Reading Assignment / Unit 7: People Are Social Animals

Definitions: 

Dunbar’s number - 

A suggested cognitive limit to the number of people with whom one can maintain stable social relationships. These are relationships in which an individual knows who each person is, and how each person relates to every other person.

mirror neurons - 

A neuron that fires both when an animal acts and when the animal observes the same action performed by another.

synchronous activity - 

An adjective describing objects or events that are coordinated in time.

Duchenne smile - 

A smile involving contraction of both the zygomatic major muscle (which raises the corners of the mouth) and the orbicularis oculi (which raises the cheeks and forms crow's feet around the eyes).

In "How People React to the Environment" (My book is a newer edition so the chapter titles are different), Weinschenk was basically laying out what a presenter should prepare before he or she conduct the speech. A presenter should always arrives early at the venue to check lightings, sounds, surroundings, even adjust the environment into something that is suitable for the speech. A presenter should also check with respondents of the host to make sure number of people that are attending the event; again, get things ready to present and be prepare. She also mentioned placement of the seating is a vital factor if the audience will be able to pay attention in the speech.

Timing is also an important factor. Before meal time, people tend to be tried and hungry and it is not the best time to deliver presentation. However, if one choose to do the presentation after the meal time, people are full and they will get sleepy if the presentation does not grab their attention. In other words, it is wise for a presenter to pick a time slot that lies in between meals and if the situation does not allow that, avoid talking about food during the presentation. Just make sure the audience are comfortable, consider the audiences' feeling.