Question

Consider the four primary uses of nonverbal behavior—expressing emotion, conveying attitudes, communicating personality traits, and facilitating verbal communication. There are two parts to this activity. First, over the course of 2 days, pay close attention to the amount of eye contact, types of voice changes, body positions, and movements others make with you in different situations. This could include casual friends at work, family members in your home, strangers waiting for a bus, fellow bar patrons or church attendees, etc. Second, for the next 2 days, again observe others’ behaviors in a variety of situations. This time, however, try minimizing your own use of nonverbal communication (hint: dark sunglasses may help!).

Describe the patterns of nonverbal behavior you observed in others for both parts of the activity. Why do you think different people engaged in different types of nonverbal behavior? What emotions, attitudes, and personality traits did these nonverbal cues suggest? How did people respond to your lack of nonverbal cues?

Answer 1

Firstly NON VERBAL behaviour is very impactful because it includes expressing emotion, conveying attitudes, communicating personality traits, and facilitating verbal communication - As it is rightly said that silence is louder than words in simple manner when you attribute emotions verbally or non verbally the person opposite to you is bound to react.

Hence in case 1 when you speak to others you are bound to get n number of reactions from others

but in case 2 as suggested if you wear black eye shades there is less scope of eye contact and hence people almost get a blank look of your face. So what you can expect in return is people will either cut short their converstaion with you and leave or will have a disconnect with you as they would feel talking to a wall sort of, or some people may also find you arrogant as they would feel you having lack of interest in their talk.

People could find you un approachable also.