Location
University of Windsor
Document Type
Paper
Keywords
nonverbal disagreement, televised debates, presidential debates
Start Date
18-5-2016 9:00 AM
End Date
21-5-2016 5:00 PM
Abstract
Since the 1960 Kennedy-Nixon presidential debates, interest in the impact of televised debates on political campaigns has grown steadily among scholars of argumentation and rhetorical communication. In addition to communicating policy positions of a candidate, televised debates provide the voting public one of the few opportunities to build or solidify impressions of candidates based on a (at least semi-) spontaneous social performance in which candidates meet face-to-face to discuss their differences. The strategies candidates use to communicate their policies and their desired image during a debate can influence the direction of public opinion toward them. We claim in this essay that arguments candidates make nonverbally in televised debates are significant in creating and sustaining their image as presidential candidates.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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Dima Mohammed, Commentary on Harry Weger, Edward Hinck and John Seiter’s Background nonverbal disagreement during televised political debates: A strategic maneuvering approach (May 2016)
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Background Nonverbal Disagreement during Televised Political Debates: A Strategic Maneuvering Approach
University of Windsor
Since the 1960 Kennedy-Nixon presidential debates, interest in the impact of televised debates on political campaigns has grown steadily among scholars of argumentation and rhetorical communication. In addition to communicating policy positions of a candidate, televised debates provide the voting public one of the few opportunities to build or solidify impressions of candidates based on a (at least semi-) spontaneous social performance in which candidates meet face-to-face to discuss their differences. The strategies candidates use to communicate their policies and their desired image during a debate can influence the direction of public opinion toward them. We claim in this essay that arguments candidates make nonverbally in televised debates are significant in creating and sustaining their image as presidential candidates.
