What I Have Learned, cont'd

Beginning with Laura's definition from wikipedia, haptics is "the study of touching as nonverbal communication, and haptic communication refers to how people and other animals communicate via touching."

Throughout this blog I have learned so much. We learned that we begin using haptic touch at birth and use it throughout our lifetime. I learned that haptics nonverbal communication differs between men and women and also differs in different cultures. From handshakes to kisses to hugs, these are all forms of haptic nonverbal communication and convey different meanings depending on the settings. Haptic touch can happen in sports, intimate relations, and even our cell phones. In sports, especially high-contact sports, we can see how the players interact with each other nonverbally and the gestures they use. With cell phones, we use haptic technology, especially with touch screen cell phones. I use haptic technology with my iPhone everyday.

Overall, I learned that haptics are key for human exploration in this world. We utilize touch everyday of our lives. This blog really opened my eyes to the different degrees of haptics nonverbal communication. It really is everywhere we look in the world.

What I Have Learned

In my definition of haptics at the beginning of this blog, I wrote that Haptics is the study of touch in non-verbal communication. According to wikipedia, haptics is "the study of touching as nonverbal communication, and haptic communication refers to how people and other animals communicate via touching."

In the subsequent posts by my fellow group members, we discovered examples of touch, and the different areas where we see haptics in the world today. We learned that touch begins at birth, and lasts a lifetime. Anyone who owns a cell phone that uses haptics technology is directly impacted by haptics. We might not have thought about it that way before this blog.

In addition, during this blog and in our studies, I learned that a handshake is a prime example of haptics nonverbal communication. Every time I meet someone at work, I shake their hands while introducing myself. It really is true that you learn something about someone by participating in something as simple as a handshake.

There are other examples of haptics non verbal communication, and how it is approached by people in different cultures, and between genders. I learned how touch is so important to us, and how it begins at birth.  As a Mother, I know how important it was to touch, and hold, my children when they were young. As a result of how their parents approached touch, I believe both of my children approach touch the same way. As a child, I know how comforting touch was when I was much younger, and how it still is comforting as a middle-aged woman.

When I watch a football game, I pay attention to what kind of haptics nonverbal communication is used by the players in the game. Last, I pay attention to how men and women use it in a social gathering.

I believe this blog was a real learning experience because it allowed me to learn about a subject that I use on a daily basis.