Chapter Review

Chapter Activities

  1. Journal about a time when unintentional nonverbal communication such as a sigh, yawn, or slouched posture led to miscommunication on the job, with a friend, in a class, or with a loved one. How did you discover the unintentional behavior was a problem? What did you do to repair the situation?

    Question

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  2. Work with a partner (a classmate, a friend, your romantic partner) to have a conversation on any topic for about two minutes. Then stop the conversation and proceed with no eye contact for two more minutes. Finally, complete one more round while maintaining constant eye contact. How did each round make you feel? Did you feel differently depending on who your partner was? Which partner/round was the most comfortable? The most uncomfortable?

    Question

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  3. image Watch the video on vocalics (see “Browse Resources for this Unit”). Then find online videos or sound bites illustrating types of vocalics (monotone, breathy, nasal, friendly, hostile, etc.). For example, you might use Ben Stein as an example of monotone. Present your example(s) to your class or a small group and discuss the common perceptions associated with each.

    Question

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  4. Engage in a nonverbal behavioral violation outside of class. For example, you could break a personal space rule with a friend or violate elevator norms in a public space. Discuss your behavior, why it was a violation, and others’ reactions to it in a short paper. Share the examples in class and discuss various informal rules for nonverbal expectations.

    Question

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  5. Create a slideshow by searching Google Images for pictures of various kinds of people. Look for stereotypes such as “the blonde,” “the biker dude,” “the businesswoman,” “the nerd,” and so on. Show the pictures in a small group (or share with the class) in order to spark a discussion about immediate perceptions of the individuals in the photos: What are their jobs? What do they enjoy doing? Consider how quickly perceptions are formed based on appearance alone.

    Question

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  6. Choose a personal belonging that is important to you (e.g., a favorite hat, iPad, wedding ring) and briefly write down why this artifact is important. If you’re willing, display your item to the class and ask class members to indicate their perceptions of the items. How do others’ perceptions match up to your own? Are you surprised by the results?

    Question

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