Power, Dominance, and Nonverbal Behavior

by Steve L. Ellyson (Editor)

The study of nonverbal behavior has substantially grown in importance in social psychology during the past twenty years. In addition, other disciplines are increas ingly bringing their unique perspectives to this research area. Investigators from a wide variety of fields such as developmental, clinical, and social psychology, as well as primatology, human ethology, sociology, anthropology, and biology have system atically examined nonverbal aspects of behavior. Nowhere in the nonverbal behavior literature has such multidisciplinary concern been more evident than in the study of the communication of power and dominance. Ethological insights that explored nonhuman-human parallels in nonverbal communication provided the impetus for the research of the early 19708. The sociobiological framework stimulated the search for analogous and homologous gestures, expressions, and behavior patterns among various species of primates, including humans. Other lines of research, in contrast to evolutionary-based models, have focused on the importance of human developmental and social contexts in determining behaviors associated with power and dominance. Unfortunately, there has been little in the way of cross-fertilization or integration among these fields. A genuine need has existed for a forum that exam ines not only where research on power, dominance, and nonverbal behavior has been, but also where it will likely lead. We thus have two major objectives in this book. One goal is to provide the reader with multidisciplinary, up-to-date literature reviews and research findings."

232 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1985

Reviews

[Darrel Parker · Rating 1 out of 5]

Steve Ellyson tormented and traumatized me so terribly that it took 10 years to even begin to heal. He was a professor at Youngstown State University and lured me to his office under false pretenses. He knew I am a trauma survivor and proceeded to yell at me, telling me that people would come and get me and beat me and worse. He even admitted to me that he enjoyed tormenting me. He is a sadist and belongs in jail.