Our textbook
informed us that communication is the process by which we use symbols, signs, and
behaviors to exchange information.
The tools we use to communicate are language, nonverbal behaviors, and
listening. These tools when being
used together promote and foster effective communication. However, if only one of these tools is
applied, our communication is severely affected.
For example, we hardly understand one’s feeling
and expressing by looking at one’s nonverbal behavior, i.e., his gestures, eye
behavior, and facial expressions.
No doubt, nonverbal behavior is communicative, but can be very
ambiguous. Unless you know the
situational context well, you hardly can pick up clues from the nonverbal
behavior. For example, I was watching
a show about lying with the sound turned off; I could not detect which ones
were liars by just basing on their gestures and body movements. The one who avoid making eye contact
and blink frequently, or the other one who looks relaxed and controlled? My schemas tell me that one that has
awkward body movements is more suspicious, and can be considered a liar. But, O’Hair and Wiemann (2012)
remarked, “competent communicators must think beyond schemas when determining
the meaning of nonverbal communication” (p. 129). In fact, I was wrong as the show later revealed to me that
the one who looked calmed and stable was a true liar!
Reference:
O'Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication: An introduction. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.
Reference:
O'Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication: An introduction. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.
Wong,
ReplyDeleteThat is pretty scary when you think about people being able to lie so well that non verbal language can not give us a hint they are not being truthful. I watched a situational comedy with professional actresses and it was very easy to see the emotions they were representing becasue of their facial expressions and body language. Body language can be very discriptive and they did a great job using that skill.
Leslie Porter
Wong,
ReplyDeleteI watch a situational comedy show as well like Leslie, but I had a much more difficult time interpreting the actions and feelings of the actors with the sound off. The only thing that I got right was the man and a woman cuddling together was that they were a couple. I think that reading body language without the words is much more difficult than one might think. When we talk with people we are constantly interpreting their body language as additional cues to the conversation, but for me without words I felt lost.
Jill
Wong,
ReplyDeleteIn my experience what you have said about situational shows is true. I can think about many of the shows that I watch which would not make any sense to someone who was not a regular viewer. Due to the ambiguity of nonverbal and in some cases verbal communication I have actually gone back and watched entire seasons of a show which I began watching after the show premiered. It was the only way that I would be able to understand the context of the show.
Marquis
Seems like the people on the show were experts in having poker faces.
ReplyDelete