Not Crazy, Just Talking On The Phone: Gestures And Mobile Phone Conversations

This paper discusses why mobile phone users engage in vivid nonverbal communication behaviors that do not benefit their communication partner, e.g., gesturing, smiling, and nodding their heads. It reviews generally the literature on nonverbal aspects of mobile phone use. It then specifically focuses on the communicative functions of nonverbal behavior, such as the use of gesture in speaking when the partner is not visually present and how it can influence conversations. This literature review can help inform the design of field studies that attribute meaning to nonverbal communication associated with mobile phone use, particularly in societies where nonverbal communication is very rich. Ultimately, such studies can lead to innovative design that takes advantage of the nonverbal communication patterns of mobile phone users, and some design ideas are presented