Anytime Someone Touches Their Neck it is Significant

ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIA. JUNE 20, 2010. President of BARKLI Corporation, Leonid Kazinets at the briefing entitled Doing Business in Russia: Red Tape Relief in Construction , as a part of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum at the LenExpo Exhibition Centre.

As we all know it is always important whenever the hands rise above the shoulders, but touching the neck is particularly important. The touch in the above photograph could have been part of a collar tug, or simply a pacifying touch to the neck.

Usually touching the neck equates to stress. The neck is one of our most vulnerable parts of our body and we've always protected the neck from a killing blow from a knife, sword, or blow.

Symbolically, we unconsciously rub the neck when we feel uncomfortable, stressed, or threatened.

What is also interesting how his legs are crossed away from the speaker, and how his other hand is "protecting" his groin area, and also notice how his eye direction does not exactly line up to his face direction.

Not very confident or comfortable, especially since he has chosen a purple tie- the historical color of royalty.◦

Anytime Someone Touches Their Neck it is Significant

Janine Driver: Body Language on the Job

Our body language sends signals to our bosses and co-workers all the time. Body language expert, Janine Driver shows us some gestures that could impact your career.◦

Janine Driver: Body Language on the Job

Rusty Interview from Dateline

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This is a study in someone who doesn't want to speak, is nervous, and shows us this with almost every movement. Things to look for are biting lips, scratching neck, nervous chuckle, pursed lips, shrugs, rubbing hands, faster blink rate, eye direction clues, answers a question with a question, torso and head pointing towards the exit.

I suggest watching this video several times.◦

Rusty Interview from Dateline

Wonder who Dakota Fanning is Giving this Backward Glance to?

Actress Dakota Fanning, a cast member in the romantic fantasy thriller motion picture The Twilight Saga: New Moon , attends the premiere of the film Los Angeles on November 16, 2009.

She's growing up right before our eyes... It is rare to see someone like Dakota- who we first saw in movies when she was seven or eight- begin taking roles in the young adulthood range...

This is the Sideways Glance, hopefully she is just curious about something going on behind her, but she could be sending the strong attraction signal to another... Would be interesting to know who she was looking at?!?!? Perhaps we'd have a Hollywood scoop...

To read more about the Sideways Glance, in a previous entry I saw Rachel Nichols do a more adult version of this pose.◦

Wonder who Dakota Fanning is Giving this Backward Glance to?

Chynna Phillips Talks About Her Sister's Relationship with Their Father

Watch her neck and shoulders in the video, especially around 35 seconds... what we see here is lifting of her shoulders (beyond the shrugs) and the lowering of her neck and head. Her body language is showing us she'd like to hide, and the cluster of gestures most resembles a turtle going into the safety of its shell.◦

Chynna Phillips Talks About Her Sister's Relationship with Their Father

Obama More Than a Simple Handshake

ARLINGTON, VA - SEPTEMBER 11: U.S. President Barack Obama greets family members of victims of the 9/11 attack during a rememberance ceremony at the Pentagon September 11, 2009 in Arlington, Virginia. Obama joined staff and family members at the Pentagon to comemorate the eighth anniversary of the September 11 attacks. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Here we see Obama give more than a handshake by touching the family member's arm it creates another touch connection, which conveys more emotion.

There are different degrees of emotion even in an handshake, there is hands only; and the free hand touches forearm or upper arm; there is the free hand on the shoulder; and there is the free hand enclosing the hands that are shaking in a "hand hug." Each progressively conveys more emotion and attachment.◦

Obama More Than a Simple Handshake

Stacy Keibler Knows How to Change the Shape of Her Body in Photographs

Aug 29 2009
Stacy Keibler hosts The Fantasy Football Superdraft at Jet Nightclub in the Mirage Hotel. Pictured: Stacy Keibler Picture by: Splash News

Here we see a couple of things that anybody that is being photographed and want to make certain parts of their body smaller can do.

First, notice the angles created by her left arm and her legs- this adds interest to the photograph.

By placing her feet together, and one in front of the other it also adds interest, but more importantly adds "interest" to her legs and hips.

She has turned her hips slightly to minimize their width.

See how she holds her torso off angle to minimize her waist.

By squaring her shoulders to the camera, she has made this the biggest part of her body. This makes everything else seem smaller. Models have always know if they can twists their hips and square their shoulders they will appear to have a smaller waist and hip area.

Just in case you thought I picked one picture that happened to capture this, take a look:



and another one,

◦

Stacy Keibler Knows How to Change the Shape of Her Body in Photographs

Rachel Nichols Does Sexy

Aug 6 2009
LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 06: Actress Rachel Nichols arrives at the special screening of 'G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra' held at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on August 6, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

A sideways glance over a raised shoulder was the pose made famous by Marilyn Monroe. In many ways it highlights a woman's roundness and curves. Notice the slightly drooped eyelids- she will hold a man's gaze just long enough for him to notice, then BAM she will look away leaving him wanting more.◦

Rachel Nichols Does Sexy

The Body Language of Depression and Suicide

There are many sites listing the behavioral clues to depression, and if you are concerned about someone you know please search out this information.

My goal here are to list several common body language signs so that they can be tracked over time to help you determine if things are worsening.

FACE
In the face, in full blown sadness ,you will see lowered inner eyebrows, droopy eye lids, lowered outer lips.

In subtle sadness you could see raised inner eyebrows, protruding lower lip, eye blocking.

Research has shown that facial sadness is one of the easier emotions to determine.

BODY
In body language you could see lower shoulders, arms hanging down, head tilted to the side, lazy posture, and lack of gestures- it as if they are saying and/or conveying 'why bother' non verbally.

The gestures you will see will be pacifying in nature. Rubbing of hands, neck, face... You can judge the extent they are willing to share their pain by how open their gestures are- for instance if they are rubbing their face or over their heart. It doesn't necessarily mean they will share - as the mind and body do not always agree with each other.

Emotions that are related to depression could be shame, defeat, contempt, pain, guilt are among a few.

You must evaluate the nonverbal signals in the context of the root cause. For example, while it is normal to suffer a certain about of depression after the death of a loved one, we must evaluate the enormity of it over time and to what degree it appears different from the norm.

If you see depression in those around you, seek guidance from trained professionals.◦

The Body Language of Depression and Suicide

Ben Roethlisberger Statement on Civil Suit Alleging He Raped a Woman

This is a high stakes situation which lends itself to leakage if deception or inaccuracies are present.

Obviously he was very nervous and exhibited high stress throughout the statement. He read from a prepared statement, that included legal review, and he had practiced it several times. His hand gestures were unnatural.

With all that being said he did speak freely about all the issues and I could see no deception or inaccuracies. You can notice how subtly he slightly shakes his head no and yes to emphasize his points.

His initial sentence is not something that could be said by someone who was guilty without some sort of deception leakage, especially under his extreme stress and nervousness.

Slight eye blocking with his blinking, he doesn't like that he is seeing all the reporters, cameras, etc.

There are several subtle shoulder shrugs which suggest he is unclear why this is occurring. Shrugs are a universal gesture of helplessness and uncertainty.

He is less convincing when he describes his obligations to his work; it is during this time he shows subtle sadness and defeat. It is as if he is saying with his expressions that it will be difficult to accomplish his obligations.

Now, there may be more to the story that will eventually come out through the legal proceedings, for instance he doesn't say he did not have consensual sexual relations with the accuser. He is too nervous and stressed if this was someone he didn't know or only met in the lobby.

It is my opinion he is being truthful in his statement.◦

Ben Roethlisberger Statement on Civil Suit Alleging He Raped a Woman

Analysis of South Carolina's Governor, Mark Sanford's Press Conference

Role analysis, I believe he is truly sorry for what has happened, but why is he sorry? Is it for his family, for his friend, for his career/job? After reviewing the tape this is the order of importance:

1)Friends
2)Career/Job
3)Family

I based this on his emotional level as he is speaking about these things. Generally there could be a build up as the speech goes on, but in this speech if I had to rank the emotional level it would be 3 for family, 7 for friend, and 5 for job.

00:58 Eye Blocking, is a nonverbal behavior that can occur when we feel
threatened and/or don’t like what we see. In this case he doesn't like seeing the reporters and the media.

01:18 Looking Down, Shame. People who are feeling ashamed, embarrassed, or sad, deliberately look away. Shame is a negative emotion occurring when we evaluate things as going worse than we expected.

01:55 Slight Lip Lick (see below).

01:59 Microexpression Subtle, Sadness, in mouth only.

Generally he doesn't want to look straight ahead.

02:14 Lip Lick, is a pacifying behavior (often referred to as an adapter in academia literature) serving to calm us down after we experience something unpleasant or downright nasty.

03:00 More emotional when speaking about his friend than about his wife and family.

03:47 Lip Lick, pacifying behavior.

05:20 More comfortable speaking about faith, looking more straight on. This is odd because there should be some shame or emotion to convey he is in turmoil with his faith and what he has done. I believe this is a sign that is is most sorry for being caught.

06:15 Eyes Down, Shame.

07:26 Full Shoulder Shrug, this needs to be evaluated in the context of what is being said. The shrug is a universal gesture that is used to show that a person does not know or understand what you are talking about. In this case he doesn't know how this will end.

07:46 Expel Air, Relief.

08:11 Lip Lick, pacifying behavior.

08:20 Becoming more emotional over resignation (not of his governorship).

Voice Analysis


Final Analysis
It appears because of his emotional level, and his conversation with his father-in-law two weeks prior, that his marriage was in extreme jeopardy before this getaway. His last conversation with his father-in-law was not as civil as he portrays it in this speech. Due to his high emotional response when speaking of his friend and political partner, he had higher aspirations than just Governor. I believe he does not want his wife speaking to the media. It may also be that he wanted to get "caught" if his marriage was over, this could have been orchestrated to be as sensational as it was, to control the revelation, gain the upper hand, and receive national exposure. It would have been very messy if this was a drawn out divorce, that his career would not be able to handle. His resignation (not of the state) is an attempt to convey punishment.◦

Analysis of South Carolina's Governor, Mark Sanford's Press Conference