1. Identifying How Environment Affects Communication Did you know that environment can affect or behavior and mood?

2. Your environment includes all features of the immediate surroundings. Features of the environment are counted as nonverbal communication because they can affect your behavior and mood as well as that of your audience.

3. Environmental Features When you think about nonverbal communication, you may not think immediately about the effect of environment, but features of the environment can send important messages.  These features may include:  Color  Lighting  Sound  Space

4. Color  People often respond to the subtle effects of color in their surroundings.  Some colors, such as reds, yellows, and oranges, have a stimulating effect. To many people, these colors seem warm, full of vitality, and exciting.  Other people see blues, greens, and beiges as cool, peaceful, or neutral.  In general, black and brown seem mysterious and sophisticated, while white seems innocent and childlike.

5. Lighting  Lighting can effect an audience’s behavior and mood to various ways.  Low lighting tends to create a relaxed, quiet atmosphere in which people want to linger.  Bright lighting stimulates conversation and interaction, while extremely bright lighting may cause fatigue.

6. Sound  Sound often compliments lighting.  In a dimly lit restaurant, you expect soft music.  In a brightly lit restaurant, you expect somewhat louder music. However, loud or continuous noises are almost always distracting.

7. Space  Strictly defined, the space around you may include large, permanent elements (such as various kinds of buildings), smaller structures (such as rooms and walls), movable elements (such as furniture), and the personal spaces that people regard as their territory.  Generally, the amount of space between you and your audience affects your communication.

8. Four Space Distances Intimate Space  Consists of up to 18 inches between you and other people.  It is the distance you feel comfortable communicating with family members and close friends.  Violation of intimate space by strangers can cause friction.  Most people will back away from someone who they are not comfortable with having in their intimate space.  The boundary of intimate space may differ depending on the custom of the country you are in. Person Space  Consists of the distance ranging from 18 inches to four feet between you and other people.  It is the distance in which you conduct more conversations with acquaintances.  You want people to be close enough so that you can hear and see each other easily, but not so close that either of you feels uncomfortable.

9. Four Space Distances Social Space  Consists of a distance of 4 to 12 feet between you and other people.  It is the distance at which you carry on interviews and other formal kinds of conversations. Public Space  Consists of the area beyond 12 feet between you and other.  It is the distance at which you expect such types of communication as public speeches and oral readings to take place.

10. Activity Six  Select three communication environments – for example, a classroom, a sitting area in your home or school, and a public meeting room.  For homework, describe the color, lighting, sounds, and space in each environment.  How do these features contribute to or detract form the communication setting?  How do these features differ from one environment to another?  Due on Tuesday, Sept. 15