Tongue Jutting
The FiveThirtyEight blog noted the frequency with which McCain stuck out his tongue during last Friday's debate. The behavior is known as "tongue jutting." It's a well-known "tell" that professional interrogators and poker players look for.
According to retired FBI agent Joe Navarro, this is what it means: "Tongue-jutting behavior is a gesture used by people who think they have gotten away with something or are 'caught' doing something... This behavior has several meanings - depending on specific situations - but is usually associated with one of these: I got caught (taking candy from a drawer), gleeful excitement (look at what I just did, Mom), I got away with something (and I didn't get caught), I did something foolish, or I am naughty."
I'll add that tongue jutting (or tongue protrusion) is also a behavior often seen in the animal world. Reptologists have developed the "tongue flick attack score" which is "a common method for quantifying predatory behavior in squamate reptiles." A higher score (i.e. more tongue flicks) indicates a greater predatory response.
Tongue protrusion is also a form of sociosexual behavior that has been observed in nocturnal Owl Monkeys. It is part of a range of mating behavior that includes lip-smacking, squinting, partner-marking, and urine-drinking.
So the question is, was McCain's tongue jutting more reptilian or primate - i.e. was it more predatory in nature, or sociosexual? I'll leave that to you readers to decide.
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