Introduction
The use of kinesics in communication is called body language. Its usage may be deliberate or involuntary. The researcher went on field trip to observe the usage of these non-verbal cues by individuals in a social setting, classify them and determine their effectiveness. The researcher chose a local restaurant and sat in strategic corner near the entrance where most of the clients in the café were visible. After observing the patrons’ body language without necessarily hearing what they were conversing about, the researcher realized that it was possible to deduce the type of relationship existing between the conversing persons. It is also possible to tell the context of the conversation, that is, whether it is an argument, intimate, formal or any other.
The gesture that was most prominent in that restaurant was the beckoning sign aimed at the waiters. Even the researcher used it. The beckoning gesture falls under the emblem category of kinesics. This is because it can be easily understood and instinctively inspires action from the waiters. It can be translated verbally. The beckoning gesture was used to ask the waiter to come over and take the orders from the customers. It was also used to ask for help in case the patrons had an issue with the food served. The usage of this gesture by individuals could assist one in determining their level of patience. The impatient customers would gesture in a rapid manner and would even mouth the words ‘come over’ to the waiters. Others were more relaxed and would gesture casually.
There was a group of four teenage girls at a table in another corner of the restaurant chatting excitedly. It was from them that the researcher observed many gestures. From the way they were behaving, it seemed liked they had spent a significant period of time apart and were catching up on the goings-on in the lives of each. One of those girls was particularly flirty. The researcher observed her wink at one of the waiters, a gentleman. The wink was to send a message that she fancied him. The waiter was not responsive and seemed undecided in how to respond. Seeing that, she sent him an air kiss. This he got, smiled and looked away.
The wink could be classified as affect displays form of gesture, but this would be wrong, as it was a deliberate gesture and not caused by emotions. It therefore falls under the emblems category, as the signal had a verbal translation. The air kiss is also an emblem gesture. The smile derived from the gentleman waiter is a gesture falling under the affect displays category while the looking away could be interpreted as either regulator or adaptor. It falls under the regulator category if the waiter looked away to feel comfortable. This would be the case if he felt that flirting would interfere with his effectiveness at work. It would fall under the regulator category if the waiter looked away to terminate the exchange of gestures between them.
While the girls were still chatting, the researcher noticed one of them draw air quotes with her hands before they all burst laughing. This gesture was done only once. It can be classified as an illustrator category of kinesics. The girls were approached by two young men and the wincing on their faces showed that this was an unwelcome advance. Once the men were settled at their table the girls would discreetly roll their eyes such that the two men never noticed. Those sitting closest to the young men would look away or look down as the men talked to express their lack of interest. They might have looked away as the men talked to avoid being hit by bad breath. The girls seemed to get more agitated as the unwelcome company continued chatting with them. They started pressing their lips together and giving each other subtle looks. Eyes wide open with furrows on their foreheads. They even began glancing at the exit frequently as a sign that they wanted to leave. An offer to buy the girls drinks was turned by an arm gesture from one of the girls and they stood up wanting to leave. Contacts were exchanged. The girls left hurriedly while the two young men were left giving each other thumbs up.
The wincing and rolling of the eyes were gestures of the affect displays category. Looking away as the men talked were adaptors to make the girls more comfortable. The wide open eyes, pressed lips and furrows on the forehead were affect displays while a frequent glance at the exit was a regulator. The thumb up that the young men gave each other was an emblem gesture.
Conclusion
