Social Media and Communication
COMMUNication game
We constructed a game to illustrate the limits and complications of modern communication in the face of a sparse and increasingly homogenized common vocabulary. The picture below shows our process for developing this activity.
- Participants were asked to draw an "emotion", written on small sheets of paper from a hat, and keep it to themselves.
- After being split into groups of two the participants were then given the same generic sentence.
- Each participant was tasked with vocally stating the sentence, through three different steps.
- Step 1: Without the use of voice inflection, body language, or colorful vocabulary, each participant read through the statements. Each participant took their best guess as to which emotion, from the "emotions" word bank, their partner was trying to convey.
- Step 2: Participants could draw from the "descriptive words" word bank to enhance the intended emotional conveyance. They were able to use as many words from the word bank as possible, with the limitation that the word could be only used once for the entire game duration. They were then asked to read the enhanced sentence, again with no inflection. Their partner would take their best guess as to which emotion was being expressed.
- Step 3 : In the final step, the enhanced sentence from step 2 was read with gusto. Participants could use as much inflection and gesticulation as needed to convey their message. Emotions would be guessed one final time.
- Step 4: The true emotion is revealed and both partners share about the process of emotion discernment.
- These four steps were repeated with three different statements.