Observing Non-Verbal Communication
Directions: You are to spend a half hour observing nonverbal communicative behavior in a particular context (for example, a fast-food restaurant observing the nonverbal communication of the employees and customers).
You should note the following:
• The different forms of nonverbal communication, including examples for each form and which form(s) seem most important/prevalent in the communication observed.
• The different uses of nonverbal communication including examples of each.
Your written report should be a short narrative essay of about 400 words that includes the following:
• A description of the time and place of your observation
• A description of each of your observations (make sure and include the information above)
• A discussion determining if there were some commonalities across contexts (for example: People rarely touched, and if they did, it was usually by shaking hands or briefly hugging) or exceptions (for example: When people were observed standing in line for football tickets, they didn’t seem to mind the decrease in personal space).
• Describe any differences noted due to gender or culture/subculture
• Discuss how particular contexts influence certain nonverbal behaviors
• List and define (with examples) any other nonverbal communications that are not listed in the book (be creative!)
Criteria Points
Description of setting (includes location, time, and observed activity) 20
Description of various nonverbal communicative behaviors and the messages they relay 30
Identification of specific behaviors from the textbook 30
College-level writing; appropriate formatting; appropriate length (400 words) 20
