Symbolic Communication and Social Relationships/Groups

A.purchase a newspaper or magazine (or find one online). Select a comic strip, and include a copy with your paper. You may print a comic from the web, or tape one from a newspaper/magazine to a standard size piece of paper1. Briefly describe the place/event/scene, and the participants/roles/relationships [4]. 2. How is the conversation/ communication initiated (or if in progress, how do you know?) [2]. 3. What non-verbal symbolic vehicles are used – gestures, body language, spacing, physical characteristics and personal effects [4]? 4. How is paralanguage represented [2]? 5. To analyze the verbal communication, consider the type of content, any jargon, the rules of conversation that are followed or not, and the purpose/success of the interaction [4]. 6. Consider the relative “talk time” of each participant, interruptions, topic changes, questions, and requests [4]. 7. Is one participant dominant – how do you know [2]? 8. Are any social structural (gender, age, SES, ethnicity) differences indicated among the participants [4]? B. b) Listen to three separate conversations in a public place (eg., like a coffee shop); at least one of these conversations should be a dyad, and at least one should be a small group. For 3-5, you may focus on one particular conversation, or take elements from all three. 3. Indicate where the conversation took place, and what it was generally about. What techniques were used to maintain smooth conversation. [4] 4. What rules or skills were used? [4] 5. Did the conversation flow break down? If so, how was it reestablished. How was the conversation concluded? [4] c) Observe two people communicating in a casual conversation. You may use one of the conversations you have already listened to only if it is a dyad and you have not already analyzed it for questions 3-5. 6. Indicate where the conversation took place, and what it was generally about. Record the nonverbal communication of these two people. [4] 7. Based on your observations, what could you say about the status differences and intimacy levels between the two individuals? [4]