COURSE SYLLABUS: NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION
Communication 4153, Fall 2011
TTH 10:30-11:45 in Physical Sciences 116
Instructor: Dr. Norah Dunbar
Phone: 405-325-1588 or 2290
Office Hours: 9:30-10:30 TTH
Office: Burton 203 or 2PP 132
E-mail: ndunbar@ou.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND GOALS
This course is designed to acquaint you with the major theories, principles, and latest research findings regarding
nonverbal communication and its role in the total communication process including basic characteristics of the
nonverbal elements of human communication in the oral communication setting. As such, it should be excellent
grounding for advanced study of nonverbal communication as well as an important complement to other advanced
topics in human communication. Emphasis is on the functions that nonverbal communication performs in daily
interactions. The content, which is multidisciplinary in nature, will be approached from the vantage point of
scientific observation and hypothesis testing rather than intuitive and experiential judgments.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
1. Specify the nature of the relationship between verbal and nonverbal communication.
2. Understand the role of nonverbal behaviors/communication within specific contexts and relationship
types.
3. Apply principles of nonverbal communication in simulated or experimental contexts.
4. Observe specific instances of nonverbal communication as it occurs in context.
5. Synthesize and apply the research on those categories or codes of nonverbal communication common to
our discipline.
6. Understand the functions that nonverbal communication performs in daily interactions.
PREREQUISITES
It is assumed that students will already have had some exposure to the basics in this content area through COMM
110 or the equivalent.
REQUIRED TEXTS
Burgoon, J. K., Guerrero, L. K., Floyd, K. (2010). Nonverbal Communication. Boston: Pearson.
Guerrero, L. K. & Hecht, M. L. (2008). The nonverbal communication reader: Classic and contemporary
readings, (3rd ed.). Long Grove, IL: Waveland.
Also recommended:
American Psychological Association. (2009). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th
ed.). Washington DC: Author.
COURSE FORMAT
The course format makes use of lecture and discussion as well as experiential learning activities to identify and
explain important theoretical concepts and to highlight practical applications of these concepts to the student's
own life experiences. A combination of text readings, lecture, in-class activities, and out-of-class assignments
will help facilitate this learning process.
Grading Criteria: (350 points Possible)
Exams: 3 @ 50 points = 150 points
Research Proposal Paper: 50 points
Field Observation Paper: 100 points
Peer Critique #1: 10 points; Peer Critique #2: 25 points
Final Presentation: 15 points
The final course grade will be determined by combining test scores and written assignment scores. The final
totals will be curved if necessary; otherwise earning 90-100% of the points automatically receives a grade of A;
80-89% a B; 70-79% a C, etc. The final "curve" may be more lenient than this, but it will be no more stringent
than this under any circumstances.
Attendance: Students are expected to attend classes regularly and arrive on time. Experience has shown that good
grades are strongly correlated with attendance, practice and participation. Students who do not come to class are
often surprised at how quickly they get behind. Any material during the class session, including announcements
or assignment explanations that are missed due to an absence is your responsibility to obtain. You will receive 10
bonus points extra credit for perfect attendance. It is your responsibility to check in with the instructor if you
arrive after attendance has been taken for the class.
Tips for taking effective notes in this class:
I use MS Powerpoint as a visual aid to supplement my lectures. The Powerpoint slides are only an outline of
main points and are not a substitute for your own notes. There is a great deal of information that will be said in
lecture or during class discussions that is not on the slides. Also, mindlessly writing down what is on the slides is
a waste of your time and will not help you much later. My suggestion is that you DO NOT write down word-forword what you see on the slides because a) you will miss my explanation of what the terms on the slide mean and
b) you will not write down examples that can be helpful when you are studying for the exam. What I DO suggest
is that you read what is on the slide and write down only a few key words or phrases along with an example to
help you remember the concept.
ASSIGNMENTS
Exams: There will be three exams (see course schedule). They will be a combination of true/false, multiple
choice, short answer, and essay. They cover the readings and class discussions/lectures. The final is not
cumulative, although some concepts carry over to later portions of the class.
Research Proposal: Read chapter 3 in the Guerrero & Hecht reader. Think of a research question that relates to
the study of communication. Ask yourself, “What is it about nonverbal communication that interests me?” Think
about your own observations. Try to narrow your question down as much as possible. Then, write a short paper
(no more than 4 pages) that explains how you will attempt to answer your question. Support your argument with
evidence from at least 5 empirical research studies that are directly related to the research question. The paper
should include the following elements:
1. Explain and justify your research question. Why is this important or interesting?
2. Summarize the research literature that has already been done. How does your study add to what we
already know?
3. Explain your plan for data collection. Who will you observe? When and where? How will you record
your observations? How will you establish reliability of your observations?
4. Explain how you will protect the privacy of your human subjects. Include a copy of the Determination
of Human Research Worksheet (available on D2L or the OU IRB website) with your proposal. Since this is a
classroom project for the purpose of learning research skills you will NOT be required to submit a proposal to
IRB but I want you to be aware of the rights of your subjects. How will you protect their privacy?
5. Describe how you will analyze your results. What statistical tests will you use?
Papers will be graded based on the completeness of the information, quality of the writing, and the correct usage
of APA style. Errors in grammar and spelling interfere with communication and so will result in a reduction in
the overall grade. Consult the APA Style Manual for tips on writing and proper use of APA style. This may be
done individually or in groups with the purposes of combining students with similar interests for the final paper.
You will be required to discuss your paper in class on the date noted on the course calendar.
2
Field Observation Paper. Write a research paper in groups of 3-4 students where you explain your project using
the format for empirical research studies. Collect a large enough sample of observations so that you can draw
some generalizations. Your paper should have the following 5 sections:
1. Introduction: Explain and justify your research question
2. Literature review: Summarize the research literature and give a theoretical basis for your predictions.
Build on what you have from your proposal and include evidence from at least 10 empirical research studies.
This section should end with a research hypothesis.
3. Method: Describe your method. Include who the subjects were, how you observed them, what
measures you used, how you established reliability for your observations, and anything else relevant to your
methodology.
4. Results: Summarize your results in a way that makes sense. You can use tables or figures to aid in this.
5. Discussion: Explain what you think your results mean. Relate your observations to class readings and
explain what conclusions you can draw from your observations.
Papers will be graded based on the completeness of the information, how well the paper follows the assignment,
quality of the writing, and the correct usage of APA style for title pages, references, and citing sources. You will
be required to discuss your paper in class on the date noted on the course calendar.
Peer Reviews: On two occasions in the class, you will act as a peer reviewer for other students’ papers. For peer
critique #1, you will be given a copy of the paper in class and will read it in class. It will be turned in to the
instructor in that same class so the purpose will be to help find group partners and to give guidance for the final
paper. For peer critique #2, you will take a draft home and provide detailed feedback on the draft so you must
turn in a rough draft in advance of the final due date (see calendar). If you do not turn in a rough draft by the
deadline, you forfeit the ability to serve as a peer reviewer for a paper. You should give constructive
comments to the peers and then take the comments you have received and improve your own paper. The goal is
to make each paper as good as possible before they are turned in to the instructor.
Presentations: On two occasions in the class, you will be asked to present and discuss your papers with the class
(see calendar). Depending on the number of groups, you may give your presentation to the whole class or to a
smaller group.
INSTRUCTIONAL POLICIES
Academic Honesty: All work must be the original work of the student and not turned in to any other course.
Plagiarism, collusion, or cheating will result in a failing grade in the course. Furthermore, students should be
aware that faculty members have a range of academic actions available to them in cases of cheating and
plagiarism from arranging a conference, to failing a student on that particular work, to failing a student in a
course, to referring the case to judicial affairs. Papers may be checked for originality by the instructor using antiplagiarism software. All acts of academic misconduct will be reported and adjudicated as prescribed by the
Student Code of the University of Oklahoma. Please see the OU website for details concerning OU Academic
Honesty policy set forth by the Honor Council. www.ou.edu/honorcouncil.
Policy on late assignments or missed exams: Late papers will be accepted only with the instructor’s approval and
will be penalized 5 points for each 24 hour period they are overdue, including weekends. Make-up exams are an
option only when documented circumstances beyond the student's control make taking the exam at the scheduled
time impossible. Make-up exams will differ significantly from the original exam and may be essay only. Except
for illness, participation in officially recognized University activities, or other documented emergencies, early or
late exams or incompletes for the course will not be given. If you have routine absences for University business,
please let me know in the first two weeks of class. Being out of town on business/vacation or leaving for vacation
early are not considered excused absences.
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Course schedule
NOTE: Readings are to be completed before the class in which they are scheduled.
WEEK DATE TOPIC
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Chapter in
Burgoon et al.
Chapters in
Guerrero & Hecht
1
1
08/23
Introduction
08/25
What is Nonverbal?
08/30
09/01
Methods and human subject
protection
Socio-cultural approaches
2
09/06
Bio-evolutionary approaches
3
09/08
Research proposal discussion
09/13
Film: “The human face"
09/15
Kinesics: Face/Gaze
13, 42
09/20
Kinesics: Body
11
09/22
Vocalics
17, 18, 19, 20
09/27
Exam 1
09/29
Proxemics
10/04
Haptics
10/06
Appearance
4
6, 7
10/11
Chronemics
7
28, 29, 30
10/13
Artifacts and environment
10/18
8
36
10/20
Functional approach, Message
production
Verbal/Nonverbal Relationship
10/25
Impression Formation
9
10, 16, 37
10/27
Exam 2
11/01
Managing Identities
11/03
Sex Differences
11/08
Expressing emotions
11
43, 44
11/10
Intimacy and affection
12
38, 39, 40, 54
11/15
Dominance and Power
13
49
ASSIGNMENT
3, 15
12, 35, 45
Research Proposal
Due; Peer Review
#1 in class
5
Exam 1
6
21, 22
24, 25, 26
31, 32, 33
Exam 2
10
41, 53
27
Field Obs. Paper
Draft Due (bring 1
copy per person)
Peer Review #2
Due (bring 2 copies
to class)
4
11/17
14
11/22
15
11/29
Group work day (Instructor will
be at the NCA conference)
Managing conversations
14
14
Final Papers Due
(bring 1 copy)
Thanksgiving
16
12/01
Credibility, Synchrony and
reciprocity
Deception
12/06
Research Presentations
12/08
Research Presentations
Final exam: Monday, Dec. 12
@ 8:00-10:00am
50, 51, 52, 55
15
46, 47, 48
Presentations in
class
Final Exam
5