Under Duress, Body Language Speaks Volumes By Dana Milbank
[T]his much could be seen watching the tape of NBC’s broadcast
during Bush’s 14-minute pre-sunrise interview, in which he stood unprotected by the usual lectern. The president was a blur of
blinks, taps, jiggles, pivots and shifts. Bush has always been an active man, but standing with Lauer and the serene, steady
first lady, he had the body language of a man wishing urgently to be elsewhere. [mjh: need to go to the restroom?]
The fidgeting clearly corresponded to the questioning. … Bush blinked 24 times in his answer. … Bush
blinked 23 times and hitched his trousers up by the belt. … Bush blinked 37 times in a single answer — along with a
lick of the lips, three weight shifts and some serious foot jiggling.
Another
supposed sign of lying is rapid blinking. It’s true that when we become aroused or our mind is racing, there’s a corresponding
increase in our blinking rate. Our normal rate is about 20 blinks per minute, but it can increase to four or five times that figure when
we feel under pressure. When liars are searching for an answer to an awkward question, their thought processes speed up. In this kind of
situation, lying is frequently associated with blinking. But we need to remember that there are times when people have a high blinking
rate, not because they’re lying, but because they’re under pressure. Also, there are times when liars show normal rates.
Fidgeting and awkward hand movements are also thought to be signs of deceit ….