COMM 315 1st Edition Lecture 12 Outline of Last Lecture I. Nonverbal CommunicationII. Identifying the Importance of Nonverbal CommunicationOutline of Current Lecture I. Nonverbal Communication Codes (Continued)II. How to Improve Your Skill in Interpreting Nonverbal MessagesIII. How to Improve Your Skill in Expressing Nonverbal MessagesIV. Gender Differences in Interpreting Nonverbal MessagesV. How to Accurately Interpret the Nonverbal Expression of EmotionVI. Saying it Without Saying it OnlineCurrent Lecture- Nonverbal Communication Codes (Continued)o Touch (Haptics) Touch is very important to our wellbeing Used when we- Ask someone to do something for us- Share rather than ask for information- Try to persuade someone to do something- Are talking about intimate topics- Are in social settings that we choose rather than in professional settings that are part of our job- Are thrilled and excited to share good news- Listen to a troubled or worried friend Women- Have less positive attitudes about being touched by members of the opposite sex- Are more likely to reach out and touch their spouses Men - Generally have a more positive reaction to intimate touch than women. These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.- Are more likely to initiate touch in casual romantic heterosexual relationships- Are more likely to initiate touch with a women before they are married than after they are marriedo Appearance Body size/shape- Heavier/rounder individuals are often perceived to be older, more old-fashioned, less good-looking, more talkative, and more good-natured than thin people, who are perceived to be more ambitious, more suspicious of others, more uptight and tense, more negative and less talkative.- Muscular and athletically fit people are seen as better looking, taller, and more adventurous. American culture places a high value on how much you weigh, the style ofyour hair, and the clothes you wear. The clothes you war are a way of communicating to others how you want to be treated.o Time (Chronemics) Being on time can mean different things in different cultures The more time we spend with a person, the more we probably like them The lack of time you spend with a person, the more the other person is going to believe something is up, like you don’t really like them.- How to Improve Your Skill in Interpreting Nonverbal Messageso Tell- a nonverbal cue, cush as a facial expression, body posture, or eye behavior, that gives away what we are thinking and feelingo Look for dimensions of meaning in nonverbal messages Immediacy cues- feelings of liking, pleasure, and closeness communicated by such nonverbal cues as increased. We tend to move towards things we like, and move away from things we don’t like or causeus pain- Can be seen as contagious (smiling at someone)- Close proximity, face to face body orientation, mutual eye contact,smiling facial expressions, gestures such as head nods, open posture, context appropriate touch and higher pitched voice are all immediacy cues that show linking or pleasure. Arousal cues- feelings of interest and excitement communicated by such nonverbal cues as vocal expression, facial expressions, and gestures- If we sense arousal cues, we tend to think someone is interested, if no, we assume they are uninterested. Dominance cues- power, status, and control communicated by such nonverbal cues as a relaxed posture, greater personal space, and protected personal space- A person’s surroundings can communicate her degree of power just as clearly as her clothing and behavior do.- High status individuals have larger spaces around them- Shaking hands is a greeting or farewell ritual that communicates power of lack thereof. People in leadership positions are more likely to be the ones who initiate a handshake than are non-leaders.- Other power cues include the use of furniture, clothing, and locationso Use effective strategies for interpreting nonverbal messages Consider nonverbal cues in context- Trying to draw conclusions from an isolated snatch of behavior or a single cue can lead to misinterpretations Look for clusters of nonverbal cues- Instead of focusing on a specific cue, look for corroborating cues that can lead you to a more accurate conclusion about the meaning of a behavior. - Always consider nonverbal behaviors in conjunction with other nonverbal cues, the environment, and the person’s verbal message Consider past experiences when interpreting nonverbal cues- Familiarity with another person also increases your ability to interpret his or her nonverbal behavior.- After knowing someone over a period of time, you begin to increase your sensitivity to certain glances, silences, movements, and vocal cues that might be overlooked or misunderstood by others Compare what you expect to see with what you actually observe- This can increase your observation skill- Expectancy Violation Theory- states that you interpret the messages of others based on how you expect others to behave Be aware of your skill in interpreting nonverbal messages- By reflecting on your skill in accurately interpreting nonverbal cues, you can decide whether you need to increase your awareness of the unspoken messages of others- In general, women have been found to be more interpersonally sensitive than men, when interpersonal sensitivity wea measuredas the ability to accurately recall the nonverbal behavior of another person- People who are better at accurately expressing their feelings and emotions are also better able to interpret nonverbal expressions from others- People who are skilled in interpreting one channel of information- People with certain personality characteristics have been found to interpret nonverbal messages more accurately- People who select such people oriented professions as teaching, sales, and nursing often have more skill in interpreting nonverbal messages Check your perceptions with others- Perception checking- asking someone whether your interpretation of his/her nonverbal behavior is accurate- Follows 3 stepso Observe the nonverbal cueso Try to interpret what the individual is expressing through him/her nonverbal behavioro Check you perception by asking him/her if it is accurate Be aware that the nonverbal