Kinesics: The study of Body Motion and Body Behavior
Humans use signs to back up their speech. In some cases, they also use symbols that are strategically placed to send messages to a group of people. An excellent illustration is those that are placed on the road. They are used to indicate the rules or the nature of the road. Street lights are also used to direct the movement of vehicles. Besides that, humans use nonverbal cues to send messages between each other.
In some cases, the people are also using the cues when they cannot verbally speak to each other. Some of the actions have become so common that people no longer notice using them. They are explained in the segments below.
The chosen scenery was mall due to the exposure and the large number of people who get into it. I took the analysis from a time before the Corona Virus pandemic when I had taken my little brother- Ian, for lunch. The first aspect to note at the beginning of the mall was the emblems they had placed on the gate. On the side of the gate was a stop sign that was red and conspicuous. All the vehicles had to stop at the gate for security inspection before entering the premises. After the insection is done, the cars are allowed into the parking lot. As one moves towards a spot, one easily notices a banner that has a drawing of a person in a wheelchair. It is the handicapped spot. The mall reserves the slot for the people with disabilities to have easier access to the facility. My little brother needed to visit the loo. Upon getting to the washrooms, another common emblem was that of a boy representing the male washrooms and that of a girl to designate the female restrooms. It was common that we did not notice that we depend on it to know the correct toilets to visit.
We then chose a table where we read the menu. The day must have been busy since no waiter came to serve us. I noticed that my brother began showing signs of boredom. He was restless since he wanted to go and play. His earlier enthusiasm was curtailed by the time we were spending at the eatery. His hands held his chin for some time, and then he lay his head on the table. It was a sign that he needed to at fast to not be late for his games. It was also a conveyance that he was bored of staying in one place waiting for food. He was a young boy whose intake of food determined well he spent his day. I signaled to the waiter who was walking past by lifting a hand and waving at them. The kinesic applied in the instance was an illustrator. It passed the message that we needed to be served since we were running late.
As the waiter came nearer, another kinesic was applied. I tapped on the table to g help me feel comfortable. It felt like a rash move since the man was already serving other clients, and I stopped him midway. By then, my brother had begun to show a different kind of affect display. His eyes were wide open, and he was smiling. He also seemed curious by looking at the menu for food to choose from. The man looked tired. His face was faking a smile, but I could see from his eyes that he had been busy most of his shift. I told the man what I wanted for lunch, but Ian was still undecided. Due to the rush, he showed an adaptor kinesic. I could see him tapping his shoes on the floor as he fidgeted through the menu. The waiter looked at him patiently, but the boy felt as if he was making him late.
When we had chosen a proper dish for lunch, I heard a snap of fingers from some tables behind us. A Mexican man with a mustache pointed at the waiter then tapped on his wrist. It was also an indication that he was running late, and the gesture showed that time was of the essence. The waiter went to the table, and I could hear them conversing since the man was very loud. He used illustrations in an angry tone, explaining that he had ordered food, and the waiter was late in delivering it. “I told the waiter to serve me a chicken barbecue pizza, and he goes and stands by that table as if I have all day here.” The man was agitated, and he went on about the issue for some time, even demanding that the manager is summoned. At this point, the affect displays of both the waiter and the client were visible. The man was angry, and the waiter showed signs of anger and fear might be from the idea that he may lose his job.
Another family observing from a nearby table seemed displeased by the drama that the man was causing. The man in the table showed a frowny face, especially when a baby that the woman I presume was his wife had to nurse a toddler who was awoken by the dispute. Besides that, the waiter displayed an adaptor kinesic by touching his hair every once in a while as he spoke to the Mexican man. He tried to explain the reason why the food was not yet delivered. After two minutes of explaining, the customer was assured that it would be delivered as soon as his pizza was ready. His affect displays changed from an angry frowning face to a smile of understanding. The kinesics of the waiter also showed satisfaction since the issue had been resolved. It was a repeated aspect of the speech and encounter.
Throughout the display, Ian seemed curious to know what was happening. He shifted from his chair and craned his neck to see the drama as it unfolded. His facials showed curiosity, especially the wide-open eyes and shifty position he kept. He, however, seemed surprised since it was the first escapade he had seen in a restaurant. When the food was delivered, a smile was evident in both our faces.
Based on that day’s events, one may conclude that human bodies display different emotions and behaviors based on the situation. When faced with pressure, as seen in the waiter’s case, adaptors are applied to help ease the discomfort. Facial expressions also differ depending on the situation. A sile appears in a happy state and a frown when one is angry. Emblems are useful in identifying some aspects such as toilets, orders such as stop signs, and bumps ahead in traffic lights.