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Mge Demir1,*
Abstract
Rsum
INTRODUCTION
Today, understanding and consumption are based on
images. Based on targeted group, images are prepared and
it was perceived as successful perspective. This is also
valid with regard to political leaders. Human being, as
a social entity, is affected by changes and developments
around himself/herself. These primary changes and
transformations in social life generally occur in the
area of politics, communication and economics. Today,
together with changes in many aforementioned elements
characteristics, behaviors and attitudes of leaders also
change. Since expectations and types of leadership
change, images also change.
In Turkish political history, there are many examples
that images of leaders head off the images of the parties.
As is known, political leaders designing images and
performing management appeal to the community are
preferred more. Like society embracing Sleyman Demirel
and staying in politics for 40 years In these years, in
the beginning of 1960s, Demirel was Representative in
Turkey for a contractor company, Morrison Knudsen Inc.
In this term, since Demirels name was expressed very
much together with Morrison, Demirel was called as
Morrison Sleyman. Besides this nickname, especially
in the beginning of 1970s, he was called as Shepherd
Sl, which is also embraced and approved by him.
This imputation is mainly a nickname to emphasize
that he is joe public. Moreover, Demirel continuously
1 . E l ement s o f N on v er b a l
Communication
Human as a social entity, carries on his/her life in
continuous communication since his/her birth. Starting
from the birth until the end of life with a certain
structure and order, individual, through diversification in
socialization, continues to communicate due to reasons
such as to give information to those around him/her or
take information from them, to joy, to integrate, to express
his/her attitudes, ideas and feelings or learn theirs or just
to be a listener.
If interpersonal communication is defined as a process
of transferring information, emotion, idea, attitude and
opinions, behaviors for change through a relationship
between resource and receiver from one person to
another using some channels, it can be said that even
the most simple speech is also a way of persuasion.
As can be seen in daily life, in many circumstances
that communication takes place, people try to persuade
someone to the accuracy of the information they give or
to change their behavior or to persuade in something else.
Because, persuasion is an important and common factor
in communication. Moreover famous thinker Aristotle
defines communication as all proper meanings of
persuasion (Yksel 2005, p. 4).
If it is considered that the biggest factor contributing to
the success and failure in communication is persuasion,
positive result of persuasion efforts of the politicians
on huge crowds is based on their success in the
communication they build with such crowds.
Nonverbal communication constituting a primary
aspect of communication, meaning nonverbal ones in
the symbolic codes applied in daily relations, is mostly
unconsciously but continuously used in meaning making,
sharing and persuasion. For nonverbal communication, it
2. 5 Mimics
The most precise meanings of body language occurs in
the face. Mimic is another name for facial expression or
moves. People can easily express their feelings through
their mimics at that moment. The reason of this is putting
face muscles into 250,000 different styles. Eyelids: They
are the signs of being on the alert and natural. Thick
eyelids reflect sleepy, cool blooded, slowly moving, and
controlled personality. Eyes: Called as the mirror of the
spirit, they are the most speaking organs with regard to
body language. From the colors of eyes to sight direction,
theirs sizes, there are many researches on several subjects
and several findings are held. While looking at interested
objects and people, pupillars get bigger, and while looking
at uninterested objects and people, pupillars get smaller
unawares. If their direction is towards the person spoken
to, it expresses intimacy and interest, if it is towards
down, it expresses accepting the superiority. When it is
analyzed from sight duration, it should be used carefully.
Long and straight looks bore the person, short ones than
reflects apathy. There is a difference between sincere
simile and smiling to keep up appearance. In a fake smile,
eye muscles are not tightened, do not move, there is just
a move of the lips. Lips: As motion, curling, turning up
expresses the feelings like superiority and frowning. The
best motion with lips is smile.
4 . O B J E C T I V E C O M M U N I C AT I O N
(Dresses, Accessories, Colors, Distance,
Time Etc.)
4.1 Place Usage
Although the place has a very important place in
communication, due to being generally effective in covert
ways, its importance and value in communication are
not understood very much. In fact, it is one of the factors
affecting communication environment. Too big or too
small, crowded or too desolate places have different
impacts on communication. Spatial characteristics like
organization of a room, shapes, colors of furniture,
sitting plan are effective in interpersonal communication.
Personal place perception existing in each person, while
mentioning about psychological place perception and
defining distance-equilibrium relation with others, office,
furniture and sitting plan used as physical place also have
an important place in place usage in communication.
Besides personal distances composing a psychological
area, physical place usage takes an important place in
communication as mentioned before. Types of place usage
can be an indicator of friendship and also means status.
Being in front, sitting in high place, sitting in the right
mean high status. In a meeting table, person sitting on the
right of the president of the meeting is in the highest status
after president. In conferences and meetings, individuals
sitting in the first row are also the most authorized people.
Sitting in high place also is an indicator of status
especially in political relationships, as we will discuss
later in using nonverbal communication in politics.
Though an office with dark color, big leather chairs is
an indictor of the authority of the person, talking from
the back of the table also is an indicator of authoritarian
position. During interview, person is sat right across the
table again in order to declare status difference.
Table 1
Colors, Created Spirituality and Their Symbolic Connotations
Colors Spiritual condition they create
Symbolic connotations
White
Black
Green
Purple
Orange
Yellow
Red
Blue
Source: Loretta A. MALANDRO, Larry BARKER, D.Ann BARKER, Nonverbal Communication, 2nd Edition, New York: McGraw Hill,
4 . 3 D re s s , A cce s s or y U s age A nd
Physical Attractiveness
In interpersonal communication, physical attractiveness,
dress and accessory usage are the most important factors
in identifying individuals communication style. Many
sayings starting from People are welcomed with their
dresses, sent off with their ideas mention about its
5 . E x amp l e s o f non v er b a l
communication in politics and its
importance
Moving from Wilbur Schramms saying each section
related to human community and behaviors should deal
with communication, we can say that politics also will
and must be in continuous interaction. Communication,
as process starting with birth and runs through the life,
has many functions like integration meaning unification.
Communication being a fact unifying individuals,
organizations and societies, is social, and it is the base of
the social life.
Politics, on the other hand, is an art of management
or science, meaning social science. It is a business
of affecting, changing or directing government/state
performance. It is the knowledge or the art of seizing and
holding state governance. What is related to power and
leadership between individuals and groups is competition.
It is the sum of relation complex between individuals
living in a society.
When considering all human activities maintained
with communication, individuals should develope
their communication skills, use verbal and nonverbal
communication in unity in order to express themselves,
understand others or change their ideas, feelings, attitudes
and behaviors. As mentioned before, politics being
an art of management is at the same time application
of technique of communication and its methods,
communication processes and skills. Todays world,
understandings and consumptions are based on images.
In the formation of an image which is a concept met
in each area and each term of life, factors mentioned
in the beginning of the article have great importance.
In the course of time, politicians also understood the
importance of communication and began to cooperate
with professionally serving institutions in this area. They
work hard to apply communication techniques in the best
white shirt and a flag pin on his jacket are also very
harmonious. He frequently and effectively uses touching
during communication.
DENZ BAYKAL: Although he is a political leader
that smiling fits best, he is also the leader having the
harshest mimics and gestures. In his gestures and mimics,
he always has an anger and fury. Sometimes, he becomes
ready to attack with his hand put on the sides of his body
in the belt line. Sometimes he uses a threatening sign
(Just like a gun sign with his hands holding up thumb,
other fingers closed). Sometimes with putting his right
hands forefinger to his right temple, he enters into a style
like lecturing "there is mind and logic". While doing all
of these, he misses to make empathy with public. Public
Very sincere picture. Obama leaned front and authoritative impression is not important for
him. David Cameron also does not feel forced to look at Obama and smiles. Closed friends can
behave like this.
Karzai looks at Rasmussen in a self-confident and somehow condescendingly. Lips closed,
moved upward, stress in the eyebrows and leaning head down, all shows that. With Karzais
body, hes wide with body in the area he covers. Rasmussens hand and his space, meaning his
authority is limited.
Berlusconi, completely entered into Russian President Dimitri Medvedevs private space.
He put his hand on his nape and their faces touch each other. Berlusconi entered into the most
sensitive private space. Medvedev does not seem so happy about this situation.
Merkel and Sarkozy are hugging very intimately. Merkel can comfortably put her hand on
Sarkozys shoulder, Sarkozys hand is on Merkels back. Putting hand as such reflects friendship.
Sarkozy directing Merkel towards him seems superior in this picture. He sends messages that he
accepts her in his place.
Same finger sign. It is indicator of anger, lecturing and sensitiveness. At the same time, it is an
authority indicator.
Obama sends more comfortable and authorities message. He tells something using his hands
easily. Australian Prime Minister Gillard tight his hands, and turns to Obama with his body and,
listens to him.
Having hands put in this way reflects stopping and narrowing the topic. Putting head back as
such is indicator of challenging.
Very sincere picture. Rasmussen comfortably put his hand on Berlusconis shoulder. It
is complete reflection of sincerity. In the same way, Berlusconi also puts his hand around
Rasmussens reins.
Berlusconi, completely entered into Russian President Dimitri Medvedevs private space.
He put his hand on his nape and their faces touch each other. Berlusconi entered into the most
sensitive private space. Medvedev does not seem so happy about this situation.
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CONCLUSION
Question of how political leaders use nonverbal
communication elements as the starting point of the paper,
nonverbal communication elements with increasingly
affecting the image making of political leaders today,
and also undeniably important in international politics,
its place in communication literature are revealed with
a general look. At this point, what must be argued is
that the impacts of nonverbal communication elements
such as place, time, color, accessory, body language
and their usage. As mentioned before, communication,
basically an activity of humans, is a fact unifying people,
organizations, and societies. It is social because it enables
social life and the basis of social life. Politics, on the other
hand, is an art or science of governance, meaning political
science. It is a business of affecting, changing or directing
government/state performances. It is the knowledge or
the art or seizing and holding state governance or control.
It is competition between individuals and groups related
to power and leadership. It is the sum of relationship
mixture of people living in a society. In societies governed
with democracy, political parties and their leaders take
governance function. Political leaders are the ones who
take governance decisions of the society and wish to
contribute, affect governance decision/s of a society.
Political leadership dimensions, and also political leaders
nonverbal communication usage dimensions are in
international, national or local levels. Just like Blent
Ecevit designing Poplist and Karaolan images,
Sleyman Demirel designing Sombrero and Father
images, using these elements against Turkish people or
being used in the attitude that Israeli Deputy Foreign
Minister and USA President developed against Turkey
and the ones in crisis occurred in diplomacy between
countries.
Society, in evaluating political leaders, applies
some other information other than discourses. These
informationies are generally gathered through nonverbal
communication. For the voters in the society and societies
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