Annotation -- Action function

Group: Action function

Actions are discrete units of body movement which are not part of body positioning. A body action unit (-AU) is a local excursion of one or a set of articulators (head, trunk, arm, hand) outside a previously held posture configuration and always returns to that or another posture configuration (e.g., head shake, pointing arm gesture). Contrary to posture units, action units occur and change more frequently, and have a very discrete onset (start point), a relatively short duration and a distinct offset (end point). These body actions are performed by the head, shoulders, trunk, arms and legs and involve activities such as nodding, shrugging, gesturing, scratching , kicking etc.

Actions are coded on a functional level that is parallel to the anatomical and form description level. Functional BAP codes are the three behavioral classes identified by Ekman and Friesen (1972): emblem, illustrator (including two subtypes, deictic and beat) and manipulator.

An action can be multifunctional (eg. iconicity combined with deixis) and can thus belong to several categories in different degrees. Each functional unit is therefore coded on an ordinal (5-point) saliency scale in terms of duration, location and execution. The salience scale ranges from 5 as very pronounced or salient and 1 as very subtle (0 is in practice never scored because in this case the function is absent and thus not coded). For example, a functional unit is coded as very subtle (“1”) when it is executed with minor articulation (e.g. deictic pointing with a partly extended finger), for a very short period of time (e.g. few repetitions of a beat), or located in the peripheral movement space of the person (e.g. below the hips). On the other extreme, a functional unit is coded as very pronounced (“5”) when it is supported by maximum articulation (e.g. deicitic pointing with fully extended finger and arm), stretched in time over several seconds (many repetitions of a beat), or located in the central movement space of the person (e.g. near the face).

The onset is coded when the movement starts to perform the coded function, the offset is coded when the movement stops performing that function.

Nodes
Emblem
Container
A symbolic and conventionalized body action with a culturally defined fixed form-meaning relationship, which is shared among most members of a (sub)culture. An emblem has a direct verbal translation that consists of one or tho words or a phrase. The emblem is used by the sender to communicate a clear nonverbal message and can be used independently of speech. Contrary to the other action function categories, the form of an emblematic action is fixed.
Illustrator
Container
A conversational action that supports accompanying speech by illustrating the rhythm or content of a verbalized message (often called gesticulation). Contrary to emblems they do not have as precise a verbal definition. Like emblems, illustrators may involve any part of the body, although typically they involve the hands or head (can also involve postural shifts or facial muscle movement). Illustrator subtypes coded are beats and deictic movements.
Beat
Container
A repetitive, recurrent flicking or striking movement accentuating points in time, illustrating structural or rhythmic aspects of co-occurring speech (subtype of illustrator). A beat does not illustrate semantic content but rather a structure or rhythm (e.g. in speech). A beat does not have a particularly defined form configuration (can even be a combination of form configurations that is repeated) but it is kept unchanged. The number of beats should clearly be visible and therefore easy to count (min 2). A prototypical example of beating movement is what a conductor does in an orchestra.
Deictic
Container
A referential movement indicating a real or abstract object, person, event or location in space (subtype of illustrator). A deictic or pointing movement can involve different forms and any extensible body part or held object (chin, head, nose, elbow, feet, gaze, etc). The prototypical form configuration is the hand with an extended index finger.
Manipulator
Container
An action in which one part of the body manipulates another body part (self manipulator) or an object (object manipulator) for some type of body contact. Manipulators are movements first learned as part of an effort to satisfy self needs or body needs. Synonyms for manipulator are adaptor and body- or object focused movement. Self manipulators are movements which occur against or on the body. They involve one part of the body doing something to another body part (more than just self-touch, see further). Object manipulators are similar, non-instrumental actions but involve handling an object (e.g. part of a chair, pen or pencil, piece of clothing, etc.) or using an object for some type of body contact (e.g. rubbing, playing, manipulating). (Note: In GEMEP the only possible objects are parts of the actor's clothing). Examples of actions (not coded): scratching, hand-to-hand movements, lip licking, grooming, rubbing, tapping, picking, sliding or stroking, pinching or squeezing, pulling, massaging, readjusting clothes. Remark: Positional or action related movement where one body part merely, purely touches the body or an object (e.g. putting hand on waist, crossing arms, finger pointing on the chest) is NOT considered as a manipulator.

Annotation -- Action function