Yes using only movements was difficult because you couldn't really tell what people were saying, but you could tell the other person's emotions. Communication like this does obviously change how you interpret things and you really have to pay attention to movements and facial expressions cause that was what was telling the story. A speaking culture i feel would get more frustrated in having a conversation with someone who didn't because they feel they're speaking clear enough for one to understand and having someone communicate is a completely non symbolic way would be so different. Deaf people obviously communicate very different. People who do speak have to alter the way they communicate with them by not using their words but with hand gestures, pointing, and facial expressions.
Now could we last through 15 mins of only speech, yes but it was definitely different and funny. Basically talking like a robot being very monotone. When not using emotion you have to be careful on the way you word things because you can come off in a certain ways. Its kind of like sending a text without using "emojis" or "LOL". You don't always know how a person is feeling when you can hear the tone of their voice or see the emotion in there face. You can be saying something very serious and someone can think you are being funny if you word it wrong or they don't hear you say it. My friends were affected by not knowing what i was feelings and most of the time I was being funny and they thought I was being serious. So emotions really are more important than words. This experiment shows that we really do feed off others emotions and interactions. Because those things affect how a conversation is conducted. But yes there are people who can't really read body language. A benefit to reading body language because some people express more through actions rather than there words. I don't see anytime where body language wouldn't be a benefit honestly because I use body language so much and especially facial expressions. My emotions show all over my face, whether I'm mad or I just think you are crazy.
I agree, it was very difficult to not show any emotions while doing the second part of the assignment. More so than I initially thought. You do come across as very serious and robotic which people definitely have their own emotional response to.
ReplyDeleteI'm confused by your first sentence. You should have been able to understand your partner's words, but they would have had difficulty understanding yours, since you couldn't use spoken language. What was your partner's impressions of the experiment? How did they change or adapt their language pattern in response to yours.
ReplyDeleteI agree that a culture of spoken language would feel frustrated with a culture who did not speak, but the question was about the issue of advantage. All other things being equal, which culture would have the adaptive advantage in communicating ideas, particularly complex ones?
I agree that there are people who have difficulty reading body language, but can you identify them?
Does body language always give you accurate information? What if you were traveling in a different culture where there body language was different from yours. Perhaps that would be a good time to ignore body language so you didn't misinterpret it?
To: Emily
ReplyDeleteFrom: Mark
I can agree that a culture with spoken language could become impatient with a culture that used only body language, if they had come to a point where communication was required. When you say that words are less important than emotions, I want to ask you how that can be so? In my post, I argue that emotions are partially delivered through our words, giving them an equally important role when we express our passion for an idea. Not to impose this idea on you if you feel differently about it.
Although we often don't intentionally show our emotions, our feelings are often present in our outward body language and how they are conveyed to others. While conducting this experiment myself, I often found it difficult to remain my composure and continue the conversation at times. For my partner and I, the first part of the experiment was easier than the second part. In the first part we were ale to use gestures and other body movements to communicate. However, in the second part of the experiment, it was far more difficult to attempt to communicate without the use of any body movements or verbal communication. This experiment taught me how essential communication, both verbal and nonverbal in our society today.
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