chapter 3 nonverbal beh & communication

1. Emotions across cultures 

• 6 universal facial expressions of emotion:  

  • Happiness 

  • Sadness 

  • Surprise 

  • Fear 

  • Anger 

  • Disgust 

• Universal : means all human have: 

  1. Similar expressions to same events 

  2. Recognize facial expressions across different cultures 

  3. Babies have inborn ability to recognize and imitate faces 

     • Not learned 

• Why universal? 

  • Darwin -> necessary for survival 

3. Faces and first impressions 

• 1^st impressions formed within 100 milliseconds 

• Use facial features to determine them 

• Study by Hartley et al (2014) 

• Findings:  

  • Masculine face -> dominant 

  • Smiling face -> approachable and trustworthy 

  • Larger eyes -> youthful 

• Problem with 1^st impressions based on faces? 

  • Short-lived emotional expressions are not always signs of a person's personality 

  • Not all smiles are perceived the same way ( gender differences) 

4. Interpersonal distance zones (Edward hall, 1966) 

• Personal space boundaries 

  • Implicit (unspoken( rules about proper distance from others 

  • Learned through culture 

  • 4 zones from observing middle class America :  

    1. Intimate distances ; up to 18" 

       • For "love making and wrestling" 

                         2.     personal distances ; 1.5-4 ft 

                                      * for close friends and family 

                         3.     social distances ; 4 – 12ft 

                                     * for acquaintances and business 

                         4.     public speaking; beyond 12ft 

                                       * for public speaking 

• What else can affect interpersonal space? 

  • Gender 

  • Age 

  • Personality 

  • Culture