Lessons from Watching People in a Cafeteria.
I am struggling to get through my chapter on Size Perception. As much as I love psychology and neurons, I fall asleep while reading about how neurons respond specifically to different visual angles! Anyways, for my Interpersonal Communications class, we observed other people's nonverbal communication today. So we went to the 3rd floor of the library, the cafeteria, and the gym to watch people. Oh, the joy and fun we had breaking social norms. Want to know what we observed? Of course you do!
Women use body language to capture attention. They will lean in closer when they are interested in a conversation. They will laugh more when they like a guy. They will smile more. They will play with their hair or accessories. I could tell when a girl was flirting much more easily than a guy. The guy will use body language as well. He will get closer when he is interested. That is common sense. You want to become closer to those you like. Couples are territorial in a way that they close up to everyone around them and open up to only each other. I saw many couple eating in the cafeteria. There backpacks are around them making a barrier. Their chairs are turned towards each other. Their bodies are usually touching. Even if they weren't kissing or cuddling, they were always turned toward each other lost in conversation. They would only look at each other's eyes. This will depend on the couple's stage in their relationship. The start of the relationship, they were more open to their surroundings. The more serious the couple, the more "involved" in each other they were.
Have you ever watched people walking? The way people walk really tells you about them. You don't realize that you are sending nonverbal communication but you are. People who are closed off and don't want to be distracted are usually fast walkers or lost in the music of their headphones. They have their phone out talking or texting. They aren't looking for a conversation. They don't usually respond to the environment. They have a goal to reach class, or whatever they are seeking and won't allow someone else to disrupt them. There are the friendly and confident walkers, They walk with a purpose. They say hi. They look for a friend to say hi to and start a conversation with. They walk with a good posture. They smile. They look around at their environment looking for social cues. They are positive. Positive people attract people. That is what I noticed today. If you want people to be around you, then be friendly and open. The people who were closed off were alone and didn't have anyone approach them.
You can learn a lot from people watching. People are interesting. They give social cues a lot. They are social beings. Even when you are thinking you are not giving a signal, you are! You communicate all the time. You communicate unconsciously. We need human interactions for survival. There have been several studies done about the need that humans have in order to be happy. We find joy with serving others and simply being around others. Isolation is the worst treatment you could have for a criminal. I think that being alone is most people's fear in life. I know the Bachelorrete is the dumbest show ever created. But this guy was voted off and as he was leaving he said, "I am afraid that my fear is coming true. I will be alone and rich with no one to share my life with". I think we are born with desire to have human company. Watching people made me realize this. We desire to have friendship, approval, affection, and love. Sometimes we will go to extremes in order to fulfill our need. We will change ourselves in order to gain affection. We will let others treat us bad as long as we will gain some love from the relationship. I have no conclusion tonight. These are just my observations from watching people in the cafeteria.
Women use body language to capture attention. They will lean in closer when they are interested in a conversation. They will laugh more when they like a guy. They will smile more. They will play with their hair or accessories. I could tell when a girl was flirting much more easily than a guy. The guy will use body language as well. He will get closer when he is interested. That is common sense. You want to become closer to those you like. Couples are territorial in a way that they close up to everyone around them and open up to only each other. I saw many couple eating in the cafeteria. There backpacks are around them making a barrier. Their chairs are turned towards each other. Their bodies are usually touching. Even if they weren't kissing or cuddling, they were always turned toward each other lost in conversation. They would only look at each other's eyes. This will depend on the couple's stage in their relationship. The start of the relationship, they were more open to their surroundings. The more serious the couple, the more "involved" in each other they were.
Have you ever watched people walking? The way people walk really tells you about them. You don't realize that you are sending nonverbal communication but you are. People who are closed off and don't want to be distracted are usually fast walkers or lost in the music of their headphones. They have their phone out talking or texting. They aren't looking for a conversation. They don't usually respond to the environment. They have a goal to reach class, or whatever they are seeking and won't allow someone else to disrupt them. There are the friendly and confident walkers, They walk with a purpose. They say hi. They look for a friend to say hi to and start a conversation with. They walk with a good posture. They smile. They look around at their environment looking for social cues. They are positive. Positive people attract people. That is what I noticed today. If you want people to be around you, then be friendly and open. The people who were closed off were alone and didn't have anyone approach them.
You can learn a lot from people watching. People are interesting. They give social cues a lot. They are social beings. Even when you are thinking you are not giving a signal, you are! You communicate all the time. You communicate unconsciously. We need human interactions for survival. There have been several studies done about the need that humans have in order to be happy. We find joy with serving others and simply being around others. Isolation is the worst treatment you could have for a criminal. I think that being alone is most people's fear in life. I know the Bachelorrete is the dumbest show ever created. But this guy was voted off and as he was leaving he said, "I am afraid that my fear is coming true. I will be alone and rich with no one to share my life with". I think we are born with desire to have human company. Watching people made me realize this. We desire to have friendship, approval, affection, and love. Sometimes we will go to extremes in order to fulfill our need. We will change ourselves in order to gain affection. We will let others treat us bad as long as we will gain some love from the relationship. I have no conclusion tonight. These are just my observations from watching people in the cafeteria.
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