Expert explains debate body language

Last Thursday, Britain had its first televised debate with the leaders of the three main political parties. David Cameron is the leader of the Conservative party, who is currently in the lead but not far enough to gain an overall majority. Gordon Brown is the current Prime Minister for the Labour Party, and Nick Clegg is the leader of the Liberal Democrats, who have not yet controlled Parliament but are making considerable gains in this election.

In recent weeks there has been speculation on the effect the debates will have on the voters. Some political scientists argue there is no electoral effect, while others say debates can make a huge difference. For Americans, the first debates that come to mind are the 1960 Kennedy-Nixon debates. These were America’s first televised debates and perhaps the most remembered (next to Reagan and Carter). Kennedy was viewed as a young, inexperienced candidate, and he was behind in the polls. Nevertheless, Kennedy was made for television. He was suntanned from campaigning in California, he wore a suit that nicely contrasted with the background, and he was able to use language to put Nixon on the defense. The result of the four debates between the two candidates was Kennedy’s huge jump in the polls and eventual win.

Here is a short YouTube clip describing the debates, including images of how the candidates appeared on television. And here is an image of Kennedy (left) and Nixon (right) on television.

But not all debates are as influential on the public as the Kennedy-Nixon debates. Political scientists in Britain have not yet had enough time to determine the effects of their first debates, and even after the campaign, there will probably still be much disagreement. However, the body language expert from this article describes the candidates: “Nick Clegg was the nice guy, David Cameron was the well-rehearsed but nervous performer, while Gordon Brown was the alpha male.” These conclusions did not come from their debate skills but rather from their body language during the debates.

The expert claims that Clegg came off as relaxed, while his gestures made him seem like a friend to the audience. Brown seemed like a “born leader” and was very strong, with expressive body language. Cameron looked “anxious and worried.” He also seemed detached from the audience.

Often times, the audience focuses on body language cues more than the actual issues. This could be a problem because people are voting for a personality rather than the candidate that represents their views. A candidate that is a natural performer, like Kennedy was, can overtake a more qualified candidate who may have been better for the country. Nevertheless, the fact that image becomes more influential in a voter’s decision is very telling of the power of body language. We often think of spoken language as our main way of communicating, but this is not always true. The subtle clues we give off as we speak are able to communicate much more information and maybe more accurate information. Often, we can tell if people are lying if they look nervous or do not look someone in the eye. We can tell if people are sincere by their gestures and tone. In terms of politics, maybe it is better that people are judging politicians by their performance on television. Politicians are notorious for bending the truth to help their position or leaving out or stressing certain facts that benefit their own campaign. If people have the ability to decipher the most genuine candidate, maybe they are picking the best leaders.

This is a topic that political scientists will debate forever. Britain is just now joining the argument. Campaigning has undoubtedly become a performance, but is this good for politics and for the country as a whole?