Meaning is imperative when determining non-verbal signals. If we don't understand the contexts where expressions happen, we won't arrive at that elusive goal of communication, shared meaning, a valid conclusion of the interpretation of nonverbal signals coupled with verbal understanding. There are five contexts I'll be addressing that relate to this interpretation; physical, social, cultural, temporal and psychological.
These contexts compose a larger communication picture and are vital to understand and acknowledge. In fact, I'll go so far to say that when engaged in threat assessment, ignoring context is dangerous. Here's why:
Some physical contexts can become too familiar. Daily exposure to our physical contexts numbs awareness, dumbs us down through familiarity. As a result we lose awareness of closest exits, lines of sight through windows and around walls and door frames, or moveable barriers that can help secure an area. Raising awareness of the physical context is simply taking note, listening for the unfamiliar voice, realizing a new obstruction or the removal of some furniture. Manipulate someone's physical context and you're apt to create a bit of an accident, simply because we're not paying attention out of familiarity.
These contexts compose a larger communication picture and are vital to understand and acknowledge. In fact, I'll go so far to say that when engaged in threat assessment, ignoring context is dangerous. Here's why:
Physical
This is where communication happens and often dictates complementary contexts. As an LEO your physical context changes per call, from a traffic stop on a freeway shoulder to a welfare check in a bar to DD at a domicile. These are all physical contexts wherein you reach, or try to reach shared meaning. Your cruiser, the area command, booking, the high school where you’re a resource officer are all physical contexts that dictate communicative behavior psychologically, socially and culturally.Some physical contexts can become too familiar. Daily exposure to our physical contexts numbs awareness, dumbs us down through familiarity. As a result we lose awareness of closest exits, lines of sight through windows and around walls and door frames, or moveable barriers that can help secure an area. Raising awareness of the physical context is simply taking note, listening for the unfamiliar voice, realizing a new obstruction or the removal of some furniture. Manipulate someone's physical context and you're apt to create a bit of an accident, simply because we're not paying attention out of familiarity.
While call contexts might morph into stereotypes like single-wides and motel rooms, crack houses and McMansions, the LEO has to resist what might be predictable about their physical contexts. As soon as an assumption is made about a call context, we’ve ruled out the possibility of something different, out of our scope, and that could become a threat to officer safety.
The key is awareness, the details, the placement of obstacles, the artifactual cues within that speak to an action, the reason you’re responding. When responding to the call context of a domicile, it’s critical to assess all egress, memorize your track through the location as you clear rooms, know your orientation within the structure and index potential caches that could be turned against you in a tactical situation.
The key is awareness, the details, the placement of obstacles, the artifactual cues within that speak to an action, the reason you’re responding. When responding to the call context of a domicile, it’s critical to assess all egress, memorize your track through the location as you clear rooms, know your orientation within the structure and index potential caches that could be turned against you in a tactical situation.
Social
Within the physical context we communicate based on established social contexts made up of relationships and expectations, or role and rules. The social context in a call establishes the relationship between the LEO and subject and implies and warrants rules of communicative behavior within these roles. The social context of the LEO is under more pressure and scrutiny than ever before due to the Youtube effect of propagating negative coverage of police violence.
I teach at a very conservative college in Southern Utah where I once had a student who decided to challenge the social and cultural contexts of his peers. On Halloween he showed up to class with red contact lenses in his eyes and a black t-shirt with two large white words, "Jesus Sucks." The social rift was palpable. He'd broken the rules socially to the point where I was concerned for his physical safety.
While I'm one to encourage individualism, such a dramatic social departure warrants scrutiny. It's sending some loud messages that require attention. It's important to emphasize the departure aspect of this; social behavior inconsistent with an established baseline behavior of the individual makes the social context critical to understand in threat assessment.
I teach at a very conservative college in Southern Utah where I once had a student who decided to challenge the social and cultural contexts of his peers. On Halloween he showed up to class with red contact lenses in his eyes and a black t-shirt with two large white words, "Jesus Sucks." The social rift was palpable. He'd broken the rules socially to the point where I was concerned for his physical safety.
While I'm one to encourage individualism, such a dramatic social departure warrants scrutiny. It's sending some loud messages that require attention. It's important to emphasize the departure aspect of this; social behavior inconsistent with an established baseline behavior of the individual makes the social context critical to understand in threat assessment.
Cultural
Scholars have grouped social and cultural contexts together. I believe they're better understood separated, though they are more often mutually inclusive. While societal rules, or laws, stem from a need for order and justice, cultural mores are based on values. Family, safety, country, security, wealth, sacrifice, education, work; cultural values are found in the individual, in relationships and in expectations. Counter-cultural values are easy to identify in hindsight, like racism, violence, sexism, any -ism for that matter, but are only identifiable when their contrast to cultural norms becomes manifest. By then, for too many victims, it's too late.
Again, I'm one to advocate individuality. I'm certainly not calling for marginalizing anyone who may not share widely held social and cultural mores and values. It's when one's cultural context becomes abruptly truncated where others need to notice, be aware, be willing to engage, ask questions, and assess.
Again, I'm one to advocate individuality. I'm certainly not calling for marginalizing anyone who may not share widely held social and cultural mores and values. It's when one's cultural context becomes abruptly truncated where others need to notice, be aware, be willing to engage, ask questions, and assess.
Temporal
Most afternoons are tough. We're on the downside of the day, most our energy expended at this point. This is temporal. There are morning people and night owls. Pick your favorite season. The passage of time establishes a unique linear context where we communicate better or worse. Temporal habits such as eating, sleeping, showing up at work establish a pattern of behavior, some of these patterns are individual and others, like shift schedules, are social.
Departures from established temporal contexts warrant attention. Any shift away from established temporal baselines is out of its context. What's most impactful here is what the temporal context does to diurnal rhythms, our natural clock. Coritsol, as is discussed in the DET section under Intrinsic De-Escalation, is heavily impacted by time, peaking in the mid-morning and tanking after midnight affecting fear responses in stressful situations.
Psychological
All the afore-mentioned contexts arrive at some level of meaning along with emotion making up psychological context. This is where we can become empowered or debilitated. It's within this context where we find meaning, connection, love, fear, contempt, sadness, surprise, anger, pity, compassion.
If a subordinate is talking with a superior (social) about the subordinate's quality of work (cultural) in the superior's office (physical) on a Friday afternoon (temporal), chances are the subordinate is in a psychological context of fear. It's within this context where decisions are made, where we fly or we fight, where we hesitate or engage.
If a subordinate is talking with a superior (social) about the subordinate's quality of work (cultural) in the superior's office (physical) on a Friday afternoon (temporal), chances are the subordinate is in a psychological context of fear. It's within this context where decisions are made, where we fly or we fight, where we hesitate or engage.
