Interest: The role that communication plays in relationships
Article: The Difference in Nonverbal Behaviors and How It Changes in Different Stages of a Relationship
Authors: Tracy Prinsen. Narissra M. Punyanunt-Carter
A. Relevance to Communication Studies and Theory
The article addresses the importance of nonverbal communication in romantic relationships and how nonverbal affection changes throughout the stages of a relationship.
B. Review of Literature
1. The authors used findings and cited literature that indicated that there was a correlation between body language and the quality of a romantic relationship, particularly dependent upon age and sex. Ex) “It has been found that unhappy couples seem to display more unhappy facial expressions than other couples…it has also been found that older married couples display lower frequencies of responsive listening than middle-aged couples”. From this literature, the authors concluded that body language and nonverbal communication are two important components of a romantic relationship that change in different stages and are different based on your sex.
2. The authors developed their research questions based on the literature they already had. They even say, “it seems to be that most of the research already done on this subject looks at the differences between men and women.” The authors then use this and tie it into their study that assesses the five different relationship stages/how men and women respond to and use nonverbal communication.
C. Concept/Methodology
1. Some questions that the authors designed are as follows: What are the differences between men and women/how they answered the nonverbal questionnaire passed out? How did the individuals in the five different stages vary in their answers to the nonverbal questionnaire? How did the five different stages differ in their affectionate communication toward their partner?
2. The authors clearly map out their method: A questionnaire was handed out to college students enrolled in introductory communication courses at a Southwestern University to assess nonverbal participation in a relationship. 145 students participated and 69 were men and 76 were women. There were 32 freshmen, 41 sophomores, 32 juniors and 38 seniors. The mean age was 20.52 and the age range was from 18-37. 54 participants were in a casual relationship, 31 were in an exclusive relationship, 48 were in a long -term relationship, 6 were living with their partner and 6 were engaged/married.
3. The method was appropriate as it addressed gender, age, and the stage of the relationship by surveying men and women of different ages and involved in different stages of relationships.
4. The method was properly executed in that a survey covering how people respond to and use nonverbal communication was passed out to the proper participants. The method reflected the research questions regarding sex, gender, and stage of the relationship in how nonverbal communication is expressed.
5. The sampling was appropriate in that it covered a range of ages, surveyed both men and women and included people who were in different romantic relationships.
D. Findings
1. The findings were clearly reported: There is a big difference in nonverbal communication depending upon the gender/stage of relationship. The findings were organized by question and how many people of each group in a certain stage responded in a certain way.
2. The findings were interpreted through the use of words as well as through the use of charts, graphs and data tables.
3. The study used the review of literature to expand upon theories of nonverbal communication in relationships that already existed and proved the link between age and the stage of a relationship in how body language is expressed.
4. The authors admit that their study was limited in only surveying college students and also in the accuracy of the questionnaires themselves. They admit that participants may not have been truthful. Future research directions that they mention are the inclusion of race, culture and expanded age groups in research and also not simply surveying participants but observing as well.
E. Stylistic Issues/Quality of Writing
1. The language is easy to comprehend but uses language specific to the field. It is not pretentious or confusing.
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