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.
