Thread by @DrGJackBrown

THREAD: Body Language Analysis No. 3949: Donald Trump Shoves Montenegro's PM Dusko Markovic at NATO Meeting • • #BodyLanguage #BodyLanguageAnalysis #NATOSummit #DonaldTrump #Nonverbal #EmotionalIntelligence

1/ In the light of the upcoming NATO meeting (11 - 12 July 2018), it's very much worth revisiting last years' meeting - and one of Donald Trump's infamous displays. What follows is a reposting of an analysis from 25 May 2017.

2/ While at NATO Headquarters, Donald Trump shoved his way through a crowd of other heads-of-state. What follows is a partial nonverbal analysis of this incident.

3/ As Donald Trump grabs the upper arm of Montenegro's Prime Minister, Dusko Markovic. Trump's expression at that instant is that of Disgust.

4/ Then as Trump pulls and then pushes Markovic, the Montenegrin is startled - while American President's face continues expressing disgust.

5/ Not only is this is a dramatic violation of interpersonal (intimate) space, but it's an aggressive physical act, which in most professional contexts would be classified as a form of harassment or even assault.

6/ Dusko Markovic managed to respond to Donald Trump's personal space violation by quickly positioning his hand against Trump's lower back. In this moment he's "counter-pushing" Trump away from him. It's a watered-down/analog behavior of "punching back".

7/ Although it's only a limited, lateral view - we can see Dalia Grybauskaitė's expression (the President of Lithuania) on the far right side of this image. Her mouth is partially open (slack-jawed) and her forehead and eyebrows are elevated.

8/ She's in disbelief. This is an expression of emotional shock and moment of emotional processing.

9/ Note how Trump's jaw is jutted forward in this moment. This action is significant for the adrenaline surge he's experiencing from pushing his way through a crowd of people.

10/ Dalia Grybauskaitė is increasingly shocked.

Dusko Markovic is suppressing his smile - and beginning to laugh.

11/ While Dusko Markovic is continuing to suppress simultaneous laughter - along with disgust, Trump performs a false-adjustment of his suit jacket. It's an example of what is known as an "Alpha-Upregulator".

12/ Very much like a gorilla beating his chest, Trump's affirming to himself and everyone else he is THE alpha (from Trump's POV) - and that he has put them in their collective (beta) places.

13/ Although we don't know what she's saying, we see President Dalia Grybauskaitė gesture with her palm-up. This illustrator is, generally speaking, not alpha, but beta behavior.

14/ However, depending on the other simultaneous nonverbals and verbals signals - it can be an alpha-beta hybrid.

15/ While it may involve an "asking" or a suggestion to "consider" - it's friendly, disarming, and projects a symbolic "please" emotional tone. Thus it's rapport building and engenders diplomacy.

16/ President Trump often displays the double palms up - however, he over-uses it in terms of both frequency and in amplitude ('performed' a hyperbolic nature).

17/ Trump retorts with a palm-down index finger pointing/jabbing. This illustrator is hyper-alpha, hyper-aggressive, and universally offensive in every culture in the World.

18/ Trump then rotates his torso away from President Grybauskaitė (Dissing/Disrespecting behavior) - but then fluxes downward to a beta emotional state as he configures his hands in a fig-leaf (aka genital guarding) position.

19/ A part of his psyche knows he has over-stepped, thus he is (subconsciously and only momentarily) down-regulating his aggressiveness.

20/ SUMMARY: Donald Trump's shoving and pushing his way through a group of other World leaders at the 2017 NATO HQ is a classic example of dramatic "out-of-context" behavior (e.g., This was not a contest, nor was it a platform for physical prowess).

continued ...

21/ Trump displayed quintessential hyper-alpha body language and violations of interpersonal (intimate) space.

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