Non Verbal Communication Flashcards
Describe and evaluate a study into paralinguistic’s (Argyle,Alkema and Gilmour)
Aim: To see if the tone of voice has any effect when interpreting a verbal message
Method: Different groups of participants listened to either a friendly message with a hostile voice or a hostile message with a friendly voice.
Results: When participants were asked to interpret the messages it was found that tone of voice had about 5 times the effect of the message itself.
Conclusion: Tone of voice is extremely important in how people interpret a verbal message.
Evaluation: These studies help us understand that some people find it difficult to get a message across to other people if their words contradict the tone of voice. A person with Autism will find it difficult because they only hear the words not tone of voice (eg sarcasm)
The participants may have given a socially desirable answer.
What are paralinguistic?
Vocal features that accompany speech(tone of voice etc…)
What is eye contact?
When two people in the conversation look at each other’s eyes at the same time.
Describe and evaluate a study into eye contact (Argyle) KNOW BY NAME
Aim: To see how interrupting eye contact affects conversation.
Method: Pairs of participants were observed having a conversation. In half of the conversations one of the participants wore glasses so they could not receive eye contact.
Results: When one of the participants wore glasses, there were more pauses and interruptions in the conversation than when the participant did not wear glasses.
Conclusion: Eye contact is important in ensuring the smooth flow of conversation.
Evaluation:
Low ecological validity
Researcher bias
Participant variables
What are the 7 facial expressions?
Happiness Surprise Anger Fear Sadness Interest Disgust
What side of the brain controls the right side of the body?
What side of the brain controls the left side of the body?
The left side of the brain controls the right side of the body.
The right side of the brain controls the left side of the body.
Describe and Evaluate Sackeim’s study. KNOW BY NAME.
Aim: To look at the relationship between facial expressions and the hemispheres of the brain.
Method: Pictures of peoples faces showing different emotions were cut down the middle. The left side of the face was reflected to make a new picture and the same was done with the right. Then each pair of ‘new’ faces were shown to participants, they were asked which picture they liked the most.
Results: The majority of participants said they preferred the picture of the left half of the face and its reflection. When asked they said the person in the picture looked warmer.
Conclusion: The lefty hand side of the face (the right hemisphere of the brain) seems to express more emotion than the right side (left hemisphere)
Evaluation:
The study has low ecological validity because studies that show photos are artificial. We don’t usually stare at still pictures to judge peoples emotions. We also don’t look at photos in isolation with others.
There could also be socially desirable answers.
Describe and evaluate a study into pupil dilation. (Hess)
Aim: To see how the effect of pupil dilation on emotion.
Method: Participants were shown two photos, nearly identical of the same girl. On one photo her pupils were dilated and on the other they were not. They were asked to see which one was more attractive.
Results: The majority of participants said the picture of the girl with dilated pupils was more attractive. However they could not say why they thought that.
Conclusion: Pupil dilation has an unconscious but powerful effect on emotion.
Evaluation:
Low ecological validity, asking to look at two photos of someone to see which one is more attractive is unrealistic.
It’s only men looking at photos of women, the study does not apply to women.
Socially desirable answers.
What is postural echo?
Mirroring another person’s body position.
Describe and evaluate a study into postural echo. (McGinley)
Aim: To see the effect of postural echo when having a conversation.
Method: A confederate of the experimenter approached individuals in a social setting and had a conversation with them. In half of the conversations the confederate echoed the individuals body posture and in the other half they didn’t.
Results: When postural echo was used the people questioned liked the confederate. When postural echo was not used they were not liked as much and the conversation was awkward.
Conclusion: Postural echo gives us a unconscious message of friendliness.
Evaluation:
Personality differences.
Deception-Individuals did not know about the experiment.
High ecological, people have conversations all the time in reality , however they do not get asked if they liked the person or not.
What does it mean by open and closed posture?
Open- Happy, friendly, relaxed.
Closed- Uncomfortable and awkward.
Describe and evaluate a study into posture. ( McGinley, Lefevre and McGinley)
Aim: To see the effect of open and closed posture when having a conversation.
Method: A confederate approached individuals in a social setting and had a conversation with them. In half of the conversations the confederate had a open posture and the other half they had a closed posture. Afterwards the experimenter approached the individuals and asked them what they thought of the confederate.
Results: When showing an open posture the confederate was seen as friendly and attractive. When showing a closed posture the confederate was seen as unfriendly and less attractive.
Conclusion: The posture that someone adopts can make a difference to how much they are liked.
Evaluation:
Deception- The individual approached did not know they were part of the experiment.
Participant variables- didn’t like there personality.
High ecological validity- conversations occur in real life however they are not asked how much the person is liked afterwards.
What does it mean by ‘gesture’
A form of non- verbal communication in which information is conveyed by either deliberate or unconscious movement of body parts.
Describe and evaluate a study into gesture. (Lynn+Mynier)
Aim: To see the effect of gestures used by waiters and waitresses on the topping behaviour of customers in a restaurant.
Method: While taking orders from seated customers, waiters and waitresses were instructed to either stand upright or squat down near the customer.
Results: When the waiters and waitresses squatted down, larger tips were received compared with when they took orders stood up.
Conclusion: The gesture of squatting down near a customer to take an order will have a positive effect of tipping behaviour.
Evaluation:
The size of the bill can effect the size of the tip.
High ecological validity- happens in real life.
The increased tips are to do with more eye contact when squatting down, not the gesture of just squatting down.
Participant variables- the mood of the customers.
What does it mean by the word ‘touch’?
A form of non-verbal communication in which information is conveyed by physical contact between people.
