This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/aug/07/donald-trump-body-language-republican-debate

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Donald Trump's body language dominates Republican debate Donald Trump's body language dominates Republican debate
(about 1 hour later)
Nonverbally (through his body language) Donald Trump won Thursday’s Republican presidential debate. His hand gestures, facial expressions, and tone of voice dominated, and made the competitors seem ineffective, even wimpish.Verbally, on the other hand, Trump made little sense, other than to say that politicians are useless and “I myself will be effective”. The winning verbal performance was from Jeb Bush, who presented a cogent, articulate, and experienced governmental point of view from his Republican perspective.Nonverbally, though, Bush – like all the other Republican candidates – displayed weak body language on behalf of his convictions and ideas. Bush seemed to keep his hands in his pockets most of the time, betokening a lack of conviction in his own ideas. Nonverbally (through his body language) Donald Trump won Thursday’s Republican presidential debate. His hand gestures, facial expressions, and tone of voice dominated, and made the competitors seem ineffective, even wimpish.
Verbally, on the other hand, Trump made little sense, other than to say that politicians are useless and “I myself will be effective.” The winning verbal performance was from Jeb Bush, who presented a cogent, articulate, and experienced governmental point of view from his Republican perspective.
Nonverbally, though, Bush – like all the other Republican candidates – displayed weak body language on behalf of his convictions and ideas. Bush seemed to keep his hands in his pockets most of the time, betokening a lack of conviction in his own ideas.
In all the candidates save Trump, hand gestures – which accent words and show emotional conviction – were weak, ephemeral and often hidden from view along the body’s sides or behind the podium.In all the candidates save Trump, hand gestures – which accent words and show emotional conviction – were weak, ephemeral and often hidden from view along the body’s sides or behind the podium.
Trump’s gestures, in contrast, were strong, extended, forceful, and open to view, which is to say, very visible. In short, he convinced via nonverbal actions, while his competitors seemed weak – wimpish, again – by comparison.On TV, Donald’s big gestures, big hair, big hands, big jaw, big face and pugnacious lip pout clearly trumped the other candidates’ smaller hand gestures, boring, close-cropped hair, smaller hands, weaker faces and jaws, and unexpressive facial expressions.Trump’s gestures, in contrast, were strong, extended, forceful, and open to view, which is to say, very visible. In short, he convinced via nonverbal actions, while his competitors seemed weak – wimpish, again – by comparison.On TV, Donald’s big gestures, big hair, big hands, big jaw, big face and pugnacious lip pout clearly trumped the other candidates’ smaller hand gestures, boring, close-cropped hair, smaller hands, weaker faces and jaws, and unexpressive facial expressions.
Overall, the candidates’ vocal tones were uniformly angry, aggressive and dyspeptic. Not the best sounds to hear from presidential candidates, it could be said. Anger was further communicated by more than a few disapproving finger-pointing hand gestures directed at fellow Republicans on the stage.Politically, the Republican party, nonverbally at least, seems stuck in an evolutionary stage that is unproductive and dysfunctional in the 21st century at best, and, at worst, self-destructive.Overall, the candidates’ vocal tones were uniformly angry, aggressive and dyspeptic. Not the best sounds to hear from presidential candidates, it could be said. Anger was further communicated by more than a few disapproving finger-pointing hand gestures directed at fellow Republicans on the stage.Politically, the Republican party, nonverbally at least, seems stuck in an evolutionary stage that is unproductive and dysfunctional in the 21st century at best, and, at worst, self-destructive.
Dr David Givens is the director of the Center for Nonverbal StudiesDr David Givens is the director of the Center for Nonverbal Studies