Nonverbal Communication (SPC 3330)
Spring 2006 / CRN10445 / AB3-121
MW 11:00 am - 12:15pm
Professor Dean Davis
email: ddavis@fgcu.edu
Office: Reed Hall, Room 214
office phone #: 590-7256
Office Hours: MW, 8:30 - 9:25 OR 1:20 - 1:50, and, by appointment
Those of us who keep our eyes open can read volumes into what we see going on around us. - E.T. Hall
COURSE GOALS
In this course, we will examine theories of and approaches to the study of
Nonverbal Communication. This is an advanced course in communication, and a basic
understanding of the fundamentals of communication is assumed. Nonverbal
Communication is an often overlooked, yet, usually predominant aspect of
communicative situations. Nonverbal gives the verbal message its meaning; its
emphasis; its character; its impact... By the end of this semester, each student will
become more acutely aware of the various aspects & nuances of nonverbal
communication. Our goal is for each student to leave this class better able to recognize,
understand and interpret nonverbal messages.
This is one course that will be with you every minute for the rest of your life!
REQUIRED TEXT
Richmond and McCroskey (2004) Nonverbal Behavior in Interpersonal Relations (5th
Edition). Allyn and Bacon, Boston/New York.
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Attendance is MANDATORY. Simply, if we’re meeting, you must be in class. If you have
a legitimate reason for missing a class, you must let me know in advance AND provide
written verification. Each unexcused absence will result in a 10 point reduction from
your final grade. Lateness will result in a 5 point reduction. As this is a participation
course, you MUST GET TO CLASS ON TIME.
CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT
As adults, you will be expected to practice civility in this classroom,
giving attention and respect to your peers at all times.
All Cell Phones and Personal Electronic Devices must be TURNED OFF!!!
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
Academic dishonesty (cheating/plagiarism) is a serious matter and will not be
tolerated, as per policies and procedures outlined in the Student Handbook.
FGCU Student Learning Goals and Outcomes
As stated in the FGCU Catalog, “Florida Gulf Coast University is committed to nine
learning goals and educational outcomes, believing that they provide a foundation for lifelong
learning and effective citizenship. The specific outcomes involving knowledge,
understanding, analysis, evaluation and collaboration provide the basis on which the
University and the learner, sharing responsibility, can measure progress toward reaching
these goals.” In the College of Arts and Sciences, it is expected that each course be designed to
develop at least one of these learning goals and outcomes.
The primary student learning goal and outcome in Nonverbal Communication is
obviously to deepen your understanding “Effective Communication.” However, several other
student learning goals and outcomes are also central to this course, particularly “Culturally
Diverse Perspective.” This outcome is advanced through the notion that a great deal of
nonverbal comm. is culture specific and is dictated by cultural values and beliefs. Nonverbal
is designed also to help students develop in the areas of “Problem-Solving Abilities,”
“Information Literacy,” and “Ethical Responsibility.”
ASSIGNMENTS
READINGS: Put on your Nikes and JUST DO IT (READ THE CHAPTERS!)!!!!!
>>>
> QUIZZES: There will be seven quizzes during the course of the semester, each based on
two chapters of reading and associated lecture content. Keeping up with reading assignments is
highly recommended, as it will not only help you significantly on the exams, it will enhance
your ability to participate in class.
> CLASS PARTICIPATION: As this IS a communication course, you will be expected to
participate in classroom discussions with insightful and relevant content. As mentioned
above, keeping up with readings will help immensely.
PAPER: There will be ONE “Personal Observation” Paper due on M, 2/19. As you are in the
University now, quality work handed in is expected. Your paper must be typed, grammatically
correct, PROOF READ and substantive.
JOURNAL ENTRIES: During the course of the semester you will be required to hand in ten
(10) typed journal entries recounting experiences with or observations of nonverbal
communication. Journal entries will be due on scheduled Wednesdays in class. Any journal
entries that do not make it to class will not be accepted. Do not wait until that a.m. to print it out!
No excuses!
GROUP FIELD STUDY PROJECT: Yes, another group project, but, take a deep breath, you
should actually ENJOY this one. Details to follow.
COURSE GRADING
Course Attendance
In-Class Participation (Includes familiarity/discussion of readings)
Individual Paper
Journal Entries (10 @ 15 pts. ea.)
Quizzes
(7 @ 50 pts. ea.)
Group Field Study Project
100 pts. (10%)
100 pts. (10%)
100 pts. (10%)
150 pts. (15%)
350 pts. (35%)
200 pts. (20%)
1000 pts.
A = 930 - 1000; A- = 900 - 929; B+ = 870 - 899; B = 830 - 869; B- = 800 - 829; C+ = 770 - 799
C = 730 - 769; C- = 700 - 729; and, so on...
Week #/Day/Date
1
Topic/Activity
Assignment
M., 1/08/07
W., 1/10
Course Introduction
Communication and Nonverbal Behavior
M., 1/15
W., 1/17
Martin Luther King Birthday Holiday Observed – No Class Meeting
3
M., 1/22
W., 1/24
Gesture and Movement
Facial Behavior
4
M., 1/29
W., 1/31
Research on Immediacy
Eye Behavior
5
M., 2/05
W., 2/07
Vocal Behavior
Group Discussion
6
M., 2/12
W., 2/14
Proxemics (Space & Territoriality)
Haptics (Touch) and Communication
7
M., 2/19
W., 2/21
Group Preparation
Environment and Physical Surroundings
8
M., 2/26
W., 2/28
M., 3/05
W., 3/07
M., 3/12
W., 3/14
Chronemics (Time)
Read Chapter 10
Group Discussion
INDIVIDUAL PAPER DUE
SPRING BREAK
NO CLASS MEETINGS
Group Preparation
Quiz 5: Chapters 9 & 10
Immediacy and Communication
Read Chapter 11
11
M., 3/19
W., 3/21
Fr., 3/23
*******FIELD STUDY REPORTS: GROUPS 1 AND 2*************
Female-Male Nonverbal Communication
Read Chapter 12
Last Day to Withdraw Without Academic Penalty
12
M., 3/26
W., 3/28
*******FIELD STUDY REPORTS: GROUPS 3 AND 4*************
Group Discussion
Quiz 6: Chapters 11 & 12
13
M., 4/02
W., 4/04
*******FIELD STUDY REPORTS: GROUPS 5 AND 6*************
Communication in the Workplace
Read Chapter 13
14
M., 4/09
W., 4/11
*******FIELD STUDY REPORTS: GROUPS 7 AND 8*************
Communication in the Academic Environment
Read Chapter 14
15
M., 4/16
W., 4/18
M., 4/23
FILM
Intercultural Relationships
Group Discussion
2
9
10
16
Physical Appearance
Read Chapter 1
Read Chapter 2
Read Chapter 3 / Quiz 1: Chapters 1 & 2
Read Chapter 4
Quiz 2: Chapters 3 & 4
Read Chapter 5
Read Chapter 6
Quiz 3: Chapters 5 & 6
Read Chapter 7
Read Chapter 8
Quiz 4: Chapters 7 & 8
Read Chapter 9
Read Chapter 15
Quiz 7 - Chapters 13 – 15
W., 4/25
Course Wrap Up / Final Discussion / Final Exam Period
Advantage of teaching comm. / directly translates into real world
Here this eve to enhance your awareness of an aspect of comm. That
you’re peripherally aware of, that you know is there, that most take for
granted – NVC
Symbolic Interactionism: Human interaction is mediated by the use of
symbols (words), by interpretation, or by ascertaining the meaning of
one another’s actions. Nonverbal interpretation is broader and less
precise than verbal.
Context
When you think of NVC, what first comes to mind?... eyes, facial
expressions, body lang., gestures
Eyes: Oculesics, windows, gaze, gaze aversion (typically intentional),
CLEMS (conjugate lateral eye mov’ts.) are typically unintentional
Facial Behavior: Masking, Intensification, Neutralization (poker face),
Deintensification (downplay); SADFISH
Kinesics is the study of Gesture and Movement: Encoding / Decoding,
Immediacy (leaning forward, closer proximity, body orientation) Diff.
styles: friendly, dramatic, dominant, animated, relaxed, open,
attentive, contentious
Physical Appearance: Ecto (thin), Meso (healthy V), Endomorphs
(rounded) Body concept, image fixation, artifacts (interviewing)
Paralanguage: The communicative value of vocal behavior, study of
which is called vocalics. (Not what you say, it’s how you say it)
Persuasion, sarcasm, flat/thin/breathy/tense/nasal/throatiness/orotund
Vocal qualities, turn-maintaining, turn-yielding, turn-requesting, turndenying. 3 simple words
- Accents: way diff. words are said. (mimic, speak louder to)
- Dialect: use of diff. words for similar meanings
Haptics: touch (prof/funct, social/polite, friend/warmth, love/intimacy)
Proxemics: How we comm. w/ space Territory, Marking, Labeling,
encroaching, violating, contaminating, crowding, density
Environment and Physical Surroundings:
Chronemics: How we use time to communicate. SAD
- Monochronic time: norm in N. Amer. Emphasizes scheduling
of activities, one at a time, in segmented time.
- Polychronic time: norm in Latin Amer. Handling several
transactions at once. Less rigid. Several business meetings.
- Multi tasking
Nonverbal can be intentional or unintentional (leaks out). My goal this
Evening has been to enhance your awareness of nonverbal
communication. From this moment on, nonverbal comm. Should be in
your brain. Nonverbal comm. is surrounding you, every minute of every
day. It envelopes you. Are you aware of it? You may not think that
this lecture has changed your life. Just wait. Get out there, open your
eyes, open your mind, communicate.
Thank you.
Nonverbal Communication
Professor Davis
Personal Observation Paper
Spring 2007
Due: W, 2/28
So far this semester, we have begun to explore the broad subject of Nonverbal
Communication. I hope that I have helped to spark an interest in each of you regarding
this fascinating and often overlooked aspect of communication. For this paper, I would
like for you to do an exploration of your own nonverbal communication behavior.
While doing this, you may also wish to reference the nonverbal habits and practices of
your family and those around you.
Consider all or some of the following aspects of nonverbal communication while
exploring your behavior, habits, practices, skills and/or short-comings:
- Movement, gesture, posture
- Eye behavior
- Silence
- Paralinguistics (tone, pitch, volume, etc.)
- Touch
- Object language (Appearance, Clothing, Possessions, etc.)
- Synchrony
- Proxemics (space management, territory, etc.)
- Chronemics (time management)
Some criteria for your discussion should be:
Are you a good nonverbal communicator?
What are your most prevalent nonverbal communication behaviors?
Where do you think that these behaviors stem from?
Were they taught to you? If so, by whom?
***please elaborate on your
Did you mimic someone? If so, who?
family’s nonverbal communication***
Are they done to impress or annoy someone? If so, who and why?
Do you do these behaviors consciously or subconsciously?
Do you think that these behaviors are useful or detrimental to your communicative
success?
9. Which of these behaviors are you happy with / proud of?
10. Which of these behaviors would you like to OR are you trying to change? In what way?
11. Since being in this class, have you become more aware of your nonverbal
communication behavior and have you altered it in any way?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
The criteria above should give you enough to write about. Please have some fun
with this exploration and give it some thought before writing about it. Note that it is the
nonverbal aspects of our communication which color who we are as communicators.
Nonverbal gives our communication its impact and helps others to better understand
and interpret our messages.
Note that there is no specified length for this paper. If it’s too short, it will be
obvious. Your discussion, if honest, will make the paper an appropriate
length. Paper must be typed and PLEASE PROOF READ! You may also hand
paper in anytime before the 28th, if you wish to get it done and off of your todo list.
(100 pts.)
Nonverbal Communication
Spring 2005
Group Project: Group Members and Presentation Dates
Group 1: Wednesday, April 6th
Melissa
Christine
Isabelle
Juan
Temiela
Group 3: Monday, April 11th
Dave
Jennifer Dion
Marie
Biz
Jennifer Markwell
Group 5: Wednesday, April 13th
Jaycee
Gary
Holly
Crystal
Tiffany
Group 2: Wednesday, April 6th
Rachel
Dottie
Yanae
Alex
Jennifer Fenske
Group 4: Monday, April 11th
Max
Dena
Elizabeth
Kristin
Andrea
Group 6: Wednesday, April 13th
Caroline
Mary Megan
Patrick
Weston
Caitlin
Name: _______________________________
Professor Davis
Chapters 1 and 2
Nonverbal Communication
Spring 2007
For the following questions or statements, please circle the answer, or fill in the blank, with
the answer that best answers the question or completes the statement. ( 2 points each)
1. Kevin is a police officer. One night, he has to tell a woman that her son has been critically
injured in an accident. While telling her the bad news, Kevin places a soothing hand on the
woman’s shoulder, and speaks in a gentle, reassuring voice. How is Kevin attempting to use
nonverbal communication, in relation to the verbal message?
A. Accenting
B. Complementing
C. Regulating
D. Repeating
2. The study of people’s perceptions about social and personal space is called __________.
A. Polemics
B. Proxemics
C. Olfactics
D. Kinesics
3. Which of the following does NOT seem to be a dimension of our basic responses to
paralanguage / vocalics in assigning meaning to verbal and nonverbal behavior?
A. Tone
B. Repetition
C. Volume
D. Pitch
4. According to early research in the U.S., when decoding and processing nonverbal messages, it
was strongly believed that we use which side of our brain?
A. Left hemisphere
B. Right hemisphere
5. When people wish to manage the flow of a conversation, they often use nonverbal
behaviors called _____________, such as increasing eye contact, making sure pauses are
brief and nodding rapidly.
A. adaptors
B. emblems
C. regulators
D. reinforcers
6. Libby is giving a speech. During her introduction, she firmly states, “I’m not nervous,”
yet her hands shake and she breaks into a sweat. In this instance, Libby’s verbal and
nonverbal signs are__________________.
A. Substituting
B. Contradicting
C. Emphasizing
D. Repeating
T F 7. Attractive people are usually judged as warmer, more genuine and sincere than
their less attractive peers.
T F 8. Image Fixation is an often-painful preoccupation with one’s physical appearance and
attributes (body shape, size, height, weight and so on).
T F 9. Research has shown that teachers are one of the few groups who treat
attractive and unattractive children exactly the same.
T F 10. In general, females are more skilled at accurately decoding nonverbal signals.
11. Mesomorph body type best matches which psychological type?
A. Somatotonic
B. Cerebrotonic
C. Viscerotonic
12. Endomorph body type best matches which psychological type?
A. Somatotonic
B. Cerebrotonic
C. Viscerotonic
13. Ectomorph is what kind of body type?
A. triangular shaped
B. fragile physique
C. oval-shaped
______________________________________________________________________
For the following items, please write in CAPS, the letter corresponding to the type of
nonverbal behavior in column B that matches the term in column A.
A
B
____ 14.
Kinesics 1
A. Gesture
____ 15.
Olfactics
B. Space
____ 16.
Paralanguistics
C. Touch
____ 17.
Oculesics
D. Bodily Movement
____ 18.
Kinesics 2
E. Time
____ 19.
Proxemics
F. Face and Eye Behavior
____ 20.
Chronemics
G. Vocal Behavior
____ 21.
Haptics
H. Environment (scent and smell)
22. Social attractiveness is the degree to which...
A. we establish our popularity in new situations.
B. we are perceived by others to be able to help them with their popularity.
C. we are successfully accepted in our first impressions.
D. we perceive another person as someone with whom we would like to socialize.
T F 23. The concepts of “image fixation” and “appearance obsession” are very similar.
T F 24. People are much better at concealing deception cues in other body areas than in
their face.
25. Creating “homophily” with others can be quite beneficial to our interpersonal relationships.
Please define homophily in the space below.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Name: _______________________________
Professor Davis
Chapters 3 and 4
Nonverbal Communication
Spring 2007
For the following three, please fill in the blank accordingly:
1. Please give an example of a gesture or movement “emblem” used to nonverbally communicate a
message.
____________________________________
2. Please give an example of a gesture or movement “illustrator” used to nonverbally communicate a
message.
____________________________________
3. Please give an example of a gesture or movement “affect display” that communicates a nonverbal
message.
____________________________________
For the following questions or statements, please circle the answer that
best answers the question or completes the statement. (2 points each)
4. Inclusive and non-inclusive are examples of _________________________.
A. communicator styles
B. alter-directed adaptors
C. postural cues
D. regulators
5. Which of the following regulators are used exclusively by a speaker rather than a
listener?
A. turn-denying, turn-requesting
B. turn-requesting, turn-maintaining
C. turn-maintaining, turn-yielding
D. turn-yielding, turn-denying
6. ____________________ and ________________________ refer to whether two people
imitate or share a similar posture.
A. Inclusive / non-inclusive
C. Face-to-face / parallel body orientation
B. Congruence / incongruence
D. Mimicry / immediacy
7. When studying communicator styles, we learn that the “dominant” style and the “contentious”
style are similar. The difference, however, is that the dominant style can be ________________.
A. enthusiastic
C. less aggressive
B. more self-assured
D. all of the above
T F
8. Attractive people are more likely to be able to convince others of untruths (read:
successfully lie) than unattractive people.
T F
9. Unconscious leg movements during interaction may represent a thinly repressed desire
to keep others away.
10. Clicking of a pen, smoking or twisting a ring are all examples of….
A. alter-directed adaptors
B. object-focused adaptors
C. self-adaptors
D. none of the above
11. According to theorists such as Ekman and Friesen, facial behavior is very closely
linked to our primary _________________________ .
A. attitudes
B. behaviors
C. emotions
D. pathologies
Please fill in the following lines with the seven words that make up the
acronym, SADFISH, which stands for:
12. ____________________________
13. ____________________________
14. ____________________________
15. ____________________________
16. ____________________________
17. ____________________________
18. ____________________________
19. Darwin maintained that expressive behaviors are essentially_________________.
A. psychic revealers
C. survival mechanisms
B. evolution tracks
D. natural selection
20. Although much research supports the view that facial expressive behaviors are
innate, there are many external factors that can contribute, as well. Of the
following, which is NOT an external factor affecting facial expressive behavior?
A. social rules
C. culture
B. environment
D. family
21. When we practice _______________________, we essentially eliminate any
expression of emotion.
A. masking
C. intensification
B. neutralizing
D. de-intensification
22. The ______________________ style manifests at least a part of a particular
emotional expression always.
A. frozen-affect expresser
C. blanked expressers
B. withholder
D. flooded-affect expresser
23. The ______________________ style is characterized by individuals who seldom
have any facial movements.
A. frozen-affect expresser
C. blanked expressers
B. withholder
D. unwitting expresser
24. Ekman, Friesen, and Tomkins (‘71) devised a way of locating and evaluating the
facial expressions of individuals and called their technique, Facial Affect Scoring
Technique (FAST). This technique separates the face into how many areas of focus?
A. two
B. three
C. four
D. five
25. Ekman (1972) contends that at any given time, an individual may show two or more
emotions in different parts of the face. For example, one may be revealed in the lower face
and another in the eyes. These multiple facial expressions are called __________________.
A. affect blends
B. emotional revealers
C. partials
D. micro momentary facial expressions
Name: _______________________________
Nonverbal Communication
Professor Davis
Chapters 5 and 6
Spring 2007
(2 pts. ea.) Let’s try this again, since it relates to eye and vocal behavior, as well: Please
fill in the following lines with the seven words that make up the acronym, SADFISH,
which stands for:
1. ____________________________
2. ____________________________
3. ____________________________
4. ____________________________
5. ____________________________
6. ____________________________
7. ____________________________
For the following questions or statements, please circle the answer that
best answers the question or completes the statement. ( 2 points each)
8. The study of eye behavior, eye contact, eye movement and the functions of eye
behavior is called ___________________ .
a. lensology
b. olfactics
c. haptics
d. oculesics
T
F
9. A gaze of 10 seconds or longer will likely induce irritation, if not
outright discomfort.
T
F 10. The terms “mutual gaze” and “eye contact” refer to the same thing.
T
F 11. “Eye flash” occurs when the eyelids are briefly opened without
accompanying involvement of the eyebrows.
T
F 12.
Civil inattention
=
the “elevator look”
13. Conjugate Lateral Eye Movement occurs when ________________________ .
a. regulating flow of communication
c. monitoring feedback
b. expressing emotions
d. reflecting cognitive activity
14. According to the text, there are three properties of eye behavior. Which of the
following is NOT one of these functions?
a. involvement
c. express emotions
b. salience
d. stimulate arousal
T
F 15. Studies show that drivers speed quickly away from an intersection when
they’ve been stared at by pedestrians.
16. Which of the following is NOT an aspect of Trager’s “speaker voice set?”
a. glottis control
c. fatigue
b. education level
d. age
17. According to Trager, ____________________ are audible vocal cues that do not have
the structure of language, and may or may not be accompanied by spoken words.
a. vocal sets
c. vocalizations
b. voice qualities
d. vocal segregates
T
F 18. Grammatical pauses occur at natural punctuation junctures.
T
F 19. Turn-yielding behavior is also known as back-channel cues.
20. “shhh” and “uh-huh” are examples of vocal ____________________.
a. qualifiers
c. separates
b. segregates
d. cues
21. When considering accents and dialects, only one is a paralinguistic concern while the
other is categorized as a concern of linguistics. Which is paralinguistic?
a. accents
b. dialects
22. Laughing, crying and snickering are all part of one’s vocal _______________.
a. character
c. segregate
b. quality
d. print
23. Warm, positive vocal behaviors are most important in which career?
a. teacher
c. salesperson
b. surgeon
d. actually, all of these
24. The use of different words to reference similar meanings is called ___________.
a. dialect
c. metaphor
b. simile
d. variety
25. The average rate a speaker speaks is ____________ words-per-minute.
a. 120 - 140
c. 160 - 180
b. 140 - 160
d. 180 - 200
Name: _______________________________
Professor Davis
Chapters 7 & 8
Nonverbal Communication
Spring 2007
For the following questions or statements, please circle the answer that
best answers the question or completes the statement. (1 or 2 pts. ea.)
Chapter 7: Space and Territoriality
1. Hall and various other theorists found that the specific ways that we go about
expressing territorial and spatial behavior are primarily ________________.
a. learned
b. innate
2. The study of the ways in which humans use and communicate with space is called
___________________ .
a. chronemics
b. territoriality
c. proxemics
d. oculesics
3. The difference between which of the following often comes down to the way we
use space?
a. war and peace
c. success and failure
b. good and bad relationships
d. all of these
4. Human territoriality is a ___________________ claim by one or more persons of
a geographic area with or without a formal legal basis for the claim.
a. legitimate
b. definitive
c. presumptive
d. erroneous
5. ______________ territory is considered to be the exclusive domain of its owner.
a. Home
b. Primary
c. Personal
d. Body
6. Special places, called _____________ territories, can develop wherever people
congregate for social exchange.
a. interactional
b. public
c. communication
d. secondary
7. A popular meeting place, such as a bar or restaurant, that is frequented by a
certain group, would be an example of a _________________ territory.
a. public
b. interactional
c. social
d. home
8. Personal artifacts such as backpacks, purses, umbrellas, books, hats used to
establish ownership of a space (i.e. a cafeteria table) are called ___________.
a. claimers
b. labelers
c. markers
d. symbols
9. Another way individuals use prevention as a form of territorial defense is
through a combination of assertive postures, stances, gestures known as ....
a. offensive displays
b. markers
c. claimers
d. deniers
10. _____________ is when a person becomes associated with a particular territory
over a long period of time and can effectively lay claim to that territory.
a. Squatter’s rights
b. Tenure
c. Ownership
d. Staking claim
11. Which is NOT a type of negative encroachment, as described by the authors?
a. withdrawal
b. contamination
c. violation
d. invasion
The authors describe personal space as an “invisible bubble that surrounds us and expands or
contracts depending on personalities, situations and types of relationships.” For the following
four items, fill in the blanks regarding distances placed on each zone (in inches and/or feet):
12. Socio-consultive zone is from ________________ to ________________. (1 point)
13. Intimate zone is from __________________ to ___________________ .
14. Public zone is from _________________ to ___________________.
(1 point)
(1 point)
15. Casual-personal zone is from __________________ to ___________________. (1 pt.)
16. ______________ tend to allow others to approach more closely from the sides than
from the front.
a. Males
b. Females
17. (1 point) Fill in the blank:
___________________ is a person’s perception of spatial
restrictions.
Chapter 8: Touch and Communication
T
F
18. According to the authors, touch is the most effective means to
communicate many of our feelings and emotions.
T
F
19. Hall (‘66) contends that the study of touch is an integral part of
keeping people within the context of their cultures.
T
F
20. Adults often use the services of “licensed touchers” to fulfill the body
contact needs that result from decreased adult contact in our society.
T
F
21. “Mock attack” touches often substitute for more loving touches.
22. ___________________________ touch is the most difficult to interpret, both for
the receiver of the touch and for an outside observer.
a. Professional-functional
c. Social-polite
b. Friendship-warmth
d. Love-intimacy
23. ( 1 point) Fill in the blanks:
_________________-_________________ is the most intense form of touch.
24. (1 point) Fill in the blank:
__________________ is the study of the type, amount, uses
of and the results of tactile behavior.
25. _________________ discriminate among their body parts in terms of touchability
more than the opposite gender.
a. Males
b. Females
26. When a person seldom or never initiates touch and prefers that others not
initiate touch with her or him, that person is most likely a ________________.
a. touch apprehensive
b. touch avoider
c. paranoid individual
27. According to the authors, those who rarely touch and do not appreciate being touched
by others are casually called, the untouchables, and known to theorists as ___________.
a. touch apprehensive
b. touch avoiders
c. paranoid individuals
28 – 30. (1 point each) Fill in the blanks for, not necessarily, the last time:
Please fill in the remaining lines to complete the seven words that make up the acronym,
SADFISH, which stands for:
1. __________SADNESS____________
2. __________ANGER______________
3. _______________________________
4. ___________FEAR_______________
5. _______________________________
6. _______________________________
7. __________HAPPINESS___________
Name: _______________________________
Professor Davis
Chapters 9 & 10
Nonverbal Communication
Spring 2007
For the following questions or statements, please fill in the blank or circle the answer that
best answers the question or completes the statement. (2 pts. ea.)
Chapter 9: Environment and Physical Surrounding
Perceptions of the environments in which we interact affect our communicative behavior.
(You knew I’d ask!) For the first six answers, please fill in the blanks listing Knapp’s six
perceptual characteristics of environments:
1. F_____________________________
4. F ______________________________
2. W____________________________
5. C______________________________
3. P_____________________________
6. D______________________________
7. In a quote from the text, who said, “We shape our buildings, thereafter they shape us”?
a. Frank Lloyd Wright
c. I. M. Pei
b. Winston Churchill
d. Philip Johnson
8. When considering table shape for interaction, which shape table best symbolizes
equality and unity among the individuals that occupy it?
a. square
b. rectangle
c. round
d. oval
9. In an instance of cooperation, interactants sit _______________________ at both round
and rectangle tables.
a. diagonally across
b. straight across
c. at right angle
d. side-by-side
10. When a student sits near a window, one can make the assumption that...
a. that student is enthusiastic.
b. that student is more likely to dislike school and studying.
c. that student is a daydreamer.
d. that student sees little value in being popular.
11. Who is more likely to sit at the end of a rectangular table?
a. a leader
b. a dominant person
c. both
d. neither
12. The study of the physiological effects caused by observing color is called ___________?
a. oculesics
b. chromonomics
c. chromadynamics
d. olfactics
13. According to the “colors and meaning” chart shown in the text, which color does NOT
include excitement as one of its potential meanings?
a. red
b. pink
c. yellow
d. orange
T
F 14. Our olfactory signature is our individual scent.
15. When considering the color of lighting, which is NOT associated with a shade or
shades of blue lighting?
a. Can create drowsiness.
b. Can be related to death.
c. Can be related to sinister things.
d. Can elicit a somber mood.
16. According to the text, when considering temperature and the environment, which
category of temperatures appear to affect human behavior in more positive ways?
a. Higher temperatures
b. Lower temperatures
T F 17. According to Alex Comfort, who wrote The Joy of Sex, “ the combined natural
scents of a woman such as her hair, breasts, skin, armpits and genital region may be a
greater asset than her beauty.”
Chapter 10: Time (Chronemics)
18. __________________________ is the study of how a culture perceives, uses, studies,
structures, interprets and reacts to messages of time.
a. Olfactics
b. Proxemics
c. Chronemics
d. Oculesics
19. _____________________ is the way in which a culture keeps track of time.
a. Formal time
b. Technical time
c. Informal time
d. Cultural time
20. _____________________ has the least correlation with interpersonal communication.
a. Formal time
b. Technical time
c. Informal time
d. Cultural time
21. _____________________ is the most difficult cultural time orientation to understand
and learn to use.
a. Formal time
b. Technical time
c. Informal time
d. Cultural time
22. When considering the biological influences on time orientation, what does the acronym,
“S.A.D.” stand for?
__________________________________________________________
23. _____________________ time orientation is how people feel and react physically to
time, and the effects of time on physical well-being.
a. Physiological
b. Biological
c. Psychological
d. Personal
Finally, directly quoted from the book, please fill in the final two blanks:
24. “Monochronic time is the norm in the _____________________________ culture.”
25. “Polychronic time is the norm for many ___________________________ cultures.”
Name: _______________________________
Nonverbal Communication
Professor Davis
Chapters 11 & 12
Spring 2007
For the following questions or statements, please circle the answer that best answers the question
or completes the statement. (2pts. ea. / 10 pt. gift)
Chapter 11: Immediacy and Communication
1. Immediacy, according to the text, is...
a. a measure of how quickly one recognizes the communicative
signals sent by another.
b. the degree of perceived physical or psychological closeness
between two people.
c. a measure of how quickly one responds to another.
d. the degree of perceived success or failure of one’s communication
with another.
2. Which of the following is not one of ten common verbal approach strategies found in the
research of verbal immediacy done by Mottet and Richmond?
a. Use of ritualistic statements such as “Hey, what’s up?”
b. Use of offensive communication such as ugly jokes...
c. Use of direct references and personal recognition...
d. Use of language understandable to the interactants.
3. Blackman and Clevenger’s research identified twenty-two categories of nonverbal surrogates.
What made their research unique was that it...
a. studied chimpanzee behavior.
b. studied interactions of children.
c. studied adults interacting at sporting events.
d. studied adults sitting alone at computer terminals.
T
F 4. For most of their lives, attractive people have been approached by others, often
simply because of their looks. Therefore, they are often suspicious of and less
immediate with others.
T
F 5. Many unattractive people have learned that immediacy on their part often offends or
repels others.
T
F 6. When considering proxemics, people in the United States believe that, when in doubt,
give the other person an arm’s length plus six inches of space in order for that person
to have enough space to talk and be immediate without seeming too intimate or aloof.
7. The movements that reflect the intensity or strength with which we feel
an emotion are _________________________.
a. regulators
b. emblems
c. affect displays
d. adaptors
8. ____________________ are usually unintentional behaviors linked to
negative feelings about a person or situation or feelings of anxiety.
a. Emblems
b. Affect Displays
c. Illustrators
d. Adaptors
Chapter 12: Female-Male Nonverbal Communication
9. The psychological, social, and cultural manifestations of what people perceive to be the
appropriate behaviors of females and males is known as __________________.
a. sex
b. gender
10. The biological and genetic difference between girls and boys, men and women is known as
__________________.
a. sex
b. gender
11. Which of the following is NOT a causal factor for the differences in nonverbal behavior
developed by males and females?
a. genetics
b. modeling
c. adaption
d. reinforcement
12. In a study by Piercy (1973), “men dominated ___________ expansively while women
condensed.”
a. conversation
b. touch
c. space
T
F 13. Research clearly indicates that females begin talking earlier than boys and acquire
mature articulatory skills before boys.
14. Which of the following is NOT an example of courtship-readiness cues, according to
categories described in a study by Scheflen (1965)?
a. reduced eye bagginess
b. higher muscle tone
c. decreased belly sag
d. casting flirtatious glances
15. Writers describing U.S. culture say that expectations for ___________ are characterized by
proactivity.
a. men
b. women
T F 16. According to a classic study by Eakins and Eakins, “the views of unattractively
made-up males were accepted more readily than those of unattractively made-up females.”
T
F 17. Men tend to mask or hide their emotions more than women.
T
F 18. Women look more at the other person in conversation than men do.
19. ___________ tend to be more affiliative.
T
a. men
b. women
F 20. The personal space bubble surrounding men appears to be smaller than the
personal space bubble for women.
Name: _______________________________
Nonverbal Communication
Professor Davis
Chapters 13 - 15
Spring 2007
For the following questions or statements, please circle the answer that best answers the question
or completes the statement. (2pts. ea.)
Chapter 13: Supervisor and Employee Relationship
1. According to a study by Richmond and McCroskey (2001), which of
the following is a distinctive characteristic in the supervisorsubordinate relationship in the work environment?
a. The supervisor has a right to higher status.
b. The supervisor can often bestow rewards or punishments on the
subordinate.
c. The supervisor can share or not share information with subordinates.
d. All of the above.
2. In the work environment, as in the social environment, the color one chooses
for clothing often denotes certain traits or moods. According to the text, people
who wear brighter colors typically want to be perceived as ________________.
a. active
b. bold
c. creative
d. dynamic
3. In the work environment, as in the social environment, endomorphs (more
rounded, not necessarily heavy, perhaps pear shaped persons) are often seen as:
a. dependable and confident.
b. lazy and unqualified.
c. intelligent.
d. high-strung and anxious.
4. In an interaction between them, who would more likely be found sitting
upright with both feet on the floor?
a. The person of higher-status.
b. The person of lower-status.
5. In an interaction between them, who would more likely be found making direct
and prolonged eye contact?
a. The person of higher-status.
b. The person of lower-status.
T F 6. Very often, an employee’s use of time communicates that employee’s
feelings and attitudes toward the organization.
T F 7. Lower-status persons must adapt to the higher-status person’s schedule
and are expected to devote more of their time to the higher-status
person’s assignments if asked.
Chapter 14: Teacher-Student Nonverbal Relationships
T F 8. In addition to being familiar with the subject, having an organized
lecture and being able to hold their attention; students also expect an
instructor to have a sense of humor.
9. Teaching ________________ skills requires that students have an opportunity
to practice skills until they master them.
a. participatory
c. psychomotor
b. cognitive
d. applicable
10. The primary function of teachers’ ______________________ in the
classroom is to improve students’ affect or liking for the subject matter,
teacher, and class, and to instill in them the desire to learn more about the
subject matter.
a. verbal behavior
b. nonverbal behavior
T F 11. The authors suggest that teachers begin the semester (or school
year) dressing more formally until credibility is established and,
then, dress more casually to encourage student interaction.
12. Small groups of students who put their heads together to briefly discuss a
question among themselves and then report their responses to the class as a
whole are called ____________________________.
a. focus teams
c. focus groups
b. buzz groups
d. disasters
13. Giving content to improve student’s cognitive learning in the classroom is the
primary function of teacher’s _____________________________.
a. verbal behavior
b. nonverbal behavior
14. In the classroom, ___________________ are probably the most common
gestures used by students.
a. illustrators
b. adaptors
c. emblems
d. affect displays
Chapter 15: Intercultural Relationships
15. Which of following do individuals learn and adapt from their culture?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Appropriate facial and eye behavior.
Perceptions of appearance and attractiveness.
Appropriate gesture and movement.
All of the above.
16. The definition of xenophobia is____________________________________.
17. A collection of people who possess conscious membership in an identifiable
unit of an encompassing, larger cultural unit is called a(n)
___________________ .
T F 18. Xenophobia often increases because of ethnocentrism.
As a final check to see if you are a critical thinker… Please fill in the remaining lines to
complete the seven words that make up the acronym, SADFISH, which stands for:
19. __________S_________________________
20. __________A_________________________
21. __________D_________________________
22. __________F__________________________
23. __________I__________________________
24. __________S__________________________
25. __________H__________________________