The Power of Small

Fri, January 27, 2012 - 6:00:00

Small Can Stall A Campaign

In this year’s hotly contested race for the Republican presidential nomination, little details are already proving to make a big difference. In fact, something as seemingly insignificant as a candidate’s facial tic can speak volumes to potential voters and, in the worst cases, even stall a campaign.

Recently, when Newt Gingrich asked opponent and Republican frontrunner Mitt Romney to disclose his tax return, Romney replied with a hint of a smile: “maybe.” And as we’ve seen over the course of the past week, that one little word had quite the fallout.

But, little words and facial expressions aren’t the only SMALL things that can hurt a candidate’s changes. As Slate reports this week, certain facial features can actually hinder a presidential hopeful’s chances. According to a Princeton University study, people are more likely to vote for candidates who appear competent and there are distinct facial characteristics humans naturally—and unconsciously—look for. Seemingly trivial details, like the distance between the eyes or the position of ones eyebrows, actually influence the opinions of others.  And as lead researcher, Alexander Todorov, found, it only takes 34 milliseconds for someone to form one.

Even in the quest for the world most powerful office, SMALL wields its might. And that’s just one more reason why why no one can afford not to sweat the small stuff.

Posted by Linda and Robin