Nonverbal communication plays a major role in our normal day to day interactions.  So it is safe to say that this often goes unnoticed. With it, we are able to add emphasis or secondary meaning to the things we say.  Without it, the way we say or do things would hold very different meanings, much like a written letter, which could be misinterpreted if taken out of context.
            Our target area was the Memorial Union on the UC Davis campus.  Our goal: observe two people engaging in a conversation, noting all physical gestures and mannerisms.  There were three people in our group and we sat approximately three feet away from the targeted couple, close enough to listen in on their conversation, yet also providing a safe distance to which our presence was unnoticeable.  We noticed that both girls seemed to be very relaxed judging from the way they were sitting with their legs crossed towards each other.  Their hands were also placed on the table.  They were really engrossed in their conversation, both maintaining eye contact and listening attentively when the other spoke.
            From the conversation, we have concluded that they were either old acquaintances or good friends.  They talked about people they both knew and the relationships they're currently in.  Disapprovment of a past event from a guy both subjects knew was expressed by saying, "I wouldn't do that".  During this segment of dialogue, both displayed a facial expression that only good friends would show to each other, something in the order of dissatisfaction, yet playfulness. It also seemed like only the two of them understood what that face meant.  The two girls also used a lot of hand gestures while talking, especially when asserting their dislike of the guy, with several flicks of the hand in a brushing motion.
            They discussed with each other their graduation requirements, what classes they needed to take and what classes they were both currently enrolled in.  Throughout the conversation, both maintained constant eye contact when listening.  After this discussion, both fell silent for a few seconds and glanced at their watch with a face of growing impatience.  It wasn't an awkward silence , but rather a comfortable silence where both were very relaxed.  It was obvious they were meeting up with someone.  Then one of them spoke up and said, "She should be out of class by now."  The same girl that said this also continually tapped her fingers on the table to show that she was growing impatient.  At the same time, she was also playing with her left earring while talking to the other girl. Also noted were her inwardly sloped eyebrows. After a short period of time, a girl carrying her backpack comes up to their table.  Both girls smile and an express relief when they saw the other girl. The two girls greeted her and started to pack up their things.  When ready, they all got up and went on their way while continuing the conversation.
            Through this observation exercise, our group realized the importance of nonverbal communication.  It is a big part of our day to day conversation, a component that we don't even think twice about. Whether through our use of hands or by the way we sit, all nonverbal cues we display emphasize the message we are trying to express.  By using hand gestures and body movements, it can add a lot of different meanings to what you're saying or doing. For example, “You’re late” can simply mean just that, yet when if pointed finger is added, a sense of severity is implied. In the case of the two subjects, the tapping on the table and fiddling of the earring shows agitation and anxiousness.   One consistent observation we noticed was the amount of eye contact the subjects had with each other.  We interpreted this as signs of confidence, respect, and attention.
            Nonverbal communication is so common that we often overlook it.  Its significance is great, yet hardly any conscious thought goes into our gestures.  It’s natural for us to be “antsy” and “squirmy” when we are waiting.  Our sloped eyebrows are a sign of anger and unhappiness.  When we fiddle with pens or shuffle papers incessantly, we are nervous.  Though these “rules” do not apply to everyone, we have a way of expressing our thoughts, our emotions, our ideas, all without saying a single word.
 
 
 

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