NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

Poker Face

Goal To examine nonverbal communication in terms of feelings and reactions. Participants will play a game of poker while others observe the actions of the players.

Time Required Approximately 45 minutes

Group Size An even number of subgroups with three to five persons each

Materials

• One deck of playing cards and poker chips for one-half of the total number of subgroups

• One Poker Face Role Card for each member of the Player subgroups (approximately one-half of participants)

• One Poker Face Hand Rankings Sheet for each participant

• One sheet of blank paper and a pencil for each member of the Observer subgroups (approximately one-half of participants)

• One table for each Player subgroup

PROCESS

1. Introduce the session by stating that poker is a game in which losing and winning can depend in large part on the ability of the player to “bluff” or to act out in a certain way. Participants will have the opportunity to examine the nonverbal communication cues that might occur in these situations.

2. Form an even number of subgroups with three to five persons each. Assign half of the subgroups to be Players and the other half to be Observers.

3. Situate each Player subgroup at a separate table with members of an Observer group surrounding each one.

4. Provide one deck of playing cards and poker chips to each Player subgroup. Distribute one sheet of paper and a pencil to each member of the Observer subgroups.

5. Distribute one copy of the hand rankings sheet to each card player and clarify any questions.

6. Assign one Poker Face Role Card to each player, with a warning to keep the cards hidden from others.

7. Explain that the members of the Player subgroups are to play several hands of some form of poker, making legitimate bets with the poker chips in an effort to win. Tell the players that they are to maintain the characteristic assigned to each throughout the entire game. The members of the Observer subgroups are to carefully study the nonverbal cues of the players and make notes on the sheet provided.

8. Signal for the poker games to start. Allow approximately 7 to 10 minutes and then stop the groups.

9. Ask the observers to report their findings, then ask the players to reveal their assigned characteristics.

10. Facilitate a large group discussion by asking the following questions:

• For players, how did you feel about yourself in this situation? How did you feel about your opponents?

• What nonverbal clues did you pick up as players? As observers?

• Did these nonverbal actions seem congruent with the situation? Why or why not?

• What are some of the characteristics of the nonverbal actions given by particular players? What would these clues normally mean in real-life situations?

• For players, how did maintaining a “consistent expression” affect your playing? Why?

• In the workplace, what are some situations in which we sometimes win by concealing the truth and projecting useful falsehoods?

• How do nonverbal communication cues affect how we interact with others?  What impact does this have on situational outcomes?

POKER FACE ROLE CARDS

ANGRY	TRIUMPHANT
DISHEARTENED	CONFIDENT
ANNOYED	SELF-IMPORTANT
DISMAYED	BORED
DISAPPOINTED	ANXIOUS
SUSPICIOUS	NERVOUS

POKER FACE HAND RANKINGS SHEET

The following poker hands are ranked from highest to lowest. If there are two or more hands that qualify, the one with the higher-ranking cards wins.

Royal flush: A straight from a ten to an ace and all five cards of the same suit. In poker, suit does not matter; pots are split between equally strong hands.

Straight flush: Any straight with all five cards of the same suit.

Four of a kind: Any four cards of the same rank. If two players share the same four of a kind, the fifth card will decide who wins the pot—the higher card wins.

Full house: Any three cards of the same rank together with any two cards of the same rank. Ties are broken first by the three of a kind, then the pair.

Flush: Any five cards of the same suit that are not consecutive. The highest card of the five determines the rank of the flush.

Straight: Any five consecutive cards of different suits. The ace counts as either a high or a low card.

Three of a kind: Any three cards of the same rank.

Two pair: Any two cards of the same rank together with another two cards of the same rank. The higher pair of the two determines the rank of the two pair.

One pair: Any two cards of the same rank.

High card: Any hand that does not make up any of the above-mentioned hands.