Nonverbal Communication Secret # 2091: Sincere Smiling (a' la Blake Lively) and Laughing - Reduces Anxiety and Heart Rate, Boosts Immune System and Relieves Pain

The results of this study are no surprise to those who study body language. People who adopt a smile, particularly a true smile consistent with joy (Duchenne Smile), have lower heart rates and lower anxiety levels - both during and after the stressor. The multiple images of the people shown during the 0:36 - 0:46 segment are genuine, sincere smiles characterized by the cardinal nonverbal signs of partial eyelid closure, a concave up dynamic furrow on the lower eyelids, only the upper teeth visible and a relaxed forehead.

The same study showed that laughter has the added effect of boosting the immune system and relieving pain. Although this particular study was new, these and other similar benefits of adopting positive body language have been well described for decades.

Few people can call up a sincere smile on command (how good are you?) - but it's value is tremendous. For while everyone knows those who are joyful smile, this and other studies show us that the reverse is true - a sincere smile can alter our physiology and lead to true happiness.

See also:

Secret # 702: Mouth of Fear, Trying to Smile and Forehead of Pain

Secret # 133: Surprise or Smile or Neither?

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

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2203: A Body Language Metric of Intimacy and Affection -  How Do YOU cuddle?

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2090: Hope Solo on Piers Morgan Flirting 101

In this Piers Morgan interview, U.S. Goal Keeper, Hope Solo displays classic flirtatious body language signals of hair preening, facial blushing, pointing the elbow laterally (upper arm pointed out to side) with armpit exposure and a sincere smile during the 0:19 - 0:22 segment. When multiple congruent nonverbal signals are seen simultaneously or nearly so - this is referred to as a body language "cluster" and thus its message should be interpreted with a very high degree of confidence. 

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2092: The Importance of Eye Contact - Contributing Author to "The Language Lab"

Very Flattered to contribute to Dr. Sandra Folk's "The Language Lab" and their extremely insightful Blog.

See also:

Analysis # 335: What does "Eye Contact" really mean? 

Analysis # 385: Lack of Eye Contact in the Context of Guilt

Analysis # 1516: Ozzie Guillen Apology, his "Sincerity Quotient" & Fidel Castro

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

Analysis # 712: We are Born with the Desire for Eye Contact

Analysis # 1805: "The Most Beautiful Woman in the World" - What Makes Her Even More Alluring? - Aishwarya Rai

Analysis # 394 & 496: Rick Perry's Nonverbal Mistakes in Iowa

Analysis # 353: Brad Pitt's Smiling Eyes - Sincere and Insincere Smiles

Analysis # 1858: What the Eyes Do - Mild vs. Severe Anger

Analysis # 1010: What Makes the Twinkle in Rashida Jones' Eye?

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2085: Dina Eastwood - Tongue-in-Cheek Variant

The anteriorly directed (towards the front) Tongue-in-Cheek variant (particularly with her coexisting eye and forehead configurations) exemplified by Dina Eastwood (Clint's Wife) is a sexually provocative body language display. This nonverbal sign can occur both consciously and at the edge-of-consciousness. Ms. Eastwood's hair preening is also consistent with flirtatious behavior. And although the context of this photo is deliberately theatrical, if we were to have a video of this moment, her elbow would most probably be seen for a time to extend out straight laterally, opening exposing her armpit.

Tongue-in-Cheek displays can have several additional meanings depending on the other nonverbals with which they are clustered. These include anger, sadness, alpha dominant display, "I just caught you", "I just won", self-righteousness/smugness, telling a lie.

See also:

Analysis # 1911: Preening as a Signal of Affection-Attraction

Analysis # 1858: What the Eyes Do - Mild vs. Severe Anger

Analysis # 1834: Chelsea FC vs. Bayern Munich and the G8 

Analysis # 1893: Nonverbal Communication of the Facial Platter

Analysis # 1752: Wearing Red and Sexual Attraction - What are YOU Marketing?

Secret # 12: Being a Sexual Being

Analysis # 1805: The Most Beautiful Woman in the World - What Makes Her Even More Alluring? Aishwarya Rai

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2084: Lolo Jones's False Mastication/Jaw Clenching

Lolo Jones finished fourth in the 110 meter hurdles at the 2012 London Olympics. Fourth in a World of 3.6 Billion women. And people still give her a hard time. Above is yet another example. You can't blame her for being nervous or angry. Jones shows signals of both here. Note at the beginning of this video when Mike Galanos is asking his question, Lolo is tightening (clenching) her jaw muscles (masseter muscles) in an alternating fashion. This body language is a variation of "False Mastication" (false chewing) and is a nonverbal highly consistent with anxiety. Jaw clenching can also signal anger. While not nearly as obvious as Ms. Jones's eye brows contracting together and downward (during significant portions of this clip), this false mastication/jaw clenching is more subtle body language is often the only sign displayed. Miss it at your own risk.

See also:

Analysis # 33: False Mastication

Analysis # 704: False Mastication and Central Forehead Contraction

Analysis # 1876: Noomi Rapace, Anxiety & False Mastication 

Analysis # 1522: False Mastication in Court - Alicia DeBolt and Adam Longoria

Analysis # 217: Predicting a Fight (Boxing) based on Body Language

Analysis # 1443: When Yawning Means Something Else

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2089: Ann Curry's and Matt Lauer's Very Awkward Reunion

In this incredibly awkward reunion of NBC's Ann Curry and Matt Lauer, it obvious to all how uncomfortable this is for Ann. Matt's attempt at being warm-and-fuzzy fails miserably. If you squirm when you watch it, you've got some empathy for the former Today Show's co-host. 

Matt obviously has read up on body language since Ann's departure. Note their lower limb directions. Ann's feet and legs are pointed away from Lauer. Moreover, her legs are crossed away from him - while Matt's are crossed towards Ann. Curry's torso is leaning distinctly away from Lauer as she both consciously and subconsciously distances herself from her former co-host. Her thin-lipped and tight "pseudo-smile" at 1:04 exemplifies anger and an attempt at polite tolerance. Lauer is rebuffed. Who could blame her?  

See also:

Analysis # 1912: Ann Curry's Tearful Goodbye Matt Lauer's Insincerity 

Analysis # 1905: Ann Curry's Smile and Sincerity Quotient 

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

McKayla Maroney is shown here during the medal ceremony for the gymnastics Vault. The World-Class gymnast silvered in the London Olympics in this event which contrasts somewhat to her peak 2011 achievement when she was World Champion in the vault (Ms. Maroney, of course, also contributed to her team's Gold medal performance). Most everyone, including the press has completely misinterpreted her facial expression. Examples of these MISTAKES include disgust, pouty and scowl. There are multiple memes of her all over the internet further demonstrating this absolute lack of understanding - including the tumblr site: "McKayla is not impressed". However, none of these interpretations of this 16 year-old's body language are even remotely close.

McKayla's asymmetrical lip purse expression is a classic nonverbal indicative of openly (non-secretively) deciding on a course of action. There is no disgust, contempt, sadness, scowl, pout, anger or any other negative emotion being displayed here.

This is yet another example of how body language, emotions and motives are completely and routinely misinterpreted.

See also:

Analysis # 552: Another Course of Action & Rashida Jones' Mouth

Analysis # 551: Openly Weighing a Decision

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2082: Cătălina Ponor's False "Smile" - Silver Medal in Floor Exercise

Cătălina Ponor is pictured here during the medal ceremony for the floor exercise at the 2012 London Olympics. In Athens, along with her Romanian teammates she won the team event - as well as in the floor exercise and the balance beam. In this image, Cătălina is displaying the body language of a "Bitter Smile" (along with Disgust). This particular variation of a "false smile" is one of the best examples of just how unaware most everyone is regarding own nonverbal signals - especially when experiencing negative emotions. When this mouth configuration is seen, people believe they are making a modest smile. Ms. Ponor feels bitterness-regret for she has tasted gold before.

In this image, Ponor is standing her next to the gold medalist, Aly Raisman. Yesterday Raismin, who initially finished fourth in the balance beam - was moved up to the bronze, displacing Ponor when a protest was lodged by the American coach.

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2083: Félix Sánchez describes his 400 M Hurdle Gold Medal Race and his Relationship with his Grandmother - A High Sincerity Quotient

In this interview, two-time Olympic Champion in the 400 M Hurdles Félix Sánchez describes his relationship with his grandmother, his failure to defend his Gold Medal Title in Athens at the Beijing games - and his victory earlier this week. He ran with a picture of his grandmother (Lillian) in his running jersey two days ago in London .... and brought home the Gold Medal once again (his 2004 gold was the first ever for the Dominican Republic). When a right-handed person is recalling, experiencing and/or describing something that is deeply emotional, about 95% of the time they will look DOWN and to THEIR RIGHT - as Sánchez does repeatedly throughout this segment. The lower right is also the quadrant referenced during kinesthetic processes, description or recall. While the quadrant-emotional correlations are not 100% on all people, once a person body language baseline behavior has been "normed" and correlated, they are highly reliable. 

This and other similar eye movements are epiphenomena of mental-emotional processing and although neural pathways have not been elicited, this nonverbal behavior is extremely useful when assessing for sincerity vs. insincerity and truth vs. deception. 

Félix Sánchez has two gold medals, great memories and a very high sincerity quotient.

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2081: Vladimir Putin - to Diss a Kiss Russian Rebuff

In this video, Russian President Vladimir Putin is shaking hands with a group of Russian Orthodox Priests at a 14th Century Monastery on Valaam, a Russian Island. At the 0:14 mark (or in slow-motion at 0:21) a priest tries and almost succeeds in kissing Putin's hand. Vladimir suddenly pulls his arm away. His central eyebrows immediately contract together and downward in a nonverbal signal of anger (0:15 - 0:16 or 0:22 - 0:23). He then pulls his right hand/arm up and forms a fist (0:16 or 0:26 - 0:27) after almost Putin-pushing him away with his left. Putin certainly does not want to be viewed as a "warm and fuzzy" - particularly when it comes to religion. 

If you look closely (freeze at 0:16 or at slow-motion at 0:26), you can see his nostrils dilate, his mustache area tighten up - with a raising and protrusion of both his upper and lower lips. His chin also displays dynamic wrinkling. These body language configurations taken together are all highly consistent with the emotion of disgust.

Vladimir - if you want to build rapport, when in Rome ... (or Russia or Valaam) do as the Roman's do (regardless of their Orthodoxy).

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