Subtle Observations

I too find it fascinating how a simple smile or nice gesture can possibly change the attitude of a person. I was not one of the people that was forced to smile (or hold a pencil in my mouth) while reading all the cartoons, but I do wonder if my attitude towards the cartoons would have changed if I didn't just watch the cartoons with my EYES, but instead smiled. It's interesting to think about because many situations when someone is more pleasant/happy rather than rude/cold towards others or simply no emotion at all, there seems to be more positive feedback towards the pleasant person versus the not so pleasant person. I think there is a correlation between the two as we have been observing.

I think in this case, body language certainly affects the interviewee's responses. I would make the assumption that all of those being questioned were nervous at the start. What interests me is that the smile was needed with the head nod. Would they gain just as much confidence from a smile alone? A smile shows more than just approval for their answer. It shows happiness, friendship, and laughter. Perhaps the other positive connotations of a smile blend together to give a completely positive message to the individuals.

I think your on to something. I do think that someones body language is a direct indication of how they are feeling at any particular time. If they are disengaged, they could be tired, or just uninterested in the situation at hand, or a multitude of other causes. But if they are smiling and nodding along, then they very well could be very interested and engaged in what the situation is, and would be more inclined to give future answers. I think mood has a lot to play in with body language, which appears to have an affect in peoples actions.

I think that body language definitely affects how people respond to you in any situation. While some people react positively to a smile or nod without thinking about it, I also think that a big part of that is that many people are choosing how to act based on how you respond to them. They are waiting for your approval in order to open up. If they don't get positive feedback from what they are saying or doing, it probably concerns them and makes them think they are doing something wrong.

Body language most definitely is a factor that people take into consideration when they are analyzing others' emotions and thoughts. Receiving positive gestures are a lot more welcoming, compared to negative expressions and signs that people emit when they are not feeling comfortable in a certain place or time. Human beings are always searching for a certain type of approval, and since not everyone voices what they are thinking at all times of the day, it's only natural that a person would read the body language of those around them.

I find this fascinating that people can be manipulated by other people’s body language. I am wondering if this could be used in other ways other than just support or depress the talker. Could this be used in marketing though the famous customer service we all see every day with friendly employees are we more likely to buy more? I also think this is a great tactic to use in the class room to support each other so all are able to contribute. If people pay attention to what one says and even if it is wrong humors them by treating them with respect with a smile or head nod they will continue to contribute and where they may not have otherwise. There are almost endless opportunities with this observation of human nature.

Interesting! I would definitely agree with your blog and what others have left in the comments. Often times, we are unaware of positive boosts to our moods, because we aren't always necessarily looking for them!
I think the smiles and nods (whatever else could happen in a different scenario) are definitely unconscious ques that people then respond to unconsciously.

I do think that both facial expressions and body language play a role in the way an individual might act or respond in a situation. Many people base their thoughts and actions off of how comfortable they feel. Often base things off of what they expect others want. This relates back to the term in psychology called demand characteristics. This is when an individual forms an interpretation of the experiment's purpose and unconsciously change their behavior to fit that interpretation. I think this is relating to this topic because people might change their behavior depending on what they think others want or what others are thinking.

I think that as very social animals, humans have a tendency to copy the moods/emotions of others around them and be very influenced by them. It seems that we have this innate desire to be part of a group and share other people's emotions. At least for me, I'm more likely to enjoy a comedy movie if I'm with someone who laughs a lot than if I'm with someone who just sits there with a serious face.

I think that this behavior has a lot to do with the notion that people have to follow the group and that they have to have encouragement to say what they think. A small smile or agreement encouraged others to speak up or support another person's opinion. Unless people are prone to being risk-takers, many like to follow the "bandwagon" approach-meaning that people like to be part of the majority on various issues.

There is no doubt that a kind gesture from a stranger on a bad day can turn your day around. Sometimes a good laugh with a friend makes you realize there are more things to smile about than to frown about in this world. A simple smile is known to enhance your mood, find things more funny, and your overall outlook. Your personality is something that defines you and how you decide to enter each day, being happier is something that can lead to success.

I believe that a positive gesture from somebody after you do something will always give you confidence to do that something again. It makes sense to me that people who received positive gestures from their peers about their answers were more likely to provide more answers in the future. Although you should not care about what other people think about you it is hard to ignore your peers and their reactions to your actions or words. It is human nature to want to be accepted by your peers, therefore people base their actions on the approval of ohers sometimes.