NON-VERBAL CUES IN POLITICS: AN ANALYSIS OF GESTURAL SIGNALS SENT BY AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN POLITICIANS

Abstract

“Speech is accompanied by an intricate set of gestural signals which affect meaning, emphasis and other aspects of utterances” Argyle (1972: 245). They are at least as influential as the verbal content of the message in determining how an individual is perceived (Rosenberg et al. 1986). Kopacz (2006) claims that non-verbal behaviours play an immense role in forming people’s judgements and may be used in political persuasion to elicit positive reactions from voters. The objective of this paper is to analyze some of the most popular body signals sent by American and European politicians and show which of them are considered positive and strengthen the verbal message and which are said to be negative and make the performer look unprofessional and un- trustworthy. The next purpose is to determine which non-verbal channel such as eyes, face, hands, posture, legs is the strongest and attracts the greatest attention.