While watching this season's political debates, be sure to watch the candidates' eyes. When presidential candidates employ humorous comments during televised primary debates, what they do with their eyes is key to the strength of audience laughter, according to University of Arkansas political scientist Patrick A. Stewart. The speakers' eyes offer nonverbal cues to the nuances of humorous comments. In a study on the use of humor by candidates, Stewart monitored 10 primary debates leading up to the 2008 presidential election...
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