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THE EFFECT OF THE SOCIAL SETTING ON NONVERBAL EXCHANGE BEHAVIORS: A FUNCTIONAL APPROACH
Abstract
Two studies were designed to test the effects of different social settings on nonverbal exchange patterns. It was expected that the functional demands of task and socio-emotional settings would cause a difference in behavioral exchange patterns. In study 1, pairs of subjects were observed while working on a story construction task (task setting) or while waiting for the study to begin (socio-emotional setting). It was predicted that subjects would engage in more eye gaze and verbal contact in the task vs. the socio-emotional setting. It was also expected that compensatory exchanges (more looking and speaking at a far vs. a close distance) would occur in the task setting, while reciprocal exchanges (more looking and speaking at a close vs. a far distance) would occur in the socio-emotional setting. Results supported the prediction that more looking and speaking would occur in the task vs. the socio-emotional setting. Also, reciprocal exchanges were found in the socio-emotional setting as predicted, but only for mixed sex subject pairings. Compensation was not found to occur in either setting. This finding led to a re-examination of research on nonverbal exchange processes. It was concluded that a social-control factor may be responsible for the compensation-task setting relationship observed in previous studies. Study 2 was designed to extend the findings of Study 1 by including the subject's proximity behavior and sociability level. It was predicted that along with eye gaze and verbal contact, the subject's proximity in relation to a confederate would be greater in the task vs. the socio-emotional setting. It was also expected that subject sociability would affect behavior exchange patterns, but only in the socio-emotional setting. Results supported the prediction that looking, speaking, and proximity would be greater in the task vs. the socio-emotional setting. However, subject sociability did not affect behavior exchanges in either setting. In general, the two studies support the hypothesis that the function and form of nonverbal behavior exchanges depend on the demands of the social setting. These findings extend an understanding of nonverbal exchange patterns, and emphasize the importance of the social settings in which they occur.
Subject Area
Social psychology
Recommended Citation
LAGUARDIA, ROBERT LOUIS, "THE EFFECT OF THE SOCIAL SETTING ON NONVERBAL EXCHANGE BEHAVIORS: A FUNCTIONAL APPROACH" (1982). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8227020.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8227020