ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the development and testing of a measurement that enables researchers to tap into participants' realities. It focuses on the value of participants' interpretation of their partners' nonverbal behaviors within close relationships in naturalistic contexts. It presents the three phases of the development and testing of the Nonverbal Perception Scale (NVPS): Instrument Development, 'Known Groups' Validity Check, and Quantitative Test of the NVPS. The perception of nonverbal behaviors is likely to change a great deal in respect to the context in which the behaviors occur as well as with the nature of the relationship. The NVPS was developed so that researchers may more easily explore nonverbal behaviors, particularly within personal relationships in naturalistic settings. Nonverbal acts are enacted commonly within close relationships, creating a foundation of knowledge from which people draw to aid in their decoding process. NVPS offers an opportunity to increase ecological validity by exploring nonverbal behaviors during real and naturally occurring interactions.
