Title
Impression Management In Televised Debates: The Effect Of Background Nonverbal Behavior On Audience Perceptions Of Debaters' Likeability
Keywords
Debate; Impression Management; Liking; Nonverbal Communication; Person Perception
Abstract
This study examined whether a debater's background nonverbal behavior affected audience perceptions of her and her opponent's likeability. Students watched one of four versions of a televised debate. In each, while the speaking debater appeared on the main screen, subscreens displayed her opponent's background nonverbal behavior. In one version, the nonspeaking debater displayed a neutral expression, whereas in the others she displayed occasional disagreement, nearly constant disagreement, or both agreement and disagreement. After viewing the debates, students rated the debaters' likeability. Analysis indicated that background behavior influenced perceptions of the nonverbal communicator but not of the speaking debater. © 2009, Eastern Communication Association.
Publication Date
1-1-2009
Publication Title
Communication Research Reports
Volume
26
Issue
1
Number of Pages
1-11
Document Type
Article
Personal Identifier
scopus
DOI Link
https://doi.org/10.1080/08824090802636959
Copyright Status
Unknown
Socpus ID
77953860720 (Scopus)
Source API URL
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/77953860720
STARS Citation
Seiter, John S.; Weger, Harry; Kinzer, Harold J.; and Jensen, Andrea Sandry, "Impression Management In Televised Debates: The Effect Of Background Nonverbal Behavior On Audience Perceptions Of Debaters' Likeability" (2009). Scopus Export 2000s. 12330.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/scopus2000/12330