Regina Lawson

Angela Rice

Tietjen

Freshman Seminar

11 December 1998

The topic of our presentation was human interaction and how we touch. We did research and also recorded some data to come up with results. These results were placed in an excel spreadsheet and graphed on a bar chart within our presentation. We also scanned some pictures that we took to show some examples of our research.

Our presentation covered the differences between how men and women interact with other men, other women, and children, separately. With men we discussed their aggression and non-aggression aspects of their behavior. In sports, they tend to be extremely aggressive by tackling, hitting, or headbutting each other. These aggressive behaviors are not because they are angry or upset, but because they are interacting with each other in a masculine sort of way.

Women are not as aggressive as men. Instead of tackling or hitting each other, they give "high fives." The are also much more emotional and nurturing than men. They feel more comfortable touching in public to show how they really feel. They show that they care for someone, male or female, by hugging them.

Our results from observing the above behaviors on Bellarmine’s campus and in the mall were placed in a spreadsheet and graphed. The results are as follows:

Of the men observed, most acted aggressively with other men, and non-aggressively towards women. Women acted similarly with the exception of their non-aggressive behavior towards other women.

Our results, shown on the graph above, coincided with the results that we expected to obtain.

When interacting with children, men will act differently toward boys than girls. With boys, they are more aggressive and will wrestle with them. They buy boys things that will help promote aggressiveness. Some of the toys might be boxing gloves, footballs, helmets, or some kind of war game. With girls, men seem to be more protective than aggressive. When they spend time with girls, they will cuddle with them and hug them. Men will not do much cuddling with boys.

Women will interact with any child similarly. With girls or boys, they will hug them and play with them, but not aggressively. They will not wrestle with the boys and instead of buying them boxing gloves they will buy them G.I. Joes’. This is similar to the dolls that they buy girls.

When interacting with infants, men will hold the child facing away from his body whereas women will hold them in close and facing their body. Men usually hold the child with only one arm where women will wrap the child up in their arms.

In conclusion, all humans interact but perhaps in different ways. All people interact in one way or another. This interaction is important for us to display our feelings towards others and to have better communication.