Observation 1

Observation #1: Functions of Communication Participants: Haley – female, age 7; Paul-Anthony – male, age 2 Setting: Haley and Paul-Anthony are in the living room of my mother’s house in Salida, CA. Paul-Anthony is guiding a Nintendo Wii remote up and down in the air. There are other relatives and older girls moving about the house, celebrating Paul-Anthony’s sister’s 11th birthday. Description of Interaction: H:

Interaction Whatcha doin, Papa?

Context Speaking to P-A.

PA:

Huh?

Makes eye contact with Haley.

H:

You playin’ Superman?

Clarifying her question.

PA:

Soo-man?

Looks down to remote.

H:

Superman!

Haley enunciates “Superman.”

PA:

No! Spa-man!

Grimaces, pulls remote to his chest.

H:

Be careful with the controller, okay? Points at the remote.

PA:

Wan pay game!

Points at the Wii console with remote.

H:

Game? You wanna play a game?

Turns on the TV.

PA:

Pay game!

Shakes Wii remote at the TV.

H:

Kay, hold on.

Turns on the Wii console.

PA:

Game! Wan pay golf!

Continues shaking the remote.

H:

Can I play?

Finds a second remote.

PA:

No!

Shifts away from Haley, remote to chest.

Communication Acts Observed and Stategies Employed to Achieve them:

Haley:

Attention-getting. Questioning (Informing).

Paul-Anthony:

Acknowledging. Ritualizing.

Haley:

Trying to clarify Paul-Anthony’s role. Imagining.

Paul-Anthony:

Requesting clarification of reference. Questioning (Informing)

Haley:

Correcting. Controlling.

Paul-Anthony:

Rejection, correcting. Controlling.

Haley:

Persuading. Controlling.

Paul-Anthony:

Directing. Controlling.

Haley:

Complying with direct request. Ritualizing.

Paul-Anthony:

Directing. Controlling.

Haley:

Acknowledging, directing. Controlling.

Paul-Anthony:

Directing. Controlling.

Haley:

Indirect request. Controlling.

Paul-Anthony:

Rejecting. Controlling.

My Thoughts: As Haley was too young to interact with the older girls, she attempted to connect with the younger Paul-Anthony, who was engaged in role-play on his own. PaulAnthony resists Haley’s attempts by rejecting her assumptions, and then tries to manipulate her by directly requesting to play a video game. Haley, seeing this as an opportunity to socialize, complies with his request, but is rejected once again when PaulAnthony denies her request to play the game together.