I found part one of the language
assignment to be quite difficult because the content of the conversation I had
with my partner required a little more feedback than just yes and no
answers. My partner was able to speak
and I wasn’t; I was only able to use body language and I believe that she
actually used more hand gestures than I did because she naturally assumed that
I was deaf. If each of us in the conversation represented a different culture I
actually think that my partner’s culture would have an advantage in
communicating complex ideas, because with language it is easier to link sounds
to objects or symbols and mimic tones in nature as well. I think that the
speaking culture would feel superior towards the nonspeaking culture because of
the many benefits that come with language.
Some individuals in our culture today that
have difficulty communicating spoken language are people with speech
impediments. One particular speech impediment is called aphasia, which is a
loss of hearing due to a stroke or brain damage which can develop speech –
language disorders. There are a few ways that speaking people can communicate
with those who have aphasia. For starters the environment should be quiet and
they should be spoken to like adults. If they can’t understand you then never
choose to shout at them. When you ask them a question, ask in a way they can
answer you with a simple yes and no. When directions are giving to someone with
aphasia the directions should be broken down into small and simple steps.
Visual prompts are also helpful as well such as pointing, hand gestures, and drawings.
Part two of the language assignment
was actually harder than I thought, even harder than part one’s objective but I
did last the whole 15 minutes. In the second part of the language assignment I
was able to speak but without using any body language. You don’t realize how
much you use hand gestures and head nods when you communicate, and that’s what
made this assignment difficult for me. My partner in this conversation said
that there was no spirit in the communication. He said that I seemed
disinterested and the conversation was kind of boring. This language experiment
proves that body language is very much a part of our language and is imperative
to really get your point across to someone when communicating.
Body language seems to be innate within all
humans and it definitely was a communication tool well before spoken word.
Recent studies have shown that autistic people have trouble reading body
language because of visual processing problems. Being able to read body
language can be beneficial in many ways. It would be beneficial in business
especially to a salesman who is trying to gauge the level of interest of a
buyer. Body language is also beneficial to parents of babies and toddlers.
Because these young children aren’t proficient speakers the ability to
communicate via body language is a very useful tool when dealing with them.
Another adaptive benefit to possessing the ability to read body language is
finding a mate or finding out if someone may be romantically interested in you.
I can’t describe any condition where there might be a benefit to not reading
body language. To me being able to read body language is always beneficial
because it is the closest we come to being able to read someone’s mind, now how
cool would that be, communicating via mental telepathy!
" I believe that she actually used more hand gestures than I did because she naturally assumed that I was deaf."
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why you see this as a "natural" assumption. Was this a person you didn't know? If she did know you, and she responded this way, it is actually a very common response, to exaggerate hand movements, speak louder and more slowly to those who have difficulty in communications, but it still needs to be explained as to why this is the case!
"I think that the speaking culture would feel superior towards the nonspeaking culture because of the many benefits that come with language."
That's an interesting statement, but I would suggest that perhaps the feeling of superiority comes from an assumption that the ability to communicate effectively is somehow a measure of intelligence, or education, or even value as an individual in society.
I actually have a family member currently suffering from aphasia, so I appreciate how you made that connection with this aspect of the experiment. It is very tempting to speak to them as a child and I can imagine how frustrating that must be when they still think like an adult.
For Part 2, it is very common for partners to describe this section as "boring", which leads some students to feel that the primary benefit of body language is to insert emotion into conversation, but that is only part of it. Humans use body language to validate what they are hearing. Is that person telling the truth? What does their body language tell me? Without that confirmation, we don't know if we can trust what we are hearing, like a missing lie detector. That makes us uncomfortable, which many partners interpret as being "bored" and they lose interest in a conversation they can't validate.
Good job raising the issue of autism as a condition where people cannot read body language.
For your last point, aren't you assuming that body language will always give you accurate information? Are there any circumstances where body language might mislead you? Can it be misinterpreted? Do all cultures use the same system of body language?