In a series of hustings across the country, Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss are talking to Conservative party members about what they plan to do if elected as leader of the party and prime minister of the UK.
The topics of discussion are, by now, well established, from taxes to energy prices. But, at a deeper level, the way the two speak is potentially very revealing about what kind of leader they would make.
The words that people use can be “honest signals” that give insights into their underlying psychological processes and potential behaviours. And since these linguistic choices are subtle, speakers themselves may not be consciously aware of them. Also, they’re hard to conceal.
