Page 125 - Essentials of Human Communication

104 ChaPter 5 Nonverbal Messages

Earmarkers—a term taken from the practice of branding animals on
their ears—are identifying marks that indicate your possession of a territory
or object. Trademarks, nameplates, and initials on a shirt or attaché case are
all examples of earmarkers.
Markers are also important in giving you a feeling of belonging. For
example, one study found that students who marked their college dorm
rooms by displaying personal items stayed in school longer than did those
who didn’t personalize their spaces (Marsh, 1988).

artIFactual cOMMuNIcatION
Artifactual messages are messages conveyed through objects or arrange-
ments made by human hands. The colors you prefer, the clothing or jewelry
you wear, the way you decorate your space, and even bodily scents commu-
nicate a wide variety of meanings.

color communication There is some evidence that the colors with
which people surround themselves affect them physiologically. For exam-
ple, respiration rates increase in the presence of red light and decrease in
the presence of blue light. Similarly, eye blinks increase in frequency when
eyes are exposed to red light and decrease when exposed to blue. These
findings seem consistent with our intuitive feelings that blue is more sooth-
ing and red more provocative. After the administration at one school
changed the classroom walls from orange and white to blue, the students’
ViewpOINts blood pressure levels decreased and their academic performance improved
status signals (Ketcham, 1958; Malandro, Barker, & Barker, 1989).
One signal of status is an unwritten “law” granting the Colors influence our perceptions and behaviors (Kanner, 1989). Peo-
right of invasion. Higher-status individuals have more ple’s acceptance of a product, for example, is strongly influenced by its
of a right to invade the territory of others than vice packaging. In one experiment consumers in the United States described the
versa. The boss, for example, can invade the territory very same coffee taken from a yellow can as weak, from a dark brown can as
of junior executives by barging into their offices, but too strong, from a red can as rich, and from a blue can as mild. Even our ac-
the reverse would be unacceptable. In what ways do ceptance of a person may depend on the colors that person wears. Consider,
you notice this “right” of territorial invasion in your for example, the comments of one color expert (Kanner, 1989, p. 23): “If
workplace (or your dorm room)? you have to pick the wardrobe for your defense lawyer heading into court
and choose anything but blue, you deserve to lose the case. . . .” Black is so
powerful that it can work against the lawyer with the jury. Brown lacks sufficient authority.

Skill DeveloPmeNt exPerieNCe

Selecting a Seat at the Company meeting

The accompanying graphic represents a table with 12 chairs, one of which
12
Boss is occupied by the “boss.” For each of the following messages, indicate
(a) where you would sit to communicate each message and (b) any other
11 1 possible messages that your choice of seat will probably communicate.
10 2 1. You want to ingratiate yourself with your boss.
Nonverbal choices 2. You aren’t prepared and want to be ignored.
9 3
influence your 3. You want to challenge the boss’s proposal that is scheduled to come up
8 4 for a vote.
communication 4. You want to get to know better the person at seat number 7.
effectiveness and your 7 5
image as a
communicator. 6