An experiment was conducted to assess whether the claims made about body language in Berens theory of Interaction Styles could be demonstrated in practice. The proposed differences in characteristics associated with appearance and talents were performed by an actor in 4 separate short film presentations. Participants were asked to watch each film and select words from the theory to describe the personality of the actors they saw.
Positive evidence was found for the hypothesis that body language communicates personality characteristics and that these descriptions follow a recognisable pattern in line with Berens Interactions Styles. Some expected patterns suggested by the model were indicated with strong significance for 10 words from the theory indicating the discrete characteristics were present.
Recommendations are made for applied research across a greater reach of the body language model proposed by Berens’ and for bespoke training materials to be created to help practitioners in the field.
Table of Contents
Literature Review
Research Hypothesis
Method
Design
Participants
Materials
Film content
Word list content
Procedure
Ethical Considerations
Scientific integrity
Social responsibility
Maximising benefit and minimising harm
Results
Discussion
Implications for business psychology practice
Further research considerations
Research Objectives and Topics
This study aims to determine whether body language and observable behavioural patterns can be reliably interpreted by observers as distinct personality characteristics in accordance with Berens' theory of Interaction Styles. The research investigates the quantitative validity of these personality models when applied to non-verbal cues.
- Investigation of non-verbal communication and personality attribution.
- Application of Berens' Interaction Styles model to observed behaviours.
- Quantitative analysis of participant word choice in response to recorded social interactions.
- Evaluation of "thin slicing" and its efficacy in social perception.
- Implications for professional training and business psychology practices.
Extract from the book
Literature Review
According to Cunningham (1958) whilst scientific study into nonverbal communication is not new, it has been an important aspect of trying to understand how we develop skills in recognition and understanding of each other.
Springer (2015) notes the great deal of recent research into non-verbal communication, with journals dedicated to this study since at least the 1970s. Ambady (2000) describes the variety of research into the use of “thin slicing” to make judgements about people on the basis of their nonverbal expression, with research up to now mostly associated with interpreting facial expression and gaze-following.
Hogan (1996) explains personality as factors inside people that explain their behaviour. He also refers to distinctive interpersonal characteristics that can be described by others who have seen that person in various situations. The links made between our behaviour and personality certainly have a heritage: Eysenck (1985) integrated the Greek philosophical tradition of temperaments (or humours) from Hippocrates into the PEN inventory, which assesses personality in terms of psychoticism, extraversion and neuroticism. For Eysenck, personality is psychophysiological and the PEN traits associated with the taxonomy remain stable over time. McCrae (2000) also notes a tradition in the literature to regard temperament as a biologically based psychological tendency.
Summary of Chapters
Literature Review: Provides a theoretical foundation by reviewing academic literature on non-verbal communication, personality models, and the "thin slicing" effect.
Research Hypothesis: Outlines the core questions regarding whether non-verbal behaviour can be decoded to identify specific personality types.
Method: Details the experimental design, including participant selection, the use of recorded films, and the quantitative data collection procedure.
Ethical Considerations: Addresses the research's alignment with institutional and professional ethical codes regarding human participation and data integrity.
Results: Presents the statistical findings from the experiment, analyzing how effectively participants linked observed behaviours to specific interaction styles.
Discussion: Interprets the findings in the context of personality theory and addresses potential limitations like practice effects and unconscious bias.
Implications for business psychology practice: Examines how these findings can be integrated into training programs for professionals.
Further research considerations: Proposes future directions, such as comparative studies based on prior participant knowledge of personality instruments.
Keywords
Body language, Berens Interaction Styles, Non-verbal communication, Personality characteristics, Thin slicing, Temperament, Social interaction, Behavioral patterns, Psychological assessment, Quantitative research, Interaction styles model, Social competence, Trait theory, Observational study, Business psychology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this research?
The research explores the link between non-verbal body language and the attribution of personality characteristics, specifically testing the validity of Berens' Interaction Styles model.
What are the primary themes covered?
The study covers non-verbal communication, personality typing, observational accuracy, social interaction dynamics, and the psychological interpretation of temperament.
What is the primary objective of this dissertation?
The aim is to determine if observers can reliably identify specific personality characteristics and talents from an actor's body language in alignment with the rules proposed by the Berens model.
Which methodology was employed for this study?
The author used a quantitative, repeated measures experimental design, where 76 participants watched four silent films and selected trait words to describe the actor.
What does the main body focus on?
The main body examines existing literature, the formulation of the research hypothesis, the rigorous experimental methodology, and a detailed analysis of the statistical results obtained.
Which keywords best describe this study?
Key terms include Body language, Berens Interaction Styles, Non-verbal communication, Personality characteristics, and Behavioral patterns.
How does the study address the "thin slicing" effect?
The research investigates whether participants can make relatively accurate personality judgments based on limited non-verbal information, consistent with the "thin slicing" concept found in social psychology literature.
What are the practical applications of these findings?
The author suggests that the findings can improve training materials for HR practitioners and business psychologists, as well as enhance customer service in professional settings like optician practices.
Why was the Holm-Bonferroni correction used?
The correction was applied during data analysis to control the family-wise error rate and ensure the statistical significance of the findings was not inflated by performing multiple tests.
- Quote paper
- Andy Cole (Author), 2016, Does body language communicate personality? Oberservable behavioural patterns of Berens Interactions Styles, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/342939
