Communication without words; communication by means of space, gestures, facial expressions, touching, vocal variation, and silence for example (DeVito)
Importance of Nonverbal Communication
“It is estimated that NVC most often conveys a larger share of social information(65% or more) while verbal communication plays a less salient role(35% or less). So much information is communicated nonverbally that frequently the verbal aspect is negligible.”
The Proceedings of The 1993 International Symposium on LTM, Beijing-Hohhot, Oct.4 - 13,1993
What are the different types of Body languages?
Types of body languages;
Body Gestures and Facial Expressions
Touch
Sound
Space
Body & Facial
Kinesics
The study of the communicative dimensions of facial and bodily movements
- Includes: body movement (body language), gestures, facial expression, eye contact, posture, and speaking volume
Body Gestures
Emblems
Illustrators
Affect Displays
Regulators
Adaptors
Emblems
Emblems are limited by both time and culture.
Posture
1) Slumped posture = low spirits
2) Erect posture = high spirits, energy and confidence
Body and facial communication are important in interpersonal communication! It is especially important to pay close attention to accepted nonverbals in other cultures!
Paralanguage cues are used for forming impressions, for identifying emotional states, and for making judgments of credibility, intelligence, and objectivity.
Response to Personal Anxiety: Remaining silent around strangers.
Prevent Communication: A defense mechanism against saying things that you cant take back in the heat of the moment.
Communicate Emotional Responses: Pouting, Anger, Annoyance, Long Stares into another’s eyes; love.
Achieve Specific Effects: Strategically placing pauses after or before sentences to imply importance or seriousness.
Nothing To Say: Sometimes you just don’t have anything to say.
Theories
Protection theory—people establish a buffer zone around themselves as protection against unwanted touching or attack, if threatened they want more space around them (Devito)
Equilibrium theory—greater the intimacy, the closer the distance and vice versa (Devito)
Expectancy violation theory—people expect others to maintain certain distances, when these are violated the actions are questioned (Devito)
Sources
Warfield, A. (2001) Do you speak body language?. Training and Development, 55(4), 60.
Devito, J. A. (2001). The Interpersonal Communication Book. Hunter College of the City University of New York: Longhamk
Athos, A.G., Gabarro, J.J. (1978). Interpersonal Behavior. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Inc.
Bakker, C.B., Bakker, M.K. (1973). No Trespassing! Explorations in Human Territoriality. San Fransciso: Chandler and Sharp Publishers Inc.
Devito, J.A. (2001). The Interpersonal Communication Book. Addison Wesley Longman, Inc.
Jimenz, A.C. (2003, March). On space as a capacity. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, 9(1), 137-154.
