Looking back on this project I feel that I have really broadened my horizons in the field of nonverbal communication. The class itself gives you the basic aspects of nonverbal communication but I felt that this project allowed us to look out into the real world and really see the impact nonverbal communication has on our society. Before starting this project I looked as nonverbal communication as more of something that just happens in interpersonal situations. I felt that this is where I picked up on this type of communication the most. Now that we have had so many examples, such as nonverbal communication in advertisements, children, couples, and so on, I feel that I am now able to pick up on nonverbal communication in many different settings.
As a graduating senior I have been going through some interviews lately. Talk about nonverbal communication! Before taking this class I didn't realize that the way I tilted my head or the direction I looked first after being asked a question was that big of a deal. I was wrong! It's funny because the average person out there who never took this class or did this project evaluates nonverbal communication in all these ways that we discussed naturally, without even thinking about it. I feel like now that I have been through this course though, that I will benefit greatly in both interperonsal and public situations.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Portfolio Summary
After completing this project, I really do feel like I have vastly expanded my knowledge on how humans use non-verbal communication to portray and express their emotions. Before I began this course, I obviously knew that people showed emotions of how they felt on their face, but as I read the readings throughout the course, I began to have a further understanding of how these expressions of emotions was actually a way to non-verbally communicate with someone. Further, I was able to make the true connection once I began this project. I never realized how children non-verbally communicate their emotions differently from adults do, for example, children may throw their selves to the ground in a tantrum whenever they are upset, but as a general rule, adults do not do that. Also- by looking up photos of nonverbal expressions, I began to realize how much nonverbal communication truly plays a part in our every day lives. Nonverbal communication expresses the emotions of sadness that our romantic partner can have against us, the worry our mothers have for us when we leave for college, or even the sudden need to stop that is necessary when someone throws their hand in the air like a stop sign and looks worried and anxious.
Also- doing this as a group portfolio made the exploration of nonverbal communication and how it is used to express emotion more interesting. We were able to learn from each other and read about each others blog posts on expressing emotion, that we may not have been able to realize on our own . I do feel like my knowledge has been expanded with this project.
Also- doing this as a group portfolio made the exploration of nonverbal communication and how it is used to express emotion more interesting. We were able to learn from each other and read about each others blog posts on expressing emotion, that we may not have been able to realize on our own . I do feel like my knowledge has been expanded with this project.
Portfolio Summary
During this project, I feel like I expanded my understanding of the different ways non-verbal communication is used to express emotion beyond the recognition of the things I am used to seeing every day. Everyone is familiar with the typical things you see in everyday conversations, like frowning to express unhappiness or smiling to express happiness. I found it interesting to look a little more in depth and see how things like body positioning, eye contact, gestures and tone of voice also help to articulate emotion without words. It was also interesting to learn about the different uses for non verbal communication when trying to express emotion. I enjoyed learning about how it is used by actors and speakers to portray certain emotions to large audiences, or by advertisers to try and encourage certain emotions among potential customers. I also found it interesting how you could interpret the dynamics between two people fairly accurately simply by observing their non verbal behavior towards each other. Overall, I feel like I have a deeper appreciation for the role of non-verbal communication in expressing emotion, and I will be able to use the things I learned not only to refine my ability to express myself, but also to interpret the emotions of other people when they aren't verbally expressed.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Photos of Couples
It is interesting to see how you can see peoples emotions in relationships just by their nonverbal communication. In the above photo, clearly the couple is not getting along right now. The female is showing how she is not happy with the male by her eyes looking up to the ceiling, her arms crossed, and she is not smiling. Clearly the male is not happy either but by his body position does not seem to know exactly what to do right now, almost perplexed by the fight he is in with the female right now.
In this photo, on the other hand, clearly there is alot of chemistry here. Both of the people look very happy and the female is gazing into the male with her eyes. They both prove to be content with their nonverbal communication.
Nonverbal Communication in Parenting
I was hanging out with my Aunt and Uncle and my little cousins this weekend and it got me thinking about how much nonverbal communication plays a role in parenting. I have four little cousins. A ten, eight, five, and four year old. These kids are crazy, but also a lot of fun!
The reason I bring this up is because while we were at dinner last night (Saturday) the kids were being a little wild. My Aunt and Uncle didn't want to yell at the kids or embarass themselves in the restaraunt so instead they would just look at my little cousins in a certain way and they would know they were in trouble! These facial expressions are something that growing up my little cousins picked up on and now it's to the point where a simple facial expression can scare them just as much as a stern talking to.
I found this very interesting because to this day, I can tell how my mom feels about something I told her or I've done just by the look on her face. Anyone else feel this same way?
The reason I bring this up is because while we were at dinner last night (Saturday) the kids were being a little wild. My Aunt and Uncle didn't want to yell at the kids or embarass themselves in the restaraunt so instead they would just look at my little cousins in a certain way and they would know they were in trouble! These facial expressions are something that growing up my little cousins picked up on and now it's to the point where a simple facial expression can scare them just as much as a stern talking to.
I found this very interesting because to this day, I can tell how my mom feels about something I told her or I've done just by the look on her face. Anyone else feel this same way?
Nonverbal Communication in Advertisements
I stayed up way too late last night watching infomercials and late night TV, and I noticed some interesting uses of nonverbal behavior intended to provoke or display emotion. I thought it was funny that in exercise infomercials, the "before" pictures of the participants always show them frowning or looking sad. This gives the viewer the impression that they are totally unhappy with their entire life. In the "after" photos, they always have a huge smile and are holding their head high. This makes the viewer feel like everything is now great about their life and they are completely happy. It was interesting to note that the sellers of the exercise programs used facial expressions to encourage people to buy their products - so that they can be just as happy as the other people who have used their products.
The second type of commercial I found interesting was the James Scott Farrin "We mean business!" commercial. This commercial is meant to give the viewer the impression that the company really takes care of your business, and that they can intimidate anyone who has wronged you. The speaker holds a very stern look on his face, speaks very clearly and at a moderate pace, and holds steady eye contact with the camera. He also slams his fist down on a table which indicates that his aggression and also gives the impression that he will fight for your rights. This commercial would probably be totally ineffective if it used an actor who grinned, spoke with a lot of laughter and made wide, airy gestures with his hands. The expressions, gestures, tone of voice and eye gaze were definitely intentional and meant to send a certain message to the viewer.
The second type of commercial I found interesting was the James Scott Farrin "We mean business!" commercial. This commercial is meant to give the viewer the impression that the company really takes care of your business, and that they can intimidate anyone who has wronged you. The speaker holds a very stern look on his face, speaks very clearly and at a moderate pace, and holds steady eye contact with the camera. He also slams his fist down on a table which indicates that his aggression and also gives the impression that he will fight for your rights. This commercial would probably be totally ineffective if it used an actor who grinned, spoke with a lot of laughter and made wide, airy gestures with his hands. The expressions, gestures, tone of voice and eye gaze were definitely intentional and meant to send a certain message to the viewer.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Nonverbal Communication in Children
When I was thinking about my blog post for this week- I began to wonder about how or if nonverbal communication to express emotions is different in children.
Something I found very interesting is that a child's most common form of nonverbal communication is to gesture. Although every child expresses their emotions different from another child, one nonverbal expression that children definitely use is when they are angry. Children commonly will stomp away, throw their hands in the air, or in conjunction with verbal communication, will throw their self to the group in a tantrum to express how upset they are.
Children also use facial expressions much more obviously than adults do. Children do not yet have the skills to know when to hide their emotions, so they will basically wear their full emotions on the face. Although this can make understanding a child easier when they appear to be happy, sad, mad, etc., it can also cause an issue when they are somewhere they don't want to be, or eat something they don't like, which could inherently accidentally offend someone.
A third and last nonverbal communication technique used by children to express emotion would be how children use their vocal tone. It is obvious when a child lies because their verbal and nonverbal communication tones do not match up, then they are usually being dishonest. For example, if a child claims to be happy, but has a sad look on their face and a monotone voice, then they are not actually happy in most instances.
It was very interesting to see how nonverbal communication used to express emotions is different for children than it is for adults who are more advanced in their lives. I could definitely see how these examples are true with man of the young children I babysit, and how they act.
Something I found very interesting is that a child's most common form of nonverbal communication is to gesture. Although every child expresses their emotions different from another child, one nonverbal expression that children definitely use is when they are angry. Children commonly will stomp away, throw their hands in the air, or in conjunction with verbal communication, will throw their self to the group in a tantrum to express how upset they are.
Children also use facial expressions much more obviously than adults do. Children do not yet have the skills to know when to hide their emotions, so they will basically wear their full emotions on the face. Although this can make understanding a child easier when they appear to be happy, sad, mad, etc., it can also cause an issue when they are somewhere they don't want to be, or eat something they don't like, which could inherently accidentally offend someone.
A third and last nonverbal communication technique used by children to express emotion would be how children use their vocal tone. It is obvious when a child lies because their verbal and nonverbal communication tones do not match up, then they are usually being dishonest. For example, if a child claims to be happy, but has a sad look on their face and a monotone voice, then they are not actually happy in most instances.
It was very interesting to see how nonverbal communication used to express emotions is different for children than it is for adults who are more advanced in their lives. I could definitely see how these examples are true with man of the young children I babysit, and how they act.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Nonverbal Communication With Language Barriers
The small group that I attend through my church has been fostering a refugee family from Somalia for the past few months. The family is moving to another state soon, so we decided to throw a going away party for them. Needless to say, there are a TON of culture differences between us, and the most notable one is language. The younger kids in the family speak English the best because they pick it up in school. The older kids and adults have been more resistant to learning a new language, and as a result have a really hard time communicating with the rest of us.
At the going away party, it was really interesting to note how the family members who didn't speak much English found ways to communicate with those of us who did speak English. They used their hands to mimic the things they were looking for, they would act out activities that they couldn't describe, and they would use facial expressions instead of words in response to a lot of things. I was surprised at the end of the night that I sort of felt like I'd been talking to the family all night, when really we'd just been exchanging facial expressions and funny actions.
I found it especially interesting that some expressions or actions matched perfectly between our two cultures. For instance, when thanking the host of the party for all her efforts, the mother grasped the host's shoulders affectionately and gave a big smile. This is probably exactly what I would do while at the same time using words to say thank you in English. Another example I noticed was that when one of the daughters was trying to ask where the trashcan was, she made a throwing motion with her hand, like she was holding something and tossing it away. I also recognized this as a motion commonly seen in our culture.
At the going away party, it was really interesting to note how the family members who didn't speak much English found ways to communicate with those of us who did speak English. They used their hands to mimic the things they were looking for, they would act out activities that they couldn't describe, and they would use facial expressions instead of words in response to a lot of things. I was surprised at the end of the night that I sort of felt like I'd been talking to the family all night, when really we'd just been exchanging facial expressions and funny actions.
I found it especially interesting that some expressions or actions matched perfectly between our two cultures. For instance, when thanking the host of the party for all her efforts, the mother grasped the host's shoulders affectionately and gave a big smile. This is probably exactly what I would do while at the same time using words to say thank you in English. Another example I noticed was that when one of the daughters was trying to ask where the trashcan was, she made a throwing motion with her hand, like she was holding something and tossing it away. I also recognized this as a motion commonly seen in our culture.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Expressing Emotion through Nonverbal Communication in Interviews
I recently went through a mock interview on campus. Talk about 'nonverbal communication'! The goal of this interview was for the interviewer to "nit-pick" at every nonverbal action I was putting forward.Things such as nervousness, anxiety, deception, and confidence are all things that are noticed in an interview by the interviewer. I was told that it was extremely obvious when I was confident with my answer and when I wasn't. I was told I had great posture, eye contact, and poise when I was confident and felt strongly about my answer. On the flip side I was critiqued for looking down, looking to the left, speaking at an increased rate, and squirming a bit in my chair.
Good thing this was a 'mock' interview because they pointed out many things that I was doing to effect the emotion of my answer through my nonverbal actions. Has anyone been through something like this where one person watches you and 'nit-picks' at your nonverbal actions?
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Dating and our Nonverbal Communication
I fond this interesting tidbit of information that points out the nonverbal communication tactics that men and women unconsciously use when they are dating and what shows if they are interested or not in their potential dating partner. Can you relate to any of these in any way?
Nonverbal communication is the way a person expresses him/herself through movement, posture, and facial expression. It is possible to send one type of verbal message and at the same time, a different type with body language. Nonverbal communication is powerful. Seventy percent of the time, a woman’s nonverbal communication initiates dating and guides the pace of the relationship.
Nonverbal communication is the way a person expresses him/herself through movement, posture, and facial expression. It is possible to send one type of verbal message and at the same time, a different type with body language. Nonverbal communication is powerful. Seventy percent of the time, a woman’s nonverbal communication initiates dating and guides the pace of the relationship.
A woman’s "Interested" body language:
- Pouting lips
- Hair flipping
- Glances
- Pushing hair behind the ears
- The use of aroma (perfume)
A woman's "Not Interested" body language:
- Yawns
- Frowns
- Sneers
- Hands staying in pockets
- Arms staying crossed across the chest
A man’s "Interested" body language:
- Holding eye contact longer than necessary
- Accidental contact with a girl
- Arranging the tie or sleeves
- Keeping hands in front of the pants with the thumbs locked inside the belt
- Fiddling with something
- Moving in closer
Expressing Emotions in Speeches
http://www.toastmasters.org/MainMenuCategories/FreeResources/NeedHelpGivingaSpeech/TipsTechniques/GesturesGetMoving.aspx
Here is a link from the website of a public speaking club. It's interesting to think about how speakers use non verbal communication to express emotions in their speeches. They'll criss-cross the floor quickly and shake their hands when they're excited, they might slam a fist down on the podium or point to the audience when they're being serious, and they're likely to smile and gesture largely if they're saying something comical. This kind of non-verbal communication reinforces what they actually say and helps to engage the audience.
Here is a link from the website of a public speaking club. It's interesting to think about how speakers use non verbal communication to express emotions in their speeches. They'll criss-cross the floor quickly and shake their hands when they're excited, they might slam a fist down on the podium or point to the audience when they're being serious, and they're likely to smile and gesture largely if they're saying something comical. This kind of non-verbal communication reinforces what they actually say and helps to engage the audience.
Facial expressions and emoticon development
http://www.people-communicating.com/emotion-faces.html
Facial expressions are the most noticeably used way to express emotions. In face to face conversations, it’s pretty easy to see what the other person is feeling by looking at his/her face. We manage to avoid misinterpretation to an extent by using emoticons over emails and text messages. The site listed above prompted me to think about how facial expressions influenced the development of the emoticon, leading to clearer, better expressed emotions.
Cultural differences in nonverbal communication
As I was watching a foreign film at home, a question popped into my mind. We use nonverbal communication to express emotions, but how might our body language be interpreted differently across other cultures? I’ll use this photo as an example. In the US, this man will likely be interpreted as happy due to the use of the thumbs up gesture accompanied with the expression on his face. While in a country like Iran, people would be offended by the thumbs up gesture. This man would be giving a very mixed message when his facial expression is taken into account. Facial expressions seem to be the only true universal means of nonverbal communication. The six universal facial expressions don’t vary much across cultures.
Beyond the scope of hand gestures, misinterpretation is open to body postures. I’ve noted whenever I’m feeling sad about something, I tend to slouch more. I found that slouching is considered rude in most northern European countries. How would you modify your nonverbal communication to avoid offense if you were to travel to a foreign country?
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