What Does Alpha mean? Can anyone have Alpha Male Power? 10 Ways to Look and Feel More Alpha Power

What Does Alpha mean? Can anyone have Alpha Male Power? 

10 Ways to Look and Feel More Alpha.

The First letter of the Greek Alphabet Alpha in language is used to define someone’s position in social hierarchy. A specific example is "alpha males" or pack leaders. Pack Leaders say what they want and get what they want and they guide the team. Here what you need to look like and sound like to have Alpha Power. 

We all understand the idea of power in first impressions, because we've all experienced it. You walk up to somebody and shake hands and both of you notice who has the more powerful handshake. Alpha power in a handshake is based on factors such as who initiates first, who clasps hardest, uses the other hand to grip and or whose hand is on top etc. When we first meet someone we notice other power or alpha gaining behaviors such as who makes the  initial eye contact and who is staring intently rather than breaking eye contact first. From the first impression, we’re deciding who is going to have more power, who will be Alpha.

You may be thinking this jousting for power is only possible for men or only maintained by the  “Alpha male.” But you don’t have to be male or strong to be powerful.  The power first impression will tell you who is going to run things or whether you’re going to work as equals. But being “Alpha” is only part of power. When you are powerful and confident, anyone can change their nonverbal communication to feel and look more in command. If you do things like hold yourself up and out,  take up more space, and hold your  body windows open you can begin to feel Alpha.

I would be remiss if I did not admit that some things that generate a power impression are permanently set. Tall people are automatically given more power. Height and bulk get people more power and research shows that people with lower, deeper voices also are more apt to have power. If you don’t have these physical attributes, you have to work on it.

I’m a short (5’2”), blond woman. Early in life and career, I wasn’t seen as a credible information source even though I was an expert. I was the short blond girl. I wasn’t given attention, so I learned very early to do certain things. I made my body “bigger” by making my gestures large and sweeping outward,  and making my voice lower and louder and many other subtle cues. I learned very quickly that this helped people recognize that I was “alpha” in the situation. So they booked me as a speaker and consultant.

In the same way, I teach people who are already really tall or big how to soften their appearance. Sometimes the power can be so overwhelming that people back down, back away or don’t even interact. So we also have ways to soften the edge of intimidating power.

Alpha Power is Determined by:

1.       Who initiates contact or touches the other person first.

2.      Who gives a dominant greeting - Alpha power in a handshake is based on factors such as who initiates first, who clasps hardest, who uses the other hand to grip (The higher on the other persons arm the non- shaking hand goes the more power the Alpha power seeker gets. So if you take the extra hand and grip the shoulder of the other person you will gain power. You may look like a jerk, but you will gain power.) and or whose hand is on top and other factors.

3.      Who gives prolonged unblinking eye contact. Not creepy leering. Strong confident eye contact.

4.      Who speaks first. That is in normal interactions. In interactions like a sales person calling on a top level manager, the sales calls some powerful person MAKES the lower status person speak first or may show his or her power by waiting to speak.

5.      Who speaks the loudest – There are exceptions to this rule. Think Marlon Brando in the Godfather or Apocalypse.

6.      Who speaks the most. Again pausing after someone makes a request of you can give you some power, and good listeners can be incredibly powerful but in most interactions the higher status is assigned to the person who talks the most.

7.      Who interrupts the most – I hate that that is true, but that’s what the research says.

8.     Who invades the other person’s space and takes up the most space. invading and taking up the most space.

9.      Who takes the prominent seat –Look at my blog on the power seat or get my book SNAP Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma to get more information on the power seat.

10.  Who is comfortable breaking rules -Break the rules and  establish your own rules. Breaking rules like turn taking, or nonverbal rules like who talks first.

If you have read the Ten Ways to Be Alpha  you may also realize that if your not very careful they could become the ten ways to look like a jerk. 

Imagine a stranger going over the top with these behaviors. He gets up you your face and sticks out his hand, grips your hand savagely and doesn't let go, yells,"Hi ya," does not let go stares and talks loudly without letting your speak, takes your seat and doesn't let you are anyone one else have a turn speaking at the meeting.

 Now imagine you use the alpha cues instead to initiate a warm greeting, listen, but speak up as well as you have some small talk.
Choose a good seat. Take up space at your seat.  Make your ideas an opinions known and comment on others ideas enthusiastically. Linger at the end and visit some more and shake everyone's hand and or let them know what was great about them and or the meeting. 

Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

Trump Wins Handshake With Putin, I was misquoted Entirely.

Link to video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwQIEbrEk9Y

Here is the article. I actually said something quite different! I said, he lost power by putting out his hand first. I said they started with an equal handshake with palm to palm both thumbs up position. That Trump used his left arm to touch under Putin's arm in a show of support and it was only when Trump tapped Putin's arms three times that Putin responded by giving him a symbolic shooting motion. Wild how different the story turned out. 
Here is the link to the story in the Daily Mail. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4675644/Trump-wins-handshake-Putin.html
Here is the cut and pasted version of the story. 
President Donald Trump came out on top in his first handshake with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their much anticipated meeting on Friday ahead of the G20 summit.

The pair exchanged pleasantries and what appeared to be a friendly handshake that was captured on video shot during the leaders' 'retreat' in Hamburg.

But to the expert's eye there was a power struggle going on between them, body language expert Patti Wood told DailyMail.com.

The American president makes the first move to assert his power forcing the Russian president to 'shoot back' with his finger. 

In the video, which was first posted to Facebook, Trump initiated full palm-to-palm contact with both thumbs up to 'communicate equity' and show that 'they are equal in power and status', according to Wood. 

Putin stands straight up without stepping forward as he allows Trump to come to him. Wood said Putin maintains power that way.

Both leaders smile and the 'smiles linger showing friendliness', Wood said. But the most interesting part about the handshake was Trump's use of his left hand.

'It can mean a lot of different things,' Wood said, adding that it could even mean: 'I’m in control of you.'

Trump’s left hand is seen underneath Putin's arm, which shows he is being 'supportive' while maintaining 'a bit of control'.

President Donald Trump maintained his control during his first handshake with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their much anticipated meeting on Friday ahead of the G20 summit. Body language expert Patti Wood said Trump initiated full palm-to-palm contact with both thumbs up to 'communicate equity' and show that 'they are equal in power and status'

Both leaders smile and the 'smiles linger showing friendliness', Wood said. According to Wood, the most interesting part about the handshake was Trump's use of his left hand. 'It can mean a lot of different things,' Wood said, adding that it could even mean: 'I’m in control of you'

Trump’s left hand is seen underneath Putin's arm, which shows he is being 'more supportive' while maintaining 'a bit of control' as he gently pats Putin's arm

In what appears to be a response to Trump using his left hand, Putin ‘playfully’ and ‘symbolically’ shoots Trump with his finger as if he knows what the US president is doing

On Friday, as the leaders kicked off their meeting, Trump said 'It's an honor to be with you', while Putin told the US leader: 'I'm delighted to meet you.'

During their sit-down meeting, Trump greeted Putin in a very 'unusual' way, much different from his other meetings with world leaders in which it seemed more as a 'formality', Wood told DailyMail.com, adding that Trump appeared happy to meet Putin.

During the sit down handshake, Trump took his upper body and leaned into Putin to shake hands. Wood says this is unusual as Trump typically ‘stays pretty close to an upright position’, allowing others to lean into him.

Trump also offered his palm upward, which is also not something the president does on the regular, according to Wood, who said Trump usually lets the other individual initiate a handshake.

‘His hands are centered more towards Putin. Trump usually holds his hands toward himself to show that he has the power and it’s all about him,’ Wood added.

But that wasn’t the case on Friday.

Trump’s body language with Putin showed just the opposite: It’s not all about Trump. According to Wood, the entire handshake was about the power differential. 

The upward palm shake showed that Trump is 'willing to be supportive', when oftentimes Trump 'likes to be in charge' as the alpha male. 

Putin on the other hand 'doesn't move very much' aside from when he slightly leaned forward as they were sitting down.   

Trump greeted Putin in a very 'unusual' way during their sit down handshake, Wood said. Trump offered his palm upward (pictured), which is not something the US president does, according to Wood, who added that Trump lets the other individual initiate a handshake

The upward palm shake (pictured) showed that Trump is 'willing to be supportive', when oftentimes Trump 'likes to be in charge' as the alpha male. Putin on the other hand 'takes his left arm and rests it on the chair with his elbow out,' Wood said. Putin's 'left arm is a shield over his heart', which shows that he is still guarded rather than fully open with Trump, Wood added

During their seated meeting, Trump continues with his manspread in his usual alpha male position with his hands in a steeple pointed downward. This position is distinctive to Trump as a guard position that also shows his power

'He takes his left arm and rests it on the chair with his elbow out,' Wood said, adding that it shows his 'left arm is a shield over his heart'.

Wood, who is the author of SNAP: Making the Most of First Impressions Body Languages and Charisma, said this means, despite the pleasantries, the Russian president is still 'guarded rather than fully open' with Trump.

Putin's stillness also shows that he 'wants to maintain the power' as Trump takes a more 'passive position'.

Overall, Putin seemed 'at ease aside from the guarded elbow' Wood said. 

During their seated meeting, Trump continues with his manspread in his usual alpha male position with his hands in a steeple pointed downward. This position is distinctive to Trump as a guard position that also shows his power. 

Putin also did the manspread, showing Trump that he's an alpha as well, but Putin rested his arms on the chair arms, which made him look slightly larger tha Trump, Wood said.  

According to Wood, this showed 'a little more power'.

But most of all Wood noted the slight smile on Trump's face and his eye contact with Putin.

'That showed more than anything that he was happy and in the moment,' Wood said. 'A lot of times when he shakes hands it’s a formality.

“And he doesn’t always make full eye contact and when he does, he doesn’t usually smile.”

But according to Wood, Putin's manspread showed Trump that he's an alpha as well. Putin rested his arms on the chair, which made him look slightly larger than Trump, Wood said and this showed 'a little more power'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4675644/Trump-wins-handshake-Putin.html#ixzz4mH4jqebo 

Patti Wood, MA - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com.
     

Should You Power Pose To Get A Date?

Should you Power Pose to get a date? New research on power poses in photos for dating sites says power poses in your online dating photo can make you attractive.  Here is the link to the article.

http://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/03/is-manspreading-sexy/475728/

I have been doing back to back media interviews on power poses and dating, Here are my body language expert insights:

There are “poses” that make you powerful and “poses” that make you look attractive to the opposite sex. In general, the “POWER” poses that Amy Cuddy talks about are actually male power poses that make men feel larger and more powerful, full of testosterone and looking like the ideal Alpha mate to with the genetic make up to make great babies.

Generally, men who take up more space, in such poses as hands on hips and chest puffed out looked powerful, but that may work for them in the attraction and flirting phase of courtship. It may however be over the top cocky for a man to go full on power posing with standing or sitting with his legs spread far out and his elbows out and hands on his hips on a first date!

Women, of course, want to be powerful, but women who take on power poses and take up more space in the flirting stage are harder for an everyday guy to approach.

What does work for men and women is to have upper body OPEN WINDOW body language. You Keep your WINDOWS  by opening and or showing your  eyes, neck, heart, and palms of the hands, toes. What also works for posing is what I call ‘up’ body language.  It’s beautifully symbolic – you go up when you’re feeling up. Your gestures move up, your head comes up, your shoulders come up and back, your step is upwards. Your body language goes downward when you're sad, depressed or lack confidence so when you are flirting and dating focus on bringing your body language up.   

Here are a few more tips on approachable signals for women who wish to lure a man:  

Don't take up too much space - Taking up a lot of space communicates that you are powerful and superior. Okay, we want to show that we are strong women, but remember we are trying to get a man to come over and talk to us. You have to show you have room for someone else in your life.

Stand slightly pigeon-toed - Men usually stand with the toes 6 to 10 inches apart. Toes pointed inward or outward actually show your status in the hierarchy.  Toes outward say “I'm mighty.”  Toes pointed inward say “I'm approachable.” Standing with your feet far apart with the toes out makes you look strong and actually signals that you could attack. Obviously, you don’t want to look like you’re about to attack. Women usually stand with their feet 4 to 6 inches apart. To be very approachable stand with your feet no further apart than six inches and point your toes slightly inward. But don’t put them in so far that you look like a dork.

Shrug - When turtles sense danger, they tuck their heads all the way in to retreat. We pull our shoulders up towards our ears to protect our heads when we are startled. We shrug to show, "Hey it’s not my fault," to say, "I don't know," or to say, "Whatever you want." The shrug tells others that you are submissive. I have seen some women who are masters of the shoulder shrug. They make it look like a sensual feline move. Right now slowly roll your shoulders up and throw in a subtle head toss. 

Head tilt - The head tilt is not a uniquely feminine move, but it’s certainly done more by women perhaps because it is a signal that the head tilter is listening intently. A head tilt symbolically shows the baring of the neck to a superior. It mimics a head movement done by wolves to the leader of the pack that says “I’m exposing my most vulnerable spot to you to show you I know you can rip me to pieces. So let’s not fight about it.” Men tend to talk in what is called "boasting” fashion in the gender difference research when they are flirting. They will talk a lot about what they have done and what they can do. In those initial conversations (or monologues) tilt your head to show you are listening. And by the way, boasting behavior is not an indication of whether a man will listen to you.  So don’t think, hey, if he doesn't listen now, forget about him. If he’s not listening now, it’s only an indication that he wants your approval. 

Unfold your arms - This opens up your body windows.  When I am introduced as an expert on body language, people almost always respond by folding their arms in front of their bodies. Body language is symbolic. It often physically represents what we are feeling internally, but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy to read. Although there are over 60 different interpretations of arm crossing, arms usually form a protective wall around us. It’s pretty obvious that to get a man to approach you, you have to let down the wall. You don't have to stand with your arms stiffly at your sides the minute you walk into a party. Some people feel more comfortable with a relaxed arm cross when they first get in any group setting. Even if you do keep your arms crossed at first, eventually you need to open up. You can have a beverage in your hand, and holding it will give you some security if you need that to uncross or if you’re sitting at a coffeehouse, you can put your hands out in front of you on the table as you read a paper.

Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

Super Tuesday, Which Presidential Candidate Will Win Based on Body Language? How Charisma Wins Your Vote

Super Tuesday, Which Presidential Candidate Will Win Based on Body Language. How Charisma Wins Your Vote

By Patti Wood

Here are my rough notes. 

As a body language expert, speaker and media coach. I know who will win the popular vote for president. Here’s how you can figure out who will win.

The popular vote for president tends to go to the most charismatic candidate. The four first impressions factors are Credibility, Likability, Attractiveness and Power. We find someone charismatic when they are high on the last three factors, likability, attractiveness and power. In fact, when someone is highly charismatic, it overrides our brains ability to detect whether or not they are credible. We can’t tell if they are honest or not. So charismatic people have super powers they can use for good or evil.  In a research study on the effects of charisma on politics the researchers found that people with charisma are able to gracefully persuade us to buy from them, vote for them and (as charismatic leaders like Kennedy and Clinton have shown) mate with them.

We should vote for a president with credibility as there is more to leadership than charisma, but again and again it is the most charismatic candidate is who we vote for. In the study, Harvard undergraduates who were shown ten-second silent video clips of unfamiliar candidates from 58 past gubernatorial elections they consistently chose the candidate who won. They didn't hear a word the candidates said, but they almost without exception picked the winner. Their choices were made purely on the basis of body language. In fact, when they could hear what the candidates said, the students were no better than chance at predicting who had won. Body Language trumps what a candidate says.

So lets break Charisma down again, into its sub parts; power, likability and attractiveness. Power is communicated by several factors most related to alpha characteristics. Two of those are size and bulk. Research shows that the tallest and heaviest presidential candidate out of the last two candidates is more likely to win the popular vote and is more likely to be re-elected. Power is also communicated by gestures. Research shows that Charismatic leaders use gestures, in fact, four times as many as others do when they talk. Charismatic speakers from Bill Clinton and Martin Luther King from Cesar Chavez to Donald Trump are charismatic people we see as punctuating almost every sentence with a strong gesture. You don’t have to be tall if you move and speak in an alpha manner. For example, Hitler worked on all of his nonverbal communication to present the proper image at the proper time. He wasn’t born with the number one alpha characteristic height but he could use strong alpha poses and gestures and an angry loud voice. Which leads us to the next power nonverbal set of behaviors anger.

Anger - Research shows that angry people are seen as more powerful, in work settings angry employees are more likely to get promoted and get more money.  Oddly, we follow leaders that are angry.  Glaring is a common characteristic of angry people as are forward leans, gestures, scowls, chopping and pointing motions. Anger increases the heart rate and blood pressure of the angry person speaking and the listener. The most common angry expression is eyebrows pulled down and together, inner corners down toward the nose, open. In suppressed anger, pressed lips or anger open mouth pulled in narrowing of lips. What makes an angry candidate look powerful? Well, Research on emotions shows that anger is a highly contagious emotion we catch and the anger especially if we feel weak and powerless empowers us.
Anger also rouses people to action and Hitler wanted to make his audiences angry enough to change the status quo.
Human silhouette. Researches in neuroscience have found that there is “brain” in the eye whose sole job is to read human silhouette. If we see a human silhouette that takes up lots of space and has angular sharp edges it sends a message quickly to our primitive limbic brain that there could be danger and that the person with that silhouette is powerful. So, guess what, we pay attention to them, we watch their every move, they captivate us and we may anoint that person with power.  Here is an example: Hitler did what many leaders have done worked on iconic image, his silhouette. He understood that he had to create a nonverbal image to imprint on the brains of his audiences. When you think of your image of Hitler you typically imagine Hitler’s sharp angular large gesturing angry silhouette. The viewer thinks this man is powerful and dangerous.

The next charismatic factor is likability. So who smiles the most? Who makes the most focused eye contact when being interviewed? Who looks into the camera? Who do we think of as being out in the crowd connecting smiling and shaking hands? Who has the most positive uplifting body language and messaging?

The last is attractiveness. Who has the most facial and body symmetry. Who is the hotly?Who looks the most fit and energetic?
  
Take the three Charismatic factors, Power, Likability and Attractiveness and look for them in all the candidates. Who has them all and shows them the most will win the popular vote. 


Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

Body language experts see reserve, deference, power plays in Trump-Putin meeting

Link to article:  https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/2017/07/07/body-language-experts-see-reserve-deference-power-plays-trump-putin-meeting/F4gQENMoghwUDICyidyWfL/story.html

For body-language experts, Friday was sort of like Christmas.

After months of buildup, after investigations into Russian election meddling, after considerable analysis, two of the world’s most powerful men — President Trump and President Vladimir Putin of Russia — finally met face to face at the G-20 summit.

Almost immediately, those who study such things say, the two began a nonverbal power negotiation.

Opinions on the interaction varied among body-language experts, but on one thing they agreed: For Trump, a man who has been routinely lampooned for the aggressive manner in which he shakes hands, Friday’s performance was quite out of the ordinary.

“Completely different,” says Tonya Reiman, author of the book “The Power of Body Language.” “Every single handshake I’ve watched — and I’ve watched them all — he’s the one who wants to be the dominant force; [he] literally makes you lose your footing.”

On Friday, America’s 45th president didn’t appear particularly aggressive at all. He seemed to keep a greater-than-normal distance when he shook hands with Putin. The violent pulling of his handshake-partner’s hand for which he’s become known was nowhere to be found. At one point during the handshake, he reached out and held the Russian president’s right arm.

In other words, it was all highly un-Trumpian.

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“Most of the time, he’s got this warm welcome, he smiles, he comes right up to [people], he’s in their space,” says Lillian Glass, a Los Angeles-based communication and body-language expert. This time, she says, “You see Trump is very guarded. He doesn’t put all smiles out, and he doesn’t lean in to Putin — he leans away.”

To Glass, the reason is simple. “From what was swirling around, he doesn’t want to give Americans the wrong impression, and he doesn’t want to give the world the wrong impression,” she said. “He doesn’t want to appear chummy.”

According to Patti Wood, author of “Snap: Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language, and Charisma,” Trump appeared to show deference during the initial shake.

“I want you to notice Putin is standing up straight [in] his body position, and Trump is the one that walks toward him,” Wood said. “Trump is the one who initiates the handshake, and Trump is leaning his whole body — not quite in bow, but leaning forward as a bid to bow.”

For those who analyze such things, meanwhile, a few other key moments offered insights into the curious dynamic between the two men.

There was the initial height difference, for one thing — immediately apparent and probably surprising to some who envision both men as larger-than-life figures.

“There’s such a height disparity,” Glass said. “We think of Putin, because we never see him next to anybody, as being 7 feet tall. Big and tall and powerful. And then we see him next to Trump, and he’s a little guy.”

Then there was the point at which Trump reached over with his left hand to lightly pat Putin’s right arm during the handshake.

“The patting, notice it’s underneath and supportive, and symbolically says ‘I support you,’ ” Wood said, though she later allowed that the “left hand being used in a handshake is typically [meant to signal] power and control over the other person.”

Finally, there was Putin’s last-minute gesture, when he used his free hand to point an extended finger at Trump.

“The timing is interesting — that is, when Putin goes forward, and he points at the same time,” Wood says. “That is Putin’s bid to power because his hand is a symbolic weapon, so he’s doing a little shoot, a little bang.”

“It’s an authoritative move,” Reiman agreed. “You point at someone to demonstrate your authority, the power.”

The nonverbal jousting figures to continue, in some form, through the end of the conference Saturday. On Friday afternoon, a closed-door meeting between the two leaders stretched to more than two hours — four times its originally scheduled length.

Given the nature of the two men involved, and the contentious issues on their agendas, it’s no great leap to assume that both will be attempting to assert their dominance — in ways both verbal and nonverbal — throughout their time together.

But so far, Reiman says, Trump’s nonverbal efforts have failed to establish him as the alpha of the pair.

“We might notice that he’ll try over the next couple hours,” she said Friday afternoon. “But at this point, he’s not been able to win that battle.”

Dugan Arnett can be reached at dugan.arnett@globe.com.

Patti Wood, MA - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com.
     

Why White Supremacist Men May Believe That They are Attractive to Women.

Today a magazine asked me this question, "Why do white supremacist men believe they are attractive and can sleep with whoever they want?" which was prompted by this bizarre Twitter storm:

https://twitter.com/DanaSchwartzzz/status/896545206245445632

By Patti Wood, Professional Speaker, researcher and author of “SNAP Making the Most of First Impressions Body Language and Charisma.”

I am feeling disgust and outrage toward the white supremacist Coincidentally, I have been asked by the media to respond to a twitter feed that is going wild right now in which a white supremacists states that women are attracted to them and want to sleep with them. Here are the eight reasons I think they may be saying this.

8 Reasons that white supremacist men (accurately one crazy guy on twitter) may feel that women find them attractive and or that they can have any women they want and or claim that women like dangerous men so they (one crazy guy on twitter) can have any women they like?

1.      They may misinterpret attention as attraction -These white supremacist angry men may experience that they get noticed when they express their anger, and ironically conclude, that the attention means they are attractive, when in fact they are noticed and people continue to pay attention to them because we notice and pay attention to what is dangerous. Here is the research on that. Angry Men Get Noticed. (Do Angry Men Get Noticed? Science Daily (June 7, 2006) — by comparing how quickly human facial expressions of different types are detected in a crowd of neutral faces, researchers have demonstrated that male angry faces are a priority for visual processing.) They may spin that as they did in the twitter feed.

2.      Their groups may encourage and allow them to show power cues that increase their sense of power and entitlement. The four first impression factors according to research are credibility, likeability, attractiveness and power. Power is communicated by several factors most related to alpha characteristics. Two of those are size and bulk. Others are taking over space, large gestures, gesturing with objects, carrying weapons such as marching or attacking and loudness like yelling and shouting.

3.      They may believe all women like dangerous men. Popular culture may foster that “Bad” boys may seem to show characteristics of good mates like high testosterone. For example, nonverbal research indicates that smiling is an indication of low testosterone and lack of smiling is an indication of high testosterone. I talk about anger and power in the points that follow, but there is also popular culture’s take on bad boy attraction. https://www.maxim.com/maxim-man/why-women-love-bad-boys-2015-11

4.      They may have seen women have an intense physiological response to their danger signals. But do women really LIKE dangerous men? I believe women are afraid of dangerous men. Some women misidentify their body’s response to danger as attraction. I have coined the term for what happens as danger at first sight.  They see a dangerous man and their limbic responds in a Freeze, Flight, Fight, Fall or Faint response. Women may misread their physiological responses to danger such as increased heart rate, pulse, flushing, panting, increases in adrenaline and cortisol and say, “Oh!, when it may really be the central nervous systems way of saying, “Run, for the hills, (or faint, freeze or fight.)

5.      They may have felt empowered by their anger and see its effects.  Anger can make others perceive you as powerful. Research shows that angry people are more likely to get promoted, perceived as more competent, and showing leadership and capability. (see my article for more details  http://www.pattiwood.net/article.asp?PageID=7831)

People in general are getting angrier (http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a40693/american-rage-nbc-survey/)

 I believe that is because it temporality makes you feel powerful when underneath you feel powerless. For example we know that many domestic violence cases arise when spouses who have lost or do not have a job have a feeling of powerlessness that can create a need to dominate whoever they feel is weaker. So angry men, especially when riled up in a frenzy of a fight/march may feel they can dominate and have what they want. Anger increases the heart rate and blood pressure of the angry person speaking and the listener. That can make those that are feeling anger stronger, Anger is considered the most highly contagious emotion and it spreads. Research also says it is a persuasive emotion.

6.      They may suffer from Insular Group Comparison – By that very notion WS groups are isolated from the larger society and that isolation can make those within it compare themselves only to the small group of men within rather than ALL men. By bases of comparison, they then can find themselves more attractive. See bottom of page for more on group think.

7.      They may suffer from Group think- Irving Janis defined it, “occurs when a group makes faulty decisions, and has illusion of invulnerability and excessive optimism.” The “draw” to white supremacist groups is that you have more to gain (from joining) the possibility of money fame, power. (https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2002/author-kathleen-blee-discusses-role-women-white-supremacist-groups)

So if you are isolated in this group of men who tell you, “Dude, we have got the power,” “We can have any women we want then your group think can make you think it is true and dissenting from that viewpoint may cost you membership in the group and not just execution but dangerous repercussions if you leave.

8.      They may see women in their groups that kowtow and globalize their behavior to all women. There are also women in these groups and from the small amount of research out there, the women in the groups have to kowtow and obey the men in the group. So the men isolated in the group, may come to believe ALL women see them as powerful and that they will bow down.

http://www.psysr.org/about/pubs_resources/groupthink%20overview.htm

Janis Irving has documented eight symptoms of groupthink:

1. Illusion of invulnerability –Creates excessive optimism that encourages taking extreme risks.
2. Collective rationalization – Members discount warnings and do not reconsider their assumptions.
3. Belief in inherent morality – Members believe in the rightness of their cause and therefore ignore the ethical or moral consequences of their decisions.
4. Stereotyped views of out-groups – Negative views of “enemy” make effective responses to conflict seem unnecessary.
5. Direct pressure on dissenters – Members are under pressure not to express arguments against any of the group’s views.
6. Self-censorship – Doubts and deviations from the perceived group consensus are not expressed.
7. Illusion of unanimity – The majority view and judgments are assumed to be unanimous.
8. Self-appointed ‘mindguards’ – Members protect the group and the leader from information that is problematic or contradictory to the group’s cohesiveness, view, and/or decision

Patti Wood, MA - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com.
     

Body Language of the Final Democratic Candidate for Presidents Debate, Warren, Saunders, Biden..

As a body-language expert, I know that we choose our candidates based on their non-verbal behavior. In a study using Harvard undergraduates who viewed soundless, ten-second video clips of unfamiliar candidates, they were able to pick the winning candidate at a rate significantly better than chance. When the sound was turned on and students could hear what the candidates were saying, they were no better than chance at predicting the winner. Certainly, words matter, a Politician’s viewpoint and plans of action matter, but research suggests that the nonverbal behavior has 4.3 times the impact in a message.

In my book SNAP Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma, I share that the four factors that affect our impression are credibility, likeability, attractiveness and power. How did the candidates do?

Let’s start with power. The research on how we vote for our political leaders shows we choose the leaders who present the most powerful alpha characteristics Tall people are automatically given more power. Height and bulk get people more power and research show that people with lower, deeper voices also are more apt to have power. Use of Space who gestures the most and most interestingly anger.  Bernie Sanders won on the alpha characteristic of anger with Warren coming in second followed by AK.  Research studies suggest that we perceive people who get angry as having more competence and leadership capability than people who are warm and nice. in work settings, angry employees are more likely to get promoted and get more money. We follow leaders that are angry.   Sanders showed the most anger, he glared, leaned forward, scowled, and did, chopping and pointing motions. Anger increases the heart rate and blood pressure of the angry person speaking and the listener. An along with Warren showed the most common angry expression is eyebrows pulled down and together, inner corners down toward the nose. He and Warren had a great deal of energy, volume and forcefulness, using dramatic gestures, often weapon like, ala Trump.

And Saunders, Warrens and AK gestures also meet the “honesty baton” test, meaning the gestures just like a conductor of a symphony come just before or just as he says their message. In deception detection this is a sign on honesty and authenticity, He had then most expansive gestures and more frequent gestures of any candidate. Saunders also showed the most alpha space invasion, gesturing out and toward other candidates as he talked with or about them.

Elizabeth Warren came out strong at the beginning of the debate and did not let up throughout. Vocally, she comes down firmly at the end of the sentence while at the same time, her head movement is forward, indicating assertiveness and confidence, and her gestures were in sync with what she was saying.  

Warren had a a magical moment in the debate where true authentic caring was displayed as she discussed child care. She stared with  she talked about the babies and the moms ((Elizabeth help me on the lines in that moment  reference to moms and the babies,)) we see first a different t level of energy from her and then her voice broke and we saw on her face then sadness and her voice broke in profoundly true moment we felt her pain and strong powerful maternal energy.  That crack in her strong delivery is a rare moment when we see the power that a woman candidate and can have and show. We are so caught up in gender differences and oddly this something a male candidate would have had a hard time trying to copy! The authenticity in that moment made her powerful and credibly  

On the same hand, Tom Steyer, didn’t look as confident as he should have. For much of the debate, he didn’t seem to know where to look, finally settling in many cases to looking straight at the camera. My thought watching him was “he’s all alone and doesn’t interact with the others.” Very un-Alpha.

Attractiveness

Attractiveness is a genetic measurement we use to see if somebody is healthy. It has to do with symmetry. Research shows that a person with a symmetrical body and facial symmetry is highly attractive. A lack of symmetry is uncomfortable to watch, it can alert the central nervous system that there is something amiss.

In Pete Buttigieg’s case, his youth, and attractiveness were working for him throughout the debate. He was the only one who was smiling on a regular basis, which also brings him likeability. He uses wide-eyed facial expressions and high energy. The audience saw him as open and accessible. There’s a “calm” in him that we didn’t see in any other candidate on the stage. He uses a smoothness of delivery and movement, a melodic voice that’s pleasing to the ear. The strength of his delivery is different from other candidates, which comes in handy because his plans aren’t as specific as the others.

We look for Likeability in a candidate’s someone who smiles easily, laughs easily, and shows a full authentic emotion as well as a broad range of emotions. We loved it when Saunders was the first to crack a joke and break the tension. And when Warren made a joke a held for the laugh and smiled. PB won the night on likeably he smiled the most of all the candidates and had a calm confident manner and warm, sing-songy cadence strikingly similar to Obama then makes us feel calm and safe. He also won on Attractiveness. Research shows that we feel a person with symmetrical body and facial features is attractive. We view them as healthy balanced and honest.

A lack of symmetry is not only unattractive it can denote a lack of symmetry of thought and feeling that effects credibly. When Klobuchar mouth twists smirk, one shoulder is higher than the other the lack of balance an alert our central nervous system that there is something amiss. Interesting when someone feels one thing in their primitive limbic system, they may show it with one side of their face and body before the logical thinking neocortex and contain it so when we say, “He talks out of the side of his mouth.” we are saying something is not right.

Credibility

Credibility comes down to evolution. We are hard-wired to pick up on credibility. The first impression in the basic survival instinct asks, “Can I trust this person? Can I feel safe in their presence? Your central nervous system alerts you to danger.

Joe Biden uses his deep knowledge to engender credibility in the eyes of voters, but his body language can betray him in that area. He had very low energy out of the gate. He seems to be squinting very often, which can be interpreted as being fearful. He was exerting a lot of effort to look in sync. His resting face tended to be sad, which is an issue when in a debate because there is a lot of resting time.

There was an incident about half-way through the debate where Biden had to self-correct. He had said “poking in our eye” when he meant to say “poking my finger in the eye.” When he self-corrected, his head went down and his eyes closed tightly (self-admonishment, internally going “oh no!”). There was a stutter and a very visible need to come back to center himself again. This is something I’ve seen Trump do, except when he does it, he stops, pauses, and changes the subject. Biden keeps going. It makes him look not sure of himself. There seems to be some pain around it.

Patti Wood, MA - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com.