NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION
Communication Studies 590
M &W 11:00 Ð 12:15, 4058 Wescoe

Instructor: Dr. Nancy Baym
Office: 402 Bailey
Office Hours: 10:00-11:00 M & W & flexible other times by appointment
Office Phone: 864-9876
Mailbox: 102 Bailey

Course Goals

 

The object of this class is to provide a basis for analyzing nonverbal communicationÕs role in structuring our experience and shaping our interactions with and understandings of others. We will do this by exploring the varied functions and codes of nonverbal communication. As part of this process we will examine gender, emotional expression, power, and other topics. We will pay special attention to nonverbal communication in East Asian cultures. We will also cover research methods and conduct original research into specific areas of nonverbal communication. Finally, we address the role of nonverbal communication in relationships and deception.

 

The course will rely heavily on class participation through discussion and in-class exercises as well as lecture material. Because of this all students are expected to arrive promptly, to have done the required reading and home work before class, and to have comments or questions to motivate discussion.

Readings

There are two  required books for the course:

Knapp, Mark L. & Hall, Judith A. Nonverbal Communication in Human Interaction, Fifth Edition, Harcourt-Brace. INDICATED BY ÒKHÓ IN COURSE SCHEDULE

Guerrero, Laura K., DeVito, Joseph A., & Hecht, Michael L. The Nonverbal Communication Reader, Second Edition. Waveland Press.
                                                INDICATED BY ÒGDHÓ IN COURSE SCHEDULE

Course Blackboard

This class has an accompanying BlackBoard website which can be located on the web via courseware.ku.edu. You are expected and encouraged to participate. Out of class exercises and observations should be posted here, but it can also be used for many other purposes, including working on the group projects. Class handouts such as assignments will also be posted here.


Assignments and Grading

1000 - 900 = A, 899 - 800 = B, 799 - 700 = C ,699 - 600 = D, <600 = E

15%     Out of Class Exercises and Observations

40%     1st exam @ 10%, 2nd exam and Final @ 15% each

5%       Individual Research problem paper (approx. 1-2 pages)

15%     Individual Research review paper related to (group) research problem

25%     Group Research Project (graded as group)
            Proposal Paper                       5%
            Final Paper                              10%
            Final Presentation                   10%

GRADUATE STUDENTS: As above except (a) individual instead of group project (b) four supplemental meetings to discuss research projects and other topics

Policies

Grading

 

All grade concerns should be addressed either during office hours, an appointment, or if it is a very quick matter, just after class. I will not respond to emails about your grades unless I have asked you to email me.

 

If you believe you have been graded unfairly or incorrectly, you must bring this to my attention within one week of the assignment being returned in class. After that week, I will not review grades that have been assigned. You are responsible for being in class to collect your returned work in a timely manner.

 

Late and Missed Work

All work is due in class and is considered late after the end of the class period. Late papers lose 5% if turned into my mailbox rather than presented in class on the due date, and 5% of the possible grade each of the following days they are overdue.

Missed presentations cannot be made up except under truly extraordinary conditions reported immediately. Under normal circumstances missed exams can not be made up. If you know you will be unable to make an exam in advance or encounter an extreme emergency, we may be able to make alternative arrangements IF you contact me immediately. If you contact me after missing an exam, I make no promises.

Incompletes will be granted only when these three conditions are met: there is a serious emergency, no additional class attendance is necessary to finish the course, and the extension is cleared with me before the final class period.

Academic Dishonesty

All papers must be turned in to turnitin.com and will not be graded until they are submitted to this site.

Plagiarism and other practices of academic dishonesty will result in an "F" for the assignment and possibly the course, and will be reported for possible disciplinary action at the college and university levels. University Senate Rules and Regulations (USRR) 2.6.1 provides the following definition of student academic misconduct:  Academic misconduct by a student shall include, but not be limited to, disruption of classes; threatening an instructor or fellow student in an academic setting, giving or receiving of unauthorized aid on examinations or in the preparation of notebooks, themes, reports or other assignments; knowingly misrepresenting the source of any academic work; unauthorized change of grades; unauthorized use of University approvals or forging of signatures; falsification of research results, plagiarizing of another's work; violation of regulations or ethical codes for the treatment of human and animal subjects; or otherwise acting dishonestly in research.

Taping Class. Course materials prepared by the instructor, together with the content of all lectures and review sessions presented by the instructor are the property of the instructor. Video and audio recording of lectures and review sessions without the consent of the instructor is prohibited. On request, the instructor will usually grant permission for students to audio tape lectures, on the condition that these audio tapes are only used as a study aid by the individual making the recording. Unless explicit permission is obtained from the instructor, recordings of lectures and review sessions may not be modified and must not be transferred or transmitted to any other person, whether or not that individual is enrolled in the course.

Students With Disabilities: The staff of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD), 135 Strong, 785-864-2620 (v/tty), coordinates accommodations and services for KU courses.  If you have a disability for which you may request accommodation in KU classes and have not contacted them, please do as soon as possible. Please also see me privately in regard to this course.

The WriterÕs Roosts: I encourage you to take advantage of KUÕs writing centers, known as the Writer's Roosts. These are places for students to talk about their writing with trained peer consultants. When you visit, bring your work in progress and an idea of what you would like to work on--organization, support, documentation, editing, etc.  The Roosts are open in several different locations across campus; check the website at www.writing.ku.edu for current locations and hours. The Roosts welcome both drop-ins and appointments, and there is no charge for their services. For more information, please call 864-2399 or send an e-mail to writing@ku.edu

Emailing

I would rather talk with you in my office. If you are unable to come to my office hours or to schedule an appointment with me, I encourage you to email questions you have about course material, assignments, or exams. Inquiries about grades are always best made in. Emails asking what you missed when you did not come to class are not appropriate. If you must miss class, you should get that information from peers in the class. You can expect a response to an email within 48 hours. Do not expect us to respond on evenings, nights, or weekends. Please use a subject line in your post that includes ÒCOMS 590Ó as those without are often filtered out as spam and will therefore not be seen. 

 

Course Schedule

 

Basic Concepts:

Monday January 23: Overview of Course/Types of Nonverbal Communication

Wednesday January 25: Functions of Nonverbal Communication

            Readings: GDH 2, KH 1

Monday January 30: Cultural Norms for Nonverbal Communication in US and East Asia

            Readings: GDH 43, 44 & 20, KH 2

Wednesday February 1 & Monday February 6: Perception

            Readings: KH 3

 

Research Methods:

Wednesday February 8 & Monday February 13: Methods for Studying Nonverbal Communication

            Readings: GDH 3

BRIEF RESEARCH PROBLEM PAPER DUE 2/13

Wednesday February 15: EXAM #1

 

 

Nonverbal Codes:

Monday February 20 & Wednesday February 22: Space

            Readings: KH 4 (except pp 114-116), GDH 29

            Readings: KH 5

Monday February 27 & Wednesday March 1:  Attractiveness (and group work)

            Readings: KH 6, GDH 11, 12, & 13

 

Monday March 6 : Body Movement

Guest lecture on March 6 by Professor Janet Hamburg,  Certified Laban Movement Analyst, and Dance faculty: Ò"How a Laban Movement Analyst Looks at Nonverbal Communication"

Professor Janet Hamburg, Certified Laban Movement Analyst

Wednesday March 8: Gesture          

Readings: KH 7, GDH 4,  5,  6, & 45

Monday March 13 :Touch (Haptics)

            Readings: KH 8, GDH 23 & 25

Wednesday March 15:  Facial Expression and Emotion

            Readings: KH 9, GDH 8 & 32

            RESEARCH REVIEW PAPER DUE

Monday March 27: Eye Gaze

            Readings: KH 10, GDH 7

Wednesday March 29: Voice

Readings: KH 11, GDH 19 & 46

RESEARCH PROPOSAL DUE

Monday April 3:  Scent

            Readings: GDH 15 & 16, KH 201-203

Wednesday April 5: Time

            Readings: KH pp. 114-116

Monday April 10: Nonverbal Communication in Text

 

Wednesday April 12: EXAM #2

Monday April  17 & Wednesday April 19: Group Project Workdays

 

Issues in Nonverbal Communication:

Monday April 24: Nonverbal Communication in Relationships

            Readings: KH pp. 423-429, GDH 24, 26, 34, 35, 36, & 37

Wednesday April 26: Nonverbal Communication of Power

            Readings: KH 429-432, GDH 38

Monday May 1: Nonverbal Communication and Deception

            Readings: KH pp. 443-447, GDH 41 & 42

Wednesday May 3, Monday May 8, &  Wednesday May 10: PRESENTATIONS

Final Papers Due May 10.

 

Tuesday May 16, 10:30 am, Final