The purpose of my research is to examine if outsider views on bantering scenarios are influenced by multiple factors such as demographics, recognized nonverbal cues, and personal experiences. Limited work has been conducted on the communicative act of teasing. Starting with how teasing is defined, various definitions for teasing exist, making such incidents open to interpretation. More current definitions of teasing define the act as a comment made with hidden meaning because the teaser’s motives often are left unarticulated. Because of this, a tease is generally left open to interpretation, especially by the receiver. The research I am conducting attempts to extend upon this prior research by identifying how our perceptions of teasing relate to common definitions. A knowledge gap occurs in understanding if people relate more to a tease initiator or person teased and how that influences their viewpoint. A knowledge gap also occurs in understanding if an outsider can pick up nonverbal interpersonal cues when viewing a bantering situation. To fill both knowledge gaps, I will conduct two trials. In both trials, participants will anonymously complete an online survey through Qualtrics, where they will be randomly assigned a 20-30 second video of a bantering scenario. Participants will then evaluate the quality of the interaction observed and answer personal questions about their own experiences with teasing or bullying. Data collected will be analyzed to determine what variables are most influential to a participant’s viewpoint. Based on preliminary data, I predict results will show nonverbal presentation has a significant impact on an observers’ perception of the teasing scenarios, with factors such as gender and personal experience holding the most influence over interpretations given. My research will help determine if teasing trauma carries over and either clouds or clears judgment so we can truly understand the weight of our words.