An Observation Assignment on the Social Situation of a Boy and a Girl at Starbucks

For my observation, I decided to situate myself in the corner of Starbucks on a Monday morning. After Communications ends at 10:20, I have a free period of time that I utilized to complete this assignment. I sat in the far corner of the room on the high booth seating, my back to the wall so that I could survey everyone in cafe. I decided to observe two people, a boy and a girl, who were sitting roughly 5 feet in front of me. The room was loud enough that I couldn't hear their conversation, but I was close enough to make out the details of their nonverbal communication. The pair looked to be around the same age, and they were both drinking hot coffees while eating, the boy had a bagel, and the girl had a scone.

The boy seemed to be very tired; his affect displays suggested that he hadn't gotten a lot of sleep last night, seeing as he had his head propped up on his elbows and was making minimal eye contact with the girl he was talking to. His slouched posture also lead me to believe that he was tired, alongside his slightly sluggish movements. However, he still made an effort to maintain the conversation, and I in fact noted that he continued to use regulators, such as nodding his head while the other person was speaking, to do so. By showing the girl that he was still paying attention, he did his part to help the conversation continue. Lastly, sometimes when she would ask him a question, he would shrug his shoulders instead of responding verbally. This effectively constitutes as an emblem, seeing as he was using a gesture to communicate a message instead of using his words.

In terms of proxemics, I would say that these two were fairly good friends, seeing as they were situated very close to one another. Both of them were definitely leaning in towards the other, both aiding their ability to listen and showing further interest in the conversation. Close proximity to each other suggests that they know each other well, especially in American culture where people often keep their distance from each other. The conversation was observed very early in the day, which is relevant when speaking about chronemics, seeing as time is likely to affect a conversation. In this instance, the boy was likely tired because it was still fairly early in the morning and he had yet to finish his coffee. Were he still this tired in the middle of the night, the reason behind it would likely be quite different, all due to the time the conversation would have taken place. Although I assumed these two were friends, their expression of haptics suggested that they weren't very physical with one another.

Order custom essay An Observation Assignment on the Social Situation of a Boy and a Girl at Starbucks with free plagiarism report

450+ experts on 30 subjects Starting from 3 hours delivery

Get Essay Help

These two were definitely platonic friends, which would explain the absence of romantic touch, but not necessarily the absence of physical contact whatsoever. These two individuals appeared to be on equal status with each other; neither of them acted as though they were superior to the other, and the conversation seemed to be fairly balanced. Their postures suggested familiarity with one another, as well as a lack of concern of the other's judgement. If there was an unequal distribution of power between the two, one would likely be looking to the other to lead conversation, and would also probably sit up straight to maintain a respectful posture when in the presence of a superior.

I doubt that they were talking about anything particularly important, seeing as the boy was only partially paying attention to the conversation. I think it is likely that they are just discussing the goings-on of their lives in a casual manner, with nothing too stressful that would result in obvious non-verbal exhibitions. Nor does either person seem too passionate about the topic at hand, and it's probable that they were just killing time in between classes. Both parties would continually check their phones, at which point they may have been looking at the time. Serious topics usually require the full attention of both parties in order to be adequately discussed, and seeing as that behavior was nonexistent, I sincerely doubt they were talking about anything of worth.

Like any other human being, I have my flaws and am semi-prone to failure. Thus, I think it is totally believable that my inherent bias may have gotten in the way of my observations. I assumed that both of these people were very good friends because their nonchalant behavior around each other, but that may just be a characteristic that I share with my friends. Additionally, the very same behavior could be interpreted as a lack of interest, in which case the two probably aren't very close and don't conversate often. Although I doubt it, I could be wrong about the platonic nature of their friendship, my own personal bias being that I have many platonic relationships with people of the opposite gender as opposed to romantic ones. Regardless of who I am observing, I acknowledge that I am still seeing the world through my own individual lense.

While my unique perspective as an individual can give me greater insight into certain social situations, there are definitely instances in which it inhibits that ability. Being raised differently than everyone around me, I can't be expected to interpret life in the same way that they do, resulting in communicative disconnects between myself and others. Yet it is because of this very reason that I find it necessary to mention that a social situation doesn't have to be interpreted in one specific way. Just as I acknowledge my own margin for error, we must recognize that people see the world differently, because of which there cannot be one single interpretation for a conversation. This is just my take on a social situation, regardless of how correct it is.

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Run a free check or have your essay done for you

Check my essay Hire Writer