Nonverbal Communication provides much meaning in communication, and being able to observe and interpret nonverbal communication helps us be more competent communicators. If we only rely on verbal communication or on nonverbal communication, we may miss the actual intended meaning of the message. In this assignment, we will focus on observing nonverbal communication and interpreting meaning from the nonverbal communication in a public place.
For this assignment, you will…
· observe a public situation in which a number of people interact, such as the grocery store, Target, Lowes, Walmart, or a restaurant.
· briefly describe the situation you observed.
· answer all of the following questions about the nonverbal communication observed in this context:
· How much distance do people keep between themselves and others?
· Does this distance vary as the situation changes? For example, what happens when it becomes more or less crowded?
· Does the distance vary among different people with different relationships?
· What kinds of behaviors occur if the normal distances are violated?
· What kind of eye communication is used in this setting?
· Is there any use of haptics in this setting? Explain how.
For your brief description of context and responses to each question, write using complete sentences following the rules of spelling and grammar. Review the assignment rubric for how the assignment will be graded and to be sure that you meet each grading criteria.