Perceiving Nonverbal Cues

Here is an interesting article--something quite different from what we normally see about nonverbal communication. The article (in the October issue of Smithsonian) discusses a course given to police brass to help them analyze crime scenes. The course is called, "The Art of Perception"--though "Perceiving Nonverbal Cues" might be a better title--and in it the instructor--Amy Herman--has police officers describe what they see in paintings. The idea is help police officers to "fine tune their attention to visual details" though I would think it would be equally valuable for health care workers, teachers, social workers, and a host of others who need to become more observant. It's an interesting way to teach sensitivity to nonverbal cues and also has enormous practical application.