Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Causes of Social Behavior I: Actions and Characteristics of Individuals

Causes of Social Behavior I: Actions and Characteristics of Individuals

The actions and characteristics of others heavily influence the causes of social behaviors. Emotional expressions serve as powerful social signals, shaping behaviors and interactions in significant ways. Whether through direct observation or subconscious processing, individuals constantly adjust their responses based on the emotions and attributes of those around them.Emotional Cues and Social ResponsesFacial expressions, tone of voice, and body language provide crucial emotional cues that...

Impression Management Techniques I: Managing Appearances

Impression Management Techniques I: Managing Appearances

Appearance is a multidimensional aspect of self-presentation that encompasses observable attributes such as clothing, grooming, speech, and nonverbal behavior. These elements are often strategically managed to align with socially constructed expectations in different settings. For instance, individuals tailor their appearance during job interviews, social gatherings, or athletic events to meet the perceived norms of those environments.Contextual Adaptation and Social SignalsThe research...

Non-Verbal Cues

Non-Verbal Cues

Non-verbal communication extends beyond gestures and facial expressions to include vocal elements known as paralanguage. Paralanguage consists of non-verbal vocal cues such as pitch, loudness, speech rate, pauses, and non-verbal vocalizations like laughter, sighs, and moans. These elements not only accompany speech but also provide critical emotional and contextual information.The Role of Paralanguage in CommunicationParalanguage adds depth to spoken language by conveying emotions and...

Social Proof

Social proof is a form of persuasion based on comparison and conformity. People compare their behavior and actions to what others are doing and will change to conform to do what their peers do.

Introducing Social Perception

Introducing Social Perception

Perceiving others accurately is fundamental to effective communication and relationship-building. Social perception, a key concept in social psychology, refers to the cognitive processes through which individuals gather and interpret information about others to understand their actions, intentions, and motivations. This process extends beyond spoken words and overt behaviors, incorporating subtle nonverbal cues and contextual factors.Nonverbal Cues and Their SignificanceNonverbal cues play a...

Impression Management Techniques III: Aligning Actions

Impression Management Techniques III: Aligning Actions

Aligning actions are communicative strategies individuals employ to maintain social harmony and preserve personal identity in the face of potential disruptions to social norms. These actions are particularly important in managing social impressions when one's behavior might be seen as inappropriate, incompetent, or morally questionable.Types of Aligning ActionsThe three principal types of aligning actions are disclaimers, accounts, and apologies.DisclaimersDisclaimers are preventive; they are...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Shyness and face scanning in children.

Journal of anxiety disorders·2009

Same author

Shy children are less sensitive to some cues to facial recognition.

Child psychiatry and human development·2009

Same author

Are shy adults really bolder online? It depends on the context.

Cyberpsychology & behavior : the impact of the Internet, multimedia and virtual reality on behavior and society·2008

Same author

What is so critical?: a commentary on the reexamination of critical periods.

Developmental psychobiology·2006

Same author

Beyond emotion archetypes: databases for emotion modelling using neural networks.

Neural networks : the official journal of the International Neural Network Society·2005

Same author

Can patients with chronic schizophrenia express emotion? A speech analysis.

Schizophrenia research·2003

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 28, 2026

Assessment of Social Interaction Behaviors

Assessment of Social Interaction Behaviors

Published on: February 25, 2011

Politeness and social signals.

Paul M Brunet¹, Roderick Cowie, Hastings Donnan

¹School of Psychology, Queen's University Belfast, University Road, Belfast, UK. p.brunet@qub.ac.uk

Cognitive Processing

|October 11, 2011

Summary

Politeness research needs a broader approach beyond linguistics. Applying a social signal framework offers a unified view of politeness as a communicative state, enhancing cross-cultural understanding.

Area of Science:

Social Sciences
Linguistics
Communication Studies

Background:

Politeness is studied across various disciplines.
Brown and Levinson's linguistic theory is widely cited but lacks universal cultural applicability.
Existing research on politeness is fragmented and requires a unifying framework.

Purpose of the Study:

To propose a more comprehensive approach to understanding politeness.
To introduce a social signal framework for analyzing politeness.
To unify existing politeness research and identify future directions.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on politeness theories.
Conceptualization of politeness as a communicative state within a social signal framework.

More Related Videos

Examining Gesture Production in the Presence of Communication Challenges

Examining Gesture Production in the Presence of Communication Challenges

Published on: January 26, 2024

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Observing Virtual Social Interactions

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Observing Virtual Social Interactions

Published on: July 6, 2011

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 28, 2026

Assessment of Social Interaction Behaviors

Assessment of Social Interaction Behaviors

Published on: February 25, 2011

Examining Gesture Production in the Presence of Communication Challenges

Examining Gesture Production in the Presence of Communication Challenges

Published on: January 26, 2024

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Observing Virtual Social Interactions

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Observing Virtual Social Interactions

Published on: July 6, 2011

Analysis of the limitations of current politeness models.

Main Results:

Brown and Levinson's theory, while influential, has limitations in cross-cultural generalizability.
A social signal framework provides a more integrated perspective on politeness.
Viewing politeness as a communicative state can reconcile diverse research findings.

Conclusions:

A social signal framework offers a more robust and universally applicable model for politeness.
This approach can unify disparate politeness research and guide future studies.
Further research is needed to explore the implications of politeness as a communicative state.