Body language: Don't watch the Taoiseach's face next time he makes a speech, watch his hands and gestures. These will tell you more about his real meaning than words alone.
Gestures, unconscious mannerisms and expressions are the "silent language of politicians" and can be used to spot dissembling and detect when a politician is under pressure, according to University of Oxford psychologist Dr Peter Collett.
He described many of the familiar mannerisms of US president George Bush, UK prime minister Tony Blair and former US president Bill Clinton at a session at the BA Festival of Science in Norwich yesterday called "Communicating without words".
"Because politics is so much about appearances, it is essential for politicians to find ways to look convincing," Dr Collett stated. They attempt to manipulate this silent language to their own ends, but it can also be their undoing. "Politicians are very much in your face. They are perfect subjects for study."
We are supremely attuned to watch for and take meaning from facial and hand gestures as a person speaks and, knowing this, politicians attempt to convey extra meaning through intentional gestures.
Tony Blair frequently raises his eyebrows as he speaks, a gesture that is the opposite of the lowered eyebrows typical of anger. "Raised eyebrows is a gesture of submissiveness. Tony often uses this to show he is agreeable," Dr Collett suggested.
Bill Clinton during his presidential speeches frequently bit his lower lip, a gesture meant to convey sincerity and emotion.
The unconscious gestures politicians make are much more revealing however, Dr Collett contends. These convey information the politician would rather not give away. Dr Collett likens them to "poker tells" - unconscious gestures given away by poker players that tell others about the quality of a hand.
"Tells are those tiny little signs that show unwittingly the cards a person holds. Tony Blair has a whole panoply of tells." He will pull at his little finger when under pressure at a press conference and, if the pressure continues, he will often pat his stomach or touch his tie. Dr Collett described this motion as a "self-comfort gesture", akin to a mother stroking her infant's stomach to calm it down.
President Bush adopts a "power walk", a swagger that conveys his influence and dominance, but when the pressure is on he begins to bite the inside of his mouth. These represent clear "non-verbal communication" that viewers can easily detect.
Dr Collett also described UK chancellor of the exchequer Gordon Brown's "flashbulb smile", switched on when the cameras roll, but turned off just as quickly when the filming stops. It reveals the smile as patently false and this is obvious to most observers, he said.
Clothing can also add to the performance. President Bush is frequently pictured wearing a bomber jacket as he does his power walk, a garment that accentuates the upper body. Dr Collett couldn't comment on the significance of the Taoiseach's abandonment of his old anorak.
The real problem facing politicians who must face the public and the cameras is that it is difficult to do two things at once. It can be difficult to deliver a convincing speech while also attempting to manipulate your gestures. "You can give a great speech or gesture - but you can't do both," Dr Collett believes.
