09-18-2006, 08:20 PM
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Body signs show leaders' power, stress
[ 10 Sep, 2006 0049hrs ISTREUTERS ]
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NORWICH: Whether it's a power walk, raised eyebrows or who walks through a door first, politicians like George Bush and Tony Blair use a silent language to appear dominant and likeable.
Through gestures, mannerisms and facial expressions they can convey an impression of power, authority and fitness, psychologist and author Peter Collett said.
But politicians can also unwittingly reveal if they are feeling vulnerable, uncomfortable and stressed.
In video clips shown at a science conference, Collett showed that Bush bites the inside of his mouth if he gets distressed while Blair raises his eyebrows when he is trying to look agreeable.
"The mouth bite shows that Bush is feeling nervous. It is what psychologists call emotional leakage," said Collett who used to work at the University of Oxford.
He added it is an unconscious reaction and was evident when Bush was told of the attacks on September 11, 2001 and on other occasions as his way of keeping his anxieties under control. Raised eyebrows indicate submissiveness.
"Tony (Blair) often uses this in order to show he is agreeable and is attentive to what other people have to say and that he is not a threat to them," Collett said.
Body signs show leaders' power, stress
[ 10 Sep, 2006 0049hrs ISTREUTERS ]
RSS Feeds| SMS NEWS to 8888 for latest updates
NORWICH: Whether it's a power walk, raised eyebrows or who walks through a door first, politicians like George Bush and Tony Blair use a silent language to appear dominant and likeable.
Through gestures, mannerisms and facial expressions they can convey an impression of power, authority and fitness, psychologist and author Peter Collett said.
But politicians can also unwittingly reveal if they are feeling vulnerable, uncomfortable and stressed.
In video clips shown at a science conference, Collett showed that Bush bites the inside of his mouth if he gets distressed while Blair raises his eyebrows when he is trying to look agreeable.
"The mouth bite shows that Bush is feeling nervous. It is what psychologists call emotional leakage," said Collett who used to work at the University of Oxford.
He added it is an unconscious reaction and was evident when Bush was told of the attacks on September 11, 2001 and on other occasions as his way of keeping his anxieties under control. Raised eyebrows indicate submissiveness.
"Tony (Blair) often uses this in order to show he is agreeable and is attentive to what other people have to say and that he is not a threat to them," Collett said.