HOT TAKE: Masks & Nonverbal Communication Today
What Comm Program Instructor Erica Knotts Is Hearing This Summer
While preparing to teach an upcoming course in Nonverbal Communication at Southern Oregon University, Comm Program instructor Erica Knotts found an insightful interview on masking and communicating via Slippery Rock University professor Emily Dolan. For our latest summer Hot Take, Knotts shares the interview link, filling us in on the complicated new world of masks and the messages they send in the age of COVID-19.
Dolan’s big idea: even though most of us are appearing in public with our faces covered, we are still communicating messages with one another via the masks we wear, and the ways we wear them.
“Masks have become somewhat of a fashion statement or place of self-expression recently,” Knotts added. “When meeting someone for the first time, facial expressions and our physical appearance and clothing are often the first things we look for to determine how comfortable and safe we feel in that interaction. Now that over half our face is covered by a mask, we are seeking other ways to let people know who we are.”
According to Dolan, a genuine smile can often be found in the eyes and eyebrows, so we now must work to increase our eye contact with others when we speak. Increasing or adding hand and body gestures to our verbal messages can also increase awareness and meaning.
“If you are soft-spoken, or struggle to raise your voice without sounding angry, you might consider getting a mask with a clear window, like the one I’m wearing here,” Knotts said. “This also helps create an equitable environment for those around you who are deaf or hard of hearing and need to see your mouth movements.”
Dolan advocates for patience during this time. Because our society is not used to wearing masks and being physically distant from one another, it can feel awkward, stressful, and uncomfortable. We need to remember that we are all adapting to this new environment, and we need to practice patience and compassion towards others.
Many of SOU’s communication courses offer more learning about nonverbal communication and relationships. To learn more, pay special attention to COMM 125 — Interpersonal Communication (Fall 2020), or COMM 324 — Nonverbal Communication (Winter 2021).
Finally, to learn more about this specific topic, please see these additional resources:
While we are getting ready for a Fall term unlike any other, Communication and Digital Cinema faculty at Southern Oregon University are sharing weekly Hot Takes of things we are reading, watching and doing that get us excited to get back in the (virtual) classroom. Stay connected with whatever got you to this post, and we’ll look forward to bringing you more communications about Communication soon.
