DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
 
Section 1: Basic Concepts
 
Principles of Nonverbal Communication (pp. 1-2, Ch 1):
  Why are nonverbal messages so believable? Why is it so important to look at them in packages?
 
Approaches I  (Pp. 45-47, pp. 299-301, pp. 489-490)
  What is the difference between looking at nonverbal codes and nonverbal functions?
 
Approaches II (Ch53, Ch 55)
Why are expectation violations arousing? Why is it important to consider both the reward level of the communicator and ambiguity of the communication?
What is adaptation and why does it occur? Why might it not occur?

Methods of Research (Ch 3)
What do we mean when we say research is systematic and why is this important? What is the best method for studying nonverbal communication? Why?
 
Sending and Receiving Skills (Ch 2): 
Look at the characteristics of the good interpersonal communicator. Are there situations in which these characteristics might not be effective? Or even ineffective?
 
Culture (Ch 35, Ch 52)
Is there a difference between stereotyping and impressions? What is the relationship between stereotyping and heuristics? How do you know when and how to accommodate?  What is over accommodation?
 What are the three types of adaptation and how does culture influence them?

Gender
Can we consider the genders/sexes different cultures?
What are the stereotypical cues of gender and how do these influence they way we perceive males and females?
Do you need to be biculturally competent to communicate with people who do not share your sex and/or sexual orientation?

Section 2: Nonverbal Codes
 
Introduction to Codes (pp. 45-47)
 What is the most important code? Do different codes tend to communicate certain types of information? Are some people better at communicating with some codes?
 
Kinesics: Body Cues (pp. 46-7, Ch 4, Ch 6)
What is the different between eye gaze and eye contact? Is this important? Are there nonverbal behaviors that do not come in packages? Is hand raising needed in class to regulate conversation? Are there other ways?
 
Kinesics: Facial Cues (Ch 7-9)
Why do the eyes play such an important role in social interaction? Is smiling an expression of internal feelings or a social expression?
 
Appearance (pp. 90-1, Ch 11-16)
Is physical appearance more important for one gender? Why do you think this is so? What is the halo effect? Why is it significant that people overestimate their body size?
Are there any disadvantages to being beautiful? How should you decide how to dress on the job (choose your ideal or projected job)? Is the use of the skirted suit by women imitative of masculine behavior? Is this wrong? Why do you think U.S. culture involves so much masking of body smell?
 
Vocalics (Pp 151-152 and Ch 18-20)
Why do you think that the vocalic cues listed on p. 152 are persuasive? Why does the voice "leak" more than the face? In the example on p. 177, do you think the teacher's joking response to silence was appropriate? Could the silence have had any other meanings?
 
Contact: Touch (Ch 23-26)
Guerrero and Anderson say that touch is the primary behavior involved in intimacy escalation. Do you agree? Why or why not? Why do you think that married couples exhibit the most behavior matching? Does the "midas touch" article raise any ethical questions for you? Can we touch in business without sexual harassment? What is touch negotiation?
 
Contact:  Proxemics (pp. 173-4, Ch 21,23)
What does it mean to say that someone is colonizing public space to create home space? What are the differences among body territories, personal space, and inner space? What happens when managers invading space of subordinates? How is status marked in an organization?
 
Environment (pp. 242-244, Ch31, 33)
How is privacy marked or maintained in public spaces? At work? What changes would you make to your home to reduce crime?
 
Time (Ch 28-29)
Does time mean the same thing for all people?
 
Section 3: Nonverbal Functions
 
First Impression (Pp. 302-303, Ch 34, 36, 37)
What are self-fulfilling prophecies based on? Can we eliminate this process? Should we? Is civil inattention important? Why or why not?
 
Interaction Management (Ch 12, 42 )
How do you decide how to greet someone? Can you think if a turn taking rule that is specific to your family? Your group of friends? Your job?
 
Professional Relationships (Ch 6, 7, 16 )
What nonverbal cues separate successful interviewees?
 
Personal Relationships (Pp. 265-6, Ch 34-37)
Is there a single set of nonverbal cues that express love? What are the differences in how men and women interpret flirting? What are some of the implications of these differences?
 
Emotion (Pp 299-301, pp 395-396 and Ch 43-45 )
Pick an emotion (happiness, sadness, etc.) and think about how your best friend expresses it. What are the similarities and differences the typical cues for that emotion? Which channels are most important? Least important?
 
Deception (Pp 419-420, Ch 46-48)
What determines if something is a lie? Is it a lie if I tell my wife she looks good when she only looks "OK"? Do you think there are different cues when something is not truthful but not a lie?  Is it better to see through subtle leakage cues or ignore them?
 
Power and Influence (Pp. 448-449, Ch 49)
Think of a powerful person you know. What are the nonverbal cues of power that come from the person's position? From their person style?