Interpersonal Communication- A Mindful Approach to Relationships, 2020a

Artifacts are items with which we adorn our bodies or which we carry with us. Artifacts include glasses,
jewelry, canes, shoes, clothing, or any object associated with our body that communicates meaning. One
very famous artifact that most everyone can recognize is the glasses of Harry Potter. Harry Potter’s style
of glasses has taken on their own meaning. What does his style of eyewear communicate when donned
by others? Clothing also stimulates meaning. Do you recall Barney Stinson’s famous line “suit up” in
How I Met Your Mother? Why was it necessary to suit up? Recently, Snoop Dogg was given a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame. Snoop Dogg was wearing a beautiful, classic camel hair overcoat. In contrast,
he was wearing large bulky jewelry. What do these two types of artifacts communicate? One of the
authors is a big fan. The author interpreted the classic overcoat as Snoop having excellent taste and the
jewelry as strength and wealth. Together the artifacts were interpreted as power.
Chronemics, as explained by Thomas J. Bruneau, 19 is the use of time to communicate. The use of
time is considered to be culturally bound, with some cultures using monochronic time and others
using polychronic time. Cultures using monochronic time engage in one task at a time. Cultures using
polychronic time engage in multiple tasks at the same time. This use of time involves fluidity with
individuals feeling free to work on multiple tasks simultaneously rather than completing a task before
moving to the next task, as in the monochronic use of time. When considering how time is used, it is
necessary to consider individual preferences as well as cultural preferences. Traditionally, the U.S. is
a monochronic culture along with Canada or Northern Europe. Korea is an example of a polychronic
culture along with Latin America, the Arab part of the Middle East, and Sub-Saharan Africa. However,
one can live in each of these cultures and express the opposite orientation toward time. One of the
authors is admittedly uptight when it comes to time. She is highly monochronic. This author went to a
conference in Puerto Rico, which represents a polychronic orientation toward time. Buses usually run
30 minutes late, if not longer. Time is a bit more fluid rather than incremental in polychronic cultures.
Unfortunately, the author failed to take this into account and nearly missed a presentation. This resulted
in stress that could have been avoided had she remembered to pay more attention to the time orientation
of those around her.
Finally, olfactics generally refers to the influence of scent on perceptions. Scent can draw others in or
repel them, and the same scent can have different impacts on different people. According to statistica.
com, the global estimated sales value of the fragrances worldwide in 2016 was $47 billion U.S. dollars.
This is in addition to $39 billion U.S. dollars in shower and bath products and another $20.5 billion
in deodorants. The total spending in these categories was $106.5 billion U.S. dollars. These figures
underscore the importance of “smelling good” across the globe. Consider the impact of failing to manage
one’s natural scent in the workplace. Countless articles in the popular media address how to deal with a
“smelly coworker.” Thus, it is crucial to be aware of one’s scent, including the ones we wear in an effort
not to offend those around us. Although smelling “bad” may end a relationship or at least create distance,
an attractive scent may help individuals begin a new relationship. Have you ever purchased a new scent
before a first date? If so, you are aware of the power of scent to attract a mate. Although we regularly try
to cover our scent, we also attempt to control the scent of our environments. The air freshener market in
2016 was valued at $1.62 billion U.S. dollars. Go to your local grocery store and investigate the number
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