Nonverbal Communication: Analysis & Reflection Paper #3

Overview

In this paper, we will be examining general nonverbal elements such as clothing and physical appearance, eye movements and eye contact, body orientation and positioning, facial expressions, smiles, voice behaviors, gestures, use of space, and touch. In a nutshell, your job will be to observe the  people you currently live with over the course of several days. If you live alone, please follow the "modified instructions" that you received via email. This paper connects to Chapters 3, 4, 5, and 6 of our textbook; as such, it will be essential to be familiar with these chapters prior to writing.

This paper is worth 50 points. Full assignment instructions are below; pay close attention to them to receive full credit (avoiding unsanctioned modifications). Please feel free to email me at jane_damron@baylor.edu or set up an appointment at www.calendly.com/jane_damron if you have questions about this assignment. Due to the number of students I teach, I am not able to provide early review of written work. However, the University Writing Center is a great resource for this!

Formatting

Please adhere to the following formatting standards:

• Minimum page length: 2 full pages
• Times New Roman font
• 12-point font size
• 1-inch margins all around
• Standard double (2.0) spacing with 0-point spacing before and after paragraphs
• Sections of the paper broken up into separate paragraphs
• First line of each paragraph indented via tab key

Please do not include any title information in the body of the paper. Instead, in Microsoft Word, click on Insert –> Header –> Blank and type the following information into the header: Your Name, Analysis &  Reflection Paper #3. This is the only identifying/title information you need.

Points will be deducted for lack of adherence to these guidelines. Please avoid any attempts to make your paper look longer than it actually is (e.g., font size or spacing manipulations, extra line breaks, upsized punctuation, etc.), as these are very easy to spot and adjust, and will result in point deductions.

Writing Style & Substance

Your writing should be polished and well-organized, but it can be conversational. You are welcome to write in first-person. The goals are simple: To open your eyes to things you might not normally see; to thoughtfully explore those observations and insights; to push beyond what's merely on the surface (i.e., to dig in and think critically); to engage in true self-examination; and to connect your experiences and analyses to course material.

Your commentary should be substantive but not overly formal. You do not need an introduction or conclusion (this does not count towards the length of the paper); simply focus on the prompts described

below and follow the organizational pattern provided. You are always welcome to write more than 2 pages if needed/desired.

In accordance with course policies and the goals of this assignment, use of any generative AI tools  (including Grammarly) is expressly prohibited. All submissions will be scanned for AI-generated or AI- manipulated content; if multiple AI detection programs flag a submission as highly suspicious, it will not be accepted for credit (no resubmissions allowed), the student will receive a zero on the assignment, and the submission (with scan data) will be sent to the Office of Academic Integrity.

Part I: Activity

Over the course of several days, carefully observe the nonverbal behavior of the people you’re  currently living with, in a casual, non-creepy manner. (Again, if you live alone, please follow the "modified instructions" that you received via email.) Think about and watch for elements such as clothing and physical appearance, eye movements and eye contact, body orientation and positioning, facial expressions, smiles, vocal behaviors, gestures, etc. – as well as their use of space (claiming/defending/yielding territory, etc.) and touch (touching themselves or others). In addition to observing others, also take time to think about the nonverbal behaviors and norms you exhibit while in  your home.

Please note: This paper is not about personalities, cleanliness issues, or other general roommate/household dynamics! It’s about the nonverbal behaviors/cues/movements being observed in the house.

Part II: Write-Up

Section 1: Observations of Others (Minimum length: 1 ½ pages)

First, tell me about all the things you’ve noticed (re: elements such as physical appearance, eye behaviors, body orientation/positioning, facial expressions, smiles, vocal behaviors, gestures, use of space, use of touch, etc.).

What stuck out to you about the behaviors of the people in your home? What did you find interesting, distinctive, expected, surprising, effective, ineffective, etc.? How do you think these nonverbal behaviors are reflective/indicative of what makes these individuals unique as people, the life circumstances they are navigating, the household dynamics at play, other internal or external factors, etc.? Do they appear worried, tired, irritated, restless, upbeat, calm, hopeful, etc. – and how (provide specifics!) do you see that manifesting in their nonverbal presence and actions/movements?

Throughout this section, be descriptive, and focus on nonverbal cues (i.e., you can't just say "My roommate seemed chill this week" without explaining what visible nonverbal behaviors/movements/indicators led you to believe that). Required: Bold or underline the exact  nonverbal behavioral cues/body movements you’re referencing when you initially introduce them.

Section 2: Observations of Self (Minimum length: ½ page)

Now, turning the camera lens on yourself, what do you think your nonverbal norms have been lately (re: elements such as physical appearance, eye behaviors, body orientation/positioning, facial expressions, smiles, vocal behaviors, gestures, use of space, use of touch, etc.)? Whether it’s in silent moments or during conversation, how is your mental and emotional state reflected/exhibited in your nonverbal

behaviors? How are you impacted by the nonverbals of those you live with, and how might they be affected by yours? What is something you’ve picked up on during your observations this week that could inform how you interact with the people in your home moving forward? What would be a small communication “action step” you could take, based on what you or the people around you need right now?

Again, throughout this section, be descriptive, and focus on nonverbal cues (i.e., you can't just say "I think I came across as stressed this week" without explaining what visible nonverbal behaviors/movements/indicators led you to believe that). Required: Bold or underline the exact 

nonverbal behavioral cues/body movements you’re referencing when you initially introduce them.

Overall, in both sections, feel free to explore anything else you noticed, other insights or applications, or how you’re making sense of what you observed. You have a lot of room/freedom to explore here. I look forward to reading your commentary!

Submission

Submit your paper to the appropriate link on Canvas as a doc or docx file; the submission page will not accept other file types such as pdf, pages, etc.

The due date for this assignment is Monday, March 31st, at 11:59pm CDT with the late window extending through Wednesday, April 2nd, at 11:59pm CDT. A 10% (5 point) late penalty per day applies.

Please note that assignments are only accepted through Canvas. Submissions via any other channels will not be accepted for credit. Please double check to make sure (a) the document fully/properly uploaded and (b) the correct document uploaded (not a paper from another course, an earlier version of the paper, a corrupted file, etc.). As our syllabus details, even if your work is completed on time, if a "grade- able" version is not submitted on time, it is subject to all the usual penalties.