Psychology 4559

Nonverbal Communication: Fact or Fiction?

Instructor: Carolyn Palmquist

Location: Gilmer 225, Tuesday & Thursday 3:30 – 4:45

Office Hours: B032, Thursday 2-3:20; 5-6

Readings: All readings will be posted on the class Collab site under resources.

This seminar will highlight some of the theoretical controversies in animal communication. Using this framework, students will investigate the kinds of messages animals convey with their nonverbal communication and consider the directions in which future research should continue. We will also contemplate how our own questions about the field may push the topic in new directions and improve how we relate to others outside of language. Finally, we will use the lens of nonverbal communication, and a series of collaborative and observational activities, to develop an understanding of the research process, what effective research entails, and how to evaluate and apply research in daily life. We will reach these goals by engaging with the following objectives:

1. Experience the process of data collection and analysis via field observations.

2. Assess the methods used to investigate nonverbal communication; develop a standard by which to evaluate other research.

3. Become proficient in the tools of psychological research including: reading and analyzing research, writing effectively, providing and integrating insightful feedback, and establishing creative methods for testing questions.

4. Situate behavioral outcomes within theoretical frameworks; use them as evidence to support and define our claims.

5. Identify and discuss the main questions and controversies surrounding different species’ ability to communicate nonverbally.

6. Understand several ways in which different species communicate nonverbally, and consider what this suggests about inter-species similarities and differences.

7. Discover ways in which an understanding of nonverbal communication may facilitate better parenting and relationships with others.

Activities: (details and guidelines for each assignment can be found on Collab)

Final Paper/Reaction Papers/Article Leader Points: Good scientists are able to read deeply and comment on the research of their peers. In this course, you will develop and practice this skill by writing insightful reactions to, and leading class discussions on, the assigned articles. Your written reactions to research will also help you develop a working model of the best research practices and consider how different topics may be applied to your daily life. The culmination of this practice will be the final paper in which you will share the findings of your individual research projects.

Peer Editing: Students who provide particularly useful and insightful feedback on their peers’ writing have the opportunity to receive extra credit on their final grade.

Blogging on Article Discussion: Article leaders will also be expected to post a short blog entry on the articles they presented in class for the day. Students are encouraged to respond to these posts for extra credit.

Observation Project: You will have the opportunity to apply your theories about nonverbal communication in this observation project. You will work to design an observational study, carry it out in a series of field or video observations, and then assess the validity of the approach you chose.

Project Proposal: An important component of the research process involves developing ideas and considering the best way to answer a question you may have. By creating a project proposal, you will have the opportunity to think about your project and insure they are optimally designed, in the same way scientists do.

Methods Day/Observation Notebook: Psychologists are often required to make detailed observations of phenomenon in their environment. Determining the best way to collect these observations can be challenging. These experiences will allow you to explore several methods of observation, situate behavioral outcomes in theoretical frameworks, and consider which approaches best suit your needs.

Final Presentation: Scientists must be able to speak coherently and succinctly in order to effectively share their research with others. In this class, you will practice these skills by making small presentations throughout the semester, which will culminate in presenting your own research project at the end of the course.

Final Portfolio: This collection will serve as a cohesive piece that encompasses all of the activities and experiences you have had this semester. I will collect this portfolio at several points through the semester to check your progress on the topics. This project will also include a final synthesized reflection on the ways you have grown over the semester and your strengths and weaknesses.

Participation: Finally, scientists must be able to engage in conversations about their field of study. It is often in conversations with colleagues that the best ideas are born and the most complicated problems are solved. It is for this reason that participation in class discussions and activities is highly valued and required. More than 2 absences without sufficient reason will drop your overall grade by half a letter grade (A to B+, B+ to B, etc).

Tips for Success

You are expected to be active, not passive, learners. This means that you will complete the readings and come to class prepared to discuss and critique them. This also means that you should choose a project that you are genuinely interested in and would like to pursue independently, taking responsibility for its successful completion. Finally, it means that you will be a good member of the classroom community: providing feedback to your peers, respecting others’ points of view, and working collaboratively with others (including the instructor) to gain a better understanding of the material.

Grading

30%: Final Paper (60 points)

20%: Reactions (30)/Article Leader Points (10 points)

10%: Final Portfolio (20 points)

10%: Final Presentation (20 points)

10%: Project Proposal (20 points)

10%: Observation Notebook (20 points)

10%: Participation (20 points)

Class Schedule

Week / Class Topic and Activities / Readings / Assignments / Article Leaders
Introduction
January 15 / Introduction to the course / No readings due today / No assignments due today
Can non-human species communicate?
January 17 / Communication theory / Rendall, Owren, & Ryan (2009); Seyfarth, Cheney, et al. (2010); Font & Carazo (2010) / No assignments due today
January 22 / In-class debate / Use readings from previous week / Prepare for debate
What do non-primate species use signals for?
January 24 / Bees / Sherman & Visscher (2002) (required)
Select ONE of the following as well: Weidenmuller & Seeley (1999) OR Gil & De Marco (2010) / First draft of Reaction 1 due
January 29 / Dolphins / Lusseau & Conradt (2009) / Reaction 1 posted to website (first and final drafts)
What do primates use signals for?
January 31 / Primates use signals for communication / Leavens, Hopkins, & Bard (2005); Lyn, Russell, & Hopkins (2010); Schneider, Call, & Liebal (2010)
Optional readings: Bard (1992), Cartmill & Byrne (2010), Leavens, Russell, & Hopkins (2005); Laidre (2008) / First draft of Reaction 2 due
February 5 / Primates use signals for basic biological reasons other than communication. / Povinelli, Bering, & Giambrone in Kita (2003) / Reaction 2 posted to website
February 7 / Lessons from the field: Taylor Rubin guest lecture
Can non-human species use and understand human signals?
February 12 / How we train and evaluate dogs’ and primates’ use of human signals.
Why is this important? / Please select TWO of the following: Hare & Tomasello (1999); Soproni, et al. (2001); Soproni, et al. (2002); Zimmermann, et al. (2009)
Optional readings: Kaminski, Tempelmann, Call, & Tomasello (2009); Leavens & Hopkins (1998); Mulcahy & Call (2009) / First draft of Reaction 3 due
How do humans develop non-verbal communication?
February 14 / Gaze / Johnson, Slaughter, & Carey (1998); Brooks & Meltzoff (2005); Moore & Corkum (1998) / Reaction 3 posted to website
February 19 / Pointing / Lempers (1979), Leung & Rheingold (1981) / First draft of Reaction 4 due
Portfolio evaluation
Do gestures help infants learn about minds?
February 21 / Infants’ pointing reflects mental understanding. / Liszkowski, Carpenter, & Tomasello (2008); Liszkowski, et al. (2004); Liszkowski, Carpenter, & Tomasello (2007) / Reaction 4 posted to website
February 26 / Infants’ pointing is a result of simple reinforcement. / Butterworth in Kita (2003) / First draft of Reaction 5 due
Do atypical human populations use gestures?
February 28 / Gesturing in autistic children / Baron-Cohen (1989); Stone, Ousley, Yoder, Hogan, & Hepburn (1997) / First draft of Reaction 6 due
Reaction 5 posted to website
Can gestures help children learn?
March 5 / Children’s gestures: how they are used and interpreted. / Goldin-Meadow (2006); Goldin-Meadow, Goodrich, Sauer, & Iverson (2007) / Reaction 6 posted to website
What questions remain?
March 7 / Library day: begin research on your project topic. / Portfolio evaluation
SPRING BREAK 3/12 and 3/14: DEVELOP PROJECT CONCEPT
How can we conduct our research?
March 19 / Challenges in research with animals. / Tomasello (2011), Ryan (2011)
March 21 / Challenges in research with children. / Einarsdottir (2007)
How can we apply our knowledge?
March 26 / In-class proposals. / Project proposal due
March 28 / Applied work: Megan Kennedy and Maggie Page guest lectures / Conduct observation before 4/16
How does culture affect nonverbal communication?
April 2 / Cultural variation / Wilkins (2003) / Conduct observation before 4/16
April 4 / Cultural similarities / Liszkowski, Brown, Callaghan, Takada, & de Vos (2012) / Conduct observation before 4/16
What is the future of nonverbal communication?
April 9 / Technology inspired by nonverbal communication / Find popular science article to share (1/2 class) / Conduct observation before 4/16
April 11 / Technology replacing nonverbal communication / Find popular science article to share (1/2 class) / Conduct observation before 4/16
How do we present our research to others?
April 16 / Data analysis, peer editing/observation swap / Observation notebook due
APRIL 18: WORK ON CLASS PRESENTATIONS
April 23 / Final presentations
April 25 / Final presentations
What have we found? What does it tell us?
April 30 / Final papers and portfolios due