Article Critique 1- Eye Contact & Self Esteem
John Greene and Kenneth Frandsen conducted a study in which they compared eye contact to test subjects' self-esteem. Through a rigorously controlled experiment, they created a series of problems for participants to solve. The problems were all designed so that they could not be completed in the allotted amount of time provided. The participants would then discuss their results in either a positive or negative interview after they had attempted to solve these problems and completed a self-esteem measurement scale. Results showed that in accordance with Consistency theory, subjects increased their eye contact towards messages that supported their existing self-esteem rating. In other words, subjects who rated themselves lower on the self-esteem scale, maintained eye-contact if their interviewer was providing negative feedback about their results. Those with higher self-esteem maintained eye contact for positive messages while avoiding eye contact during negative feedback. The authors diligently set up their experiments with good controls, and reviewed/verified their data with similar scrutiny. Overall, the research appeared to be very reliable while the validity would require replications of the study on a larger scale and in multiple conditions to determine its general applicability.
Mini-Observation Paper 1: Body Distortion & Women
After reading two articles dealing with women and distorted body images, I chose to test the findings of the research by surveying individuals at a local coffee shop in Fort Wayne, Indiana. My results confirmed the findings from both articles without exception. Everyone confirmed that a more slender body image was consistent in defining "ideal" female appearance. It was also the only consistent feature described by all participants. Additionally, every participant responded that these characteristics affected job performance, interviews, and income. Finally, despite the small sample, I was even able to identify a tendency for younger participants to be sensitive to the term "slender" supporting additional research pertaining to eating disorders and the distorted images created from current culture.
Link to complete observation:
https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=3ADAFCE8FB0071A5!411&authkey=!ADuYVSuMEk09cP4
Link to complete observation:
https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=3ADAFCE8FB0071A5!411&authkey=!ADuYVSuMEk09cP4
Mini-Observation Paper 2: Time Orientation Case Study
For this case study my boyfriend and I each completed the time orientation survey. Once we had our results we discussed them in terms of their perceived accuracy as compared to our own personal judgments and the results in the reading. Our initial reactions supported the survey results. We found our scores relatively accurate as we thought about our individual time orientations. Since the survey was not identical to the chapter reading and since the sample consisted of two people, it was difficult to draw very specific conclusions to the results in the reading.
Link to complete observation:
https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=3ADAFCE8FB0071A5!411&authkey=!ADuYVSuMEk09cP4
Link to complete observation:
https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=3ADAFCE8FB0071A5!411&authkey=!ADuYVSuMEk09cP4
Mini-Observation Paper 3: Nonverbal Behavior in Relationships
To test the impact of nonverbal behaviors in a relationship I conducted a case study in my own home. It did not take long for clear results to emerge supporting the findings discussed in Prager’s “Nonverbal Behaviors in Intimate Interactions”. 18 minutes was the length of time it took for my significant other to verbally confront me regarding my altered behavior. The characteristics I modified in my interaction included proximity, touch, gaze, speech rate, and pauses. The attempt was to only modify a few characteristics mentioned so as not to draw excessive and immediate attention from my partner. After resolving this newly created tension in my relationship, we discussed what happened to verify what was perceived to have occurred. The withdrawal of those characteristics mentioned resulted in perceived distance from my partner, signaling something negative in our relationship. Despite my efforts to start conversation and otherwise maintain normal interaction, these nonverbal cues were sufficient to cause major distress.
Link to complete observation:
https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=3ADAFCE8FB0071A5!417&authkey=!AKNFzIWBWDqeOOI
Link to complete observation:
https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=3ADAFCE8FB0071A5!417&authkey=!AKNFzIWBWDqeOOI
Mini-Observation Paper 4: Emotional Cues of A Politician
For this case study I chose to observe an interview. I analyzed an interview following the presidential debates between Romney and Obama. After having what was perceived as a
“poor performance” in this debate, the interview the president allowed me to witness a variety of emotions and the ways in which they were expressed. I used three categories of cues to identify those emotions and was able to look at the more subtle expressions guided by display rules. Barack Obama proved to be a great subject for study as his nonverbal behaviors were very consistent with his speech and he hid negative emotions very well in response to very emotionally charged questions. I was able to identify three rules for managing those emotions while the president found himself in situations that were not appropriate for unfiltered expression.
Link to complete observation:
https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=3ADAFCE8FB0071A5!419&authkey=!ALgyECuob_I0wQk
“poor performance” in this debate, the interview the president allowed me to witness a variety of emotions and the ways in which they were expressed. I used three categories of cues to identify those emotions and was able to look at the more subtle expressions guided by display rules. Barack Obama proved to be a great subject for study as his nonverbal behaviors were very consistent with his speech and he hid negative emotions very well in response to very emotionally charged questions. I was able to identify three rules for managing those emotions while the president found himself in situations that were not appropriate for unfiltered expression.
Link to complete observation:
https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=3ADAFCE8FB0071A5!419&authkey=!ALgyECuob_I0wQk
Research Paper- Defining Appropriate Eye Contact
Almost everyone encounters, processes, and makes decisions based on eye contact daily. While there may be general social rules about approximately appropriate behaviors, specific rules about the context or duration of eye contact are absent and could prove very useful to individuals in vital situations (job interviews, first dates, etc.). Additionally, previous research is dated. In the context of current society diversity is unavoidable; necessitating updated research to verify previous conclusions in present context. This study attempted to measure those parameters given certain circumstances such as sex, age, and duration. The results supported research which identified sex differences in gaze length. Observing 102 instances of eye to face contact, an average gaze length of 3.04 seconds was established, with men averaging 2.234 seconds and women 4.33 seconds. These results were statistically significant and warrant further research on the topic to establish values that are both generalizable and applicable. A discussion of limitations faced in this pilot study are discussed in depth followed by suggestions for future research.
Link to complete paper: https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=3ADAFCE8FB0071A5!429&authkey=!AHrr2PhNdoNwaqU
Link to complete paper: https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=3ADAFCE8FB0071A5!429&authkey=!AHrr2PhNdoNwaqU