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NONVERBAL COMMUNICATIONS & INTERPERSONAL HIERARCHY.   Term Paper ID:19107 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Examines role of eye contact, touch, gesture in maintaining power in human relationships.... More...

7 Pages / 1575 Words 5 sources, 26 Citations, TURABIAN Format $28.00 Return to List of Papers

Paper Abstract: Examines role of eye contact, touch, gesture in maintaining power in human relationships. Paper Introduction: This report will examine the aspects of nonverbal communications as they relate to establishing and maintaining a hierarchical structure in interpersonal relations. Special attention will be paid to sex-role behaviors and their part in maintaining male dominance in relationships. Nancy M. Henley, in her book Body Politics: Power, Sex and Nonverbal Communication, argues that nonverbal communication is an integral part of our lives and functions to preserve the strict hierarchal structure. There is a relationship of space to hierarchy in human interactions, where "space" is analogous to territory. Sex is a determinant of who receives the most desirable space. Men can more easily cross territorial boundaries and take up more personal space. Women, the subordinate group, yield space to men Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. The more intimate the relationship, the longer the timespent together. Cory, "Women Smile Less For Success," PsychologyToday, March 1979, 16. A topexecutive positioned on the upper floor will appear to subordinates asinaccessible or majestic. Henleysuggests that bettering nonverbal performance may not change the socialorder but may be a first step.[25] Studies have shown that the ability tocorrectly interpret nonverbal communications leads to more successfulpersonal relationships.[26] Greater awareness of nonverbal communicationskills may lead to enhanced assertiveness. Those with the most information control thepower.[21] One reason those in power remain in power because they have thecapability of perceiving nonverbal cues and using this information to theiradvantage. BibliographyCory, Christopher T. Because ourculture sees women's time as unimportant, their personal time is not viewedas their right.[5] Making others wait is the dominant's way of maintainingthe status quo. This report will examine the aspects of nonverbal communications asthey relate to establishing and maintaining a hierarchical structure ininterpersonal relations. Further study of this controversial subject can only help toimprove interpersonal communications. Can anything be done to alter rigid hierarchal structures? Smiling is an expression linking women toa subordinate status. Dominants, having control of the floor, may imposesilence on their subordinates.[9] Linguist Deborah Tannen believes thenature of interruption depends on what a person is trying to accomplish: Men who approach conversation as a contest are likely to expend effort not to support the other's talk but to lead the conversation in another direction, perhaps one in which they can take center stage by telling a story or joke or displaying knowledge.[1 ]Self-disclosure, seen as a sign of submissiveness, is used more often bywomen. In this way, dominants gain power throughisolation. Subordinates pay close attention to theirsuperiors in hopes of getting approval. Women, the subordinate group,yield space to men to accommodate them. Extreme height and expansive area are meant to be intimidating. Hodgins and Miron Zuckerman, "The Effect of NonverbalSensitivity on Social Interaction," Journal of Nonverbal Behavior 14 (Fall199 ), 155-57.----------------------- 8 [5]Ibid., 52. You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men inConversation. [21]Ibid., 172. New York: Touchstone, 1986.Hodgins, Holley S., and Miron Zuckerman. [1 ]Deborah Tannen, You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men inConversation (New York: Ballantine, 1991), 215. Henley, in her book Body Politics: Power, Sex and NonverbalCommunication, argues that nonverbal communication is an integral part ofour lives and functions to preserve the strict hierarchal structure.[1] There is a relationship of space to hierarchy in human interactions,where "space" is analogous to territory. Cross-culturally, some groups may usetouch more than others. The more powerful the person theless visual attention is paid to the subordinate. [16]Ibid., 126-29. Relaxation, on the other hand, is aprivilege of the powerful.[12] Tallness in our society is seen as better,so superiors stand tall in order to display their dominance. "What Body Language Can Tell You That Words Cannot." USNews and World Report, 19 November 1984, 1 .Henley, Nancy M. Top attorneys, educators, and business executives can recognizenonverbal signals and modify their approach to best suit their needs.Lawyers with a keen eye, for example, may observe that a judge compresseshis lips while listening to the lawyer's presentation. [17]Ibid., 136-38. Even business, though, is findingthat rigid hierarchical structure can interfere with productivity.Hierarchy is certainly out of place in intimate interpersonalrelationships. [3]Ibid., 45. Conversely, the more impersonal the encounter, the brieferthe interaction.[3] The more powerful person is likely to make otherswait, is more likely to infringe on their time, and is more likely tointerrupt subordinates to accommodate others who are more important.[4]Waiting is an intrinsic element of women's social role. Special attention will be paid to sex-rolebehaviors and their part in maintaining male dominance in relationships.Nancy M. Subordinates signal submissiveness totheir superiors by bodily tightness. For many women, the only relief from adapting to men's rules ofconduct occurs in the company of other women.[24] Women in cross-sex occupations, for example women college professors,have taken a crucial step toward an oppression-free society. [6]Ibid., 58. Women also send "gendersignals," such as keeping their arms close to their body in a defensive andunobtrusive posture. [2 ]Ibid., 169, 171, 174. Those of Spanish, Jewish, and Italian descent, forexample, use more tactile communication than other groups. Men can more easily cross territorialboundaries and take up more personal space. They serveas positive role models, proving to others that shifting the balance ofpower is indeed possible. Color is another environmental factor which serves todistinguish territorial possession. Between colleagues, timeis equally shared. Subordinates,characterized by having a slouching posture, naturally look up to those whoare tall.[13] Touch is controlled by the powerful. Various gestures, such as hands on hips, leaninginto another's territory, steepling the hands, and feet on top of the desk,are all gestures of dominance. [2]Ibid., 27, 3 , 36-41. What space women do have is violated much moreoften than men's. A women's touch is often interpreted as sexualintent. In anunequal relationship, the dominant may call the subordinate by his or herfirst name, but the subordinate may only use formal address when speakingto the dominant.[8] Interruption is another tactic that demonstrates whois in power. [4]Ibid., 5 . Female decor, on the other hand, is viewed asstagnant: an atmosphere in which to look beautiful, not to be strong andactive.[7] Because power underlies our everyday interactions, the workings ofpower may not always be obvious. [26]Holley S. New York: Ballantine, 1991.----------------------- [1]Nancy M. [25]Henley, 2 4. "Women Smile Less For Success," Psychology Today,March 1979, 16.Givens, David. [11]Henley, 77, 79. Sex is a determinant of whoreceives the most desirable space. [14]Ibid., 95, 1 - 1. [18]Ibid., 154-56. Subordinates, on the other hand, may holdtheir arms behind their backs, keep a grim expression, and exhibit thetightness required of them.[16] The traditional stance for women is onewith the head slightly lowered, eyes looking up. Men, on the other hand, are more open and expansive,thus further displaying their power.[17] Eye contact is another form of nonverbal behavior that can reinforcethe hierarchical establishment. In a relationship, informal addresssymbolizes closeness, whereas formal address symbolizes distance. Environment is also a key factor in keeping a hierarchical structure. [13]Ibid., 88-89. In our society, men's behavior and style ofinteraction is taken as the norm, while women's behavior is seen asdeviant. The relationship among power,sex, and nonverbal communications is one that has not been studiedadequately. The role of power is not entirely negative. Being aware of therelationships between power and nonverbal communications changes the waypeople view seemingly neutral interactions. [8]Ibid., 67-68. [12]Ibid., 85-86. [15]Ibid., 1 9-1 . Paying too much visualattention to a subordinate can lower a person's perceived power.[18]Studies have found that women gaze longer and more attentively. Not long ago Chinese womenwere obligated to walk five paces behind their men in acknowledgment oftheir inferior position. These womendeny society's attempt to stereotype them into fixed sex roles. [23]Christopher T. [9]Ibid., 69. Taking up the least amount ofspace is considered feminine, while occupying an expansive amount of spaceis considered masculine. Superiors may touch theirinferiors, but not the reverse. Interruption, a privilege of the superior, is used most oftento subordinate women. Women also use tag questions more often than men, which is seen asindicating less serious commitment to their convictions.[11] Demeanor, one's conduct toward others, is another means ofmaintaining the status hierarchy. [7]Ibid., 65-66. "The Effect of Nonverbal Sensitivity on Social Interaction." Journal of Nonverbal Behavior 14 (Fall 199 ): 155-7 .Tannen, Deborah. Body Politics: Power, Sex and Nonverbal Communication. [22]David Givens, "What Body Language Can Tell You That Words Cannot,"US News and World Report, 19 November 1984, 1 . Control of facial expression is likecontrol of information. The lawyerperceives the judge's signals as conveying disapproval or irritation andseeks a new method of persuasion.[22] One study reported that women whodemonstrate nonverbal proficiency are accepted as competent by both sexes.If, however, their confident attitudes go unnoticed, women's chances ofoccupying top-level positions will be greatly reduced.[23] People are taught from birth that the existing dominant/submissiveroles stem from a "natural" order of things. [24]Tannen, 235-37. Society expects women to smile frequently becausethey were told in early childhood that "smiling is pretty."[2 ] Men,however, are conditioned to suppress their emotions because their displayis viewed as a sign of weakness. A single color representing thepowerful person circulated throughout the office imposes a threat to otherswithout their own color.[6] Masculine decor characterizes those areas usedby both males and females. Women mayuse intensive eye contact because they seek cues as to the correctness oftheir actions.[19] Facial expression is the most important form of nonverbal behavior insuperior/subordinate relations. Women are forced to be very careful of the ways in which they giveand receive touch.[15] Body movement including posture and gesture is used by dominants toexhibit superiority. The rich and powerful are privy to greater space.[2] With time, as with space, the dominant person has control over theduration of the encounter as well as its quality. The functioning ofcertain groups--police, fire departments and the military--is mostefficient in a hierarchical structure. As people fromother cultures become more Americanized, their touching decreases.[14]Males touch females more often, much the same as dominants have the powerto touch subordinates. Henley, Body Politics: Power, Sex and NonverbalCommunication (New York: Touchstone, 1986), 3. [19]Ibid., 16 -62. 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