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Comment and Humans

Why tonight’s debate is ‘narcissist’ Trump v ‘liar’ Clinton

How come public perception of the leading US presidential candidates is so strongly shaped by just two words, wonders Christian Miller

By Christian Miller

26 September 2016

People at rally wearing Clinton and Trump masks

Going head to head tonight

Jamie Squire/Getty

When the two prime candidates to become US president meet for their first head-to-head debate tonight, expect familiar insults to fly. Donald Trump is a “narcissist”. Hillary Clinton is a “liar”.

How worried should both politicians be that these labels now dominate public perceptions? Very. Recent research by psychologist Geoffrey Goodwin at the University of Pennsylvania has found that .

This applies to everyone from your best friend to your boss. But the more important the person’s…

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