(H) Pgs. 109-117 Hall & Hall: The Sounds of Silence

I had never put that much thought into nonverbal communication but this chapter brought to my attention many things I had never even thought about. It’s obious one knows that a smile from across the room, a stare longer than normal or a glance is an invitation that there could possibly be a form of attraction and connection. It is easy to demonstrate warmth without verbally using words. The same goes for a scowl or a frown, it sends a negative vibe without saying anything with your mouth. However, it is also true that you must be careful how you send these messages in many different cultures because the messages are received differently. Being Mexican, I can completely speak for my dad and the jealousy and “machismo” he carried around with him. There was never anybody getting to close to my mom, or hovering over her, or one on one conversations such as small talk where flirting was a possibility. Oh no, no, no that was never an option for her or for any man. I was raised seeing so much machismo where the man does what he wants but the woman stays home, cooks, cleans and doesn’t speak up. They did not need need to verbally communicate for us as children to understand that she was always mad, yet didn’t argue.