Non-Verbal Communication: Self-Deception and its Social Consequences

Non-Verbal Communication
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Non-Verbal Communication
Question 1
Introduction:
Self-deception is the act of complete denial or rationalization of the presence or significance of opposing evidence. This type of thinking is prevalent in measuring attractiveness which is a critical component of social existence. Over the years, men and women have found new ways of appearing attractive and different ways of identifying people's attractiveness. Consequently, people worldwide agree with who is and who is not attractive with a bit of grey area. In the modern era, people affirm their attractiveness with the number of likes, thumbs up, or love reactions they get on a post. Social media platforms have sort of introduced non-verbal communication in the discussion of attractiveness. As Antonijevic (2013) writes, these likes and reactions are a mere extension of non-verbal cues that people use to convey meaning. For a long time, the focus has been on outward appearance hence the many photos that people share on social media platforms. Attributes such as fashion and latest trends have continued to dictate what and who is attractive in society, and to a great extent, such aspects in society confirm Lemon's (2007) assertion that fashion and style could be in a way forms of non-verbal social communication. In any society, attractive people have more significant resources and greater reproductive success than others if history is anything to go by. Therefore, individuals have an added incentive to perceive themselves as more attractive and fitting of what society considers attractive. Thus, this essay analyzes self-deception concerning '''attractiveness''' and the consequences to the individuals.
Social Consequence of One's Appearance:
The perception of attractiveness varies from culture throughout history, with cultural characteristics sometimes outweighing biological ones. For instance, facial symmetry has for the longest time been considered attractive. Characteristics such as height for men and waist to hip ratio are considered attractive. Therefore, it appears illogical that individuals are intentionally willing to fool themselves. Philosophers and psychologists have struggled to understand this phenomenon and the thinking behind it. The biggest determinant that a person will be truthful is the nature of the information they possess at a particular time. Apart from working and long-term memory, contextual constraints and pressure are applied to determine whether the information provided is truthful. When a situation is not attached to personal, rational, or professional costs, the individual is more likely. However, when the person perceives information to be problematic, they will lie. When the context is added to a station, it can put someone on the spot and force them to confess if no other potential falsehood is readily accessible. Therefore, almost everyone is likely to lie if the conditions are right (Levine & McCornack, 2014).
Self-deception is not necessarily attributed to an individual's inability to make a logical conclusion. Humans tend to mislead people by withholding information or blatantly deceiving them. A person that practices self-deception looks for outwards i...