Effects of interpersonal relationship, interpersonal distance, and gender on nonverbal behavior in dyads of strangers and acquaintances

Abstract

To investigate the effects of actual relationship in dyads (strangers or acquaintances), interpersonal distance, and gender on nonverbal behavior, 32 (16 male and 16 female) undergraduates interact in same sex pair for 7 minutes. The nonverbal behavior investigated was look, eye contact, body orientation, head orientation, body lean, and utterance. The interactions were video-taped. Major findings: 1. Effects of the relationship were found in the frequency of look, duration, frequency, and mean duration of smile, and frequency of body lean (forward). 2. Effects of the interpersonal distance were found in the duration and frequency of smile, frequency of head orientation, duration and frequency of body lean (forward), and duration of eye contact and utterance. 3. Sex differences were found in the frequency of look, duration of smile, duration and frequency of body lean (forward), and duration of eye contact.