Page 127 - Essentials of Human Communication

106 ChaPter 5 Nonverbal Messages

Nose-pierced job candidates received lower scores on measures of credibil-
ity, such as ratings of character and trustworthiness, as well as on sociability
and hirability (Seiter & Sandry, 2003).
Tattoos—whether temporary or permanent—likewise communicate
a variety of messages, often the name of a loved one or some symbol of
allegiance or affiliation. Tattoos also communicate to the wearers them-
selves. For example, tattooed students see themselves (and perhaps
others do as well) as more adventurous, creative, individualistic, and risk
prone than those without tattoos (Drews, Allison, & Probst, 2000).
Tattoos and piercings on health care professionals have been found to
communicate such undesirable traits as impulsiveness, unpredictability,
and a tendency toward being reckless or violent (Rapsa & Cusack, 1990;
Smith, 2003).

space Decoration The decoration of your workplace tells a lot about
ViewpOINts you. The office with the mahogany desk and bookcase and oriental rugs
blaming clothing communicates importance and status within an organization, just as a
A popular defense tactic in sex crimes against women, metal desk and bare floor indicate an entry-level employee much farther
gay men, and lesbians is to blame the victim by refer- down in the company hierarchy.
ring to the way the victim was dressed and implying Similarly, people will make inferences about you based on the way
that the victim, by wearing certain clothing, provoked you decorate your home. The expensiveness of the furnishings may
the attack. What do you think of this tactic? Is it likely communicate your status and wealth; their coordination, your sense of
to be effective? Is it ethical?
style. The magazines on your coffee table may reflect your interests,
and the arrangement of chairs around a television set may reveal how
important watching television is to you. The contents of bookcases lining the walls
reveal the importance of reading in your life. In fact, there is probably little in your
home that does not send messages from which others will make inferences about you.
At the same time, the lack of certain items will communicate something about you.
Consider what messages you would get from a home where no television, phone, or
books could be seen.
People also will make judgments about your personality on the basis of room deco-
rations—for example, your openness to new experiences (distinctive decorating usually
communicates openness, as would travel souvenirs), conscientiousness, emotional sta-
bility, degree of extroversion, and agreeableness.

smell communication Smell, or olfactory communication, is extremely
important in a wide variety of situations and is now big business. There is some evidence
(though it is clearly not very conclusive) that the smell of lemon contributes to a perception
of health; the smells of lavender and eucalyptus seem to increase alertness; and the smell of
rose oil seems to reduce blood pressure. The smell of chocolate seems to reduce theta brain
waves and thus produces a sense of relaxation and a reduced level of attention (Martin, 1998).
Findings such as these have contributed to the growth of aromatherapy and to a new profes-
sion of aromatherapists. Because humans possess so many scent glands, it has been argued
that it only remains for us to discover how we use scent to communicate a wide variety of
messages (Furlow, 1996, p. 41). Two particularly important messages that scent communi-
cates are those of attraction and identification.

attraction Messages. People use perfumes, colognes, aftershave lotions, powders, and the
like in an effort to enhance attractiveness. You also use scents to make yourself feel better.
When you smell pleasant, you feel better about yourself; when you smell unpleasant, you feel
Take a look at “Nonverbal Commu- less good about yourself—and probably shower and perhaps put on some cologne.
nication: Scent” at tcbdevito
.blogspot.com for a brief discus-
sion of the connection between Identification Messages. Smell is often used to create an image or an identity for a product
scent and memory. Have you ever (Spence, 2008). Advertisers and manufacturers spend millions of dollars each year creating
experienced this? scents for cleaning products and toothpastes, for example, which have nothing to do with