Littlejohn - Chapter 5

From what I read on Littlejohn’s book titled “Communication Theories, Theories of Human Communication” page 159, I am interested in the first assumption in Birdwhistell’s theory about body language. In his book, Kinetics and Context, the first assumption of the theory is all body movement has important meaning in communication context and everyone always be able to give meaning in each activity.

I am interested in that assumption because sometimes we can see the truth of what someone say based on our attention in his/her body language. For example, when a boss asks the subordinate why he/she late, the subordinate may answer that his/her motorcycle was broken. The boss can make a conclusion from his/her body movement to decide whether he/she is lying or not. If the subordinate act unusual and his/her body movement looks uncomfortable in answering, more often his/her appearance is messy, the boss can conclude that the subordinate is lying and maybe the subordinate comes late because of another reason, such as the subordinate comes late because of he/she wake up late.

From the assumption has been explained in Littlejohn book, we know that body language has an important role in communication. The assumption that Birdwhistell explained make us clear to see the “real” truth in a communication. This is because all of body movement always communicate something, no matter what the communicator says. As Birdwhistell said, everyone always be able to give meaning in body activity.

Question: This assumption seems like the person need his/her own perception. Do you agree in it?

Reference: Littlejohn, Stephen W. and Karen A. Foss. Communication Theories, Theories of Human Communication. 9^th edition. Jakarta: Salemba Humanika.