Nonverbal communication between parents and adolescents: A study of approach and avoidance behaviors

This study investigated nonverbal approach and avoidance behaviors exhibited by 30 families with a target child between 7 and 16 years old during a family interaction task. It was hypothesized that avoidance in the form of shame and contempt would be displayed more frequently by early and mid-adolescents than by younger pre-adolescents. It was also expected that approach behaviors would not differ across these age groups. Results provided evidence for increased avoidance and stability of approach behaviors in the parent-child dyad from pre-adolescence to mid-adolescence. Compared to pre-adolescent children (7–10), early adolescents (11–13) displayed more avoidance behaviors toward their parents, particularly shame. Both older adolescents (14–16) and their parents displayed increased avoidance in the form of reciprocated contempt. Despite increased avoidance in adolescence, no age group differences emerged in the amount of approach displayed between mothers, fathers, and children. This dynamic of attachment and separation occurred in both mother-child and father-child dyads, suggesting that both parents play an important role in the adolescent's developing autonomy.This research is based on the doctoral dissertation of Patricia E. Kahlbaugh under the direction of Jeannette M. Haviland at the Graduate School at Rutgers University. We thank the families who gave of their time to participate in this project and the individuals who helped in data recruitment, collection, and coding.     

THE USE OF NON-VERBAL AND BODY MOVEMENT TECHNIQUES IN WORKING WITH FAMILIES WITH INFANTS

This article presents an experiential-educational approach to families with infants (under one year of age). This approach integrates dance and movement therapy with family therapy theories and techniques. Non-verbal techniques are the only possible methods of working directly with infants, who are present with their parents in these workshops. The focus is on harmonious and conflictual interactions and functional and dysfunctional communications, negotiations and exchanges of feelings in the child-parent dyads and family triads.     

The Implicit Realm in Couples Therapy: Improving Right Hemisphere Affect-Regulating Capabilities

Attachment theory, viewed through the lens of neurobiology, explains how infants learn, through unconscious, rapid, non-verbal interactions with caretaking adults, to successfully manage their own emotional energy. These neurological affect-regulating mechanisms formed in early childhood shape later-forming attachment relationships, including those of adult romantic dyads which depend, for intimacy and stability, on the same right brain, nonverbal, modulating capacities. Psychoanalytic researchers have identified healing, implicit, unconscious psychobiological mechanisms, other than verbal insight, explanation and interpretation that can be learned remedially in couples’ therapy. This paper examines an implicit, emotion-focused approach to couples’ work that brings unconscious affect center stage.     

Adult Attachment Style and Nonverbal Closeness in Dating Couples

This study examined the nonverbal correlates of attachment style during interaction with a dating partner. Sixty-one heterosexual couples completed a self-report measure of attachment style and then were videotaped while discussing positive aspects of their relationships. The partners' nonverbal behaviors were coded for specific nonverbal cues and qualities theoretically associated with attachment style. A more secure attachment style was generally associated with more nonverbal closeness and a more avoidant style was generally associated with less nonverbal closeness. Contrary to expectations, individuals with a more preoccupied style were not found to engage in more intimate or clingy behaviors. Results provide partial support for self-reported differences between secure and insecure individuals in their preference for, and comfort with, closeness. Implications for understanding the associations between attachment style and relationship outcomes are discussed.     

Filling the ‘empty space’: Site-specific dance in a techno club

While organisational space has received broad scholarly attention, movement in organisational spaces remains under-researched. This paper introduces the notion of site-specific dance from dance theory to consider the dynamic relationship between space and people, emphasising that movements are a response to a space, its materiality and context. Berghain, in Berlin and one of the world’s most famous techno clubs, is discussed as a case. An interdisciplinary analysis shows how a site-specific performance is created through the interplay of the architecture, the sound and the music organised by the DJ, and the dancing crowd. Methodologically, the dance and performance studies approach develops suggestions for how to analyse movement interaction in organisational space. Reference to dance theory broadens our understanding of how organisational spaces and human interaction enable, produce and negotiate experiences that are transitory, embodied and difficult to pin down.     

Beyond words: Older people with dementia using and interpreting nonverbal behaviour

This article addresses a gap in research on nonverbal communication and dementia. It presents findings from a study that explored ways in which older people with dementia used and interpreted nonverbal behaviour within the context of social interactions. Two researchers, using an ethnographic approach, jointly observed nonverbal communicative behaviours occurring in a day-care centre. The findings show that older people with dementia used nonverbal behaviour in meaningful ways for others to interpret, and as a way of self-communication; and that they actively interpreted others' nonverbal behaviour. In specific situations, these people acted in the context of shared meanings, possessed a ‘self’, and took on the ‘role’ of others. This approach has implications for understanding the social experience of dementia and for the ways that care is organised. The role of nonverbal behaviour offers potential for carers to preserve older people's self-identity and improve their quality of life and care.     

The Emotional Dance of Attachment

Conceptualized as an emotional dance between the child and the primary caregiver, this article summarizes the primary principles of attachment theory as they pertain to clinical practice. The development of the attachment relationship goes smoothly in a secure attachment because the caregiver and child are effectively attuned to one another’s needs. Insecure attachment, on the other hand, occurs when the emotional dance goes awry leaving both the caregiver and the child with an emotional void. The article summarizes current treatment models geared specifically toward helping parent–child dyads resolve attachment problems.     

Patterns of Nonverbal Behavior and Sensivity in the Context of Attachment Relations

Nonverbal behavior and sensitivity to a relationship partner’s nonverbal behavior importantly influence the quality of interpersonal interactions and relationships, including attachment relationships. The abilities to encode, or express, and to decode, or understand, nonverbal cues are crucial to effective communication of emotions and are associated with social adjustment and relationship satisfaction. One important social context for the development and use of nonverbal encodingand decoding abilities is what Bowlby (1969/1982, Attachment and loss: Vol.1.Attachment (2nd ed.). New York: Basic Books) called attachment relationships—interpersonal relationships in which one person’s emotional security depends on another person’s sensitive, responsive caregiving and support. In this paper, we present theoretical ideas, review relevant research, and propose new avenues of research dealing with associations between attachment-related processes and patterns of nonverbal behavior and sensitivity in adulthood, two domains of research that have not previously been adequately connected.     

Nonverbal Synchrony and Complementarity in Unacquainted Same-Sex Dyads: A Comparison in a Competitive Context

Research on interpersonal synchronization deals with the coordination of behavior, cognition and affect within interacting individuals. The phenomenon of synchronization has been explored in many settings and numerous definitions have emerged. The purpose of this study was to compare nonverbal synchrony (based on overall body movement) with the concept of complementarity (based on interpersonal theory) in a competitive context. We examined 40 previously unacquainted same-sex dyads (21 female, 19 male; mean age = 22.81). Dyads underwent a 15-min videotaped competitive role-play. Nonverbal synchrony was quantified by a frame-differencing method, and complementarity by a joystick tracking method. Results revealed that dyads behaved in a synchronous and complementary manner. We found that nonverbal synchrony was positively correlated with affiliation complementarity, but not dominance complementarity. The present study compared nonverbal synchrony with complementarity. The link between the two concepts was small, as indicated by rather weak correlations between nonverbal synchrony and affiliation complementarity. Our results reinforce the view that competitive behavior depends on complex dyadic interactions, including nonverbal and verbal behavior.     

Quantized displays of human movement: A methodological alternative to the point-light display

In this paper, we describe a methodological alternative to the point-light display for the study of the impact of human movement on social perception. This quantization technique involves degrading standard videotapes via a special effects generator at the time of editing. As is the case with a point-light display, quantization disguises structural characteristics of videotaped stimulus persons, and highlights their patterns of movement. Because quantization requires no special procedures during videotaping, it is unobtrusive, and helps maintain the ecological validity of the original stimulus. We offer empirical support from two studies for our proposal that dynamic quantization is a valuable methodological approach to the study of nonverbal behavior.     

Terms of Connection

Abstract

This article is based on a qualitative study of 18 mothers who learned that their daughters identified as transgender. The interviews reveal a process of reconciliation that included themes of initial devastation, daughter-loss, and recollections of early gender-variant behaviors. Turning points such as adjustment to a male presentation and a perceptual-cognitive shift enabled mothers to view their daughters as male and begin to respond to them as their son. A discussion of psychotherapeutic issues and techniques is also highlighted.     

Negative attitudes,nonverbal behavior and self-fulfilling prophecy in simulated therapy interviews

This research investigated if interpersonal expectancies in a psychotherapeutic context were mediated through nonverbal behavior. Beginning (male) therapists served as interviewers and interacted with (male) subjects who were introduced as clients (who were treated for psychological problems) or normal students. It was hypothesized that the therapists would have a more negative attitude toward the supposed clients than toward the nonclients and show more arm position symmetry and less forward lean toward the supposed clients. The interviewees were predicted to show more ah-filled pauses, speech disturbances, and less looking at the interviewers in the client condition than in the nonclient condition. The results demonstrated that therapists had more negative expectancies toward supposed clients than toward nonclients. Support was shown for the hypothesis that more arm position symmetry would be shown in the client condition than in the nonclient condition. The results also indicated that supposed clients used more ah-filled pauses and speech disturbances than nonclients. The therapists used this information when they attributed more discomfort to the supposed clients. It is suggested that the findings of this study have implications for understanding the process of self-fulfilling prophecy in a therapeutic context.     

Micromomentary movement and the deconding of face and body cues

A new version of the Profile of Nonverbal Sensitivity Test (PONS)—a standardized test of sensitivity to nonverbal cues—was developed to determine the effects of five levels or sequences of micromomentary movement on accuracy in decoding nonverbal face and body cues, presented for 125 microseconds (msecs). The five sequences were: backward movement, partially backward movement, no movement, partially forward movement, and fully forward movement. Two versions of this test—the Test of Micromomentary Movement Effects (TOMME)—were administered to two samples of female high school and college students. The results, averaged over face and body cues, showed that as the movement sequences more closely approximated the fully forward sequence, decoding accuracy increased. These results, showing the benefits of adding properly sequenced information at split second (42 msec) exposures, not only support the findings of previous researchers that micromomentary facial affect displays may be helpful in decoding nonverbal facial cues, but also suggest that micromomentary movements may be important for decoding body cues as well.     

A Description of Attachment in Adoptive Parents and Adoptees in Romania During Early Adolescence

This study is an assessment of different components of attachment for a sample of Romanian adoptees and their parents, both who participated in the project (n = 63). Results suggest that various aspects of the parent–child relationship in early adolescence is quite positive from both the adoptee and adoptive parent perspective. However, almost half (46 %) of the adoptees were assessed as having insecure attachment. There are differences between all components of parental attachment and adoptee attachment security. Also, insecure attachment is more likely to occur with less optimal parenting style. Implications for social work practice and research are discussed.     

Stress,Coping, and Mental Health Differences among Homeless People

People who are chronically homeless are assumed to have higher rates of mental health problems than episodically or new‐entry homeless individuals. It is unclear to what extent early‐life and current stressors account for this disadvantage. Guided by cumulative disadvantage theory and stress research, we analyze data from a national study of the US homeless population to examine how stressors and coping resources throughout the life course are implicated in differences among homeless people in psychiatric disorders and alcohol or other drug abuse disorders. Logistic regression analysis reveals that new‐entry homeless persons are less likely than their chronically and episodically homeless counterparts to have current psychiatric disorders. This is explained by stressors and coping resources experienced in childhood and during adult homeless spells. Alcohol and other drug abuse is common but comparable across the three homeless types and shares an association with selected stress and coping measures. Findings lend credibility to an accumulation of risks perspective, highlighting how past as well as contemporaneous stressors are related to the mental health of homeless people.     

Collective Memory Anchors: Collective Identity and Continuity in Social Movements

Abstract

Drawing on ethnographic data from two social movement organizations, this article highlights the way that remembrances of the past are inserted into present interactions to help maintain a sense of movement continuity. Seeing collective identity and collective memory as intertwined dynamic processes, the article argues that the continuity of a social movement is maintained, in part, when movement members insert narrative commemorations that constrain current collective identity development. The process examined is that of “collective memory anchoring,” in which participants instrumentally and/or contextually bring forward the past during interactions in such a way that the formulation of elements in a movement's collective identity appears to mirror past formulations. The common constraints of preexisting networks, participants' shared cultural backgrounds, and a movement's collective action frames are explored.     

Young children's perception of nonverbally expressed “preference”: The effects of nonverbal cue,viewer age,and sex of actor

Eighty children, 4 and 6 years old, viewed color movies of other children looking at two identical boxes each containing different toys not visible on the film. Films were made in four nonverbal cue conditions: facial expression and head movement; facial expression, head, and upper body movement; head and upper body movement only; and head movement only. Viewers were asked to identify which box the child in the film preferred and to report the information they had used to decide. Six year olds and those viewing films with female actors were significantly more accurate in identifying the box actually preferred. Differential responding based on type of nonverbal cue was found among 6 year olds and among those viewing films with female actors. Actor looking time at the preferred box was found to relate to viewer judgment and to be reported as the decision strategy used among 6 year olds, but not among 4 year olds.This study is based on an M.A. thesis submitted by Karen L. Pendleton to the Department of Education and Child Development faculty, Bryn Mawr College. The authors gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of the directors, teachers, and students of the schools that participated in this research.     

Attachment Insecurity as a Filter in the Decoding and Encoding of Nonverbal Behavior in Close Relationships

In this article, I have focused my comments on the possible associations between the cognitions related to different attachment styles, and the impact that those cognitions are likely to have on nonverbal encoding and decoding. I see attachment insecurity as acting as a filter, distorting both encoding and decoding processes. In terms of decoding, an insecure individual may appraise the situation as more threatening than it actually is, may see the attachment figure as more or less available than he or she actually is, and may make an inappropriate decision about the viability or desirability of seeking proximity to the attachment figure. Attachment insecurity is also likely to inhibit the distressed individual from expressing their distress in a way that is understood by the attachment figure and that increases the likelihood that the attachment figure will engage in supportive behavior.