TPM scientist on lack of eye contact: "Obama owned McCain tonight"

[RedEarth]

And here's another note from TPM Reader TB. I guess I'm really not sure quite how to characterize it ...



I think people really are missing the point about McCain's failure to look at Obama. McCain was afraid of Obama. It was really clear--look at how much McCain blinked in the first half hour. I study monkey behavior--low ranking monkeys don't look at high ranking monkeys. In a physical, instinctive sense, Obama owned McCain tonight and I think the instant polling reflects that.

So McCain may have given away his status as a low-ranking monkey. I'd never even considered monkey rank.

Late Monkey Science Update: In case anyone's wondering, I looked up TPM Reader TB's page at the University he teaches at. And no doubt about it, he appears to be a genuine monkey scientist, or to be more specific a researcher on social cognition and behavior in primates. I'd link to his page. But readers remain anonymous, save for their initials, until they tell us otherwise.

more from a TPM reader....

Here's one comment we got from TPM Reader EO ...

As a psychotherapist and someone who treats people with anger management problems, we typically try to educate people that anger is often an emotion that masks other emotions. I think it's significant that McCain didn't make much, if any, eye contact because it suggests one of two things to me; he doesn't want to make eye contact because he is prone to losing control of his emotions if he deals directly with the other person, or, his anger masks fear and the eye contact may increase or substantiate the fear.

I noticed him doing the same thing in the Republican primary debates. The perception observers are likely to have is that he is unwilling to acknowledge the opponent's legitimacy and/or is contemptuous of the opponent.


http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/220226.php

[scheming daemons]

1. Yes... but the GOP has the TOP monkey.... President Chimpy....

We're screwn.

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

6. There can only be one Der ChimpenFurher. There is however, an opening

for a McMonkeyPoop...

[Bucky]

2. Monkey science. Hmmm, I wonder how MonkeyFunk feels about this.

I mean getting compared to McCain and all.

[Genevieve]

3. I perceived his eye contact/body language as fear.

He might be contemptous, I don't know -- but the first impression I got
was that McCain felt fear of Obama -- like a submissive dog might behave
when confronted with an Alpha.

[undeterred]

5. Obama has a significant height advantage over McCain

although the side by side television view masks that. Obama is 6'1" and McCain is what, 5'8" maybe less? Obama is taller, younger, and nicer looking. No wonder McCain feels threatened.

[yellerpup]

4. More science education!

Less 'gut reaction'. Thanks for this very interesting and enlightening post. K&R!

[wildflower]

7. "losing control of his emotions if he deals directly with the other person"

That was my perception. Because in the beginning of the debate, it seemed to me he had been counseled to show humility and strictly control his temper. (Though that seemed to fade somewhat as the night went on.) I got the feeling he was avoiding eye contact so that he wouldn't get too angry.