Rupert and James Murdoch's careful body language

20 Jul 2011, 2:00 pm   -   By: Luke Waters
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An expert critiques Rupert and James Murdoch's hearing through an eye trained in body language analysis.

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The body language which accompanied the statements of James and Rupert Murdoch in front of the MPs' committee can provide some insight into the progress of the hearing. 

Michele Zappavigna is an Australian Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow in Linguistics at the University of Sydney.

SBS has asked her to give her views on the performances of the Murdochs at the Commons hearing.

"One of the most notable gestural patterns that Rupert employs is prone hands," she said.

"Prone hands are with the palms facing down, which we can interpret in terms of 'engagement'. They are closing off to opposing viewpoints.

"This might be contrasted with James' supine hands -- palms up-- indicating a more open engagement," she told SBS.  

Ms Zappavigna said James and Rupert Murdoch showed a united front by using a softly mirrored hand-clasp.

When questions were directed at him, Rupert Murdoch frequently respoonded with a long pause, followed by a short 'Yes', 'No', or 'Absolutely'.

"That could be seen as rendering himself a less of a target. There was less that could be attacked if he didn't say that much," she said.

Rupert Murdoch retained much the same posture throughout the proceedings, leaning forward with one hand folded neatly over the other.

"The intent was clear: to show that he was fully involved," Peter Collett, author of "The Book of Tells: How To Read People's Minds From Their Actions", told the Guardian .

These are the actions of a dominant individual, someone who is not prepared to be hurried or to provide lenghty explanations, unless of it's in its own terms, he said. 

"When Rupert Murdoch wanted to get his point across he would tap or in some case slap the surface on the table in front of him -- a sure sign that he's used to giving commands.

"By contrast, James Murdoch came across as a model of courtesy. Instead of fixing his eyes on the person asking the question, he switched his gaze back and forth among the committee members, making sure that they all felt included", Mr Collett said.

"Rupert's gesture touching James on the arm is both diectic  -- pointing at a participant in the exchange -- and a show of solidarity in terms of how interpersonal meaning is being negotiated," Ms Zappavigna added.

"Rupert's 'head bopping' appears in sync with the intonation of his speech and has various functions, for example, emphasis," she told SBS.  

However gesture needs to be approached in terms of its social context and how meaning is negotiated in an interaction, she said.

"This involves considering the genre within which the gesture occurs. For example, here need to think about power relations and the kinds of gestures that are open to people in terms of what the genre allows.

"Large gestures coupled with highly emotional language, for example, are unlikely to occur. 

"In terms of assessing whether Rupert's body language varies from what he might usually deploy, we would need a corpus of instances to be able to make useful comment about shifts in his gestural patterning. It is very difficult to say anything based on a single datapoint due to the problems of individual difference," Ms Zappavigna said.

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Your Comments

Abuse of power.

Fred - from Melbourne, 10 months ago

We have watched Murdoch destroy serious journalism. We have watched him interfere in politics. We have now seen that his paper the NoW has been guilty of phone hacking. This will not prove to be an isolated business. If Murdoch didn't know about it, he is incompetent. If Murdoch did know about it, he is a criminal. Either way it is past time that this pernicious influence departed the world scene, he has done enough damage.

Head Shake

Penny Hogan - from Nottingham, 10 months ago

I noticed a 'micro movement' from James Murdoch when he was denying seeing any emails relating to hacking - he shakes his head to say and says he hadn't seen any emails but there is a slight nod in between the shake. I question whether he was telling the truth because of this. He also look worried he's father was going to say something he shouldn't. They are obviously close but perhaps Rupert isn't as informed as James may be.

old

john - from wa, 10 months ago

He's doddering old git!, that's all it really means!.

Murdoch body language

Charles Norrie - from London, 10 months ago

RM was out of the control. Thumping the desk may go down well in a Wapping newsroom or at an NI Board meeting, But it does not cut the mustard to a HoC who displayed good temper and indulged the octogenarian's toddler tantrums. Nothing can be much said about JM for he has been well-groomed in bureaucratic business behaviour.

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