How to Recognize Dangerous People, Behaviors and Body Language of Dangerous People

Creepy Habits Untrustworthy People Have In Common

By CAROLYN STEBER

I contributed to this article in Bustle with my body language insights from my forthcoming book on Malignant Narcissism. 

They don’t break eye contact

When it comes to manipulative people — see: sociopaths, narcissists, etc.  may have a habit of staring intensely at others, and making creepy amounts of eye contact.

"They look at their target with [a] focused, intense gaze," body language expert Patti Wood, MA, tells Bustle, usually as a way to test boundaries. "They may do or say something uncomfortable right before or after the hypnotic gaze to test how the target responds."

To figure out if the situation really is unsafe, Wood says you should break eye contact or move away, and see how they react. If they get upset, or you feel a huge amount of relief, your intuition was likely correct.

They Dominate The Conversation

While some people just like to tell stories, manipulators will try to dominate entire conversations. "This 'over talking' involves auditory space invasion and other paralanguage factors that show they are in control," Wood says. "They are often quite charming and good storytellers, so it may be hypnotic to listen to them." But if you don't feel included, or can't get a word in, they are likely someone who doesn't have your best interests at heart.

Since narcissists tend to get really upset when things don't go their way, keep your eye out for shocking mood swings when interacting with others. As Wood says, "They can shift all their nonverbal behaviors in the blink of an eye and transform themselves."

This might include switching from really sweet, to super irritated a second later. Or they might morph into an entirely different "character" in order to get their way, Wood says. It can be so manipulative, you might not even realize it's happening until the person's already sucked you in.

But the moment you do, don't be afraid to reach out for help, or to leave the situation as soon as you can.

For more go to.
https://www.bustle.com/p/11-creepy-habits-untrustworthy-people-have-in-common-16172440?fbclid=IwAR0VxXNrXeblWpKiqcOEnuKt6qst8bq5eZu5AYGjHt0uktJ81rVGPd54bC


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.
     

Michael Cohen's Testimony, How Bad People Justify Their Behavior.

I Am Not A Bad Man....

One of my favorite lines from Michael Cohen's testimony came after he shared all the horrific illegal immoral actions he had taken as Trump's lawyer. He said, "I am not a bad man." in all my years of analyzing congressional testimony, murder trails and just listening to people explaining unethical business practices and their infidelity this is a line I hear. The thing is innocent people NEVER say, "I am not a bad person". People who's facade, who's image is important then, such as malignant narcissists. say this. In fact, I am sure they repeat it over and over. Its clear to me that they can justify their bad behavior in some way so that they can say that to themselves. I have heard men say, "Well I had to do that. (that being let's say, not pay someone they owed or break a contract or their word" I have a family to support" so they justified their unethical act with what I am sure they saw as a higher code of being a good provider. As many times as Cohen mentioned his family, it was clear he was using that trick of moral code. Though the last time I checked he could have supported them on far less than his millions earned through horrific actions against our country.


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 Analysis of Michael Cohen's Testimony Before Congress, by Body Language Expert Patti Wood

I see him using anger, in his raised definitive voice and small slight jerky head movements to defend himself and energize his delivery. Considering context testifying before Congress having known to have lied it seems interesting that he mad and indignant, to the congressional body that he lied to about his federal crimes.  The synchronicity of his statements with his facial expressions and head movements indicate that he is honestly angry and indignant. There are clear indications that’s what Call, "Feel, Show, Say" He is feeling indignant and angry and those emotions arise from the limbic system he shows it nonverbal cues again that comes from the Linux system and then he, and then he says it with his words, That come from the neocortex.

 Whether someone is telling the truth or not is much much more difficult to discern because he is a practiced rehearsed known liar  If someone has justified for decades doing on ethical things and line on a regular basis tells dissipate. 

 If you don’t feel guilty if you feel no remorse if you feel justified in your actions then you’re not going to show anxiety and nervousness when you lie. 

 I can’t say when he says negative things about Trump such as the comments and his opening statements that was his strength and his voice and definitiveness in his head movements and small spontaneous forward movements that indicated he believed what he was saying.  He was honest and authentic and his delivery of those specific statements about Trump. 

Again he’s using the anger to energize himself this is a weary man if you look at his facial muscles you’ll see especially around the forehead around in the eyes their lowered appearance.

  Something that is of interest to me that is more characteristic of Cohen is the slight lack of symmetry between the right and left side of his mouth.  This lack of symmetry comes from talking out of the side of your mouth scientifically that means that you feel one thing you know someone thing to be true but you say something that’s not true.  Again this is a characteristic of COHEN and not something that’s happened just in the testimony. 

Another aspect of his testimony that I found interesting is that when he was apologizing in his opening testimony and it is closing testimony he did not bring down his head he did not close his eyes and shame he did not have a downward body motion another aspect of his testimony that I found interesting is that when he was apologizing in his opening testimony and it is closing testimony he did not bring down his head he did not close his eyes and shame he did not have a downward  demeanor.  Which all which would show shame,  he pushed and energized his delivery,  oddly seemed proud of his admission of guilt. 

You didn’t ask about this but I watch testimony or he's asked about trumps collusion and knowledge of Russia helping Trump win the presidential campaign.  Under that one line of questioning COHEN immediately changed his body language and vocal delivery he paused, in fact, he paused a lot he hemmed and hawed, he looked around his head cane town protectively and instead of being confident and angry he took on the appearance of someone who was not very smart.  All of which appeared nonverbally to be an act,  lacked spontaneity and authenticity nonverbally.   As both a body language expert,  media coach and someone who has prepared people who have testified before Congress.  It was clear to me He was actually very smart well prepared very careful about his wording.   For example, He was correcting those who questioned him very particular about certain words like “collusion.” 

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.
     

How Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk's Oscars Body Language (Before Ga Ga Duet) Looked to an Expert

How Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk's Oscars Body Language Looked to an Expert 

Link here to read https://www.marieclaire.com/celebrity/a26515766/bradley-cooper-irina-shayk-oscars-body-language/?fbclid=IwAR2nqisXl9L-vx6gM8NSQB-cIyS3xInEAY9N4CcqZxLJbVMXm8WNByInMkk

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.
     

When Men Abuse and Get Away With It, Ryan Adams Abuse and Malignant Narcissism .

“There were times when I chose to believe his (Ryan Adams) insane version of the truth because it was easier than believing that anyone is capable of being this much of a monster.”

“By what they did and didn’t do... None of (his Adams friends) held him accountable....they validated his behavior... he couldn’t have done this without them.”

It's important that we read the story in the link. We need to stop this kind of lingering horrific abuse in our culture. No one should get away with being a monster just because they are rich and or famous. 

It’s hard to say how much this story triggers memories of my monster abuser. Some of our friends at the time chose to believe his wild stories, his horrible character assassination. The man who had abused me, betrayed me, was stalking me, attacking my character and who had threatened my life. I was so afraid, so afraid, with valid reasons to be including an FBI profiler’s opinion of him, the warning he gave me about my ex. An expert who said, that he was sorry I was touched by evil, an expert who said I was lucky to be alive.

Our group didn’t care. Some were fooled in the same way I had been and it was easier for them, to pretend nothing happened. Oddly, they called me stupid for being fooled by him as they continued to believe his horrid lies.  They thought, “How could that dorky guy be a monster? And he was rich and treated them to expensive drinks, dinners trips so they did nothing. Some of them did something equally as odd. They said behind his back that my abuser was crazy, they said he was obviously a sociopath as they continued to drink his wine! He continued his lying, cheating and destroying of more people and they continued drinking his wine. They didn't want to miss the parties. 

Their betrayal on top of the abuse changed the way I thought about the world. So I built a better world.

I also wrote a song about Ryan Adams!

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/feb/20/musicians-voice-concern-over-ryan-adams-abuse-allegations and 

AMP.THEGUARDIAN.COM

Musicians voice concern over Ryan Adams’ abuse allegations | Ryan Adams | The Guardian

Adams’ guitarist Todd Wisenbaker is one of a number of musicians to condemn the singer-songwriter, who has said accusations of abuse and…

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.