In our interaction with others, we easily and naturally use our senses as we communicate and exchange information. To increase the effectiveness of our communication, we see an increasing need to use non-verbal communication to convey messages across more accurately.
While shopping at a store, I saw 2 different couples and observed their differences. From my observation, Couple A are maybe in their 40s couple and Couple B are a young couple. .Let me differentiate them as young couple and old couple. In the case of old couple, they were choosing the curtain design and from the girl’s posture, I could see that she was not pleased. She was frowning and had her hands folded. However, when her partner asked her what was wrong, she did not tell him what was the problem. It might be she was not liking the design that the partner had picked but did not voice out her disagreement. On the other hand, the young couple situation is the opposite. The guy discuss with his partner before choosing the design and keep seeking each other opinions. From my observation, I evaluate the interaction in terms of how culture, gender or age seem to influence communication.
Firstly,culture. Culture has a very important role in the way we were brought up. People who are brought up the traditional Chinese where they favour males more are more likely to grow up in a male dominant household. For males, the chance of them possessing male chauvinism personalities are higher. This might caused them to force people to think like them and dislike people disagreeing with them.
Secondly, age do matters. As the society is stressing on equality rights and females are also working to support the family, both males and females have equal rights and they have a say in any decisions made. This is applied more to younger female as it is only in recent years that there are females in higher important post.
Hence, the younger generation view man and woman having equal rights and thus most things important are discussed together before making any decision.
Thirdly, gender. Male and Female think very differently and the way they respond to certain instances can be very different. Some females are more timid and therefore do not voice out their discomfort. I know female likes to say they are fine when in fact they are not, hoping their male counterparts would notice and show some concerns.
In conclusion people behaves very differently from each other because of multiple influences such as culture,age and gender.
Edited : 15/2/16
Blogs commented
Syahirah – 7c
Kok Zheng
YaWen
daptan 
Thank you, Daphne, for this observation post. Just like your blog group member Zong Hong, you frame a discussion of the difference in approaches to communication according to age, gender and culture within your descriptive observation. In your case there are two couples shopping.
One problem in this description for me is that you don’t make the “norm” clear. Are you suggesting that among older couples men are more sensitive to a partner’s feelings?
Another point that worries me here is the idea that you can extrapolate such grand conclusions on gender, age and culture from such little evidence — just two couples. What if the couples are “exceptions” to some insinuated rule?
There are also some language issues:
1) animated talking agents >>> ?
2) She was frowning and had her hands folded. However, when her partner ask her what is wrong, she acts as if there is no problem. >>> (verb tense inconsistency)
3) Firstly, how culture affect us? >>> (question form?)
4) Some female >>> (count noun)
The post also seems to end abruptly.
Let’s work on this.
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Hi Brad, thank you for your comment and I had edited my post. Please take a look at it.
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Thank you, Daphne. This is a better effort. We may have an opportunity in class to discuss this further so you can improve it even more. 🙂
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Hi Daphne, it is clear as to how you frame your post according to culture, age and gender much similar to mine.
You had explained about how culture, age and gender affect communication but perhaps you can explain more about how these affect the couples in your post.
As Brad had mentioned, your post also seems to end abruptly, maybe you can add in a conclusion as to how culture, age and gender affect verbal and nonverbal communication.
In your post, you suggested that younger couple tends to discuss the things that they want to buy more than older couples. What make you conclude about this behaviour? Let’s discuss this.
Overall, I think that you did a great job in describing your observation on the two couple.
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Hi ZongHong, I think this way because I feel for older people, they tend to leave everything up to the breadwinner to decide important matters and the percentage of housewives are higher for the age group, hence they do not feel the need to discuss matters.
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Hi Dap, I like how you describe non-verbal communication and observation between the two copules.
However, I have a few question regarding on age.
1. How the age affect in this situation? For example (immature mindset ?)
2. What kind of culture really affect ? Maybe you can explain more detail.
3. I do believe that male and female react very different in different situations. Maybe you should write more about male too.
Overall, its a good post to read.
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Hi YaWen, to answer your question:
1) Like what I replied to ZongHong, I feel younger generation discuss matters between themselves more than older generation, thus age will affect communication.
2) Culture like chinese culture where we favor males more affect the way we communicate too.
3)I have edited the post, pls check it:)
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Hey Daphne,
Despite some minor language errors, I find you blog post interesting. For example, i find the way you labelled the couples kind of confusing. For instance, maybe you could label them as the ‘young couple’ and the ‘older couple’ instead. In your post, you mentioned that the younger generation view both man and woman equally. Just a random thought, what do you think about feminism ?
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Hi Hirahh, thanks for your kind comment! Regarding feminism, I think its not so common in Singapore. However there are some sectors which I feel they should advocate feminism is in the economics side. Many people view economist as a man job and they will progress higher than females. What do you think about this?
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Hi Daphne,
I fairly enjoyed reading your post. Your observations of both couple are surely interesting and you made some sound deductions regarding their age and the society. However, I do not think the same on the gender portion. as you are comparing how both couples are reacting, instead of comparing the behavior of the female counterpart. I am rather confused about that part. Please explain to me further on why that deduction is made. Thank you.
Cheers,
Angela Cheng
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Hi Daphne!
I enjoyed reading your post. I would like to give you my feedback based on the 7c.
1) Clear.
I find your post quite unclear when you mentioned about culture. Are both of these couple (young and old) Chinese? I have to assume one of the couple is as you mentioned “People who are brought up the traditional Chinese”. It will be more clear if you mentioned their ethnicity so that you can compare the culture of these two couple. If both of these couples are Chinese, maybe you can explain how people who are not brought up in a traditional Chinese way, would think?
2) Concise.
Overall, your post is concise as you tried to explain your post in the shortest possible with as much details. Good job!
3) Concrete.
Your post is concrete. you provided relevant details to explain your post.
4) Correct.
You wrote about your observations between two couple which fits with the assignment given. Therefore, it is correct.
5) Coherent.
Your post is coherent, all your sentences are related to the previous sentences. The points are interlinked very well.
6) Complete.
Your post is complete as you provide your observations and how gender, age and culture might affect the two couple’s actions. However, i feel that you can explain more in your conclusion? It seems to end abruptly.
7) Courteous.
I find that your post is definitely very courteous. There are no aggressive tone in your post.
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Hi Daphne!
I enjoyed reading your post. I would like to give you my feedback based on the 7c.
1) Clear.
I find your post quite unclear when you mentioned about culture. Are both of these couple (young and old) Chinese? I have to assume one of the couple is as you mentioned “People who are brought up the traditional Chinese”. It will be more clear if you mentioned their ethnicity so that you can compare the culture of these two couple. If both of these couples are Chinese, maybe you can explain how people who are not brought up in a traditional Chinese way, would think?
2) Concise.
Overall, it is concise as you tried explaining your post in the shortest possible with as much details while keeping to the point. Good job!
3) Concrete.
Your post is concrete as it is logical and relevant details are given.
4) Correct.
You wrote about your observations between two couple which fits with the assignment given. Therefore, it is correct.
5) Coherent.
I find that your post is coherent as the story goes consistently, as first you provide your observations followed by verbal and non-verbal behaviour.
6) Complete.
Your post is complete as you provide your observations and how gender, age and culture might affect the two couple’s actions. Perhaps you can write more in your conclusion? It seems to end abruptly.
7) Courteous.
I find that your post is definitely very courteous. I can’t find any aggressive tone in your post.
I hope you find that these feedback would help improve your post. Looking forward to read more from you, Daphne!
Regards,
Hany Humaira
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