Field Research I

Non-Verbal Communication

With communication as our overall topic, our group decided to specify on non-verbal communication. This way we were able to give ourselves a foundation to do our research work on. We had a particular interest in body language and subconscious communication - a non-verbal communication that humans don't actively control. To observe these actions, we decided to hit the streets of Zurich, our cameras at hand, to document people communicating with their bodies.

Preparations

For our first field research we split our team into two groups - this way we could create more footage. However, before leaving Toni, we sat down to set some objectives:

What do we want to know?

What body languages do we use in our daily lives?

Why?

We want to see the communication beyond oral (verbal) language.

What kind of data will allow us to answer our questions?

Varieties of people's subconscious behaviour that work as a form of communication

Where can we answer our questions?

Where we can observe many communications between people. Here we decided to go to the main train station (Zurich Hauptbahnhof), bus station, park, construction area, etc...

What is our mindset?

Open research - we are not going out there with definite questions. Our questions are formed through observations.

Which tools will we use? / What are the outcomes?

Videos

What are our probe designs?

Cameras

Research

In teams of two we spent the day traveling around Zurich, documenting non-verbal communications. By causing irritations and slight provocations we hoped to observe forms of body language that are only displayed during a certain situation - either by standing in people's way or by unnecessarily pressing several buttons in a lift.  

A merchant using hand signs to communicate with customers

Two ladies using facial and hand gestures to emphasise their point