# Non-verbal communication in Movies and TV shows and do people really do that? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 19, 2015, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-verbal-communication-in-movies-and-tv-shows-and-do-people-really-do-that/710322 "2015-01-19T22:45:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-verbal-communication-in-movies-and-tv-shows-and-do-people-really-do-that/710322/1 "2015-01-19T22:45:16Z")
In movies and TV shows, after emotional, frightening, frustrating or stressful scenes a character often washes , or at least splashes, water on their face. In real life do real people really do that? ---
**Author:** ![Uniqueorn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uniqueorn/32/2807_2.png) [@Uniqueorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uniqueorn)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-verbal-communication-in-movies-and-tv-shows-and-do-people-really-do-that/710322/2 "2015-01-19T22:54:48Z")
Last year I mistakenly deleted several gigabytes of data from my hard drive. As I was afraid that my head might explode from being too furious, I held it under cold water from the shower for about a minute. It worked. My head did not explode. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-verbal-communication-in-movies-and-tv-shows-and-do-people-really-do-that/710322/3 "2015-01-19T23:02:56Z")
Just as often as people sweep everything off their desk to the floor to indicate anger. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-verbal-communication-in-movies-and-tv-shows-and-do-people-really-do-that/710322/4 "2015-01-19T23:15:46Z")
See, I just sit in the running shower hugging my knees and crying. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-verbal-communication-in-movies-and-tv-shows-and-do-people-really-do-that/710322/5 "2015-01-19T23:33:52Z")
> [@janeslogin](#): > > In movies and TV shows, after emotional, frightening, frustrating or stressful scenes a character often washes , or at least splashes, water on their face. > > In real life do real people really do that? I’ve done it, to calm myself down. I used to have my kids hold a cool wash cloth to their faces when they were crying so hard and couldn’t stop, the way little kids sometimes do. ---
**Author:** ![LurkerInNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@LurkerInNJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkerInNJ)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-verbal-communication-in-movies-and-tv-shows-and-do-people-really-do-that/710322/6 "2015-01-20T00:19:51Z")
Yes, it counteracts the redness caused by vasodilation after experiencing strong or extreme emotion(s). ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-verbal-communication-in-movies-and-tv-shows-and-do-people-really-do-that/710322/7 "2015-01-20T01:25:54Z")
I’ve definitely splashed water on my face after a particularly upsetting encounter. Sometimes the bathroom is the best place to escape to, and once you’re in there, you need to do something to calm yourself down. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-verbal-communication-in-movies-and-tv-shows-and-do-people-really-do-that/710322/8 "2015-01-20T03:42:43Z")
Before my gf gave in and bought reading glasses, she became extremely frustrated trying to spring forward her alarm clock. She unplugged it and carried it to the basement. Curious, I followed her. Upon reaching the basement she raised it above her head and flung it to the concrete, causing it to burst into pieces. She smiled at me and told me she needed a new alarm clock. ETA: point being, she prolly coulda gotten away with splashing some water on her face. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-verbal-communication-in-movies-and-tv-shows-and-do-people-really-do-that/710322/9 "2015-01-20T03:49:58Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > See, I just sit in the running shower hugging my knees and crying. And that’s why Sissy’s taken to the bottle. Now go clean yerself up. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-verbal-communication-in-movies-and-tv-shows-and-do-people-really-do-that/710322/10 "2015-01-20T05:50:04Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > See, I just sit in the running shower hugging my knees and crying. There, there. Let mamma make it better. ---
**Author:** ![Saturn\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Saturn\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saturn_Dreams)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-verbal-communication-in-movies-and-tv-shows-and-do-people-really-do-that/710322/11 "2015-01-20T05:55:28Z")
I’ve never once heard anyone say “Bye” or a variant of it in a movie or tv program. People just say what they need to say and then hang up. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-verbal-communication-in-movies-and-tv-shows-and-do-people-really-do-that/710322/12 "2015-01-20T20:00:19Z")
How about people who react to bad news by immediately vomiting? Gotta say that’s never happened to me, nor to anyone of my acquaintance. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-verbal-communication-in-movies-and-tv-shows-and-do-people-really-do-that/710322/13 "2015-01-20T20:07:57Z")
Have I EVER splashed water on my face? Maybe a few times in 53 years. And every time I do, it feels unnatural. I actually think, “Wait, did I actually just splash water oin my face? What a cliche!” ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-verbal-communication-in-movies-and-tv-shows-and-do-people-really-do-that/710322/14 "2015-01-20T21:52:47Z")
> [@gallows\_fodder](#): > > How about people who react to bad news by immediately vomiting? Gotta say that’s never happened to me, nor to anyone of my acquaintance. Yeah, I’ve a whole list of such things in my head and the water splashing one seemed most likely, at the time, to get considered responses. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-verbal-communication-in-movies-and-tv-shows-and-do-people-really-do-that/710322/15 "2015-01-21T04:24:47Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > See, I just sit in the running shower hugging my knees and crying. Me, I scrub and scrub and scrub myself, but I can never feel clean. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-verbal-communication-in-movies-and-tv-shows-and-do-people-really-do-that/710322/16 "2015-01-21T04:29:58Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Just as often as people sweep everything off their desk to the floor to indicate anger. Or horniness. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-verbal-communication-in-movies-and-tv-shows-and-do-people-really-do-that/710322/17 "2015-01-21T05:35:51Z")
> [@gallows\_fodder](#): > > How about people who react to bad news by immediately vomiting? Gotta say that’s never happened to me, nor to anyone of my acquaintance. This apparently really can happen. I wouldn’t believe it myself if it hadn’t happened at the animal ER just a couple weeks ago. Not to me, I wasn’t there, but there were LOTS of witnesses and the person it happened to posted on FB about it. A very upset woman had just had her cat euthanized, and she projectile puked directly onto one of our technicians. If I’ve had a crying jag, I will splash cold water on my face. If it’s bad enough, I’ll fill the sink and put my face in it. The cold water really helps the swelling and redness (very ugly crier, don’t do it much) and holding my breath makes me calm down. ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-verbal-communication-in-movies-and-tv-shows-and-do-people-really-do-that/710322/18 "2015-01-21T23:58:02Z")
Another one I see a lot on screen; Someone makes a phone call, The receiver answers hello, or whatever, the caller says ‘‘Its me.’’ When you phone someone and they answer do you first say ‘‘Its me.’’? ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2015, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-verbal-communication-in-movies-and-tv-shows-and-do-people-really-do-that/710322/19 "2015-01-22T00:01:31Z")
> [@janeslogin](#): > > Another one I see a lot on screen; Someone makes a phone call, The receiver answers hello, or whatever, the caller says ‘‘Its me.’’ > > When you phone someone and they answer do you first say ‘‘Its me.’’? All the time when I call home or my husband’s cell. I say “it’s mom” when I call the kids. I actually did this today when leaving work and was thinking how silly it was, but I do it all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Saturn\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Saturn\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saturn_Dreams)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2015, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-verbal-communication-in-movies-and-tv-shows-and-do-people-really-do-that/710322/20 "2015-01-22T00:37:07Z")
> [@janeslogin](#): > > Another one I see a lot on screen; Someone makes a phone call, The receiver answers hello, or whatever, the caller says ‘‘Its me.’’ > > When you phone someone and they answer do you first say ‘‘Its me.’’? Um, yeah? There’s a big scam based on this where the caller says “It’s me” and the receiver mistakenly thinks it’s someone they know and they get a big sob story that requires sending the caller a huge wad of cash to get them out of a jam. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-verbal-communication-in-movies-and-tv-shows-and-do-people-really-do-that/710322.md?page=2)