Makenna Dunn

Period 4

7C: NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

Reread the sections on proximity, eye contact and touch in our textbook. Visit locations were
groups of singles congregate (dances, church, the school cafeteria, etc.) and watch the nonverbal behaviors of the singles. If married folks are in the room, it might be interesting to
compare their nonverbal behaviors to those of the single people. What types of nonverbal
behaviors do you observe? Are there any differences in the nonverbal behaviors of the males
and the females? Are there singles from different cultures in the room? Do the males and
females from those cultures have any unique nonverbal behaviors? This does not have to be
done in one sitting and may involve several locations.

Non-verbal communication is a very interesting thing to observe. There are many

differences between females, males, single people and married people. Observing proximity, eye
contact and touch is very interesting. Everyone is different and conducts themselves in different
ways. I went to a church dance as the main place to observe and to see how different people
communicated non-verbally. I discovered many things about the way we communicate with each
other.
At the church dance, there were mostly single people there, but there were a few married
couples that were chaperones that could be observed. The first thing I noticed was that everyone
there was standing in groups. In their groups, they were standing around one to four feet apart
from each other, which would be considered socializing at personal space. I also saw that when a
girl was dancing with a boy, they were in each others intimate zone spacing (Strong B. & Cohen
Pg. 234). When they were dancing, they wouldnt hold eye contact for much longer than ten to
fifteen seconds. Most often when the song ended, they would nod at each other and then part
ways.
During the dance, I noticed a difference in the way boys and girls non-verbally
communicated. Before each of the boys choice slow dances, the girls that wanted to get asked
would look around and stand slightly apart from their group of friends they were dancing with.

On the other hand, girls that didnt want to get asked would move closer to their friends and
wouldnt look around or look open. Now, on the girls choice slow dances, the boys who wanted
to get asked would break away completely from their group of friends and walk toward girls who
were searching for a partner. Then the guys who didnt want to dance would leave the room
completely. That was the main difference I saw between boys and girls and their communication.
Next, I noticed how the single people dancer couples danced differently than the married
couples. In general, the single couples would dance the traditional and slightly awkward way.
The boy would have his hand placed up high on the girls back and the girl would put her hand
on the boys shoulder. The married couples were more comfortable with each other. The man
would have his hand a little lower on the womans back and the woman would put her hand more
on the mans neck. Single verses married people dance quite differently.
There were many differences between male and female, married and single. The most
difference I saw between male and female was the way that they hinted or showed the opposite
gender that they wanted to dance. The main difference I saw in married verses single people was
how the danced. The married people danced more intimately and comfortably, while the single
people kept a lot of space between each other and it was a more awkward kind of dancing.
Overall, there are quite a few differences between male and female non-verbal communication.
Reference:
Strong, B, & Cohen, T. F. (2014). The marriage and family experience: Intimate relationships in a
changing society (12th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.