The Topic Communication skills and interactions are very important for every part of life. The way that people communicate can affect how well they do in school, in their careers and in their interactions with friends and family members. Some of the most important communication skills for success in our lives occurs without the use of words, and instead takes the form of an action. This can be the way in which someone stands, what their posture looks like, where they look, where they hold their arms and whether or not they make eye contact. This is because people tend to say things with their bodies that may otherwise go unnoticed, or may indicate that they mean something different from what they are saying. Non-verbal communication can be …show more content…
It is because of this that I wanted to explore a specific aspect that people may not think of on a regular basis, eye contact. Eye contact exists as a form of body language that we often unknowingly use while communicating with others. It is an important part of how we represent who we are and what we are trying to say to others, and it stand alone from our words. When we are talking to a friend, having an important conversation, making direct eye contact with them can tell them that we are listening to what they have to say and that we are engaged in what they are saying. It illustrates that we respect them enough to focus on their words and to listen thoughtfully. I find that I tend to fail to make eye contact when I am uninterested in a person or what they are talking about, which is a fascinating discovery about myself and my own ability to communicate with others. Not only does eye contact illustrate interest, it also illustrates a connection between those who are communicating. When we look someone in the eye, we are building a connection to them. To not make eye contact could speak to that person and say, “I do not like you, I do not want to connect to you.” Which may be unintentional and may negatively impact our ability to create a strong relationship with someone important to us. Also, what we are saying with our eyes speaks …show more content…
First is that we can tell a lot about a person simply by how they make or avoid eye contact within moments of first meeting them. That is to say that, friendly and open people tend to look directly into the faces of those with whom they speak and are therefore more effective communicators than those who avoid or shy away from eye contact. My research has led me to also note that eye contact or the lack of eye contact also depends on the social scenario with which one is presented. Clerks and people working behind counters at stores may be less likely to make eye contact when interacting with a customer because they get paid the same amount no matter what, while waitresses and bar staff are more keen on making direct eye contact as a way of appearing friendly and open to their customers. Because service industry people rely on how they are perceived in order to make more money from tips, they try to seem nice and kind. In terms of social and familial relationships, practicing direct eye contact is an important skill for communicating, and is often looked over as an important way to improve how others view us. By keeping eye contact with whom we are speaking with, we show that we are interested in what they are saying and tell them that they are important to us. This can not only serve to improve how we are viewed
The article “Face Engagements” by Erving Goffman discusses in depth the factors of how individuals in today’s society associate with each other through the use of non-verbal communication, the use of eye contact, as well as social cues. Goffman firstly discusses Social Inattention, which is “when a person might stare openly at others and express to then what they feel about what they are seeing with the use of only their eyes (355). Another important way to socially network is through the use of Face Engagement, which is also referred to as encounter. Goffman explains this as “when two or more individuals are in a situation where they may be focused on each other attentively and they may verbally communicate, but it may also be gestures that
In conclusion, eyes are the important factors when it comes to anyone’s attention and cognition. It is another form of communication and its own language helps with the cognitive development of young infants to adults. Through eye contact, joint attention, and gaze direction, they all help with teaching an infant about nonverbal communication and understanding the emotions and perceptions of other people.
People want full attention and full eye contact, to ensure interest in the topic being discussed. I discovered that when I would talk to someone with my back completely turned to someone was when they were offended the most, rather than when I just didn’t make eye contact but was faced in their general vicinity. I think that most people reacted negatively towards this experiment because of the social norm that involves being polite and attentive towards a stranger. Being rude to someone whom I’ve never met before for no reason broke the common social norms of politeness. From this experiment I learned that it is greatly important to make eye contact with someone during any type of conversation. If not, it is seen as very rude and will result in negative reactions or attitudes, and give the impression to whomever I am engaging in conversation that I am not interested in what they are saying to
Once people talk to each other, they usually have eyes contact. From the eye contacts, it tell us we are sharing the information as a feedback. For example, if were talking to the person without sharing the eye contact with him/her, it will consider as a bad behavior. The person that I did not share my eye contact is my teacher. Instead of talking to her directly, I was looking at the table, and she felt like I am ignoring her. It was bad behave from me.
During the interview I found that I was able to keep continuous eye contact at appropriate times, especially when probing the client about the trouble she was having. Showing that she had my full attention and I was sincerely interested and wanting to know more. The only difficult aspect of this non-verbal communication technique, I felt, was that trying to fill out documentation distracted my eye contact as I was trying to be attentive to the client, but still trying to record all the important information. Stickly (2011) informs that the occasional breakage of eye contact is appropriate as staring can become intrusive and if the client is distressed or looking down ensure your engagement through the use of eye contact is waiting for them. Harvey and Park (2012) explain that retaining eye contact is way to express respect in most westernised cultures, but others may find this disrespectful, ...
Eye gaze is essential for evaluating the following objects: liking and attraction, attentiveness, competence, social skills and mental health, credibility, and dominance (Kleinke, 1986), these evaluations provide information about the target of another person’s attention and expression. Therefore, eye gaze helps to obtain information about communicative intentions and future behaviour (Baron-Cohen, 1995). Moreover, according to Patterson’s distinguish between communicative behaviours and indicative behaviours in 1982, only communicative behaviours are driven by a goal or purpose. Thus when infants are using eye gaze for communication, they are subjective to process the information transition. This statement also be demonstrated by many studies. For instance, D 'Entremont and his colleagues tested 24 infants form 3- to 6-month-olds in 1997 and they found that 73% participants followed the adults’ head-turn behaviour to change the direction of their eye
Children started out knowing very little about personal space, but as they enter school they are taught how to communicate with personal zones. One’s personal space can tell a lot about them. For intensences, leaders often talk charge and sit up front close to everyone, an aggressive person sits facing a door and on the middle of one side of the table, and a timid person might sit as far away from someone as they can. They may not know it, but they are showing a form of nonverbal communication through proximity. Another way to communicate nonverbally is through eye contact and facial expression. People are taught that minimal eye contact will make you less involved and maintain an emotional distance. Facial expressions can show someone’s attitude and feelings. Children learn facial expressions at a very young age. They can be only a few days old and can communicate if they are happy, sad, or angry by how their face looks. As they get older they develop how to communicate to their parents through eye contact. Hansen talked about how 99% of children when asked to draw people they draw them with eyes. People uses eye contact when they are trying
Body language is also used to communicate. Gestures, stance, posture and facial expressions can convey a message. People try to use this to their advantage. For example a girl may smile frequently to appear as a happy person. It follows then, eye contact must be important as well. According to Macionis, eye contact suggests that one is open to socializing and avoiding eye contact ‘discourages conversation’.
Body language in a session is important because it allows the skilled helper to understand what the client is feeling by observing their body movements; this can help the communication in the session. This could help the skilled helper as they could note when the client is feeling discomfort which can lead to the session progressing because the skilled helper would ask them why they are feeling this way. It is important that the skilled helper had good eye contact in the session because it shows the client that the skilled helper is respecting what they are saying and it shows that they value what the client is saying. It is important that the skilled helper has good body language and good eye contact in the session so that the client knows that the skilled helper is there to help them and cares about what their problem is. The client should feel as though the skilled helper cares and by having good body language and good eye contact the client would know this because the skilled helper would be paying attention and listening to what they are saying. In the same way, it is important that the client has good body language and is not slouching so that the skilled helper knows that they want help. Good eye contact can show the skilled helper that the client is respecting what they have to say and is listening to what the counsellor is asking so that they can answer the question
Surprise! Eye contact is a sign that you happen to be a great listener! Now what has the eye got to do with listening? When you keep eye contact with the person you are talking to it indicates that you are focused and paying attention. It means that you are actually listening to what the person has to say. That is where the saying "Don't just listen with your ears" comes from. So "listen" more than talk, everyone loves a good listener especially the opposite gender!
Eye contact can determine a person’s attitude and true feelings. People use eye contact in social situations to determine how and what a person is truly feeling. The amount of distance a person is from another along with the amount of eye contact used, can change the attraction level between two individual. This attraction can change the attitude of both parties towards each other (Goldman, 1980).
When we communicate, we can say a lot without speaking. Our body, our posture, tone of voice and the expression on our face all display a message. If our feelings don’t fit with our words, it is often the body language that gets heard and believed. Nonverbal communication is a rapidly flowing interactive process. Self-awareness and an understanding of the cues you may be sending are paired with the cues others send and pick up from you. To do this effectively, it is necessary to clear your mind of all distractions. Try planning, creating, talking to yourself, thinking about the other person or what to say, then you won't be paying attention to the moment-to-moment experience, have the presence of mind to pick up on nonverbal cues, or fully understand what's really going on in the conversation.
From my first observation, I was located at my local Starbucks. It was a good day to go that day, because there was many different types of people there. I was able to see quite a few different types of interactions. I had noticed that I was also displaying nonverbal eye behavior while I was there. Such as, the use of scanning, which in the textbook states on page 92, “our eyes scan, focus, and collect information about the world around us” (Richmond, McCroskey, and Hickson 2012). I also noticed that I was not the only person that did that. Most of the costumers that walked in did that. I also exchanged the eye behavior of civil inattention with a Policeman. I watched the interaction between two friends, whom were woman. They were in mutual gaze pretty much most of their conversation and rarely would get out
In my day-to-day life I have a tendency to look down when passing people to avoid eye contact or to pull out my phone to avoid making conversation. While using my phone is a form of Symbolic communication which people usually associate with being busy and not available to have a conversation, not making eye contact is a way to avoid conversation to avoid communicating my feelings or communication in general. I think my insecurities have a lot to do with my communication skills. I not only avoid conversations because of insecurities, but also because when I do talk to people it’s all scripted conversation anyway. It’s always less genuine because I never what to hurt anyone’s feelings by disagreeing with them or even by expressing how I truly
Non-verbal communication doesn’t involve words, but is a powerful form of communication. The way your body language is tells the other party whether or not you are receiving their message or just listening. When your nonverbal behaviors align with the words you’re saying, they indicate to the person you are communicating with that you are trustworthy. When non-verbal behaviors do not align with your message it sends mixed signals on what you are trying to convey. When communicating in business it is imperative that you are conscious of your own body language and nonverbal cues as well as that of