Year 11 Revision
Non-Verbal Communication
1)
Key Concepts – Body Language and Facial Expressions: Fill in the table using your own words.
Description
Examples (at least 3)
Body Language
Facial Expression
2)
Core Theory – Social Learning Theory
This theory argues that NVC is a learned behaviour rather than a natural instinctive one. From this view NVC
learnt through the following processes: Match up the correct process with its description.
Process
Observation
Imitation
Reinforcement
Punishment
Role models
Description
The person or persons who are seen or watched and listened to. These are often influential
adults, such as parents, but can be celebrities, older siblings or our peers.
We are rewarded for communicating as expected because people like it when we follow
cultural norms e.g. we wave at someone and they wave back or smile at us
We see how other people in our community or culture communicate with each other e.g.
seeing greetings such as waving.
We are reluctant to repeat a behaviour if it has been punished (e.g. we were ignored or
ridiculed) or has cause offence, so NVC that is not accepted by a culture should ‘die out’
within it
It is easier to imitate (copy) the behaviours we see more frequently or more easily (i.e. those
in our immediate community or culture) e.g. seeing people wave to each other regularly
upon seeing each other
If NVC is a learnt behaviour as argued by SLT, then how we communicate would depend on our upbringing. This
assumption can be tested by looking at different cultures to see if there are differences in the way that people in
each communicate.
Cultural variation can be observed in how people great each other. In Brazil, the custom is for women to exchange
kisses twice if they are married and three times if they are single whereas in Saudi Arabia, if you are a woman, no
body contact is involved at all when meeting others.
3. Core Theory AO2 – Colour Code the Table to create PEEL paragraphs…
Subtitle
Doesn’t explain why
certain examples of
NVC persist even
when punished
Point
P: One weakness of
SLT is that it struggles
to explain why certain
examples of nonverbal communication
may persist even when
they have been
punished.
Evidence
E: For example, two
brothers raised by the
same parents, in the
same community, with
the same influences,
can have every different
ways of expressing
themselves. One boy
may hide his head with
his hand when he is
upset, whilst the other
may lash out and frown.
Explanation
E: This is an issue
because SLT argues that
punishment reduces the
chances of a certain
behaviour occurring
again, we wouldn’t
expect behaviour
resulting in punishment
(rude gestures) to be
repeated.
Link
L: This suggests that
these examples of
non-verbal
communication are a
product of human
nature rather than
nurture which reduces
the explanatory power
of SLT.
Reductionist
P: A criticism of Social
Learning Theory is that
it cannot really explain
why children brought
up in the same
environment can have
quite different ways of
communicating nonverbally.
E: This is because it
reduces the complex
behaviour of NVC down
to simply observation,
imitation and
reinforcement.
L: This therefore
reduces the
explanatory power of
SLT as it suggests that
it cannot entirely
explain NVC as it
doesn’t explain why
we continue to engage
in behaviour we see
others punished for.
The role of the same
environment
P: A further issue with
the social learning
theory as an
explanation of nonverbal communication
is that it is
reductionist.
E: For example, a
person may be beaten
up for a rude hand
gesture towards
another person but still
use that gesture.
E: This is an issue
because there is
evidence that nature and
biology has at least some
influence on non-verbal
communication. Just as
there are cultural
variations in non-verbal
communication, there
are also gestures and
expressions which
appear to be universal
and therefore innate.
These include smiling to
show pleasure, crying to
show distress, shrugging
as a defence and
blushing for
embarrassment.
E: If NVC was simply a
result of learning then
everybody brought up in
the same circumstances
should communicate in
the exact same manner.
L: This is clearly not
the case and therefore
reduces the credibility
of SLT as it cannot
entirely explain NVC.
4. Alternative Theory – The Evolutionary Theory
Fill in the gaps using the words below:
Evolutionary theory argues that humans and other animals are governed by…………………………………….. It is natural and instinctive
for animals to want to live long enough to ……………………………. on their genes. Therefore over time, humans and other animals
have ……………………………………….. to pass on behaviours that help them to ……………………………………. and reproduce.
Some human behaviour is …………………………………….. (i.e. it is found all over the world in all societies). This is evidence to suggest
that certain forms of NVC have evolved to help survival and/or reproduction. This is particularly important in pre-historic times
when humans had not yet developed the capacity to communicate with ……………………………...
Pass
words
Instinct
survive
universal
evolved
5. Core Study AO1 – Yuki et al (2007)
Answer the following questions:
1)
What was the aim of Yuki et al’s (2007) research?
2)
What nationality were the students who Yuki used in their research?
3)
What were the emoticons made up of?
4)
What did the participants have to do?
5)
What were the results?
6)
What can we conclude from this?
6. Core Study AO2 – Yuki et al
Colour code the table to match up the peels:
Subtitle
Low internal Validity
Point
P: A major weakness of
Yuki’s research into
NVC is that it lacks
ecological validity.
Evidence
E: For example, the
questionnaire was only
given to participants
who were student age
(i.e. 18 – 21).
Explanation
E: This is an issue
because we cannot apply
the findings to real life
settings as we cannot be
sure we would get the
same results if real faces
were used.
Low population
validity
P: Another limitation
of Yuki’s research into
NVC is that the
research lacks
population validity.
E: For example, Yuki et
al chose to use very
simple emoticons to
measure interpretation
of facial expressions.
Dependant variable
measured in a very
simple way
P: Furthermore,
another weakness of
Yuki’s research into
NVC is that
E: For example the
research used a
questionnaire to
investigate cultural
E: Although the sample
size was actually fairly
large we cannot
generalise the findings
from Yuki’s research to
the wider population.
This is an issue because it
might be that young
children or the older
generation interpret
emotions in faces
differently.
E: This is an issue
because we know that
the process of
interpreting facial
Link
L: As a consequence,
this reduces the
credibility of Yuki’s
research and casts
into doubt whether
there really is cultural
differences in
interpreting facial
expressions.
L: As a consequence,
this reduces the
credibility of Yuki’s
research and casts
into doubt whether
there really are
cultural differences in
interpreting facial
expressions.
L: Consequently, this
further questions the
credibility of the
research into cultural
interpreting facial
expressions was
measured in a very
simple way.
differences in NVC. This
questionnaire used
artificial emoticon faces
(not real life ones).
expressions (and any
form of non-verbal
communication for that
matter) is much more
complicated than
presenting someone
with simple scale from 1
- 9. This suggests that the
way Yuki chose to
measure the dependent
variable may not be valid
enough to draw
conclusions from.
differences in
interpreting facial
expressions
7. Real Life Application – Social Skills Training
Put the mechanisms of social skills training in order. Put a number in the right hand corner of the shape.
Homework - The client is encouraged
to transfer the newly acquired skills
to real life and to as many real people
as possible and report back to the
trainer.
Modelling - The
trainer demonstrates
or acts out the
correct behaviour,
for example good
eye contact, whilst
the client watches.
Practice – The client is
encouraged to imitate the
trainer, and role play is used to
build up the desired behaviour
Feedback – The trainer
comments on the clients practice
performance, sometimes using a
video of the practice behaviour
and good social skills are
reinforced.