Chapter 3: Social Perception and Understanding Others
1. Nonverbal Communication:
Nonverbal communication the basic channels:
There are 5 channels of non verbal communication:
1. Facial expressions.
2. Eye contact.
3. Body movement.
4. Posture.
5. Touching. Human feelings and emotions r often reflected
Unmasking the face; facial expressions and clues to others’ emotions: on the face and can b read in specific
expressions.
5 diff emotions are represented clearly on ppl faces even from early age:
1. Anger Don’t happen alone,
2. Fear can be combinations
3. Happiness of diff emotions.
4. Sadness
5. Disgust
Are facial expressions universal?
Research suggests yes- certain emotions occur naturally like happiness and sadness and promotes the same
facial reactions over cultures.
Gazes and stares: eye contact as a nonverbal cue:
Generally lots of eye contact suggests liking between people except when in complete excess
Staring: could be sign of anger, dislike or hostility. (2 avoid road rage avoid eye contact)
Body language; gestures, posture and movement:
Body language can provide NB info about others
Body language reveals emotional state
More specific info about others feelings is provided by gestures
Emblems: body movements carrying specific meaning in a given culture.
Specific gestures can have diff meaning for men and women.
Touching:
Depending on a few factors (where, how) touch can suggest affection, sexual interest, dominance,
caring, aggression.
When touching is appropriate it can produce pos feelings.
Handshake acceptable way to touch which suggests allot about ppl
Deception: recognizing it through nonverbal cues and its effect on social relations:
Why do people lie: avoid hurting others, conceal real feelings, avoid punishment etc?
We can rarely know if ppl are lying b/c we tend to c others as truthful, try to b polite not look for lies,
To detect lying must pay careful attention to both verbal and non verbal cues.
The following is helpful:
Micro expression Fleeing facial expressions lasting only tenths of seconds
Appear on face quickly after event and can be indicator of persons
feelings or emotions If u see 1 expression followed quickly by another
could be indication of LIE
Interchannel discrepancies Inconsistencies between nonverbal cues from diff basic channels
Result from fact that ppl who are lying cant control all channels at once
Person might hide facial expression but not make eye contact.
Eye contact Ppl lying blink often, pupils more dilated, low level of eye contact or very
high one.
Exaggerated facial expression Smile more, greater sorrow in situation.
1. Nonverbal Communication:
Nonverbal communication the basic channels:
There are 5 channels of non verbal communication:
1. Facial expressions.
2. Eye contact.
3. Body movement.
4. Posture.
5. Touching. Human feelings and emotions r often reflected
Unmasking the face; facial expressions and clues to others’ emotions: on the face and can b read in specific
expressions.
5 diff emotions are represented clearly on ppl faces even from early age:
1. Anger Don’t happen alone,
2. Fear can be combinations
3. Happiness of diff emotions.
4. Sadness
5. Disgust
Are facial expressions universal?
Research suggests yes- certain emotions occur naturally like happiness and sadness and promotes the same
facial reactions over cultures.
Gazes and stares: eye contact as a nonverbal cue:
Generally lots of eye contact suggests liking between people except when in complete excess
Staring: could be sign of anger, dislike or hostility. (2 avoid road rage avoid eye contact)
Body language; gestures, posture and movement:
Body language can provide NB info about others
Body language reveals emotional state
More specific info about others feelings is provided by gestures
Emblems: body movements carrying specific meaning in a given culture.
Specific gestures can have diff meaning for men and women.
Touching:
Depending on a few factors (where, how) touch can suggest affection, sexual interest, dominance,
caring, aggression.
When touching is appropriate it can produce pos feelings.
Handshake acceptable way to touch which suggests allot about ppl
Deception: recognizing it through nonverbal cues and its effect on social relations:
Why do people lie: avoid hurting others, conceal real feelings, avoid punishment etc?
We can rarely know if ppl are lying b/c we tend to c others as truthful, try to b polite not look for lies,
To detect lying must pay careful attention to both verbal and non verbal cues.
The following is helpful:
Micro expression Fleeing facial expressions lasting only tenths of seconds
Appear on face quickly after event and can be indicator of persons
feelings or emotions If u see 1 expression followed quickly by another
could be indication of LIE
Interchannel discrepancies Inconsistencies between nonverbal cues from diff basic channels
Result from fact that ppl who are lying cant control all channels at once
Person might hide facial expression but not make eye contact.
Eye contact Ppl lying blink often, pupils more dilated, low level of eye contact or very
high one.
Exaggerated facial expression Smile more, greater sorrow in situation.
