Communication

This assignment is designed to get you thinking about how nonverbal communication works, and to develop your nonverbal observation skills.

How has the current pandemic changed nonverbal communication?  (Nonverbal communication includes all of the things we do with our bodies, including body movements, facial expressions, eye gaze, clothing, touch, tone, voice, etc. – anything except for words themselves.  Feel free to take a look at the Nonverbal Communication Module on Canvas (Module 8.0), but you don’t need to in order to do this assignment). What do you see people doing with their bodies during the pandemic that they didn’t do before the pandemic, or that they did differently, before the pandemic?  (If at all possible, your observations should be about in-person nonverbal communication). 

Your assignment should have the following structure:

1. Introduction: Summarize and preview the differences you have noticed in how people are using nonverbal communication differently during the Covid-19 pandemic than they were before. (3 points)
2. Examples: Give 3 separate examples that illustrate the claims you have made in the Introduction (part 1). Be sure to include lots of detail in your description, and explain clearly how it illustrates how some aspects of nonverbal communication are different during the pandemic (4 points for each example – 12 points total)
3. What conclusions can you draw about nonverbal communication more generally from the examples that you have provided? (Make sure that your conclusions are directly connected to your examples – avoid generalizations that are not specific to your examples).  (5 points)

Your assignment should be between 1 and 2 pages, single spaced, 1” margins, 12-point font.  (A little less or a little more is fine).  You do no need to use citations for this assignment – it should be based as much as possible on your observations – but if you do refer to class materials or the textbook, please refer to Assignment 1 regarding how to use citations).