Body language is something as an #author and #writer I strive to include in a story. Much of the emotion and truth in face-to-face conversation is communicated this way, especially if it is heated—and is lost when the conversation is voice- or text-only. I include body language queues to add these qualities to dialogue.
I ran into a mini goldmine on the topic. I'm going to quote items 6 and 7 from /a political pundit blog run by a couple of university professors, so if politics bothers you, please move along to the next toot./
If not, study these gems about how people can telegraph important nuances (good and bad) about their true character or intent. You don't have to read any of the links to level-up your body language writing IQ, but your fun might be doubled if you do.
** Body Language Items from ElectoralVote.com Article**
Item 6:
It's the Little Things, Part II: Meanwhile, Politico hired former FBI agent Joe Navarro to write an assessment (link: https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/01/11/6-body-language-tells-from-the-gop-debate-00134995) of the two candidates' body language. Navarro was largely unimpressed with DeSantis, observing that his habit of grinding his jaw left-to-right conveys insecurity and anxiety, while his unwillingness to look Haley in the eye conveys weakness and submissiveness. Navarro's review of Haley was more mixed; he asserts that her broad, sweeping hand gestures convey strength and confidence, but her habit of holding up her pen in hopes of getting called on by the moderators makes her look weak.
Item 7:
It's the Little Things, Part III: And finally, Slate wrote an entire piece (link: https://slate.com/human-interest/2024/01/ron-desantis-iowa-republican-debate-smile-height-boots.html?sid=5388d9badd52b8870b01b6b1) about DeSantis' smile, which most people tend to find off-putting. According to experts in facial expressions, there are reasons for that. His smile is obviously fake; he does not produce the wrinkles at the temple characteristic of a genuine smile (also known as a Duchenne smile). He also tends to smile at the wrong times (a few seconds later than he should) and to hold his (fake) smile for too long. If that were not enough, his smile is asymmetrical, and he has the habit (presumably not conscious) of sometimes sticking out his tongue when he smiles. On a visceral level, the tongue bit, for viewers, reads as "I'm about to vomit."
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