VI. Haptics (Tactilics)

Richard Heslin:

1. Touch is our primary nonverbal communication, vitally important for survival.

2. Touch differs: (a) by duration; (b) part of the body being touched; (c) strength of contact).

3. Five types: (a) functional-professional, (b) social-polite; (c) friendship-warmth; (d) love-intimacy; (e) sexual arousal.

4. Culture has considerable influence on how you use touching behavior.

5. Elaine Yarborough distinguishes the following functions (Michael’s Sound Bite 7-7): Touch (a) shows emotions; (b) demonstrates intention to play, (c) controls others, (d) helps others; (e) greets others; (f) is sometimes unintentional.

VII. Proxemics

1. Edward T. Hall: Proxemics defines four kinds of space: (a) intimate; (b) personal; (c) social, (d) public.

2. The zones are not circles but ellipses (Michael’s Sound Bite 7-8): The space bubble is extended in front, and is quite narrow on the sides and the back.

3. Proxemic usage depends on: (a) age; (b) gender, (c) culture.

4. Territoriality (tendency to claim physical space and define our personal territory) is considered a part of proxemics.

5. Erving Goffman (Michael’s Sound Bite 7-9): Some of our territory “goes everywhere with us”: (a) personal territory (that we occupy with our body); (b) parking territory (favorite chair, etc.); (c) accessory territory (we use to put our stuff); (d) queuing territory (territory we occupy while waiting); (e) useful territory (territory we need to keep free to feel comfortable).

6. Some of our territory is defined as “where we are going”: (a) home territory (where we return for meals, relaxation, and night sleep); (b) secondary territory (workplace, favorite bench in the park, etc.); (c) open territory (that we peacefully share with others).

DISCUSSION STARTER 4: Which locations in your physical spaces at home and work do you consider your most valued territories? How do you communicate this territoriality to others? What do you do when people trespass? Have your reactions to such trespasses caused negative personal or professional consequences?

VIII. Chronemics

1. According to their use of time, people are classed into (a) monochronics (M-time users) and polychronics (P-time users);

2. M-time users: careful scheduling; time management; view time as precious resource.

3. P-time users: improvise, use time freely, may be late for deadlines, etc.

4. Stephan Dahl presents a convenient table of various M-Time and P-Time features (Michael’s Sound Bite 7-10):

Parameter	M-time	P-time
Relationships	Depend on schedules and events	Schedules and events depend on relationships
Event coordination	Scheduling determines sequence	Relationships determine sequence of events
Task management	One task a time	Several tasks a time
Breaks	Breaks are required no matter what	Breaks depend on external circumstances
Time Structure	Time is sequential and ordered	Time is fluent and changeable
Work and Rest	Work is separate from rest	Work and rest can be intertwined.

DISCUSSION STARTER 5: Think about people you know who have time orientations different from your own. How has the disparity in view of time affected your interpersonal communication with them? Your relationships? What might you do to resolve tensions deriving from differences in time orientation?