Nonverbal Communication (COM 480-01)
Spring 2008, Thursdays – 4:00 to 6:50 p.m., Hashinger Science Center 111
Instructor:
Office Address:
Office Phone:
Office Hours:
E-mail:
Class Webpage:
Dr. Jennifer Bevan
Moulton Center 248 (inside Communication Studies Dept. Office in MC241)
(714) 532-7768
M: 2:15-3:15 pm; T: 11:45-12:45 & 2:15-3:15 pm; R: 1:45-3:45 pm; by appt.
bevan@chapman.edu - you have the highest chance of reaching me via email
www.chapman.edu/blackboard (click on the “Logging in to Blackboard” link
if you have trouble logging in)
Text/Readings:
1. Required text: Leathers, D. G., & Eaves, M. H. (2008). Successful
nonverbal communication: Principles and applications (4th ed.). Mountain
View, CA: Allyn & Bacon.
2. Required readings (see list at end of syllabus): Available as PDF files on
BlackBoard under “Course Documents” heading
Course Prerequisite: Completion of COM 110.
Nature and Goals of the Course:
Nonverbal communication is a more important aspect of communication than many people realize.
In many cases, nonverbal cues are more important than verbal cues in conveying meaning. You cannot be a
competent communicator without being skilled at observing, interpreting, responding appropriately to, and
sending nonverbal messages. Thus, this course is designed to familiarize you with important issues related to
nonverbal communication. You will be given opportunities to grapple with and apply those issues
cognitively and behaviorally. When you complete this course, you should have a better understanding of the
types of nonverbal behaviors that communicate meanings and the functions that those behaviors perform.
You should ideally be able to more closely monitor and understand the nonverbal behavior of yourself and
others in order to have communicatively competent interpersonal interactions.
Class Conduct and Expectations:
In order to create and maintain a supportive communication environment, I require the following:
1. You must refrain from side-conversations, reading non-related materials, and doing anything else
that might make it difficult to hear/pay attention to others in the class.
2. NO CELL-PHONES, PDAs, MP3s, or anything else that would cause distractions will be
permitted in class (please turn your phones/PDAs off or leave them elsewhere when in class)
3. I heavily discourage coming late to class or leaving class early. This type of behavior is rude and
disturbing to me and to your fellow classmates.
4. You are here by your choice. I expect this class to be as important to you as your other obligations.
When possible, I do not let outside obligations burden my participation in this course; I expect you to
do the same.
5. Because this is an upper-level class, I also expect that you will be prepared to participate in class
discussions and in-class activities when you come to class – this means that you have read and
critically evaluated the assigned chapters and readings before class and are ready to actively engage
the material and each other.
6. Please be respectful of your fellow students and me when participating in class discussions. I will not
tolerate inappropriate outbursts or language.
7. You may use laptops in class ONLY for taking class notes. If I find that you are spending time
online or are working on other things, I will ban laptops in class.
Ethics:
Chapman University is a community of scholars that emphasizes the mutual responsibility of all
members to seek knowledge honestly and in good faith. Students are responsible for doing their own work,
and academic dishonesty of any kind will be subject to a range of sanctions by the instructor and referral to
the university’s Academic Integrity Committee, which may impose additional sanctions up to and including
dismissal. Using the ideas or words of another person, even a peer, or a Web site, as if it were your own, is
plagiarism. See the Undergraduate Handbook for the full policy. I take this policy extremely seriously and
do not consider your being uninformed about what plagiarism is and is not to be an acceptable or
justifiable excuse!
Students with Disabilities:
If you have a documented disability and are in need of alternate class accommodations, you are
invited to meet with me as soon in the semester as possible to discuss your needs. Please also contact the
Center for Academic Success (130 Cecil B. DeMille Hall, cas@chapman.edu, 714-997-6828) to register and
coordinate arrangements for accommodations and services.
BlackBoard:
BlackBoard is a useful way for me to disseminate information about the course to you. For example,
I use BlackBoard to provide required readings and assignments, post grades, provide exam study
information, and supply PowerPoint notes for class. Please look under “Course Documents” and/or “Course
Information” for these documents.
Please note: You are REQUIRED to log on to BlackBoard in this course and I expect that you will
check it at least the morning of each class meeting, if not daily. If there is a change in the class (cancellation,
due date or topic changes, etc.), email through BlackBoard will be the primary source for my dissemination
of this information to you. It is thus your responsibility to check the email address that is linked to your
BlackBoard account (which is your chapman.edu email account unless you change it) daily. Not checking
your email account frequently is not an excuse for missing important class information disseminated via
BlackBoard email. Grades (including final course grades) will ONLY be posted on BlackBoard and will not
be given via email due to security concerns.
Evaluation:
Your grade will be determined in four ways: three non-cumulative exams, a concept application
paper, a group presentation/annotated bibliography project, and class participation/assignments where you
will critically analyze and apply the principles learned in lecture.
1. Class Participation/Assignments (75 points = 15 points for class participation + 60 points for
assignments) can be in-class activities, group work/discussion, or assignments that apply the course material
to be completed outside of class. If you miss class on a day that a group/class discussion is completed in class
or do not hand an assignment in on time, you will not receive any credit for the assignment or be able to
make the assignment up. There are no exceptions to this assignment policy – please do not ask. It is thus
expected that you will attend class each week to participate in discussion and receive and complete
assignments – these assignments are designed to not only have you apply and better understand course
material, but also to encourage your attendance in class. There will be approximately 5 to 7 assignments over
the course of the semester (worth in range of 9 to 12 points each, depending upon the final number of
assignments) and the lowest assignment grade will be dropped; thus, you can miss one assignment due to
absence without penalty. I DO NOT accept these assignments via email – you must turn in a paper copy to
me in class or to my mailbox in MC241 before the assignment is due. Excessive absences (i.e., missing 20%
or more of class meetings) will result in the inability to contribute to in-class group discussions and will be
taken into account in this portion of the class grade as well.
2. Exams (3 @ 100 points each = 300 points total) will be a combination of include multiple choice,
matching, short identification, and/or essay items and will cover approximately one-third of the course
material. The final exam, which will be held from 4:15 to 6:45 on Thursday, May 15, is NOT cumulative. To
receive a final grade this semester, make-up dates (with proper documentation, as outlined below) for the
final exam must be re-scheduled by the last day of the final exam period.
3. Concept Application Paper (75 points) will allow you consider a full-length film that will be viewed
in class and apply the movie interactions to specific class concepts. The paper will be 6-8 pages in length.
Details about this paper will be provided at the beginning of class on 3/13.
4. Group Project (Presentation @ 75 points + Paper @ 75 points + Group Member Evaluation @ 25
points = 175 points total) will involve four components: (1) An approximately 45 minute group presentation
of a specific aspect of nonverbal communication, including introduction/definitions of relevant concepts and
terms and the execution and in-depth class discussion/in-class assignment that illustrates the topic by group
members. Visual aids are required. (2) A 5-6 page written annotated bibliography/critique of at least 5
empirical journal articles related to your topic (this portion of the assignment is to be written and handed in
separately by each group member, though group members can work together to find the same articles). (3)
Five possible exam items (3 multiple choice items, 2 true/false items) with answers. (4) Confidential
evaluations of each of your group members. We will go over this assignment and sign up for group
membership and topics/dates in detail in class on Thursday, Feb. 14 (this will include class time for you to
begin to work in your groups). Please also note that class time on 4/24 should be used to work in your groups
on the assignment.
IMPORTANT NOTE: I am strict about you turning assignments/papers in on time and taking
exams the days they are scheduled. Exams and papers can only be made up/turned in late if you have a
university-sponsored activity and notify me ahead of time in writing OR if you have a valid and legitimate
excuse and you provide me with acceptable written documentation. Valid and legitimate will be decided on
the basis of evidence provided but never involves non-refundable plane tickets, road trips, concerts, early
vacations, outdoor recreation, or any other random and unverifiable absence. If you are sick when an exam is
given or when a paper is due, you must provide a legitimate doctor’s note that indicates the days that you
were unable to attend class. This must be turned in at the time you take the exam or turn in the paper.
Doctor’s notes must be originals (no photocopies, carbons, faxes, or emails). If an absence is known ahead
of time, you must make arrangements before the exam is distributed or the paper is due. You MUST
notify me within 24 hours before or after the exam or papers are due to discuss a possible exam make-up or
you will not be allowed to make up the exam.
2nd IMPORTANT NOTE: Detailed instructions and feedback for these assignments will be
provided in class and/or available on Blackboard. It is highly recommended that you record and keep track of
each grade you earn in this class. I use GradeBook on BlackBoard to calculate final course grades and it is
your responsibility to inform me if there is a grading error by the day of the final exam.
There are 625 points possible in the course. You must complete all three exams and participate in all
aspects of the group project to pass this course.
Grading Disputes:
You are welcome to come in during office hours or at another pre-arranged time and review any of
your exam/assignment results or your grade in the course. Although I do not anticipate any problems, it is
possible that we may disagree on a particular grade. I am open to discussion about grades; however, there are
some guidelines that are to be followed for such discussions to take place. First, grades are not discussed in
the classroom. Second, grades will not be discussed unless you provide me with your written viewpoint
before our meeting. Third, I will only consider individual written grade change requests for one week after
each assignment/exam’s grade is posted on BlackBoard. Don’t wait until the last week of class to review
your test results!
Grade Distribution:
A
AB+
B
BC+
93%-100%
90%-92%
87%-89%
83%-86%
80%-82%
77%-79%
C 73%-76%
C- 70%-72%
D+ 67%-69%
D 63%-66%
D- 60%-62%
F 0%-59%
TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE
Note: Readings and assignments must be completed by the dates they are assigned. I reserve the
right to change the schedule as needed.
DATE:
TOPIC:
ASSIGNMENT:
1/31
Overview of the Course/Syllabus
Introductory Perspectives/Concepts
Chapter 1; Read syllabus before
class; bring syllabus to class
2/7
Personal Appearance Cues
Chapter 7; bring your Leathers &
Eaves text to class!
2/14
Body/Kinesic Cues
Group Assignment Description & Sign-Up
In-Class Group Work
Chapter 4
2/21
Tactile/Haptic Cues
Vocalic Cues
Chapter 6; Crusco & Wetzel
Chapter 8; Jaworski
2/28
Group Exam 1 Review Assignment
Exam 1 – includes all assigned readings, lecture notes, and audiovisual
materials to this point
3/6
Microenvironmental Cues
Proxemic Cues
3/13
Concept Application Paper Assigned
Movie Viewing for Concept Application Paper
3/20
No Class – Enjoy Spring Break!
3/27
Function of NVC #1: Forming and
Managing Impressions
Function of NVC #2: Influencing Others
Leathers & Eaves, pp. 349-365;
Langan
Chapter 5; DeBeer-Keston et al.
Chapter 9; pp. 264-272
Chapter 10; Segrin
4/3
Function of NVC #3: Expressing Emotion
Leathers & Eaves, pp. 27-34
Andersen & Guerrero; bring your
Leathers & Eaves text to class!
Concept Application Paper Due at the Beginning of Class
4/10
Exam 2 – includes all assigned readings, lecture notes, and audiovisual
materials after Exam 1
Function of NVC #4: Detecting Deception
Chapter 11
DATE:
TOPIC:
ASSIGNMENT:
4/11 (Friday)
Last day to drop a class with a final grade of “W”
4/17
Function of NVC #5: Communicating
Relational Messages
4/24
Use class time to work in your groups on your group presentation; Email me a
detailed progress report, including an outline of your specific topics and who is
presenting what, by 7:00 p.m. on 4/24; Please include ALL group members as
senders of this email so that I may reply to you all if I have questions
5/1
Group Presentations: Female-Male Nonverbal Interaction (Group 1) and Nonverbal
Communication in Childhood (Group 2)
Function of NVC #6: Cultural Displays
Chapter 14
5/8
Group Presentations: Physician-Patient Nonverbal Interaction (Group 3) and
Nonverbal Communication in Organizations (Group 4)
Function of NVC #6: Cultural Displays, cont. Chapter 14
5/15
Final Exam, 4:15 to 6:45 pm in regular classroom – includes all assigned
readings, lecture, and audiovisual materials after Exam 2 (Note: The final is
NOT cumulative)
Knapp; Daly et al.
REQUIRED READING CITATIONS
Note: All readings can be found as PDF files on BlackBoard under Course Documents.
Andersen, P. A., & Guerrero, L. K. (1999). Expressing and managing emotion through nonverbal
communication. In L. K. Guerrero, J. A. DeVito, & M. L. Hecht (Eds.), The nonverbal
communication reader (pp. 275-283). Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland.
Crusco, A. H., & Wetzel, C. G. (1990). The Midas touch: The effects of interpersonal touch on restaurant
tipping. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 10, 512-517.
Daly, J. A., Hogg, E., Sacks, D., Smith, M., & Zimring, L. (1990). Sex and relationship affect social selfgrooming. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 10, 183-189.
DeBeer-Keston, K., Mellon, L., & Solomon, L. Z. (1986). Helping behavior as a function of personal space
invasion. Journal of Social Psychology, 126, 407-409.
Jaworski, A. (1999). The power of silence in communication. In L. K. Guerrero, J. A. DeVito, & M. L. Hecht
(Eds.), The nonverbal communication reader (pp. 156-162). Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland.
Knapp, M. L. (1999). Nonverbal communication in developing and deteriorating relations: A conceptual
framework. In L. K. Guerrero, J. A. DeVito, & M. L. Hecht (Eds.), The nonverbal communication
reader (pp. 305-313). Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland.
Langan, E. J. (1999). Environmental features in theme restaurants. In L. K. Guerrero, J. A. DeVito, & M. L.
Hecht (Eds.), The nonverbal communication reader (pp. 255-263). Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland.
Segrin, C. (1999). The influence of nonverbal behaviors in compliance-gaining processes. In L. K. Guerrero,
J. A. DeVito, & M. L. Hecht (Eds.), The nonverbal communication reader (pp. 335-343). Prospect
Heights, IL: Waveland.