Nonverbal Communication

            The second person I observed was a little girl who was waiting in line to see Santa at the mall.  She caught my eye because she was bouncing up and down and tugging on her mother’s sleeve.  The girl may have been about 6 years old and had long blond hair.  She wore a pink sweater with purple stripes and light blue jeans. The girl’s constant smile showed her happiness.  She used playfulness and a positive emotions form of touch as she swung her mother’s hand up and down.  Positive emotions touch “tells other people that we appreciate them” (Burch 135).  Her proximity had entered the intimate zone with her mother.  The intimate zone is within 18 inches and is used when people have a “close, interpersonal relationship” (Burch 135).  She was very excited to see Santa, as she hopped in a circle around her mother, who tried, without much success, to hold her still. 

            I was not close enough to hear what the mother and daughter were saying, but the girl kept pointing at Santa and giggling. This is an example of an illustrator gesture, which is used to “add meaning to the verbal message” (Burch 137).  Then she grabbed her chin and they both laughed.  I think that they were talking about Santa’s beard.  The mother bent down and whispered something to the little girl.  The girl stopped jumping around, tilted her head and leaned toward her mother as she listened.  This is an attentive type of body language that shows that he girl is interested in what is being said (Attentive Body Language, 2009).  Her mother must have told her to behave because the girl was more calm after this.  She still smiled and seemed happy to see Santa.  

            Through observing these two people at the mall, I feel that I have gained a better understanding of nonverbal communication.  Even though the older man sat in the same spot the entire time I observed him, I still found many ways in which he used nonverbal communication.  Simple acts, such as smiling or holding someone’s hand, can show affection and playfulness. I now understand how touch affects our communication.  I also learned about proximity and how it plays a role in how we communicate with others. 

Bibliography

Attentive Body Language. (2009). Retrieved December 4, 2009, from Changing Minds: http://changingminds.org/techniques/body/attentive_body.htm

Burch, M. (2005). Interpersonal Communication: Building Your Foundations for Success. Dubuque: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.

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