Spring Break Interview

I interviewed my friend Megan about her spring break. She was a great person to interview because she always shows expressions on her face. You can tell when she is happy, sad, or angry. She is “the revealer,” from Ekman and Friesen’s classification of facial expressions. She does not hold much back in her face.

            I started off by asking her how her spring break was overall and she had a very neutral face on and said that it was good and she shook her head at the same time. Then I asked her to tell me in great detail about her whole spring break. She got a smile on her face and her eyes got bigger, showing that she was excited. Her forehead scrunched upward too. Megan told me good things and bad. She did a lot of fun stuff with her friends and whenever she talked about that stuff her eyes got bigger, eyebrows arching up, and her mouth forming a smile. Megan is 21, so she told me how she went to this bar with her friends from her. She said that everyone was there from home and it was great. Then her smile left her face. She started talking about her friend Amanda who is in Ireland right now, studying abroad. Amanda is one of her best friends. Megan’s cheeks, nose, and mouth slanted downward and I could tell that she was upset. She was telling me how Amanda has been to all these places, Ireland, Amsterdam, Paris, etc. She said she was jealous because she wishes that she could do something like that. She had a very neutral face on, almost kind of sad because her eyebrows were drooping downward, along with her mouth. Megan also told me how she went to New York with her sister to see her dad. She did not go into much detail about that and had a very neutral face on, showing that she was not upset, happy, or sad. She showed that she was content with what she had said.  The part about her friend Amanda seemed to be the only down part about Megan’s spring break. Her facial expressions showed that she really enjoyed hanging out with all of her friends. 

Observing Nonverbal Communication

I noticed two students sitting in class talking. They were in an environment that was very familiar to them. They have been in that exact classroom plenty of times. The two girls each had claimed their territory by putting their bags and accessories on their desks. Their reaction to the environment seemed pleasurable because they both seemed happy and comfortable in the classroom. Nothing seemed too unfamiliar to them.

The two young girls did not seem to care too much about the privacy of their conversation because they were not talking quietly. They both seemed interested in the conversation because they were both leaning in and sitting comfortable (in a casual way, nothing awkward) The two girls kept eye contact but turned their head a few times to do something else, like take something out of their backpack or put their books on their desk. Although they were doing this, it did not interrupt their conversation.

The two girls used certain gestures such as head nods to show that they were paying attention to and agreed with what the other girl was saying. 

One girl was sitting in front of the other girl, but she was turned around so that they both were facing each other. Their facial expressions did not show much enthusiasm. They looked more content and relaxed as though the conversation did not excite them.

The girls were talking about a book that they had to read. The one girl said that she knew what happened in the end of the book because she looked it up. The other girls eyes got a little wider and she grew a little more into the conversation as soon as the other girl said that too her. It seemed as though she was a little shocked that the other girl did that. She said that she did not want to know the ending

The two girls were sharing their personal space with each other because they were sitting close, but not close enough that it looked uncomfortable. They never touched each other, but it did not seem like an instance where that should/would happen. Their paralanguage seemed consistent throughout the conversation.

Overall it was interesting to see a conversation between two girls that was just a normal everyday conversation, but you never really pay attention to them.

My bedroom

My bedroom is my own personal space. I set up my room so that it would be comfortable and relaxing. I chose certain colors to make the look and feel of my room calmer. I used light colors, but also added some animal print to ad my personality in it. My room can be very bright because my curtains are white, but I also have a ceiling light and a standing light. With my room being so bright, I feel that it is more opened than closed. I like it that way because I never like to feel closed in.

         My room is decorated to the way I like it. I try to keep things organized and neat so that I know where things are at all times and where I can find things. I have a few pictures up of my friends and family. I have a TV in my room so that I can be alone and watch TV at the same time when I want to. I have a double bed so it is a little bit bigger than a twin sized bed. I like having a bigger bed because I like having more space to move around. My room has a big window on the front wall. I like to open the window when it is nice out so that I can let fresh air in. It is another aspect that makes my room feel more open and comfortable. I always have a fan in my room because I never like to be hot, I always like there to be air circulating. Plus I like the noise when I am sleeping.

         Bedrooms can be your own personal space or it can be a public, social, or intimate space. I feel that my room indicates all of those. I like to have my room to myself, but sometimes I like it to be the “hang out.” I like sharing my room and having company. I feel more comfortable hanging out in my room than hanging out in my other friends rooms. Overall my room describes what I like and how I like things. 

The Reflexive Cycle

         I never really noticed how important nonverbal communication is or how often it is used. I use nonverbal cues along with everyone else, but I never noticed the kind of messages I send off to people. If I make a mistake in the way I sit, look, or stand, I could be giving someone the wrong message. The Reflexive Cycle really helped me understand nonverbal communication and how I proceed with it. 

         Starting with the first phase, which is Inventory Self, I learned to become more aware of the nonverbal cues that I give off. I tend to lower my eyebrows and squint my eyes whenever I am closely paying attention to something. Some people may think that I am confused, but I am just trying to pay close attention to what I am learning or listening to. I also learned that sometimes I also learned that sometimes I hunch my back too much or am too relax during an important event. That could send off the wrong message, maybe a message saying that I do not care, when in reality I am just sitting in a relaxed way.

         The second phase is Change Self. I learned that I need to sit up straight and look more professional in the way I sit during important events because I could be sending off the wrong message and in return have a bad outcome. When paying close attention, maybe I should relax my face more, so I do not send off a message of confusion because that can give someone the wrong idea. 

         The third phase is Inventory Others. I live with four other girls so I notice nonverbal cues all the time. I can tell that my one friend is bothered when you talk to her and she keeps and straight, uninterested face the whole time during your conversation. I notice other nonverbal cues just walking around campus. People send off nonverbal cues with the clothes they wear. People get dressed up, so I think that they must have something important to do that day. When people are dressed casually or comfortable I just think that they are just having a normal day, maybe nothing too interesting going on. 

         The fourth phase is Transact With Others. My boyfriend and I communicate all the time, whether its on the phone, face to face, or through text messaging. Sometimes when I am talking to him, he will be looking at his phone or at the television. That gives me the cue that maybe he is uninterested in our conversation. It is something that I should talk to him about because he may be sending off the wrong message. He may just be watching the television, but also paying attention to what I am saying, because he does respond to me. 

         The fifth and final phase is Reflect, Asses, and Re-Inventory Self. This phase is the conclusion to all phases. It is thinking about our nonverbal cues and the messages they send off and trying to understand them and change them if needed. I have learned that I need to pay more attention to the nonverbal cues that I give off and also the other's nonverbal cues around me. It can really help you understand a message that someone may or may not want to send. 

it was very easy