Strategies for Responding to Background Nonverbal Disparagement in Televised Political Debates: Effects of Politeness of Response on Audience Perceptions of Argument Skill and Appropriateness

• In Event: Top Argumentation & Forensics Papers

Abstract

412 participants watched a purported televised political debate between candidates for mayor. In each of six versions, one debater engaged in strong nonverbal disagreement during his opponent’s opening statement. The opponent then responded with one of six decreasingly polite attempts to stop the debater from engaging in the nonverbal behavior. Direct, but not personally attacking, responses resulted in higher levels of perceived argumentation effectiveness and appropriateness when compared to not responding to the nonverbal behavior.

Authors

• Harry Weger, University of Central Florida

• John S. Seiter, Utah State Univ

• Kimberly A. Jacobs, University of Montana

• Valerie Akbulut, University of Central Florida