Nonverbal Cues...

In our everyday face-to-face interactions, nonverbal cues play an important role in enabling the effective transmission of messages and meanings between the communicators. However, in this digital age, the usage of technology like email and social networking sites to replace face-to-face interaction is becoming more commonplace. This has resulted in the younger generation (Generation Y) not having sufficient knowledge and experience of nonverbal cues, and according to the reference article, this scarcity puts them at a face-to-face disadvantage.

The writer, Mr Mark Bauerlein, raises the issue of miscommunication due to the use of nonverbal cues across cultures (federal workers dealing with Navajo Indians) and across generations (older employees versus younger employees).

In the first instance, the miscommunication can be explained using chronemics: the Navajos, being extremely present-oriented, believe in living for the moment. Their happy-go-lucky attitude was probably a source of irritation for the future-oriented federal workers, who perhaps believed in planning and working hard for the future.

Whereas for the second case, the usage of laptops, iPhones and other tools during a meeting or in the middle of a conversation communicates disinterest towards those of the older generation. More adept at face-to-face interaction and the reading of nonverbal cues, those of the older generation perceive their younger counterparts as being socially inept: the decrease in the number of opportunities for the youngsters to engage in face-to-face interaction has caused them to be unable to interpret nonverbal cues in the form of paralinguistics, oculesics and the like; they are unable to communicate effectively due to this indulgence in online and electronic communication systems.

However, what the older generation may see as a breakdown in communication may mean the direct opposite to the younger, because of the different environments  and social settings they were brought up in. To the younger, perhaps all these virtual methods of communication only serve to enhance interaction.

For most relationships, face-to-face interaction comes first before any digital methods of communication. There has to be a certain amount of interpersonal communication before the people involved are able to correctly understand and interpret each other’s electronic messages. I believe that with more opportunities for face-to-face interaction, the ability to read the other party’s nonverbal cues will be improved. Along with this, mutual understanding between both parties will increase and the tendency to misread and draw wrong conclusions through the use of the above-mentioned digital communication tools will be reduced.

Being able to communicate face-to-face successfully with the use of nonverbal communication is what makes us human. We are relational creatures; we are social beings. We have an inherent need to be loved, to be understood, to be accepted. And most of the time, the knowledge that we do matter comes through nonverbal communication. For example, a simple “I love you” said to friend through SMS may invoke a sense of love and acceptance, but that same phrase accompanied with a hug in face-to-face interaction speaks volumes more. The use of kinesics (in this case, the hug as an illustrator) serves to accentuate the verbal message. Yes, as digital age global citizens, we should not boycott the influx of online communication methods into our lives. However, we need not and should not allow such avenues to take precedence over the basis of all human relationships – face-to-face interaction.

 

Reference article:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203863204574348493483201758.html

 

The Changing Attitudes Towards Sex

According to the writer, Serene Goh, changing attitudes towards sex is attributed to the influence of the online environment.

Ms Goh quotes Mr Md Yusof Ismail, a chief executive officer, as saying that “In the past virginity was an honour…now, if you are still a virgin at 15, you are not attractive.” This reflects the difference in scripts (regarding teenage sex) between the older and the present generation. Probably for the older generation, people were not expected to have sex until after they were married. But for the present generation, having sex during teenage years is deemed as commonplace and permissible. However, what Mr Yusof says may not reflect what present-day teenagers think. He is, after all, an adult and is only exposed to a small group of teenagers from the Ain Society. Providing a teenager’s take on this and comparing the two views would prove more accurate. In choosing Mr Yusof only and drawing conclusions from his statement alone, the writer shows perceptual error through omission and oversimplification.

Personally I believe that this entire article is not so much about teenage sex on the rise as it is about the ATTITUDE towards sex – having the right attitudes that will surely lead to right actions. These right attitudes and values need to be inculcated into teenagers right from when they were young, before they venture online, and yes, like the writer says, this job inevitably is given to the parents. However, before any teaching of values can begin, parents must be able to communicate well with their children. Here the writer gives certain suggestions to parents on how to understand what their children are going through on the Web. Start by paying close attention to how they talk, what they are saying and understanding the words they use. All these aspects are part of improving communication between the parents and the child.

Another area to look into would be the improvement of listening performance of both parties. For example, the writer states, “…it will also go down in history as the first time that teenagers anywhere did what adults told them to.” And in doing so she perceives that teenagers everywhere do not listen to their parents, or at least are not expected to. Instead of adopting this mindset towards their children, parents can keep an open and positive attitude and doing so allowing them (their children) to express their point of view. Also, parents can see things from their children’s perspective and seek to understand where they are coming from. In turn, children should improve their attention and evaluation towards whatever their parents are saying perhaps by acknowledging any preconceived bias, eliminating them and then being willing to give their parents a chance to state their stand.

Some questions to ponder: what is truly “right”? With the advocacy of freedom of speech and thought, the issue regarding teenage sex becomes debatable, as different people have formed their own ideas about what the moral benchmark really is. So…what should be teenagers’ attitude towards sex? What, exactly, is the moral authority we adhere to? There’s definitely something, somewhere, that draws the line and enables us to distinguish right from wrong. For if we live in a society where anything goes, then this entire debate about teenage sex would be deemed obsolete.

Reference article:

http://www.asiaone.com/News/Education/Story/A1Story20090818-161853.html

 

South African 800m runner, Caster Semenya and the gender dispute

In the recently concluded World Athletics Championships, a controversial issue was raised regarding the gender of the women’s 800m champion, Caster Semenya. Here is the link to the reference article.

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/684404

The writer, Cathal Kelly, frames the title of the article in the form of a question (“Is South African runner a he or a she?”) and in doing so aims to stir up discussion among her readers. Instead of merely presenting the facts like in linear model of communication, she creates a platform from which readers are prompted to give feedback, hence allowing the article to become interactive. The article generated 28 comments, thus showing her success.

Throughout her article, Kelly raises the issue about gender testing --- how it has evolved from 50 years ago till now, the change in testing procedures for it. She emphasizes on the fact that the practice of gender testing using a team of experts is so rare, for she quotes Dr Robert McCormack, chief medical officer of Canada’s Olympic teams, as saying that the practice was merely discussed at the Olympic Games, but never implemented. And she further stresses it by the statement, “That seems like a lot of testing.” By emphasizing that the most stringent of testing will only be carried out on Semenya, she implies that there are underlying issues to this entire saga: Why in particular Caster Semenya? And why has there not been anyone else subjected to the same amount of media scrutiny in recent years?

And I don’t understand the big fuss over her (Semenya), whether she’s male or female. Yes, she did break her previous personal best (PB) in the 800m by nearly 10 seconds (from 2:04.23 in 2008 to 1:55.45 in 2009), but there’s no reason to suspect her of not being female on those grounds. Athletes have been known to rise up and do way better than previously expected, doing what they thought they could never do, especially when the adrenaline kicks in and they are competing at high levels (in this case, the World Championships), so why the big fuss over her suddenly running much faster?

Then again, this issue would not have been raised had Semenya not won the 800m. And, would there have been the same amount of furor regarding Semenya’s victory if she was a white lady? It seems as though her critics are mainly of European and American origin. Perhaps her critics hold certain prejudices against blacks (thus falling into Bacon’s “Idols of the Cave”) and perceptual errors due to the organization of their information being influenced by personal constructs and prototypes: for example, a real lady to them may be one who is not so muscular as Semenya, not running so fast, not having certain facial features of a man, etc. Their perception of how a woman should look like, behave and perform has probably clouded their judgment. This brings us to the question, what’s the definition of a real woman? Is it entirely biological, or has nurture got anything to do with it? If it is entirely biological, then how about those who have had certain body parts removed due to illnesses? If nurture plays a part, then those who’ve been brought up as females even though they have certain male characteristics should rightly be considered as being female.

 

Reference article:

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/684404

Videos of Caster Semenya’s year-leading run:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1FIUxSBKRw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fk0Ai0fTjRY&feature=related

World 800m records:

http://www.iaaf.org/statistics/records/inout=o/discType=5/disc=800/detail.html

 Biography of Caster Semenya:

http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/country=RSA/athcode=242560/index.html