The show that I chose to watch was The Office. I had never seen the show before, but I thought that it might be good for this experiment, considering that there are so many characters that are a part of the show.
Based on the episode that I chose to watch I can tell that their boss, Michael, is kind of a goof ball. Everyone seems to go to him, but I can tell that they don't feel as though he is listening based on their facial expressions or the way that they turn away from him quickly.
I could tell that Jim and Pam seem to have a friendly relationship in that they have conversations with one another often, and take time to listen to one another. They respond quickly to each other and make sure that their response is understood.
A lot of the nonverbal behavior shows me that there is sarcasm and the workplace seems to be slightly uncomfortable. Many of the characters cross their arms or seem guarded. These people are co-workers no close family members or friends.
I assumed that these characters kind of bounce off of one another and have a fun workplace environment. However, watching without the sound shows how important body language is within conversations and communication.
I feel like if I had watched a show that I knew, even with the sound off, I would be able to tell how why the characters' body language was the way that it was, because I already know how the characters interact with one another.
Hi Heather,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your blog. Do you think the characters were exhibiting dark humor during your nonverbal communication observation? “The spectrum of humor ranges from the old, unimaginative, dry, banana peel slip to Modern Family or Arrested Development’s exquisitely timed and beautifully crafted wordplay, but some people resort to something darker and laugh at what are called “morbid jokes”. This genre of humor is called Dark Humor. Dark humor isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. The perception of humor or anything you find amusing is so subjective, so individualistic that we have been unable to write down a formula or generalize a rule and point at something to say, “This is objectively funny” (https://www.scienceabc.com/eyeopeners/what-is-dark-humor.html). To me, your example of observation regarding nonverbal communication exhibited civility, “the social norm for appropriate behavior” (O'Hair et al., 2018) in their working environment.
References
O’Hair, D., Wiemann, M., Mullin, D.I., & Teven, J. (2018). Real communication: An introduction (4th.ed). New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
• Chapter 4, “Verbal Communication”
• Chapter 5, “Nonverbal Communication”
Why Is Dark Humor Funny? (2019). Retrieved from https://www.scienceabc.com/eyeopeners/what-is-dark-humor.html
Hi Heather great post. Nonverbal communication involves many different "channels" that convey meaning beyond what's being said. These include gestures, body movements, facial expressions, and even vocal tone and pitch. Much of the nonverbal information we get from people comes from their eyes. This explains why it's often hard to infer meaning from a telephone call or written words. The majority of what we learn about human behavior isn't spoken; it's conveyed by nonverbal signals. Being able to understand and use this powerful but subtle form of communication will steer you through delicate political situations and help you shape personal relationships. It will also make it easier to deal with difficult people.
ReplyDeletehttp://members.aol.com/nonverbal2/diction1.htm
Heather, I am not familiar with the show "The Office", but I began to imagine all the verbal and nonverbal communication that is conveyed in any office. I have found myself being a passive listener and ignore conversations that takes place in any office. You mention the word goof ball that how is my perception of the individuals in our office too. "Passive listeners do not show that they are listening; they may misinterpret messages, ignore them altogether, or need information and instruction repeated for them (O'Hair,D., Wiemann, M. Mullin, D. I., & Teven, J., 2018).
ReplyDeleteReference
O’Hair, D., Wiemann, M., Mullin, D.I., & Teven, J. (2018). Real communication: An introduction (4th.ed). New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
Hi Heather,
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine had suggested this show for me to watch a while back because I wanted a new show to laugh at. I have yet to get around to watching it. Based off what I have learned this week although it is a work environment it appears to be one of those shows that uses low level language or "an easy going informal often involving slang" (O'Hair, 2018). I appreciate your perspective on this somewhat interesting show.
Reference
O'Hair, D., Wiemann, M., Mullin, D. I., & Teven, J. (2018). Real Communication: An Introduction (4th. ed). New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.