non-Verbal Communication
Use of Props
by Mai
Introduction
The use of props as a way to further engage interaction with targets is often seen. Props including umbrellas, phones, and objects alike to prompt conversation or increase proximity are useful when scouts utilize strategies besides conversation.
It is also common for targets to use props as a way to demonstrate their civil inattention, feigning that they are unaware of their surroundings in order to avoid interaction (theorized by Goffman)
Observed Props
Umbrella
As a strategy: Scouts can use their umbrella as a starting point of a conversation, like offering their umbrella to a target or commenting on the weather.
As a defensive strategy: Umbrellas can also serve as a defensive strategy of the target. Because umbrellas force a certain amount of proximity between two individuals because of the size of the object, targets are able to maintain a comfortable distance from the scouts.
The image to the left shows a conversation between a scout and a target in front of the Shinjuku East JR Exit. The weather on this day was slightly rainy, and most scouts were equipped with an umbrella. The scout stands comfortably, maintaining a respectable distance from the target because of his umbrella. However, rather than the target using her own umbrella as a defense mechanism against the scout (to avoid extensive interaction), she tilts the umbrella slightly back, revealing her face to the scout. This can suggest that the conversation was going relatively well, as the scout also displays a smile. The distance the scout kept from the target could be a factor in the target’s willingness to converse.
Photo: Mai Schrock-Manabe
Phone
As a strategy: Although it may be difficult for some scouts to intervene, those who are persistent and confident in their efforts can identify a target using their phone and use it as a way to begin their interaction.
Numerous experiences of walking through the scout-dense areas of Kabukicho (host club district and love hotel district) suggested that using a phone or being on the phone does not stop scouts from approaching you—they often use the same strategies and are not shy about approaching you quickly.
As a defensive strategy: A target can use a phone to practice civil inattention (Karp, 2015) and avoid some potential interaction—scouts will likely approach targets who do not appear preoccupied and are willing to negotiate with them.
Many women, including myself, have pretended to take a phone call when feeling as though there is danger nearby—this is also adoptable in a situation with scouts. A scenario took place in which an acquaintance felt unsafe in a deeper area of Kabukicho (near the Batting Center), and used her phone as a prop to indicate to any dangers nearby that not only was she preoccupied and uninterested in engaging with strangers, but she was actively on the phone with someone who would be witness to a potential dangerous conversation.
Conclusion
Props are both useful for scouts and targets, and helps them achieve their end goal—whether that is in the way of using props as a topic for conversation, or utilizing props to show a general uninterest in their surroundings. The usage of props returns to the idea of the Goffman’s dramaturgical view (Karp, 2015), where actors (scouts and targets) use objects to aid their navigation and interactions within their space.