robyn Curnow's re: Oscar Pistorius  Her Body Language shows her Bias

Leadership Secret # 22: Inspiring Confidence vs. Looking Vulnerable

Nonverbal Communication - Negotiation Secret No. 30: Lip Biting - Gabe Watson

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2512:  Matthew Cordle's YouTube Confession  and the Death of Vincent Canzani  "I Killed a Man" - What His Body Language Tells Us ...  It's NOT what you think!

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2625: Paul Walker of 'Fast & Furious' and Body Language of the Tongue Jut
 
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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2030: Barclays, Bob Diamond, LIBOR and Anxiety - The False-Tie Adjust

Bob Diamond, the CEO of Barclays Bank resigned on Tuesday. This amid what appears to be the biggest scandal in banking history - of manipulating the LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate) affecting over 500 Trillion dollars worth of loans. The firms COO, Jerry del Missier resigned as well. Last week Barclays was fined a record amount for fixing rates - $455 Million (U.S.D). Incredibly, Marcus Agius, the Chairman who resigned on Monday, returned on Tuesday to fill the Chairman's position. Messy. Now, according to Diamonds testimony in a Parliamentary hearing and company documents, it is alleged and appears as if there may have been pressure from the Bank of England via Paul Tucker and other "senior Whitehall figures".

Diamond is displaying a "false-Tie Adjust" - a common male body language signal indicative of anxiety, fear, vulnerability or concern. It seems he has some good reason for such anxiety. This example of an nonverbal MAP (Manipulator, Adaptor, Pacifier) has female analogs as well - playing with a necklace, touching or rubbing the lower neck - at or just above the manubrium (the upper portion of the sternum).

Diamond is used to being in the limelight - as are all senior executives - and in the above photo his poker face isn't bad. But human he is, and his emotions and thoughts leak out for everyone to see - just like the rest of us - if you know what to look for...

Other banks being investigated for similar possible corruption include Deutsche Bank, UBS, Citigroup, Royal Bank of Scotland, JPMorgan Chase and Credit Suisse.

See also:

Analysis # 97: Berlusconi's false tie Adjust 

Analysis # 1209: Even Putin has Anxiety - False Tie Adjust

Analysis # 1927: Italy's Fans watching EURO 2012 - Expressions of Fear



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Nonverbal Communication - Negotiation Secret No. 30: Lip Biting - Gabe Watson

This is Gabe Watson in the waning minutes of the Arizona Cardinals-Dallas Cowboys Football game in Glendale, Arizona on Christmas Day, 2010. His team, the Cardinals, won the game 27-26. He's looking up - probably looking at the scoreboard or perhaps at a recent replay. In this context (but certainly not all), lip biting indicates vulnerability and anxiety. This expression is often present, but rarely "seen" in the context of business, law, medicine, politics, etc. When you see this, don't dismiss it. It should be a red flag - dig deeper.

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