This assignment is designed to assess student understanding of verbal and nonverbal communication.

Scan a current television guide and select a program in which a speaker is making an oral presentation.  Choose one where the speaker is not playing a part but rather commenting on an educational, religious, political or news related topic. This would eliminate sitcoms, movies, etc.  An interview where there is an exchange of information between two (or more) people might be a good choice.

A. As you are viewing the program (which should be at least a 15 minute segment in length), use the "Nonverbal Observation Form" posted in this week's resources to identify the many nonverbal elements that affect the way we communicate. Once you have made notes on this form, you can use your notes to answer the questions below.

B. Write a synopsis of the segment you viewed, using your information on the "Nonverbal Observation Form" to answer the following questions in a one-page report:

(1) What impact does nonverbal communication have on verbal elements that we use?

(2) What impact does physical appearance have on the way we communicate?

(3) When nonverbal contradict verbal elements, which are you more likely to believe?