For this assignment, again consider what you have been learning about
communication skills and styles. Then record an episode of a television show
you do not normally watch. Watch the show with the sound turned off.
What do you think the characters' relationships are based on the ways
in which they are communicating? What
are they feeling and expressing based on the nonverbal behavior you are
observing?
The
program I watched is About a Boy
The boy came home very excited to
tell his mother and his neighbor information.
I could tell he was excited because he was very animated when talking to
them using his hand and facial expressions to communicate his eagerness. He had smiles on his face and used his hands wildly
while talking. The mother goes to the
school and gets nervous when she sees the teacher. She crosses her arms and when going in for a
handshake she extends her arm but pulls her body away. This let me know that
she that she was nervous meeting the teacher and did not feel comfortable. Next,
the mother met up with another lady and based on how the greeted each other,
with a hug and a smile; I assumed they were good friends. The friend tried to
tell her something but without sound I could not tell what she trying saying. I
looked at the mother to try and read her facial expressions but very shortly
after receiving the message she saw the teacher and her facial expression
immediately change. She started twirling her hair and bounce slightly up and
down. I can tell that the dynamic between her and the teacher male is oddly
intense.
Then, the mother and the teacher
met up with each at a restaurant and she still is exhibiting nervous energy
however the teacher seems calm. He calmly smiles at her and has such a peaceful
and pleasant posture with his shoulders back appearing to open and receptive
towards her. They talk for a while more, the teacher removes his jacket and the
mother removes hers as well. Then he grabs her hand and the mother begins the
blush. This interaction led me to believe that there was a romantic
relationship developing between to two of them and maybe the nervous energy
that the mother displayed when they first met is because she was romantically
attracted to him. Moments, later during the dinner more women shows up and the
teacher stand up and greets each one in a very friendly way by giving them a
hugs and kiss in the cheek. The mother immediately puts back on her jacket,
covers up, and hunches over like as if she wished she could disappear. Her
reaction made me feel that she felt like she missed read their romantic
connection.
Later, in the show they are all at a play
which is at the boy’s school. The boy and another young girl who was in the
play walk off stage before the curtains opens. I’m not sure why the children
walked off stage, I notice that the girl looked at a structure on stage said
something to the boy and walked away and he followed her. So the mother and the
teacher went on stage and acted out the scene. However the structure that the
mother was on was not structurally sounds so the neighbor who designed the
structure ran on stage and held it up. The interaction between the three of
them was wired and awkward but the crowd thought it was hilarious. They were
laughing hysterically, standing out of their seats, talking with one another,
and pointing towards the stage. Once the curtain closed, the mother, the
neighbor, and the teacher started talking. Then the mother and the teacher walk
off to talk privately; the neighbor is left standing there and his has a disappointed
look on his face. This made me think that the neighbor is romantically
interested in the mother and is jealous of her infatuation with the teacher. The
mother leaves and the teacher make an announcement to the kids and all the kids
cheer raising their hands showing excitement. Another little girl walks up to
the boy and says something to him and after they talk he walks up to the neighbor
and they begin to talk but he dismisses something that the neighbors says
because he takes his hand swipes up and down. In the final scene, that boy and
the neighbor are playing watching the Three Stogies, they started acting out
scenes from the show, laughing and playing together it is evident that they
share a closed bond like a friendship.
Now, watch the show with the sound turned on.
What assumptions did you make about the characters and plot based on
the ways in which you interpreted the communication you observed? Would your assumptions have been more correct
if you had been watching a show you know well?
Some of the assumptions I made was
that they mother is insure and has romantic problems. She seems to be
romantically interested in the teacher however struggles in reading if he feels
the same way for her. The teacher seems easy going, friendly, and very open to
communicate with anyone which makes it difficult for others to know where they
stand with him. The neighbor and the boy are clearly friends despite their age
gap. I also assume that the neighbor is interested in the mom romantically but
has really comes to terms with her true feelings.
I was surprised how well, I was
able to read the characters based solely off their nonverbal communication. I
think that I was able to find out more about their characters then if the sound
was on. I do not think that my assumptions would have been more accurate if I
had watched a show I know already. I feel that having too much information
might influence my perception of their nonverbal communication and I might miss
important gestures. I discovered that without sound you have to focus more on
body language and facial expressions rather than just what they are saying out
of their mouth. They could be using words that do not truly convey how they
feel but reading their nonverbal communication told me more then what they said
alone.
