Considering
Body Language: Hidden Communication
Many fields are interested in body language. Psychologists
want to know about how bodies convey hidden truths. The best poker players in
the world are experts in projecting and observing body language as are spy agents. Professional
athletes are adept at reading body language as well. Public figures are
interested in learning of how to leverage body language to become more engaging
and effective in delivering speeches.On a biological level, people are interested in discovering how others perceive themselves.
Find two articles about body language. One must be a peer reviewed scholarly source, and the other must be a popular source. Beyond summarizing the content of the sources, you are also tasked with raising questions and analyzing the articles. Consider the journal the article is published in or who sponsored the popular article. Consider the audiences the writers aimed to influence and why those audiences are targeted. Explore why the author conducted the study in a particular way. What does the article accomplish, and to what extent did the writer accomplish her goals?
Connect some aspect from of one of the articles to your own personal experiences. Does your experience reveal some nuance about claims regarding body language?
This posting is not a test of knowledge, but is a collective way to gather a large swath of information about a common area of interest. We all care about body language because it is a primary means of communication. There are no right or wrong answers for this posting. This also isn't meant to be published in The New Yorker. Deliver a bit of analysis, some summary, and make a connection to your own personal experiences. In other words, there are not penalties for being wrong here. Take a risk. It isn't often you come across an assignment that encourages risk taking.
Be sure to reference the sources you use at the bottom of your posting. For help with referencing formatting, please follow this link to the Purdue Owl: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/05/
If you have any questions, please send me an email.
According to Kendra Cherry and Neha Gupta, nonverbal communication plays a substantial part in human daily communication. Whether people do it intentionally or unconsciously, the behavior of the body tells more stories than actual verbal words. Kendra Cherry, writer of “Understanding Body Language,” depicts the voiceless communication that a person does through physical expressions. Similarly, Neha Gupta’s article illustrates the essential understanding of body languages. Both authors utilize their own experiences and research in order to speak and teach the readers about how to read human body language.
ReplyDeleteFrom my own experiences, I can tell that understanding another person can be as simple as knowing the basic likes and dislikes of someone else. On the other hand, people always give out subtle hints of their true emotions (e.g. facial expressions, the direction the foot is facing, the crossing of the arms, etc.). Cherry lays out her article page by page with detailed information on how to read body language; the goal is to help the reader gain a more suitable knowledge in understanding body expression that can be used to understand someone. Correspondingly, Gupta’s article details how people express their subconscious feelings through the uses of body language. There are many cases where vocal expressions mean much less than actual body language. Furthermore, people who is deaf has live their whole live using body language to communicate with the world. For those that cannot speak with their mouth, they speak with their body.
References:
Cherry, Kendra. "Understanding Body Language." About.com Psychology. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Jan. 2014.
Gupta, Neha. "Effective Body Language in Organizations." By Neha Gupta. Jagannath International Management School, 25 Apr. 2013. Web. 07 Jan. 2014.
“Communication is the most important thing to grasp in life” said my Communications professor. This really stuck with me and more importantly it is one thing to understand communication, but another to communicate effectively. Besides verbal communication there is nonverbal communication. Nonverbal communication includes a very powerful tool called body language. From birth, our sight takes over and lets us experience the world for ourselves. In such exploration through our senses, we personally gain something uniquely from others. Think back to a conversation you had recently. Did the person you talk to smile? This is a nonverbal sign of happiness that we rely on for communication and understanding of social situations. Body language is a tell tale sign of how a person is reacting to a situation through facial expressions, body movements, gestures, and posture. It is such an important tool to acknowledge because eighty percent of what you understand from a conversation is based off of these nonverbal cues (Gupta 2013). In the peer reviewed article “Effective body language in Organizations,” Neha Gupta stresses the importance of communicating effectively through body language. This inspired my personal inquiry of communication in a business atmosphere. How is body language applicable in business? After further reading this article and my personal experience in a former communications class, business presentations are primarily body language. A presenter’s body language must show an erect position to show interest in his information. If he was slouched, the audience might not take him seriously. For businessmen, it is joked about that a handshake could make or break the proposal. But this actually has some fact to it. The body language and gesture of an executive handshake can show power whereas a weaker handshake will show a lack of confidence, ultimately not desired by a potential business partner or investor (Gupta 2013). Body language, as previous discussed, is a powerful tool and a serious matter when trying to present you in a certain manner. Therefore, body language is used all the time and everyday. Body language is not always serious it can also be light hearted and flirtatious. I came across an interesting article on Facebook titled “21 Signs he likes you.” This article is now applicable to the discussion of body language and my research into it. Having an article from a popular source correlate to my scholarly article was very surprising and even more so because this popular article was not directly addressing body language, but had all of the elements there is to gestures. Sign number one of this article “he smiles at you. A lot” (McNeal 2011). Sign number 5, “you catch him staring at you” (2011). Both of these are prime examples of body language and these positive gestures/facial expressions enhance the fact that a guy might like you. Body language is a powerful tool and stumbling upon this Glamour article makes body language relevant to our everyday lives and that these gestures we make go virtually unrecognized. My question I’d like to ask is how can a guy simply stare at you and it means so much more than a blank stare? The stare is a sign of affection and interest or possibly disgust. One single gesture can be interpreted in many different ways. Society just has some short cuts for most of them.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited
Gupta, Neha. "Effective Body Language in Organization." IUP Journal of Soft Skills 7.1 (2013): 35-44. Web.
McNeal, Cary. "21 Signs That He Likes You." Glamour. Conde Nast, 21 Jan. 2011. Web. 06 Jan. 2014.
In the popular article body language is viewed simply as a means of communication and the article gives the reader a few examples and ideas about how o identify and also project certain body languages. In the scholarly article, the author goes into depth as to explain the purpose and meaning behind body languages. For example, in De Gelder's article she breaks down the importance of body language from the facial expressions to the and the emotions that effects the whole body. In Mind tool article, it gives you the basic information as o what a body language is and how to read one. In her article De Gelder explains that "Studying the neurobiology of EBL is particularly timely because the topic introduces a new and biologically realistic context to what has already been learned about human emotion from isolated facial expressions during the past two decades. " She goes on and states that the research that sh e proposes has been made in private studies and how this involvement of this idea will further the conversation and also add o the discussion. De Gelder explains the idea of Neuropsychological dissociation as "Sensory, emotional and behavioural systems are closely interlinked in the normal perception of EBL and, together with emotional awareness required for decision making and carrying out actions, they define normal adult emotional cognition." It raised the question in mind as to which if the same practice was made between adults of one culture to another would the outcome still be the same? It is understandable that the different cultures will conflict in the sense of body language but would they still be able to identify the same basic communications of body language?
ReplyDelete"Body Language Understanding Non-Verbal Communication f." Mind Tools. Mind Tools Ltd. Web. 8 Jan 2014
De Gelder, Beatrice. "Towards the neurology of emotional body language." Nature Reviews Neuoscience. Nature Publishing Group, n.d. Web. 8 Jan 2014.
In an article entitled "Teachers opinions about the uses of body language" author Ahmet Benzer creates a survey regarding the importance of body language in teaching. The author believed that “non-verbal cues are as important as verbal cues” and his research and article appeared to be framed to support this view (Benzer, 2012.) The survey featured 8 opened ended questions by the researcher to teachers. The study found that "100% of teachers [surveyed] think that body language can alert a student" suggesting that body language is a beneficial tool for motivating students (Benzer, 2012.) I wondered how the author made the leap to correlate body language and motivation of students. It was clear that Benzer felt strongly that body language is beneficial to teachers and the questions and answers he provided most defiantly supported this; however, he did not ask teachers any questions which would allow them to claim otherwise. The article stated that teachers used body language in order to “make emotions concrete, for the revival of knowledge in mind, to increase interest..” yet the survey only questioned the teachers, What if the students being taught did not agree with these claims? (Benzer,2012.) The author did not choose to interview any of the teachers students to back up these claims which raved the use of body language while teaching. I would have been interested to see if the students answers were similar to those of the teachers interviewed by Benzer. While it seems that the author achieved his goal by questioning teachers in the article, (which i found to be proving that body language is essential to good teaching) I do not know that I the reader (being a student) was completely sold on his article.
ReplyDeleteIn contrast to Benzer’s article which highlighted the importance of body language in an article by James Adonis questions the accuracy behind interpreting body language. The significance and impact of body language between humans has long been argued and countless studies like the one done by Benzer have been undergone. In the article “You hate me, Don’t you?” by Adonis he relays an incident which he came across when a co-worker misinterpreted his body language and assumed he was being overworked. I can relate to such misinterpretation in everyday life and have also found myself falsely-assuming peoples moods because of simple gestures. “Body language is frequently misinterpreted” and while it may catch ones attention or hold implications the matter of fact is people cannot decode every act of body language (Adonis,2013.) The article written by Adonis is much less formal than the article by Benzer and because his is primarily for entertainment he included more of his own opinion. Adonis used a more personable and therefore more relatable style of writing which is possibly why I found myself taking his side on the body language argument.
In reading both articles I cannot say that I furthered by understanding of the importance of significance of body language but I did see first hand the importance of being a critical reader. All writing contains some sort of bias and it is up to the reader to interrogate and come to conclusions when reader regardless of the legitimacy of the author.
TEACHERS' OPINIONS ABOUT THE USE OF BODY LANGUAGE. By: BENZER, AHMET, Education, 00131172, Spring2012, Vol. 132, Issue 3
“You hate me,Don’t you?” The AGE.com.au, small business. May 3, 2013 James Adonis
Nonverbal communication also called body language is a silent means of communication that in some ways has more of an impact then verbal communication. What you actually see could imply something totally different than what is being said. Kurien states “Body language comprising of postures, gestures, eye contacts, facial expressions, etc., speaks more than any content delivered verbally”. This quote reinforces the actual importance of body language and how much it can impact a situation. The New York Times article also reinforces that ones body actually takes a thought and turns it into verbal communication and in turn without you usually knowing preforms some sort of nonverbal communication. These two articles were presented for different audiences. The scholarly one was to show body language in the workplace with employees in mind while how to act in the workplace. The NY Times article was a research project on recalling past experience and thinking into the future while trying to track body language. Both articles show that there is a way to body language that most people do not realize. The workplace article teaches you how to control your body language since it shows the truth of what you are really thinking or assuming. Linking these two articles about body language was easy for me since I do work and also am in college. While working in my career field with kids and their parents sometimes I may not like a certain situation or feedback I receive. I cannot display negative type of body language or I could upset a member and possibly lose my job. Controlling body language is important in the workplace. Politicians, teachers, friends and your parents all display nonverbal communication that can really tell you what they feel. Body language is an important factor of communication and in some ways can be more important than the actual words that come out of your mouth.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited:
Angier, Natalie. “Abstract Thoughts? The Body Takes Them Literally”. The New York Times. Feb. 1, 2010. Web. Jan. 8, 2014.
Kurien, Daisy N. "Body Language: Silent Communicator At The Workplace." IUP Journal Of Soft Skills 4.1/2 (2010): 29-36. Business Source Premier. Web. 8 Jan. 2014.
Although speech is the most common component of communication used to express oneself, nonverbal communication plays a larger role in the way that people communicate with one another as well. As stated by Dr. Neha Gupta, body language existed before verbal communication, making it a much more instinctive and sometimes even unconscious action. Dr. Gupta incorporates his past experiences to highlight the importance of body language and how it can be more expressive than words. He emphasizes the importance of body language in the workplace and what is and isn't acceptable. Dr. Gupta discusses the importance of a seemingly insignificant handshake in the workplace. The strength of the handshake determines the level of authority and confidence that the person possesses. In an article entitled "7 Things Your Body Language Is Telling Your Boss", it describes body language as a way to boost or even hinder your success in front of your boss. In the article, red and yellow are defined as powerful colors that should be worn if you have the confidence to successfully command them. Posture is also an important aspect that may make or break you in front of your boss. Slouching won't get you as far as standing up straight will. Personal space and body position are also two important factors when it comes to speaking to your boss and other executives that have the power to promote, demote, or even terminate you from the company. While both of the articles are fairly similar when it comes to the main focus, they each take a different approach as to how they describe body language. Dr. Gupta states that your body language may be even more important than your spoken words, while the other article advises the reader to use body language as a tool to help them advance in the business world and not to rely on it alone. Both articles accomplish their focus, which is that body language is important in the work place no matter how you look at it. Your success may not solely depend on it, but it certainly helps to know how to command and control your body language so that you can further align yourself for success from your boss and your peers. The audience from both articles are instructed to realize their faults so that they can become more successful individuals and reflect on what they could be doing wrong without even realizing it initially. Even though some forms of body language can be misread, society has formed a system of norms to the point where a firm handshake commands more confidence than a weak one, a smile means satisfaction or happiness, and standing with your arms crossed means vulnerability or agitation. Personal experiences that I've had can connect to the information included in the two articles that I read. Someone who has a stronger sense of their body language and uses it to their advantage, manages to impress more people of higher status and command more authority and success.
ReplyDelete"7 Things Your Body Language Is Telling Your Boss." Entrepreneur. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Jan. 2014.
Gupta, Neha, Effective Body Language in Organizations (April 25, 2013). The IUP Journal of Soft Skills, Vol. VII, No. 1, March 2013, pp. 35-44. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2256281
The peer-reviewed article I read talked about teacher's opinions on body language. The article talked about how all teachers thought body language was important in a student's learning process in order for them to stay more interested in what they are learning and to learn the materials more permanently. The article states that body language is important in understanding ourselves and other people. Body language is described as a non-verbal communication that enhances verbal communication. While reading this, I noticed that the author of this article framed the article around the importance of body language and talks about why it is important for people to use body language while learning and teaching. I think the author of this article did a good job of explaining why body language is important in order for teachers to keep students interested. It was interesting the way the author framed his article because he had a very unique argument that I had never thought about before.
ReplyDeleteThe second article I read was called "Understand Non-Verbal Communication." This article talks about how body language can be used to more effectively communicate with someone. We can read other's body language to better understand what they are talking about, but we should also pay attention to our body language. Our body language determines how others perceive us and how they react to us, thus how we react to them. The article says "The difference between words people speak and our understanding of what they are saying comes from non-verbal communication, otherwise known as 'body language.'" This article does a good job of framing how to be aware of your body language and how it might come across to others in certain situations, such as first impressions or business meetings.
The second article is really relatable. Body language has a lot to do with how people judge you the first time you meet them. Sometimes people who are shy when you meet them might be perceived as being stuck up because of their body language. When my suite mates in my dorm met my roommate Caitlin, they knew from the beginning that they didn't like her because of her body language and the way she talked when she was giving off a certain non-verbal communication. Caitlin ended up being mean and dropping out of school because she didn't like it because she made no friends--this could be because of her lack of non-verbal communication skills.
Benzer, Ahmet. "Teachers' opinions about the use of body language."
Education 132.3 (2012): 467+. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web.
Tools, Mind, ed. "Understanding Non-Verbal Communication." Mind Tools.
Mind Tools, Web.
Whether we like it or not body language is such a huge part of how we communicate, and how the delivery of our message tends to come across. The article I read discussed the importance of body language in a workplace and how it is a pivotal part of success for a business. In the article Kurien stated that in a study done by Mehrabian, "there are 3 components to face-to-face communication, its 7% words, 38% vocal tone, and 55% body language. As I continued reading the article I realized that the author did a really good job framing the article in order to emphasize the importance of body language and how it can really effect the success of a business. The author did a really good job explaining the importance of body language in a work place because not only does it relate to big corporations or business owners but its an example everyone can relate to or has experienced.
DeleteThe second article I read talks about the importance of nonverbal communication and reading body language. Every movement we make, gesture, and even the way we sit or stand sends a message to who we're communicating with, and sometimes what comes out of our mouth and the message we send with our body language can be two different things. Usually when we send these mixed signals the person we're communicating with tends to believe our body language because it is unconscious, natural movements that tend to really depict what we feel. I really agree with this article because whenever I speak with my friends, teacher, brother etc. and notice that they're not really looking at me while I'm speaking or seem like they're more interested in something else they're doing I cut the conversation short even if they are responding to what I'm saying. The saying "a pictures worth a thousand words" could definitely be compared to body language because I feel that body language can be worth a thousand words since it can project off so many messages.
Works Cited
Kurien, Daisy. "Body Language: Silent Communicator in the Workplace." IUP Journal of Softskills 4.1/2 (2010): 29-36. Business Source Premier. Web. 8 Jan. 2014.
Segal, Jeanne. "Nonverbal Communication." : Improving Nonverbal Skills & Reading Body Language. N.p., May 2013. Web. 08 Jan. 2014.
The first article I read, the popular one, gave tips on how to read and relay proper body language for non-English speakers. The author took the time to give examples of proper techniques to look comfortable and genuine when speaking to an American, but also warned that not all countries use the same body language. DeVeto targets people trying to understand the English language, but can be beneficial to anyone who wants tips on how properly behave and be perceived in the best way. The second article that I read, the scholarly one, focused on the different parts of the body and what they can tell someone. Balistreri informs his readers that each body part gives off “tells” and are in fact produced by the limbic system, or the honest part of the brain. He conducted his own experiment in which he studied the different tells of the body, like hands, face, and feet. His explanations and writing style were very easy to understand and could be deemed interesting by any sort of person, but he seemed to be writing specifically to other researchers like himself. Both authors expressed the beneficial aspect that reading body language gives a person, and that like any skill, it takes practice to be great at it.
ReplyDeleteI went to Honduras with my friend a couple of years ago to visit her family. I was not even really aware of the fact that other cultures had different body languages. Had I read an article like DeVeto’s I feel that I would have been much more comfortable in another country. Even though I could not understand what my friend’s family was saying, I would have been able to interpret their body language and pull off some sort of conversation.
Works Cited:
Balistreri, Jerry. "Reading the Tells–Learning How to Read Body Language." N.p., 31 Dec. 2013. Web. 8 Jan. 2014.
DeVeto, Joseph. "Speak English with Body Language." UsingEnglish.com. English Language Learning, n.d. Web. 08 Jan. 2014.
As a man leave his date for the night, he would walk to the door and then study his date for the highly anticipated signs of a slight giggle accompanied with a hair flip that would indicate the goodnight kiss is a go. Body language is an important key to understanding what is going on in the mind of another without verbally saying it. Theses sign such as light laughter or tossing of the hair sometimes speak louder and say more than words could possible accomplish. In the book “Body Language” written by Julius Fast suggest how body language does play a role in how men approach women. Women give off very obvious signs if there interested in a guy or completely turn off by him. However, as the book explains, culture plays a huge part on how one understands another person’s body language. Within Latin speaking countries, women express their emotion toward men in a different way than other cultures would. Fast works to have the reader understand that one has to take into account the culture someone is from before reading the body language they give off. Latin American females feel comfortable flaunting their sexuality that someone like Allen (from the article) who was born in raise in the country would take as a “come-on”. As Allen learned the hard way, this is not so. The second article gives generals signs that most cultures have in common within the dating field. “How to Read Body Language While Dating” written by Claire Giles explains the signs that the date is heading in a positive direction. Little things such as eye contact or hand gesture could determine if the date would end with the hopes of a second. Giles explains that constant eye contact and open palms shows that the date is interested and that it will end positive. Many people leave a date with confused and sadden thoughts and Giles explains in her article to watch for the signs that body language produce to show if the person really is interested or just being nice. This important aspect gives the reader an idea of how one can say one thing but portray another in the signs of their bodies. The man by the end of the date can feel confident that the goodnight kiss is a go by the sure signs of her body language.
ReplyDeleteGiles, Claire. "How to Read Body Language While Dating." LIVESTRONG.COM. Livestrong, n.d. Web. 08 Jan. 2014.
Fast, Julius. "The Body Is the Message." Body Language. New York: M. Evans; Distributed in Association with Lippincott, 1970. N. pag. Print.
In the article “Body Language: Inside Out”, Sangeeta Shukla discusses why it is important to train ourselves to control our body language and ways in which we can. Shukla claims that our body language can have a major affect on the impressions and the perceptions that people have of us. Shukla also made an interesting point on the connection of communication between the mind and the body: “In every face-to-face encounter, an understanding of body language gives us a window on a person’s mind and this helps to make changes and improvements in our way of communicating” (2009). In another article that discusses training body language, “The Ultimate Guide to Body Language”, Susan Kraus Whitbourne also discusses ways in which to control body language with the goal of making a good impression for professional purposes. However, Whitbourne did seem to focus her article more on just training different parts of the body in order to hide the feelings of one’s state of mind. In contrast, Shukla’s article focused on improving one’s state of mind in order to control their body language. As the reader, I can say that the intended audience for both articles is most likely young adults and older, given that the goal of controlling body language is to make a good impression for professional purposes is evident in the authors’ conclusions. However, I did come up with two questions after reading: Is it really necessary to learn how to control our body language? Is professionalism really the only focus here? Our body language responds to our state of mind not only during an interview, but in many other situations. For instance, a woman who has just lost her husband may experience several different changes in her body language due to her upset state of mind. If you were to put yourself in this woman’s shoes, do you think it would be at all possible to hide your feelings during her time of grieving? Some people just cannot control their body language in some or all situations. Further, why should this woman have to hide her emotions? Why should anyone? When you arrive at an interview and your boss sees you all sweaty and nervous, wouldn’t it be possible for them to understand your anxiety? It is quite possible that they felt the same way as you did while waiting for their first interview. I can relate these articles to my own experiences with body language, where I do not hide it very often. However, I never knew there were ways that you could learn to control your body language until I read these articles. Many people know how I am feeling by just looking at my facial expressions, head movement, or hand movement. The two parts of my body that mostly reveal my state of mind are my facial expressions and hand movements. One thing that my grandmother always says to me is that she can ‘read me like a textbook’, where my facial expressions are the most obvious indicator of my moods. Given that fact, my hand movements are a little easier to control than my facial expressions. When I am nervous or bored, my hands tend to get slightly fidgety, such as tapping on a desk. I can usually control this body language by taking a deep breath or try to relax.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited
Shukla, Sangeeta. “Body Language: Inside Out.” The IUP of Soft Skills 3.3 and 4 Sept. 2009: 41-44. Business Source Premier. Web. 8 Jan. 2014.
Whitbourne, Susan Kraus. “The Ultimate Guide to Body Language.” Psychology Today., 30 June 2012. Web. 8 Jan. 2014.
The popular article I found body language was viewed as second level of language and communication. This article was also helpful in providing information about how to read and project certain body languages using your arms and feet. Some other useful things I found on this cite were how your body language can change the way others treat you, and what body language can mean. I believe the message this article gives off is one to be taken seriously by its audience.
ReplyDeleteIn the second article “Rapid perceptual integration of facial expression and emotional body language” by M. Meerene a study was conducted in which it was concluded that body language is a good way to express a unspoken message. The study was aimed at other scholarly researchers or writers in the subject of body language. In researching and reading this article I found many of the things I read to be related to everyday life. Often I find that judging body language is important when in professional (job) situations as well as at home and in school. In general like M. Meerene was able to find, I believe that body language is more of hidden language that is learned. People in professional situations are expected to emit a more blank body language, which is something I see when watching television. I also think that during presidential nominations the television is full of politicians that display good body language and communication skills in order to make themselves seem smarter.
Work Cited
"Body Language Understanding Non-Verbal Communication." Mind Tools. Mind Tools Ltd. Web. 8 Jan 2014.
Meeren, Hanneke KM, Corné CRJ van Heijnsbergen, and Beatrice de Gelder. "Rapid perceptual integration of facial expression and emotional body language." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 102.45 (2005): Web 8 Jan. 2014.
We can say a great deal without even opening our mouths to speak. Just by watching the subtle actions of people around you, you can make a fairly accurate assumption of what kind of mood they are in, or even what kind of person they are. A research study conducted in 1967 by Albert Mehrabian actually created an overall formula to account for how crucial body language is. The 55/38/7 formula states that 55% of all communication is non-verbal, 38% is the tone of voice, and actual words spoken make up about 7%. The accuracy of these numbers has been contested continuously, starting back with none other than the creator of the theory, but in an article posted on Psycologytoday.com by Jeff Thompson, a Ph.D. candidate at Griffith University Law School, accuracy of the 55/38/7 formula can be determined by using what he calls "The 3 C's of Nonverbal Communication": Context, Clusters and Congruence. Taking the environment, all other nonverbal gestures, and verbal inclusion into effect, it is easier to avoid making an incorrect assumption of what is really behind what a person is saying with their actions.
ReplyDeleteThe nonverbal vocabulary you use can be very crucial in displaying how you are seen, or how you want to be seen. For instance, at a job interview, the prospected employee who knows the faces to make and the hand gestures to use will look much more appealing to the nervous prospect who hasn't stopped playing with his fingers and looking at the floor. In Mark Bowden's book "Winning Body Language", there are chapters focusing on the right body language to use at the right times. By just a simple movement of the hands, or an adjustment of your demeanor, you can shift the attitude of your audience.
Works Cited
Bowden, Mark. "Winning Body Language: Control the Conversation, Command Attention, and Convey the Right Message--without Saying a Word." 2010. Web. 8 Jan. 2014.
Thompson, Jeff. "Beyond Words." Psychology Today., 30 Sep. 2011. Web. 8 Jan. 2014.
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ReplyDeleteBody language is one way that we convey a message to other people. In some cases, body language can send a message more effectively than spoken word. In the articles I found, the authors explain that body language can convey a negative message even if you are speaking positive words. Specifically, your body language can make or break friendships and even ruin your chances at getting a job.
Author Megan L. Willis approaches the subject of body language in a very objective way. The author explains to the audience that your body language and facial language can be used to determine how approachable you are. Angry or upset body language or facial expressions will deter others from approaching another. Happy or cheerful dispositions will attract others and will even spread the positive body language.
Author Julie Davis also wrote about body language using this particular perspective. More specifically, Davis writes about how negative body language will deter employers from hiring certain employees. Davis writes that negative body language can leave a bad impression during an interview; “closed off” body language displays that one may not have much confidence in themselves and therefore, would be a potentially bad employee.
I believe that these authors studied body language from this perspective to help others understand a concept that is commonly unnoticed. Many people may acknowledge body language and the message it conveys, but it is more on a subconscious level. These studies point out the obvious to people to help them communicate to others better.
From my personal experience, I know for a fact that closed off body language will deter others from approaching. I naturally have negative body language and many people have told me that it has kept them from approaching me in the past. These articles have shown me where my body language has hurt my chances of making a good impression; now I can work to fix both my confidence and my body language.
Willis, Megan L. “Judging approachability on the face of it: The influence of face and body expressions on the perception of approachability.” US: American Psychological Association. Emotion, Vol 11(3), Jun, 2011. pp. 514-523. Web. 8 Jan. 2014.
Julie Dawden Davis. “5 Body Language Poses That Can Sabotage Success.” Openforum.com. Leadership; 1 Aug. 2013. Web. 8 Jan 2014.
0048 Tristin Tadlock
ReplyDeleteMy first article, 7 Surprising Truths about Body Language is posted on the Forbes website. Morgan writes that reading body language has been publicly portrayed as easier to do and more reliable than it really is. He points out that most gestures are ambiguous and that most adults have good control over their expressions. However, he suggests that body language can be accurately read through micro-expressions and by determining the emotional intent causing the body language. Lastly, he concludes that the best way to read body language is done through instinct and unconsciously. This article targets people that have a basic knowledge of reading body language and targets people with that interest and helps the reader understand it better. I think the article is able to influence its target audience because it is a popular source that relates the article to culture and TV show. Which most people can relate to since most people watch TV.
My second article, Understanding Body Language was published in a journal called Podiatry Management. Pearl discusses how body language and behavior can indicate whether or not someone is lying. Some of the examples are not making eye contact, palms down or not answering the question. In the article he focuses on the importance of employers understanding body language to detect lying which can be used by all employers while conducting interviews. I think he targets employers since he is one and that experience helps supports that his article contains reliable information. I think he was able to influence his targeted audience by publishing an article in a management journal.
I think that reading body language is a normal aspect of daily life that people can do without even thinking about. However in my personal experience it is not always interpreted correctly. For example, I was shopping with my mom and I was walking around with my arms crossed. While we were walking to the car, she yelled at me for having an attitude when really I was feeling insure and cold.
Works Cited
Morgan, Nick. “7 Surprising Truths about Body Language”. Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 25 Oct. 2012. Web. 7 Jan. 2014.
Pearl, Ben. "Understanding Body Language". Podiatry Management 31.4 (2012): 185-186. CINAHL Plus with Full Text. Web. 7 Jan. 2014
Body language is nonverbal communication that can display the way that a person is feeling whilst they are discussing a topic, giving a speech, or simply holding a friendly conversation. From the article written by Kendra Cherry (“Understanding Body Language”), I was able to glean a thorough look into nonverbal communication. Her article goes into detail about the different ways a person communicates with his or her expressions and movements of their bodies. She also shows that people use everything from facial expressions to gestures that give their counterparts an idea of how that person is really thinking.
ReplyDeleteDaisy N Kurien reinforces the ideas presented in Cherry’s article, as she too develops her thoughts around the fact that people use gestures, posture, and facial expressions that give away their true feelings toward a subject or in a certain environment in her article “Body Language: Silent Communicator at the Workplace”. While Cherry’s article was intended for a vast audience, Kurien’s article was specifically catering to body language in the work place. Both articles however, accomplish the fact that body language plays a big role in today’s society.
When I played football in high school, I would always look for weaknesses to exploit in my opponents. Usually, as the game would wear on, I could tell exactly when my opponent was too exhausted to be competent in their assignments on the field. I could tell based upon how quickly the player I was going up against broke the huddle and how quickly he was able to get to the line of scrimmage and get in his stance. Reading their body language was always key to my success both in the game and throughout my high school career.
Work Cited
Cherry, Kendra. "Understanding Body Language." About.com Psychology. N.P., n.d. Web. 09 Jan. 2014.
Kurien, Daisy N. "Body Language: Silent Communicator at the Workplace."
IUP Journal of Soft Skills 4.1/2 (2010): 29-36. Business Source Premier. Web. 9 Jan. 2014.
After researching body language, it became clear to me that nonverbal communication can sometimes be as powerful as verbal communication. These two forms of communication are complementary, and if used correctly, can enhance your chances of success. Carol Goman, in her popular article “12 Body Language Tips for Career Success”, advises body language cues to enhance professional appearance. Goman is a Forbes contributor and writes on leadership, body language and success. Her goal in this article is to teach techniques that are scientifically proven to benefit personal success. Among these are standing tall, maintaining positive eye contact and smiling. Research shows that we are more likely to remember someone that smiles at us. These simple gestures can make a huge difference in an individual’s opinion of you. In Robin T. Peterson’s Journal of Marketing Education, studies show that sales representatives trained in the art of body language were more successful than those that weren’t. Both of these authors positively support body language as a method of influence. These silent messages are effective, and remind me of a time that they increased my personal success.
ReplyDeleteBefore the fall semester I decided that I would get a job. Having no past work experience, the only tools I had were my words and my body language. My first job interview didn’t go so well. I was unable to hold eye contact and was visibly nervous and uncomfortable about the whole situation. Now knowing what to expect, my second job interview went smoothly, and I was confident in myself. I was offered a job from the second interview and no the first. Maybe the company was desperate, but I would like to believe that my newfound confidence presented me the job.
Works Cited
Goman, Carol. “12 Body Language Tips for Career Success”. Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 21 August 2013. Web. 9 January 2014.
Peterson, Robin T. “An Examination of the Relative Effectiveness of Training in Nonverbal Communication: Personal Selling Implications”. Journal of Marketing Education, v27 n2 p143-150 2005. Web. 9 January 2014.
Most commonly people rely on verbal speech when communicating with others, but we unknowingly communicate using body language as well. When talking think about the way you stand? What do you do with your hands? Where are your eyes focused? Who are your feet pointed at? How close are you to the people you are talking to? These all indicate how you feel about the person you are talking to and can be easily interpreted. I found interpretations of these actions in the article “How to Read Body Language” on the website Wikihow. Someone who chooses to be physically close to another shows interest and comfort in the situation. In addition uncrossed arms and unclenched hands show that someone is open to social interaction and most likely enjoying the conversation. On the other end of the spectrum people often look away often, nervously blink and often avoid eye contact all together when disinterested or are uncomfortable. Other examples are clenched fists meaning anger, tapping feet mean impatience and a tilted head meaning confusion.
ReplyDeleteWe can identify all of these actions, but it brings into question whether or not we can control the physical manifestations of our internal feelings. Sangeeta Shukla addresses this question in her article “Body Language: Inside Out”. Though it seems easy to fake it is actually difficult to do so convincingly because how you really feel will always show. Shukla outlines a process in which you in vision all the different pieces of body language people exhibit when conveying a particular emotion and repeating this practice multiple times. Eventually this will appear to transcend into how you exhibit the desired emotion, but in reality you begin to feel how you in vision yourself to be and become it. So in reality you can fake it, but to truly be convincing in your deceit you indirectly make it into a reality. I find this inherently true as well in my experience while working for Publix. When you first start working there you are always encouraged to greet everyone you meet and to smile as well. At first I had difficulty with this because I had never greeted anyone I didn’t know in everyday life and whenever I worked it was I had no real opinion of it so I had a blank face, but as I progressed I had to force myself to do it until it became second nature. Without realizing I began doing this when I would go shopping at other stores and this only came to my attention after someone gave me a confused look because I had no uniform nor any obligation to greet him like I did at my work.
Resources:
Shukla, Sangeeta. "Body Language: Inside Out." Body Language: n. pag. Print.
Hasbeen400, Jaob, and Joshua Rodriguez, eds. "How to Read Body Language."
wikihow. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Jan. 2014. .
For my scholarly source I found an article on Psychology Today that talks about how body language originated as a reaction to needs. The author of the article attempts to focus on the scientific aspects of body language and its origins through describing how humans evolved body language as a technique to survive. Instead of emphasizing the mundane modern uses of body language the author primarily points out the biological need for some sort of body language which resulted in its development. Through the diction used by the author throughout the article I would suppose that the article is written for students who come to learn the science behind body language instead simply reading about its common everyday uses.
ReplyDeleteMy popular source comes from Today.com where the author analyzes body language in modern socialization, and how the correct body language can lead you down the path of success. The author of this article uses simple diction and focuses entirely on the social aspect of the use of body language and says little on the scientific aspects of it. While the previous article seemed to seek an audience of students, this article appears to seek a far broader audience. The article can apply to most people in life from students to businessmen. Many of the body language techniques described in the article, such as a firm handshake, I have used myself and can vouch for their legitimacy. Correct usage of body language can give anyone the upper hand in most any social interactions, and having the upper hand in social interactions is crucial to success in modern life.
Works Cited:
Navarro, Joe. "Body Language Basics." Psychologytoday.com. N.p., 21 Aug. 2011. Web. 9 Jan. 2014.
"When It Comes to Career Advancement, Body Language Counts." TODAY. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Jan. 2014.
As I read an article on how dogs read our body language, I was reminded of an experience I had in the past. I was walking up my friend's driveway to enter his house, when he decided to inform me that his Rottweiler had grown. Now I had seen this dog before, he was a puppy. But what he brought into the bedroom was something of a monster. Me, being the type of man that loves large animals but from a distance, instantly busted out into a cold sweat and tensed up. I decided to man up. Given the chance to greet me though, the beast and I didn't communicate as well as I liked to before he was taken away. I learned in this article that dogs and humans have different body languages and read each other differently, that's why you can't approach them as if they are. Also, that's when I observed that dogs don't read our body languages in the same exact way, similar of how humans of different cultures may not have the same body languages, .
ReplyDeleteLanguage is not just a thing of speech. Body language, just like any other language, can be learned and used to as a form of communication. However, just how spoken languages aren't the same in every culture but have some similarities, same goes for body language. It is not taught to mean the same thing all over the world. For example, eye contact over here in the U.S. is seen as confidence and respectful. However in Asia, eye contact is seen as confrontational and aggressive when eye contact is broken between two people. Body language can help you to determine how to interact with people of different cultures and not have distorted communication, if known and interpreted correctly.
Works Cited
Miller, Pat. "What did I say? Your body language may send a different message to your dog than the one you intended for him to receive." Whole Dog Journal 16.12 (2013): 6+. General OneFile. Web. 9 Jan. 2014.
Merritt, Ann. "International body language: a language with no words". The Telegraph. 14 May 2013. Web. 9 January 2014.
Body language is our tell in a game of Poker. Whether it be a twitch of the eye, tapping your foot, or a cough. It subconsciously expresses what we're keeping inside nonverbally. Whether it be dishonesty, discomfort, eagerness, or whatever emotion on the spectrum it may be. Some people are better at controlling it than others; those are the ones that are best at Poker. They can either keep it in check, or train themselves to use their body language to reflect the poker face they need for the situation they're in. Just that little involuntary gesture could make or break an important situation.
ReplyDeleteIn the popular Chicago Tribune, their article "How to Understand Body Language" provides a rather simple guide on body language for the average Joe. It explains how different parts of the body can convey different signals with various degrees of accuracy. For example, body language expert Patti Wood explains how feet are the most "honest" part of the body because they are "under the least amount of conscious control." Accurately enough, I tend to sway on my heels when I am uncomfortable, unconsciously. Similarly, they discuss things such as eye contact and proximity. One of my very obvious tells is how I look down when I'm in an uncomfortable situation and, as a very noticeable trait of mine, giggle uncontrollably.
From a more scientific perspective, the article "Towards the Neurobiology of Emotional Body Language" it explains the depths of how exactly our human emotions are connected with our bodies. It explains how we, as humans, use another creature's "gestural signals" as "guides to control" our own behaviors. If someone were to raise a fist at you, the normal instinctive repose would be to perhaps cringe and out up your hands as barriers, or stand your ground and out up your own fist; no words involved in the initial reaction. The article expresses how emotions are contagious, and thus how body language was born. The author, Beatrice de Gelder, goes into neurological details about why this is, to the point where perhaps not the everyday reader will be able to understand the language or the content presented.
Hageman, William. "How to Understand Body Language." Chicago Tribune. Lifestyles, 23 Jan. 2013. Web. 09 Jan. 2014.
De Gelder, Beatrice. "OPINION: Towards the Neurobiology of Emotional Body Language." Nature. Nature Journals: Neuroscience, Mar. 2006. Web. 9 Jan. 2014.
Upon analyzing Gupta’s Effective Body Language in Organizations and Finnigans Body Language- Explained I have found how crucial body language is to how we go about our daily lives. I found that Finnigans work was more directed to men trying to figure out women because it offers useful tips to guys and because I am a guy and this article attracted me. Its purpose was to further educate men on how to look for the signs that show exactly how the woman is feeling. Gupta’s audience was anyone interested in the subject or professors and students learning about the material. Its purpose was to educate on a general body language. In Gupta’s work on body language, Gupta highlights its importance, “Nonverbal Communication is an important component of communication” (Gupta 1). This couldn’t be any closer to the truth because personally, I don’t know how I would figure out what women are thinking or what they want. Everyone knows women are the most confusing anomaly on this planet and Finnigan can explain why we can’t understand, “Can’t figure someone out? Then you’re probably not tuning in to her body language” (Finnigan). People often forget that we speak without saying words all of the time. These body language signs are more obvious then we think, the key is looking for the right cues. For example, “She may tell you she’s doing fine but she frowns a bit when she says it” (Finnigan). People will put up a fake smile often during difficult times but that small frown can give away what is really going on. Everyone can relate to a time when someone asks if everything is ok and replied I’m fine while there is really something bad going on. Continuing from that, “While the face reveals key clues, the body fills in the rest of the story” (Finnigan). For example, crossed arms and tightly clenched fists are big give aways to anger but then smaller cues like feet being pointed towards oneself show interest. Research suggests that we express ourselves nonverbally 70% to 90% of the time (Gupta). This number is so big to us because we don’t even realize we are doing giving off signals.
ReplyDeleteReferences:
Finnigan, Annie. "Body Language—Explained." Woman's Day. Hearst, n.d. Web. 09 Jan. 2014.
Gupta, Neha. IUP Journal of Soft Skills. Mar2013, Vol. 7 Issue 1, p35-44. 10p. 1 Diagram.
In the peer reviewed scholarly article "Body Language: Inside Out" Shukla suggests that overanalyzing one's body language can be problematic. She gives a good example of a fictional centipede analyzing how it coordinates each of its legs to walk but becomes paralyzed in doing so to visualize this. Shukla implies when trying to train in body language you should try to feel what you're trying to portray rather than just trying to act it out. People often notice the difference in sincere behaviors rather than unnatural ones. I thought this was a very good point because it can be overwhelming and stressful worrying about how people view your body language because you end up overanalyzing everything you do. Shukla then gives three tips for trying to internally improve body language. She explains the use of auto-suggestion, positive self talk and simply being genuine while communicating help develop good body language. She's trying to get people to understand her viewpoint that it's more effective to focus on changing your mindset than changing your actions.
ReplyDeleteThe popular article I chose "12 Body Language Tips For Career Success" by Carol Goman, lists physical things to do to enhance body language. It kind of goes against Shukla's claims and analyzes twelve different behaviors by giving examples and explaining how people interpret each of the behaviors. She explains how standing tall and taking up space, widening your stance, lowering your vocal pitch, power priming, power posing, maintaining eye contact, talking with your hands, using open gestures, trying a steeple, reducing nervous gestures, smiling, and perfecting your handshake can improve your body language. She also provides information on studies proving that these different types of body languages are beneficial to one's success. As I read through these I thought about my own experiences with these specific body languages. I always tend to talk with my hands and have been constantly told that a good handshake makes a good first impression.
While these author's had somewhat different views, I value both of their opinions. I think if you have a confident mindset you're actions will portray it. However, it is helpful to know specific behaviors that make a good impression as well. Personally I don't think one should overthink body language too much because sometimes people misjudge it while interpreting it anyways.
Works Cited
Goman, Carol. “12 Body Language Tips for Career Success”. Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 21 August 2013. Web. 9 January 2014.
Shukla, Sangeeta. "Body Language: Inside Out." IUP Journal Of Soft Skills 3.3/4 (2009): 41-44. Business Source Premier. Web. 9 Jan. 2014.
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ReplyDeleteBody language is defined as various forms of non-verbal communication, where a person may reveal clues as to some unspoken intention or feeling through their physical behavior. In the first article the writer attempts to explain the basics of body language scientifically and psychologically. He describes how body language was a mere adaptation of humans and it was something needed in order to survive in the world. He points out the more physical and biological aspects of body language more than others would. He tries to describe what would happen in different scenarios rather than just summing it all up regardless of the situation that you would be in. Since the author was a former FBI Agent I would say that this article is written for students or people who are interested in detail about body language or for people pursuing a career involving the reading of peoples body language. In the second article it provides you with the basic information needed to understand and to read body language. It views body language as more of a non-verbal communication type instead of as human adaptation or more of our every day life. It gives you some information and few examples necessary to display certain body languages at your own will. With that article I would say that it was written more for people who aren't directly pursuing a career involving reading body language, more for those who are just curious of what body language does for a human.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited:
Navarro, Joe. "Body Language Basics." Psychologytoday.com. N.p., 21 Aug. 2011. Web. 9 Jan. 2014.
"Body Language Understanding Non-Verbal Communication." Mind Tools. Mind Tools Ltd. Web. 9 Jan 2014.
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ReplyDeleteENC 1102-0048 Time: 0930-1020
ReplyDeleteIn the article “Insight through Body Language and Non-verbal Communication References In Tirukkural”, the author creates a summary of nonverbal communication, or “body language”, to give information to the reader and correlates it to an ancient Tamil scripture (popularly known as Tirukkural). Tirukkural explains ways sender and receiver can observe each other through their body language. It shows people that communication through body language usually outshines what is verbally said. This article teaches the audience how to observe the body language of the people they speak to, but the audience can also learn how to control their body to express what they want to convey to their receiver. Tirukkural, to me, seems to give a range of expertise in body language; it truly allows a person to delve more into what they’re doing with their own body and what it can convey to others.
Using body language in everyday experiences is something that everyone goes through daily. I’ve had to use body language more often especially when verbal communication is completely thrown out of the waters for me. Such as when I have to interact with Vietnamese people in Central Florida. I am Chinese, but I help out with many of the Vietnamese community events because my boss is Vietnamese and she is very involved in the community. The events I work are usually very family oriented so many bring family members who speak only Vietnamese, which in turn forces me to use gestures and facial expressions to make them understand me. After having to communicate non-verbally on many occasions, I learn now that my nonverbal language can sometimes lead to miscommunication by the people I wish to convey my message to. I see now that I should probably learn to use my body language better and take my time observing them to see if they can understand what I am saying.
In another small article, with a video of a speech that caught my interest, Amy Cuddy shares that “your body language shapes who you are”. Rather than explaining what body language is and how to recognize what people convey like in my first article, she goes onto a more insightful route and chooses to teach people how their own body language can affect their minds. A particular quote that struck out to me was “our bodies change our mind and our minds change our behavior and our behavior changes our outcomes”. To achieve this, Cuddy says “don’t fake it ‘til you make it; fake it ‘til you become it.” Amy Cuddy makes a point to the audience that if you believe in yourself throughout your entire journey, you can become what you have strived for. Her article seems to emphasize that only we can change ourselves if we have the will power to do so ourselves.
Works Cited:
Cuddy, Amy. “Amy Cuddy: Your Body Language Shape Who You Are”. Ted: Ideas Worth Spreading. Oct 2012. Web. 09 Jan. 2014
Subramani, R. “Insight through Body Language and Non-verbal Communication References in Tirukkural”. Language in India. Vol. 10 Issue 2, p 261-271, 11p (2010). Web. 09 Jan. 2014.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteLooking deeper into how complicated body language is and how it affects Communication, I discovered some interesting points. First off I did not realize that essentially eighty percent of the communication process is for body language, and only eleven percent comes from speaking and hearing. Most people I think, and myself included, would assume that simply conversing would be the majority of the process. In the peer reviewed article, Neha Gupta really broke down and summarized alternative body language sources. She also have some great advice on how to effectively utilize each of them. One question I couldn’t help myself from asking regarding handshakes, is what about non-standard handshakes? It could be just my generation, but I’ve noticed that everyone has their own way of greeting people through handshakes, at least within their social group. Some people have many different ways to handshake depending on the person and their relationship. It’s not to say her advice would not apply in other situations, however I believe it should have been at least mentioned, and potentially expanded and explored further. However that is a whole another topic which could be an entire research article in itself.
ReplyDeleteThe popular article listed 5 areas of public speaking that you should think about when presenting yourself, and suggested some minor tips and why they are relevant. I liked Gary Gerard’s approach by simply educating and showing examples of different body language techniques one could use. This allows the reader to put themselves mentally in the situation, and decide how they could improve themselves, especially the next time they are in front of an audience, instead of simply specifying how you should act and relay your body language.
I took a speech class last year here at UCF, which was very difficult, yet I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thinking back to the material I learned, and my personal experiences from giving speeches, led me to reflect on them further. These articles brought some similar information to the table, but from a different perspective which gave me some new ideas. All in all both articles relay some great information, and promote questioning from the reader, which seemed to be the goal; to inform about the intricate communication process through body language.
Works Cited
Gupta, Neha. "Effective Body Language In Organizations." IUP Journal Of Soft Skills 7.1 (2013): 35-44. Business Source Premier. Web. 9 Jan. 2014.
Genard, Gary. "The 5 Key Body Language Techniques of Public Speaking." Web log post. Speak for Success. Public Speaking International, 17 June 2012. Web. 09 Jan. 2014.
Body language is a very important part of communication. Body language (non-verbal communication) allows each person to express their emotions to their audience through movement, facial expressions, posture, and eye contact. Without body language communication would be quite ineffective being that “between 60% and 80% of all of our communication with other people is non-verbal” (DeVeto). In Amy Cuddy’s Ted Talk about how body language shapes who you are says “nonverbal govern how others think and feel about us” and ourselves. Body language is a necessary and involuntary part of communication.
ReplyDeleteA very common example of how important body language is, is if one person says something happy but their facial expression is sad or angry. Which part do we process and understand? Are they happy, sad, or angry? According to studies people believe nonverbal communication over the statement. Body language is a great tool in communication for building relationships and expressing yourself. Without this type of communication how are we supposed to express our feelings? Without the emotions that are conveyed through these nonverbal cues, would and form of expression be relevant? Body language is a basic in communication.
To have such a intricate system of communication, I can see when someone is sad, angry, shy, confident, or ecstatic through the movement of their body and facial expressions. I have experienced each of these interactions with my parents, sister, and friends. Kinesics is extremely important to how we communicate today, and with what we already know, there are many things we can accomplish.
Works Cited
Amy Cuddy: Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are. Perf. Amy Cuddy. Www.ted.com. N.p., Oct. 2012. Web.
DeVeto, Joseph. "Speak English with Body Language." - Articles. Usingenglish.com, n.d. Web. 08 Jan. 2014.
Everywhere we go, and everything we do, no matter if we are talking or not, we are communicating constantly. There are many forms of communication, and perhaps one of the most important yet least known about is body language. Body language tells a lot about what a person’s mood is, what they are trying to say, and how they want you to perceive it.
ReplyDeleteThere are two articles I chose to help me get a better understanding of what body language is, and how we can use it to enhance what we are trying to say, or how it can hurt us. The first article I am going to explain was found in Forbes magazine, and was written by Carol Goman. The title of this article is “10 Simple and Powerful Body Language Tips for 2013”. This article dives into some helpful body language tips. For example, the first tip is “when presenting someone with a difficult task, smile to make the task seem easier”(Goman 2013). Another example is “to defuse a tense situation, realign your body more congenially”(Goman 2013). This portion of the article explains that if there is a tense situation that arises, by standing next to the person you’re talking/arguing with and facing the same direction, it can help ease the tension. All of the tips given in this article are directed toward the business people of today’s world. What majority of people read Forbes Magazine? Business people. Also, it is very important for a person in the field of business to have good body language, because it helps them sell their product and promote their business. This article does a good job of giving you easy tips at practicing better body language, and she explains that even though these seem like small things, they can help you become a much better business worker.
Body language can also do more than help you and give you a positive vibe; it can also be used against you. According to Dr.CA Sinke in his scholarly article “Tease or Threat” he explains that body language can be used to see if a situation is just a tease or indeed a serious threat. This article simply explains an experiment that showed if by body language, you can trigger the brain to respond if a situation is a tease or a serious threat (Sinke 2011) I picked this article because many people including myself perceive body language to just be an outwardly gesture with your arms, legs, or eyes that gives off something about you whether it be nervousness, confidence, or confusion. But Sinke explains how body language can trigger sensors in the brain to cause the body to respond in a certain way.
Personally, I’ve had an experience with a friend when he was trying to give me advice and the conversation started to get heated, when all of a sudden he stood next to me and talked to me, just like the Forbes magazine article said, and it made me feel a lot better and that it felt like it was no longer an argument.
Goman, Carol Kinsey. "10 Simple and Powerful Body Language Tips for 2013." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 07 Jan. 2013. Web. 08 Jan. 2014
"Tease or Threat? Judging Social Interactions from Bodily Expressions." Frontiers. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Jan. 2014.
In consonance with Mark Andrejevic and Elizabeth Kuhnke body language is indeed an unspoken language. Body language has been around long before a vocal or written language. Different types of body language include gesture, expression, posture, and so on. In both articles, the authors state that everyone uses body language, from athletes to politicians. In the scholarly journal by Mark Andrejevic, an example of culture is stated. For example, he briefly mentions the Muslin culture and how the women are deprived of some body language exhibition since they are covered in their wardrobe. However, he mentions with the little that is shown, the slit of their eyes and from what is unconcealed, their posture and movements, body language can still be depicted as body language. He then goes on to state, some cultures have learned specific body language and which type of body language to stay away from. I believe the author chose to write about different cultures and body languages because it shows that no matter how censors your culture is body language is still shown whether you want it to or not. This article was quite interesting because I never would have thought that some cultures will try to conceal your futures to have less provocative body language.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Kuhnke focuses more about the history of body language and what people have used it. She says quite often that poker players use it to try and win a card game. The better the poker face the fewer amounts of chances you have to get beat. This is an interesting concept because it exhibits the competition between players to win. Therefore, it might also be a handbook for such players to read to give them better ideas to look out for and possibly assist them with calling another player’s bluff.
In my opinion body language includes facial expressions. Hence why the facial expressions we show on a daily basis express what emotion we may be feeling. Quite often I face myself guessing my baby cousin’s body language. He is about 6 months old and is a bundle of joy. Sometimes I find him flailing his arms above his head while he hears my dog bark. He also will put his hands across his chest when he is unhappy. It is quite astonishing to witness such a young baby develop these actions when they themselves do not fully comprehend what they are doing. Body language is truly another type of idiom.
Andrejevic, Mark. "Reading the surface: Body language and surveillance."Culture Unbound 2 (2010): 15-36.
Kuhnke, Elizabeth. Body language for dummies. John Wiley & Sons. 2012.
The article “Individual differences in the nonverbal communication of affect: The diagnostic analysis of nonverbal accuracy scale” by Stephen Nowicki Jr and Marshall P. Duke did a research study designed to measure differences in the accuracy of sending and receiving nonverbal information in children from 6 to 10 years of age. They “found that accuracy scores increased with age, were internally consistent and reliable over time, and showed significant relationships with induces of personal and social adjustment and academic achievement but were not related to IQ”. This was published in the Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, and it was quite obvious that the intended audience was fellow scientists. This information was extremely interesting to discover, because this shows that understanding body language starts as a child and that it could severely affect adults interactions in the workplace, relationships, and friendships if not developed properly. This led to me finding a different article that is more towards the mainstream adult audience and explains different body languages. Molly, the author of the article “4 Surprising Things Your Body Language Is Saying", explains typical instances in which adults may self consciously be giving off mixed or bad signals. She explains four common instances and ways to prevent them from happening. Although both articles were extremely different, they both came down to the same conclusion, body language is an important part of life and is key to successful friendships, relationships, and a good work place. More people need to be aware of the messages they are conveying with their body rather than just worrying about what they are saying. I am a victim of my body language not conveying what I really feel or mean. Every Christmas as a kid growing up my siblings were always energetic opening presents and were immediately enthralled with their gifts. As I opened presents, however, I was always quiet and although I said “thank you” and “i love it” my parents never believed me. It always bothered my mother because she did not think that I was happy and that I did not enjoy the gifts that I received. I never realized how important my actions were, and how actions and speech go hand in hand. When I grew up I realized my problems with body language and decided to work on it. Being interested in other people and the way they interact, it was really easy for me to pick up on others motions and demeanor, a lot of my friends and family were convinced that I could read minds because of how well I was able to decipher their body language. Soon I was able to mimic different actions, and was able to connect my body language with my words. I still find that my overall demeanor may seem uninterested or angry when I’m in new environments or uncomfortable but it is something that I am working on. I believe after reading the first article that developing the tools for sending body language was not successful for me as a child and therefore affect how people perceive me today. The second article was even more helpful in helping me understand what I do to make people think something different then what I intend and how I can change that.
ReplyDeleteMolly. "4 Surprising Things Your Body Language Is Saying." Care2. Experienced Life, 15 Oct. 2012. Web. 09 Jan. 2014.
Nowicki, Stephen, and Marshall P. Duke. "Individual Differences in the Nonverbal Communication of Affect: The Diagnostic Analysis of Nonverbal Accuracy Scale." Journal of Nonverbal Behavior 18.1 (1994): 9-35. Print.
Kelly Costa
ReplyDeleteENC 1102 Section 0048
Blog Post 1
In an article published by Princeton University an experiment was conducted seeing if participants could determine a person’s emotion, in a picture, based off of their body language. In some parts of the experiment the participants had to examine a picture with body language alone or with facial expressions as well. Participants were also asked to determine body language just by facial expressions. It was found that the participants were able to better match the emotions with the facial expressions in play for the most part. However, it was discovered that many times the facial expressions came in second next to the physical body language of a person. The researchers came to the conclusion that the body language expresses the present emotion; but that a person’s facial expressions demonstrated the intensity of one’s emotion. So for example if you are trying to determine if someone is nervous, do not start with their face check their language from the neck down. If they are fidgeting and are constantly moving in some way that may be a way to get a good idea. Then look at their face, if their forehead is sweating and they are unable to keep eye contact with you odds are they are quite nervous. Most people would assume, as I did, that the face is always the giveaway to a person’s emotions. But what if this person has learned how to keep their face calm and straight? What are the possibilities that some people have been able to manipulate their face into whatever kind of emotion they want? So as an example maybe they are in a courtroom being accused of a crime, they are able to stay calm and look innocent when they really are not.
An article published in The Oprah Magazine talks about body language in women and how just sitting in a certain way can change a way a woman feels. The article focuses on how women can feel powerful just by changing the way they carry themselves. An experiment was conducted using a group of women, they were told to sit in a chair in the certain position that portrays a powerful figure. Just sitting in this position for a couple of minutes made these women instantly feel more powerful and confident in themselves and their job. On the other hand they had these women sit in a nervous and scared kind of way, which made these women feel more small and unimportant. So if women were able to use these practices to make themselves feel more confident could it change their self-esteem permanently? Also how effective would these tactics of altering your own body language be to the people around you? Would just the change of body language effect how they look at you? Also could your look of confidence in your body language make other people less confident?
Carpenter, Siri. "The Confidence Game: How to Bring Out Your Inner Hotshot." O Magazine Sept. 2011: 1-5. Oprah.com. Web. 9 Jan. 2014. .
Kelly, Morgan. Dont Read My Lips! Body Language Trumps the Face for Conveying Intense Emotions. Princeton University. News at Princeton, 15 Jan. 2013. Web. 9 Jan. 2014. http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S35/82/65G58/
The Scholar article I chose talked about how our face works with our body to portray how we’re feeling, otherwise known as our body language. Meeren states “In our natural world, a face is usually encountered not as an isolated object but as an integrated part of a whole body.”However, it doesn’t have to be your entire body that shows off some type of “body language”, it could be something just as simple as a smile or a frown that someone else notices. The popular article that I read related body language to work. Ellyatt states “In business, one of the most important things is the impression you give people”. As the article goes on, Ellyatt gets more in depth with just how exactly you should present yourself at work, but what caught my attention the most is where she talked about “fronts” which is where someone tends to act in a way that they normally wouldn’t, usually to try and impress someone. I found this very easy to relate to because I rushed last semester and ended up joining a sorority which totally isn’t something I would normally do. We had to go to each of the sorority houses and talk to their member’s one on one. If you wanted the girls to like you it was very important that you show nice and friendly body language. In some houses I felt that I had to put up a front and portray myself in a different way because of the types of girls they were looking for. I found out very soon that if I had to change myself to be a part of a group then I definitely didn’t want to be a part of their sorority. I feel like this relates to Ellyatt’s article in the sense that sometimes people put on fronts to try and get a specific job or to impress their boss. This brought some thoughts to my head like “I wonder who puts on fronts when they are around me?” and “what kind of body language do I portray?” Overall I think it is most important to be yourself and let your body language show off who you are as a person.
ReplyDeleteReferences:
Meeren, Hanneke. Rapid Perceptual Integration of Facial Expression and Emotional Body Language 102.45 (2005): n. pag. Web.
Ellyatt, Holly. "Entrepreneur." 7 Things Your Body Language Is Telling Your Boss (2013): n. pag. Web.
In this generation a huge part of social contact is technology and social media, but when met in person people typically stumble to understand each other. That is due to a lack of training in understanding one another's body language. Social media has dragged people away from contact and forced them to try and read someone via facebook or twitter now. People need to know body language and understand when people are feeling a certain way not based off of a status update but by the way the person is reacting to you and the vibe they are sending off with their body. In tests given by a Princeton professor people based majority of their feelings on how a person was acting on their faces but when paired up with bodies that showed signs of different emotions they began to side more with the body. Many people now, including myself, go through relationships in which they can't understand how a person is feeling cause they say they feel one way when they act and portray themselves a different way. A way that would easily help solve this situation is if there was a way we could have a class that taught people the different types of body language and how to read them. Instead of relying on a facial expression or someone saying how they feel, which could easily be covered up or lied about, we would be able to read how they truly feel cause body language is so hard to conceal from others. Conflicts would be avoided and so much trouble would be let go, so why don't we just start taking body language class instead of P.E.?
ReplyDeleteMorgan, Kelly. "Don't read my lips! Body language trumps the face for conveying intense emotions."www.princeton.edu/ N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Jan. 2014.
"How to Read Women's Body Language for Flirting." wikihow.com. N.p, n.d. Web. 09 Jan. 2014.
In the article, Body Speaks: Body language around the world, it explains all the many ways body language can be interpreted around the world and how the same gestures can mean different to different cultures and groups. Throughout the article, Kris Rugsaken gives specific examples of times when misinterpreting body language has gone wrong. One was of a time when former president, George H.W. Bush went to Australia raised his hands and gave bystanders a peace sign. Immediately it was written in the papers that the president insulted the Australians, but really it was just a case of miscommunication. Rugsaken also gives many other examples of body language throughout the world and their different meanings. One mentioned early on in the article was a head nod. In most countries and societies it is interpreted as a sign of approval, but in some cultures such as Greece it means ‘no’.
ReplyDeleteWhen reading this article, it seems that the target audience is ones aimed at traveling and understanding the world we live in. The author’s goals seem to be educating the readers about the diversity of our world and the different ways we use our bodies to communicate. This reminds me of a time when I visited Cozumel, Mexico and traveled around the city. Thinking back, I never really had a problem communicating with the locals because of how similar my body language was to theirs. Luckily I traveled to a place that was easy to communicate but reading this article opened my eyes to how important it is to understand other cultures and their different body languages when traveling.
The article 10 Simple and Powerful Body Language Tips for 2013 was a different angle on the topic of body language. It discussed how simple changes to your own body movement and the way you present yourself could lead to a better you. The author talks about many situations such as body language when going to interviews, how simply smiling can make difficult tasks easier, and how engaged body language can make agreements easier to reach. She also goes on to talk about other things, such as how to spot a liar in four body movements and how to defuse situations. The author’s target audience group seems to be adults because many of the scenarios that she describes involve the workplace or applying for jobs. She accomplished her goals of teaching her audience about the positive uses of body language due to the great examples given. As someone who is in their first year of college and away from home, these tips about improving your body language are very valuable. I have been put into many new situations and this article showed how I can portray myself better in new predicaments that may arise. It also reminded me of body language that I had recently used while interviewing for a job.
Goman, Carol Kinsey. "10 Simple and Powerful Body Language Tips for 2013." Forbes Magazine. 07 Jan 2013: n. page. Web. 9 Jan. 2014. .
Rugsaken, Kris. "Body Speaks: Body language around the world." NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources. (2006): n. page. Web. 9 Jan. 2014. <http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View-Articles/body-speaks.asp&xgt;.
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ReplyDeleteENC 1102-0048
ReplyDeleteI have played volleyball for most of my life and if there's one thing all my coaches made sure to drill into my brain is to be aware of the opposing player's body language. By paying close attention to their nonverbal language, they reveal not only their next move but also where they are planning on dumping the ball and how much time I would have to get there. When I was able to notice this, I had the advantage of being in that spot before the ball could make it there so I could retrieve the ball instead of letting the opposing team gain a point.
Not only is body language important on the court but it is also important off the court. While searching for a peer reviewed scholarly article, I came across "Towards the Neurology of Emotional Body Language" by Beatrice De Gelder. In this article, De Gelder explains how the emotions on the inside are then translated through body language whether one realizes it or not. Many people tell me they know how I'm feeling by simply reading my face. When someone is excited or happy they usually can't help themselves but smile or when someone tries a food they don't find so delicious they might make a slightly disgusted face without them realizing. As De Gelder shares, "from everyday experience we know that an angry face is more menacing when accompanied by a fist, and a fearful face more worrisome when the person is in flight (that is, running away)". Not only do facial expressions show one's emotions but the body does just as much. However, one body action can mean many different things. For example, a hug can portray many different emotions. It can express effect ion, gratitude, sorrow, relief, excitement, and so much more.
While searching for a popular source, I came across "10 Simple and Powerful Body Language Tips for 2013" by Carol Goman. This article teaches many things such as to spot a liar watch for an abnormal body action such as moving because they look uncomfortable or excessive blinking. Another thing is that a simple body language such as smiling can trick your brain into thinking an annoying task isn't that bad after all. Also, by sitting up straight and looking completely comfortable and content can send of the a sign that one is confident in themselves even though they aren't. However, one can also trick their brain into feeling self confident by doing this as well. Not only does the brain give off certain body language and make one feel a certain way but doing a certain body action can trick your brain into giving off that certain body language one is looking to acquire.
De Gelder, Beatrice. "Towards the Neurology of Emotional Body Language." Nature Reviews Neuoscience. Nature Publishing Group, n.d. Web. 8 January 2014
Goman, Carol Kinsey. "10 Simple and Powerful Body Language Tips for 2013." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 7 January 2013. Web. 9 January 2014
Adam Tran
ReplyDeleteENC 1102
Prior to this assignment, I had not thought much into body language. I have found that there are many aspects of body language that I was unaware of. For example, I didn’t quite realize that body language also includes tone of voice and other non-verbal cues, such as clothes (Rugsaken). I always imagined body language as movements that humans made that express some sort of emotion. It is interesting to know that body language can be as simple as our choice in clothing.
I recently attended a cruise to the Bahamas right before class started back up for the spring semester. Thinking back on the security checkpoints that we had to pass through, I now realize how many of the officers were most likely paying close attention to the body language of the surrounding people. Many officers are trained to recognize and analyze body language to notice any oddities and ensure the safety of the public (Rugsaken). Edward T. Hall (1959) spoke about how more than 65% of social meanings in a normal conversation were conveyed through the nonverbal channel (Rugsaken). I find it quite interesting to think about how significant our body language realize is and how much it portrays about our personality and emotion.
I recently had a job interview in which I researched body language to make sure my interview skills were appropriate. Showing proper body language can aid in the success of your career (Goman). The article mentions how making simple adjustments to our body language can enhance our skills in the workplace and improve our daily conversations. I imagine that many other people trusted this article, as I did, as it was written on Forbes’s website, a name that I commonly associate with successful or wealthy people. The article aimed to inform its readers of proper body language, and I believed that the article did well in doing so. Of course, it did not cover every aspect of body language, but it gave a good basis of proper body language etiquette. Knowledge of the correct amount of eye contact, posture, and handshake firmness are among the few things we should be aware of.
Naturally, there may be instances of misunderstanding or miscommunication in body language. One gesture in a specific geographic location may mean one thing, while that same gesture may mean something else in another location. It was quite intriguing reading about how an American couple was pulled over in New Zealand and were given a warning. After giving the officer a ‘thumbs up,’ the officer called for back up and cuffed the American man, as a ‘thump up’ was viewed as an obscene gesture in New Zealand (Rugsaken). I can’t help but wonder if the American man was able to explain himself if hall was forgiven after they established that it situation was just a simple miscommunication. Attempting to understand our body language and the body language of others can help us improve our conversations and avoid miscommunications such this American man.
Goman, Carol Kinsey. 12 Body Language Tips For Career Success. 21 August 2013. 9 January 2014 .
Rugsaken, Kris. Body Speaks: Body language around the world. 1 Januart 2006. 9 January 2014 .
“Now, I don’t speak Spanish, Japanese or French/ But the way that body’s talkin’ definitely makes sense” (Jesse Mcartney). Typically on a first date the man looks for cues from the woman to see if she is interested in him. If she licks her lips or applies lip-gloss, he may take that as a sign that she wants him to kiss her. If she crosses her legs toward him she feels comfortable, but if she crosses her legs the other way it is an indicator she might feel uncomfortable or distant. Personally I can remember a few awkward first dates where my body language wasn’t decoded and the guy tried to kiss me. In his mind, he thought the date went great and that I was just as into him as he was into me. Where as I thought I had given signs of disinterest. Body language, if detected properly, is a useful tool to either end a relationship or continue it.
ReplyDeleteIn the article Booth states that there are many mistakes women and men make while trying to read the others body language. She continues to say that understanding body language is an essential part of a relationship to create a path for communication. “nonverbal communication carries more weight in your relationship than what yon and he actually say to each other” (Booth).
Magazines such as Cosmopolitan have hundreds of articles deciphering a man’s body language and what it means to try to provide for their readers a glimpse into a man’s mind. I have personally tried to help friends decipher their crushes’ body language to determine if a hug or smile is a significant clue or a common practice. Cosmo suggests that if a man leans toward a woman in a conversation he is interested, but if he crosses his arms he is uninterested. These articles become crucial at the end of a first date, so it isn’t awkward on one persons account if they lean in for a kiss or ask for a second date and aren’t reciprocated.
Sources:
"Great Minds Think for Them Selves." Great Minds Think for Them Selves. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Jan. 2014.
"What It Means When a Guy Touches His Nose." Cosmopolitan. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Jan. 2014.
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ReplyDeleteOften times, we think we can simply suppress our emotions and rather, express ourselves with words instead. As comforting of a thought that may seem, it is not necessarily the reality of human behavior. Body language is, according to the article, “Body Language Basics,” an attempt to communicate what is most important. It can be deduced that as early humans, we communicated without words in order to alert others of potential danger. The evolutionary benefits therefore led us to maintain a frequent usage of body language in our everyday lives. This article explains to the inquiring reader that nonverbal interaction can, in the modern world, give us insight to whether or not we are comfortable in different situations. In addition, the author brings to attention its beauty and complexity. Through the use of relatable examples, the writer clearly demonstrates that our body language explicitly reveals our thoughts and emotions greater than any words. From a different point of view, body language becomes the focus of the article, “Body Speaks: Body Language Around the World,” with the intention of making the dangers of body language known to the western world. It is discussed that, although we are not always aware of what our body does, we are at risk of insulting other cultures with wrong body language. Different parts of the world have different ways of interpreting certain gestures and it all entirely depends on the culture. What may be acceptable here may very well be a sign of disrespect on the other side of the world. This idea brings the attention of the article to our self-awareness, confirming that we truly are our bodies. These two articles reveal that body language is a point of interest. Not only is it an intriguing psychological concept, but it is also a relatable topic worth discussion. I have periodically let my own body language get the best of me and show truth, as the first article has made known. For example, when I am looking to leave while engaged in a conversation, my body tends to point in the direction of the door, indicating my desire to leave. I have also recently noticed that when I take a liking to someone, I generally mirror that person’s behaviors and not even notice it. Tapping on a table is another instance of my nonverbal expression, implying that I am anxious about something. To say the least, body language is universal and ultimately inevitable, whether we like it or not.
Navarro, Joe. “Body Language Basics.” Psychology Today. Spycatcher, 21 August 2011. Web. 9 January 2014.
Rugsaken, Kris. “Body Speaks: Body Language Around the World.” NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources 10 (2006): n. pag. Web. 9 January 2014.
The study of body language has been mostly empathized on facial expressions, and what we actually do with our body is taken as an obvious part of whatever expression we are trying to show. According to the scholarly article “Rapid perceptual integration of facial expression and emotional body language”, when humans show congruent facial and body expressions it is relatively easy to determine what the person is feeling or trying to demonstrate. But what happens if the facial and body languages are incongruent? By making a different body gesture than what is facially shown, the expression which is mainly perceived by the face, is hampered and therefore it becomes very difficult or barely possible to determine what the person is feeling and which expression is the intended to be perceived by others. This might all seem somewhat obvious, but according to what they say on their article, such actions were never officially studied.
ReplyDeleteThe other more popular article that I read is titled “Simple and Powerful Body Language Tips for 2013”. This article explains different ways of using body language to your advantage and how to perceive it from others. Personally, of all the tips given I found the first three to be the most interesting to me. The first tip is about how to make a good first impression when for example waiting for a meeting. Instead of just sitting in a corner browsing through your cellphone with your shoulders hunched, you should sit up straight with your feet firm on the floor and instead of using your cellphone, grab a newspaper. That way the person who is waiting to meet you will perceive confidence from you and therefore a good impression. The second important tip they give is how to spot if someone is a liar. There are some signs that they say are the most common which are when someone starts touching his own hands and face, crosses his arms and leans away. The last tip that I found very interesting was that in order to make something difficult seem easier, you just have to smile and by that you send messages to your brain that it is possible to do whatever you desire in a not-so-bad way.
Finally, something from these two articles that I could connect to my life would be the third tip from the second article. Smiling in the middle of a tough situation is a characteristic that defines me and sometimes annoys other people. The reason for this is if something bad happened and there is no solution to it, I simply smile because there is nothing else to be done; it is just a way of relaxing a letting the bad time pass by, at least that’s how I view it.
Meeren, H. (2005, 10 31). Rapid perceptual integration of facial expression and emotional body language. Retrieved from http://www.pnas.org/content/102/45/16518.full?tab=author-info
http://www.forbes.com/sites/carolkinseygoman/2013/01/07/10-simple-and-powerful-body-language-tips-for-2013/
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ReplyDeleteBody language is talking without using our mouth. Somebody can learn more how a person feels about a certain situation by reading their body language rather than by asking them.
In one of the TEDTalks Amy Cuddy talks about how our body language defines us. It can show how we really feel to a situation and it can even help you overcome some of our fears. One of the most known body language positions is having your arms crossed in front of you. This body language means that the person is in a defensive position as he covers himself unknowingly. This makes the person smaller showing how they could possibly be timid or scared of the situation. I remember during 5th grade my P.E. class was added to a dance class just for one day and the thing that sticks out the most from when I look back at my experience where my arms being crossed. I was a very shy kid when I was little and I didn’t like dancing, being in a new classroom surrounded by people I didn’t know didn’t help my situation. I wasn’t happy being there and my actions really showed how I felt.
One problem that some people come across is the fact that different body gestures or movements mean different things around the world as stated in Kris Rugsaken’s article. Taking the “middle finger” for example, I learned in my TOK class 11th grade that our “middle finger” means nothing in other areas around the world, it is just a finger to some countries. In Japan one form of their middle finger is the pinky. With this in mind it must be hard for some people to read others body language correctly and it is very important to read it for “more than 65 percent of social meanings are transmitted through non-verbal channel”. Edward T. Hall states how some areas around the world are more aware of body language and are easier to read than others. And sometimes people can miss read body language and lead to future problems. With this in mind we should try to be a little more aware of our body language and of the body language of the people we communicate with.
http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View-Articles/body-speaks.aspx
http://www.npr.org/2013/12/13/248198314/does-body-language-shape-who-you-are
In the first article “Body Language” a college student talks about all the unconscious things we do in as simple of tasks like walking across a room. In these every day tasks we perform we have developed habits and some times its these habits like slumping your shoulders forward when you walk that cause the everyday aches and pains we have. Missy Vineyard comments that the reason this happens is because the slumping of the shoulders might run contrary to the way we were evolved to move and walk therefore we then get the aches and pains. What our bodies do unconsciously can be observed and changed if we watch ourselves or others as a way of understanding our body language. In the article “7 Things Your Body Language Is Telling Your Boss” also talks about the unconscious things we do everyday and how it effects us. Though in this article instead of discussing the physical ramifications of our body language it talks about how it can effect your working life. Elliot Hoppe a body language expert comments in this article in talking about the best way you can present yourself for being received- "Stand upright, have a brisk walk, you want to convey that you want to be there and are confident, if you slump your shoulders--what message will that give?"
ReplyDeleteIn my own experience regarding body language in the work place at work when I see someone come in for a job interview the way the present e and carry themselves is a huge aspect of the first impression you get.
Katherine D. Duke, “Body Language” https://www.amherst.edu/aboutamherst/news/campusbuzz/node/36596
HOLLY ELLYATT “7 Things Your Body Language Is Telling Your Boss”
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/228056
After reading both the popular and scholarly articles i found, it is clearer to me now that we focus much of our time on trying to read the emotions and or character of other people by how they present themselves in a public situation, but often times we focus most of our attention on the facial expressions of others as an immediate emotional tell. When in fact this only provides us with a 50% chance of determining the correct emotional status of the individual (Aviezer, Hillel, et al). If you were to take into account the persons body language as well, your chances of correct interpretation are much higher. Which brings me back to my point that if we spend more time interpreting and using our body to express the correct emotion/message to people our time and effort would be better spent. These articles at least show that we are making progress in an effort to better understand and educate in this area.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me think especially, if i had carried myself differently in that one interview or had come into that one meeting with a different body language, maybe taking some tips from the popular article like, "Since gesture is integrally linked to speech, gesturing as you talk can actually power up your thinking" (Goman), would it have gone differently? Would i have gotten the job? Would i have persuaded my audience in the direction i wanted?
Works Cited
Goman, Carol. "12 Body Language Tips For Career Success." Forbes. 13 08 2013: n. page. Web. 9 Jan. 2014. .
Aviezer, Hillel, Yaacov Trope, et al. "Body Cues, Not Facial Expressions, Discriminate Between Intense Positive and Negative Emotions." Science. 338. (2012): n. page. Print.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe first reading, “The psychology of Body Language” is about the connection between the psychology of the mind and the “nonverbal behavior.” Apparently, the mind (embedded with thoughts and feelings) is physically expressed through our body language. The article transitions from prehistoric times to modern times by showing how little has changed over the course of millions of years. The majority of this article talks about the beginning stages of birth and how newborns use nonverbal communication to let their mothers know how they are feeling and what their dislikes/likes are. The intended audience for this article would be upcoming social psychologists and women that are pregnant or who have already given birth to a child. The intended social psychologists will have a quick foundation of why people act the way they do in certain settings. This article will allow them to gain some insight in their field and will be able to further produce inquiries on their own research dissertations. The traditional viewpoint between a mother and child is explicitly displayed in the article. The bond between mother and child is inevitable and for that reason most women would like to know the signs her newborn may show in order to raise the child properly. The article is written in chronological order beginning from birth to death in order to show the connection between our first thoughts and how they are projected through our bodies when we are born to the day we die. The article thoroughly ties its framing mechanism by displaying all of its points in consistent order. The article accomplishes to show how the mind and body are intertwined. To some extent, the writer did accomplish his goal however; an experimentation would have strengthened his proposal.
ReplyDeleteThe peer reviewed scholarly article, “Emotions through Locomotion: Gender Impact” shows the different biological motions between men and women and how this may lead to different diseases. According to the article men and women have different knockings depending on their mood. For example, women are more prone to be angry and hostile when knocking on the door while men excel in happy knocking. Data was collected showing two groups: M_ actors and F_ actors of which were presented with point-light displays and the results showed that a higher percentage of women walk angry and men tend to walk with a happier attitude. The intended audience for this article would be of course for college students in order for them to alter their own biological motions, which can prevent certain diseases from arising in the future. Parents as well are the intended audience because they can too can help prevent future generations from developing diseases. The article starts out with the concept of biological motions such as locomotives then it delves into the gender outcomes because of these biological motions. Data is later presented to show how the locomotives affected men and women. The article’s portrayal of its set of proposal and data further strengthens its argument to show how biological motions are prevalent to gender. By providing sufficient data and sources the writer did indeed accomplish his goals.
“Emotions through Locomotion: Gender Impact” for me is irrelevant. The reason being is that I personally believe that this sample that was experimented with does not hold true for each and every single one individual on this Earth. There is no grounding objective statement that all women are certain to develop this kind of disease by performing these locomotives for numerous years. I for one do not hold any hostility when knocking. Outside factors such as life experiences may tamper with one’s moods which may lead to these locomotives but it all depends on the individual himself.
Works cited:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/spycatcher/200911/the-psychology-body-language
http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=42e2c10c-4317-462a-b79b-e0e0aa9242e3%40sessionmgr114&vid=4&hid=119
Body language is not specific to race, gender, age, or social status. We all do it. Sometimes it is voluntary and at other times we don’t even notice we are doing it. When speaking to people of different cultures and who speak different languages, it can be vital. Not only can our body language be the thing that makes us understand the other person, but can also offend them. The first article (popular source) I found talks about how “people in different parts of the world ‘speak’ different body languages.” Some signs that we use for greetings or goodbyes could mean the total opposite somewhere else. On the contrary, two cultures on opposite sides of the earth could have the exact same signs and ways of expression through body language. Would that then make body language instinctual?
ReplyDeleteBody language can also help with learning a verbal language. A study was done where children were taught English in India. In this article, (scholarly journal) Narendra Sonu Tayade explains that when students paid the most attention, their teachers were making eye contact with them, moving their arms around, and fluctuating the tone of their voice. Tayade might have done this study to also prove that body language does not just play a role in communication, but learning as well.
From my own personal experience, I have found myself tuning out of a lecture where the teacher does not exhibit very much movement or fluctuation in his/her voice. Also, I remember a time when I went on a mission trip where I did not understand what one of the villagers was saying. We had to use body language as a means of communication. I could tell by the expressions on his face when something I did was unclear or confusing and also when something was clear. Whether we know it or not body language is another way can communicate and even teach.
Rugsaken, Kris. "Body speaks: Body language around the world." Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources. NACADA , n.d. Web. 9 Jan 2014.
Tayade, Narendra Sonu. "English Language Teaching In India And Body Language." E-Proceedings Of The International Online Language Conference (IOLC) 2.(2011): 510-513. Communication & Mass Media Complete. Web. 9 Jan. 2014.
According to Alan Chapman, author of “Body Language: how to understand and interpret body language” and Neha Gupta, author of “Effective Body Language in Organizations”, body language makes up the majority of the interaction and communication that humans use. Both authors discuss different types of body language and how to express your emotions through your body language. However, they focus more on how body language affects the workplace and how to properly apply body language techniques to express oneself in a desired manner. Chapman, author of my informal source, more lists different types of body language and how to properly utilize them. This is effective, however he does not analyze the effect of these different types of body language. Gupta on the other hand, does a better job of giving situational body language cues and the effects that they may have on your status and others’ perspective of you.
ReplyDeleteI feel that both authors have valid points in the sense that body language is the most important part of communication that humans partake in. Chapman lists different aspects of body language to appeal to an information seeker, which suits an informal writing; while Gupta speaks of strategies to “Give off the proper message”. From my experiences, body language definitely is the most used method of communication we use in modern time. The people that you have the strongest bonds with are the relationships in which you don’t need to use words. To genuinely connect with someone you need to know how to properly connect with them in a manner that words cannot express. The only issue that I have experienced with this is that there may be some discrepancy in body languages across cultures, which contributes to humans’ feelings of miscommunications with those of diverse ethnic background. Personally, I don’t trust half of what certain people say anymore. I have always found myself apt to analyzing body language, and a lot of the time, I feel like people’s words don’t match it. In general, humans now-a-days are so concerned with hurting another’s ego that they would rather lie. Unfortunately for them body language doesn’t lie and both Chapman and Gupta would agree that it is the human race’s most vital method of communication.
Works Cited
Chapman, Alan. 2013. “Body Language: How to Interpret and Understand Body Language”. n.p. Web. 01 09 2014. http://www.businessballs.com/body-language.htm
Gupta, N. (2013). Effective Body Language in Organizations. IUP Journal Of Soft Skills, 7(1), 35-44
In the peer reviewed article I found, Body Language: Silent Communicator at the Workplace by Daisy N. Kurien, the article explains how body language should better be conducted in the workplace and what certain signs of body language means, such as an increased blinking rate can suggest deception. The author views body language as a pivotal key in communication and that it “speaks more than any content delivered verbally”.
ReplyDeleteThe second article, 12 Body Language Tips For Career Success contributed by Carol Kinsey Goman. This article is in a how-to fashion that is based off of what certain demeanors mean in the business/workplace realm. It is suggested to smile and stand in a “power pose” that relates to the previous article’s statement of how a smile creates a positive feeling.
Both articles are explaining how to direct your gestures to convey a positive energy in a workplace setting and exude confidence. Which are two important tasks to remember as a coming of age young adult, entering a business workplace can seem like a scary start, but by exuding confidence with certain power poses or remembering little tips on how to carry yourself, you can easily become a confident employee.
Works Cited:
Kurien, Daisy N. "Body Language: Silent Communicator At The Workplace." IUP Journal Of Soft Skills 4.1/2 (2010): 29-36. Business Source Premier. Web. 12 Jan. 2014.
Goman, Carol Kinsey. "12 Body Language Tips For Career Success." Forbes. N.p., 21 Aug. 2013. Web. 12
Jan. 2014. .