This week I watched an episode of The Big Bang Theory with the volume on and with the volume off. With the volume off, I could tell that two of the characters were very frightened by a taller, muscular man. They cowered below him and ultimately came out of this man's apartment wearing only underwear. I also guessed that there may have been romantic attraction between two of the characters (which turned out to be accurate) because they made a lot of eye contact, seemed cheery while speaking with one another, and were together for much of the episode. I also inferred that one character was highly intelligent and baffled one of the other characters. She had a look of surprise on her face often after he spoke, especially while he was working in front of a whiteboard. It was quite clear throughout the whole episode that the main characters were all friends- they gestured to one another, smiled and laughed throughout their conversations, and seemed attentive while each was talking. It was easy to point out some of the comical aspects from the characters' facial expressions- at one point, one of the girls rolls her eyes while others grin, indicating a joke has been made. Proximity is also a factor here because the characters were a comfortable distance away from each other and yet close enough to signal a stronger relationship than a mere acquaintance. I tend to stand farther away from acquaintances than I do friends. I am interested to read about the ways in which my colleagues interpreted TV characters' nonverbal language.
I have seen one episode of The Big Bang Theory (a while ago), and so I already had a little bit of information about the characters. I think that a lot of my assumptions about what was happening in the episode were accurate because I was anticipating a comedy plot (which is what it turned out to be) and I also knew that all the characters were friends that live in the same apartment complex. Yet, even having very little information, it was easy to see that they were friends and that there was a conflict with this larger man. I also think that my habit of people-watching while in public helped me understand the episode because I often watch people interact with others without being able to hear them.
Neisha,
ReplyDeleteYour observations make me think about how some people have great difficulty in reading facial cues. I know by watching the show that there is a character that is highly intelligent and may perhaps be on the spectrum. He does not always understand sarcasm and his own facial expressions rarely change. Do you have any experience with this? I work with children with Autism and work really hard in teaching about facial expressions.
Hello Neisha,
ReplyDeleteWhen watching the show that I choose, I had to watch more than once to catch the hidden communication. I agree paying attention to signs like body language, speech, and appearance. It just made me realized how much verbal communication and sound I take for granted.
Vivian Lopes
Hi neisha !
ReplyDeleteI love the Big Bang theory LOL. It was interesting to read how you perceived the show without sound. Sometimes, the nonverbal cues speak a lot in itself!
Kristin
Neisha,
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing how much we can pick up on without having any dialogue! It reminds me that even when children do not know what adults are saying, they often know what is going on by the nonverbal communication that they see. It is a good reminder to make sure that you are treating others respectfully; it is not just the words we say, but how we say them and the body language we use at the same time.
Amanda Linser
Neisha,
ReplyDeleteI know by watching shows such as the one you watched while the volume was down, it's amazing how much communication we pick up just by watching their facial expressions, how they look at one another. I know what your saying Mandie, that we have to be careful what we say around children, because they can pick up on facial expressions, especially when teachers are upset about hings that goes on in the classroom.