On June 13th, 2013, I hosted a webinar discussing how behavioral analysis can help ensure the safety of schools.
- If you would like to read the speaking notes that accompany the slides, you can read them below:
On June 13th, 2013, I hosted a webinar discussing how behavioral analysis can help ensure the safety of schools.
In the military, every operation gets looked at from two perspectives. The first is from the friendly perspective (as a Marine or Soldier looking at the enemy.) The second is from the enemy’s perspective (what he would be thinking looking at us.) This is done to ensure a comprehensive approach to mission planning and, while we can’t mitigate every risk, it allows us to begin thinking about how we can predict and influence the actions the enemy may take in the future.
One of the hurdles people often face during the job search is that it can be difficult to put yourself into the shoes of a corporate hiring manager. It can be difficult to turn the map around because people haven’t worked in human resources or truly understand how these managers look at job applicants. Continue reading »
We have gone through the 6 different clusters that we use to define a person’s body language and expanded the possible behaviors that you can use classify the people you are observing. The more you practice identifying these clusters will allow you to quickly establish baselines for individuals as well as notice the subtle changes in that can alert you to shifts in their moods and intentions.
To see the updated information, follow the links:
Dominant vs. Submissive Cluster
Uncomfortable vs. Comfortable Cluster
Interested vs. Uninterested Cluster
Some gestures bridge the gap across clusters and can fit into multiple clusters. Continually look for three indicators that lead you to the same conclusion and determine if that gesture fits the baseline. Finding creative ways to train yourself to identify these will allow you build the file folders you need to become an effective profiler.
After having a conversation with another Combat Hunter instructor about the how confident students should be making decisions immediately following our course, I wanted to find some more information about people’s confidence in reading nonverbal cues. We want our students to be confident after the course, because without confidence in the accuracy of their observations, they may not take action to prevent a crime or an attack from occurring. But, at the same time, we know that confidence is certainly not an indicator of capability when it comes to any skill, and we have all seen those people who are so overconfident in their assessments that no one takes them seriously.
So we want to instill a level of humble confidence in your students, humble enough to keep learning and being realistic about your capabilities, but confident enough to take action when you see something. You should also have confidence communicating why you did what you did. Think about a police officer who has to take the stand to discuss specifically what they observed before they arrested the person, or a Marine whose actions have been called into question as to why they chose to shoot a suspected insurgent. Your ability to confidently recall what you observed and why that information is valid as an indicator of threats can greatly influence the credibility of your actions. Continue reading »
Of the “Must Read” books listed on the recommended reading list, Nonverbal Communication in Human Interaction, 7th Edition, by Mark Knapp and Judith Hall is at the bottom for a reason, but not because it is a bad read or without great information. It is there for the exact opposite reason; it is absolutely full of incredibly well researched content that directly applies to Combat Profiling.
It is at the bottom of the list because when you read it, we want you to have already read What Every Body Is Saying, we want you to have read Lie Spotting, we want you to be comfortable with the content here on the site and we want you to have already gone out in town and observed all 6 domains of Combat Profiling in unscripted scenarios before you read it.
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The foundation of any behavioral analysis program begins with a deep understanding of what a person is conveying through their nonverbal communication. Tying the domains Kinesics and Biometrics together allow us to quickly make decisions about a person’s intentions, capabilities and emotions.
The six clusters that we use to classify an individual’s behavior (Dominant, Submissiveness, Uncomfortable, Comfortable, Interested, Uninterested) are the science behind our observations. With all of these clusters, don’t forget about the Combat Rule of 3’s – that we are going to look for three indicators that all lead to the same cluster before we make a decision. If you have the science part of the observation down, you are ready to apply the art of the observation and decide if that cluster you have identified fits the baseline or is an anomaly.
The following are gestures on the body that I would put into the “Uncomfortable” Cluster. Continue reading »
When it comes to observing body language and biometric cues, we want to stress the absolute imperative that we have as observers to put behavioral indicators together into clusters. Because gestures have different meaning in different contexts, we have to be cautious in the conclusions that we come to. One body language indicator alone does not tell us anything, but if you can identify a cluster of 3 kinesic or biometric cues all leading you to that same conclusion, you can increase the likelihood of your success. In his book What Every Body Is Saying, Joe Navarro talks about “the more pieces of the puzzle you posses, the better your chances of putting them all together and seeing the picture they portray” (pg 13).
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If you ask most veteran Law Enforcement Officers how long it takes to become a strong counter-narcotics or gang officer, you will find answers usually falling within a five to twelve-year range, and usually more specifically around ten years. That is a significant amount of time required to train and develop to become and effective operator. The same concept applies to the military as well. Our Staff Non-Commissioned Officers (SNCOs) who have a wealth of experience that they have earned over the last decade of non-stop deployments are easily comparable to those veteran cops.
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If your occupation involves the possibility that you could get killed or that you may have to save the life of someone else, you don’t have a job. You have a profession. Being a professional is a term that gets thrown around quite often, and it is usually reserved for that person who does not accept mediocrity, but instead puts in the extra time and effort to be the best. Even in fields where everyone should display those characteristics, like the military or law enforcement, not everyone is a true professional. There will always be those that are content with maintaining the status quo, that don’t have the drive to better themselves, which may be due to them enjoying the respect earned by having the title of Marine or Soldier or Police Officer. They aren’t willing to go the extra mile to separate themselves from their peers. This blog and site is not for them. This blog is designed for the true professionals.
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There are 6 domains used in Tactical Analysis that provide us with 6 different ways to look at the world. When you put these domains together, they allow you to predict what human beings are going to do.
For all of the following domains, a profiler has to establish a baseline (the norm for the area) and only then will he be able to hunt for the anomaly (those deviations from the baseline.) The domains should be used to quantify and communicate what your baseline is as well as to let you pick out those anomalies that pose a threat.
Kinesics: The study of body language. Being able to identify a person’s emotional state based off their body language provides an incredible insight into that person’s mind. Are they dominant or submissive? Are they comfortable or uncomfortable? Are they interested or uninterested? All of these cues will let us predict what a person is about to do. Kinesics does not merely involve the study of facial expressions, but rather takes into consideration the entire body.
Biometric Cues: Uncontrollable bodily reactions in response to the world around us. Whether observing someone whose pupils are dilated or constricted, if they are blushing or pale, someone with a dry mouth, or someone with an increased blink rate are all cues that let us know how that person is perceiving people and objects around them.
Proxemics: The study of interpersonal relationships. By analyzing how people use the space around them, we can begin to understand their relationships with those people they are surrounded by. Being able to assess what people are attracted to (proxemic pull) and what they avoid (proxemic push) will let us get into the collective mind of the group. Proxemics can be observed up close to people during conversation or from hundreds of meters away using binoculars. Proxemics can also be used to identify the key leader of any given group.
Geographics: The study of people’s relationship with their environment. Understanding which areas of the neighborhood or the building you are in that everyone feels comfortable going to (habitual areas) and those areas that only a select group of people have access to (anchor points) can provide us with an anticipated baseline and pattern for the people who are visiting that area. Identifying how people move through their terrain (natural lines of drift) will also let us identify those who are either familiar or unfamiliar with the area.
Iconography: The displays that people use to express what they believe in. By observing the flags and colors that represent their groups, clothing choices, bumper stickers, graffiti, tattoos, and posters will give us a window into their motivations. People who are willing to make a statement through a piece of iconography are often displaying their beliefs and ideals and are often times willing to fight for that belief. Understanding what a person believes in will also assist us in predicting their future actions.
Atmospherics: The collective attitude and feel of an area. Is it positive or negative? By continually asking yourself if the behaviors, emotions, attitudes, and objects that you are observing match your baseline, you will be able to identify those individuals who don’t fit in. Drastic changes and shifts in the baseline atmospherics will let you know when a threat is imminent. Your intuition will very often perceive this threat well ahead of your conscious recognition of it.
When pieces to a few of the domains or all six come together, they are what are going to let us put a person’s behavior into the context of their environment and determine what they are going to do in the future. Not only will it let us identify their intentions, but also let us communicate our predictions and observations to others.
To see why these domains are the ones we rely on, take a look at the article explaining the function and the framework that the domains provide
As we break down each section of the body throughout our kinesics class, analyzing gestures, postures, and expressions, we are given a window into a person’s mind. This analysis lets us figure out how you really feel in any given situation. It is the domain that everyone is waiting for, the opportunity to learn how to read body language. Being able to understand and predict a person’s intentions gives us the ability to tip the scales of any engagement in our favor.
Some people pick up how to read body language right away while other students look at all the different meanings that each gesture could have and become overwhelmed by the wealth of possibilities. When I first started learning, I was that guy. It took me some time to become comfortable and confident in my ability to read people. There are so many different gestures and expressions out there, that it seemed overwhelming. Then I learned how to make it easier.
When I am profiling and observing people, I break all kinesic cues into just a couple of different categories. The first question that I ask myself is, Continue reading »
This post is very similar to one of PVH’s post entitled Establishing a Baseline? Step One.
You enter a new area. A new village. A new marketplace. And you need to establish a baseline fast, and you need to figure out if anyone wants to or is going to try to do you harm. Your first thoughts, “oh crap, what’s going on? Who is who? Who wants to hurt me? What is that person doing?” Recently I took some instructors out to do some instructor development. We went to an area that I’m only partially familiar with. As soon as we got there, and stepped out of the car, my first thoughts were, “What is going on? Do I even know what I’m doing?” So, what do you do when you’re in a new area and you need to begin establishing a baseline?
Establishing a baseline for the first time in a new area is not self-evident. An untrained individual may be able to do a decent job identifying certain things–the obvious things–but is going to miss important behaviors and patterns, and will focus on the wrong things. Continue reading »