Date of Graduation
5-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
Degree Level
Undergraduate
Department
Political Science
Advisor/Mentor
Stewart, Patrick
Committee Member
Dionne, Terrell
Second Committee Member
Dowdle, Andrew
Third Committee Member
Phillips, Jared
Abstract
This study analyzes smiles during the 2024 U.S. Presidential Debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, revealing how nonverbal cues act as emotional signals and social tools. Findings indicate Harris displayed a significantly higher percentage of smiles than Trump. Limitations include potential human error in coding and influences of facial cosmetic procedures. The analysis underscores the importance of nonverbal communication in political settings and suggests future research on specific types of smiles, such as fear smiles, which are less understood in the context of political interactions.
Keywords
Debate; 2024 United States Presidential Election; Smiles; Facial Action Coding System; Nonverbal Facial Behavior; Politics
Citation
Zingerman, M. (2025). Political Nonverbal Dynamics: An Analysis of Smiles in Contentious Political Events. Political Science Undergraduate Honors Theses Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/plscuht/38
