Non-Verbal Communication Case Studies

Tone of voice messages.

Participants interpreted recorded messages.

Tone of voice 5x effect of content.

Tone of voice is very important when interpreting verbal messages.

Assessed emotion of recorded messages.

Could mostly identify: affection, amusement, fear, disgust.

Paralinguistics are important in assessing emotion.

Eye movement indicates turn taking in conversation.

People briefly look away before speech, prolonged look when about to finish.

Participants had conversations.

In half of the conversations, one participant wore dark glasses (interrupted eye contact).

Many interruptions in those conversations.

Eye contact ensures smooth conversation.

Looked at pictures- with/ without dilated pupils.

Participants found dilated pupils more attractive.

Photos of half-face + mirror image.

Participants found left side warmer.

Left side of face displays more emotion.

Confederate approached participants in social settings.

Did or did not echo posture.

When later asked, participants preferred confederate who echoed the posture.

Without postural echo, the conversation felt awkward.

Postural echo indicates friendliness.

Confederates approached participants in social settings with open/closed posture.

Participants preferred open posture when asked later.

Open posture= friendly, attractive.

Closed posture= unfriendly, unattractive.

Waiters squat or stood with customers.

(Squatting allowed eye contact.)

Bigger tips to the squatters.

Female students handed books from librarian with/ without subtle touch on hand.

When asked later, students that had been touched spoke better of librarian.

Subtle touch has unconscious, positive effect on attitudes.

Participants had conversations at different distances apart.

Participant broke eye contact with people of a different gender at a greater distance apart than with those of the same gender.

This is believed to be where participants felt their personal space was invaded.

We prefer more personal space when talking with someone of a different gender.

Participants observed having conversations.

Stood closer to people of a similar age.

Age affects how closely we stand to people.

College students took personality tests, then were observed getting grades from a tutor.

Introverts chose to sit further away from the tutor than extroverts.

Whether someone is an introvert or extrovert will affect their use of personal space.

Observed white and English people and Arabs in conversation.

Arabs stood far closer together than English people.

The use of personal space in conversation varies between culture.

People of equal and unequal status were observed approaching for conversation.

People of lower status did not approach those of higher status as closely as those of equal status.

The use of personal space varies with status difference when approaching other people.

Seven facial expressions reconised in virtually all societies:

happiness, fear, anger, sadness, disgust, intrest. sadness.