Newswise — Washington, DC (March 12, 2014) — Recent revelations that the U.S. government has been studying the body language of Russian President Vladimir Putin and other world leaders for years are leading Americans to wonder:

•Can the government use the knowledge gained through this secret program to predict leaders’ future behavior?•How can nonverbal communication be intentionally used to influence audience reactions? •Can studying a leader’s involuntary body language lead to accurate assessments about his or her underlying intentions? •What does the untrained public need to know to use the same tactics employed by experts to “read” leaders’ nonverbal communication?

Non-verbal communication expert Dr. Gerald R. Shuster, who says that mannerisms and facial expressions account for 85 percent of what any speaker actually communicates, is available to discuss these fascinating questions.

WHO: Gerald R. Shuster, Ph.D.Political Communication Analysis/Presidential RhetoricDepartment of Communication, University of PittsburghDr. Shuster’s primary interest in the political arena is from a communications perspective, evaluating communications theories and concepts in campaigns by the strategies candidates and political parties use. He frequently provides the national and international media with commentary on political issues, campaigns, and events.

CONTACT: To schedule an interview with Dr. Shuster, please contact Wendy Fernando at [email protected] or 202-534-1107.

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