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5.2: Types of Nonverbal Communication

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• Tom Grothe
• Butte College

Types of Nonverbal Behaviors

One reason that nonverbal communication is so rich with information is that humans use so many different aspects of behavior, appearance, and environment to convey meaning. These types of nonverbal communication can vary considerably across cultures. Every culture interprets posture, gestures, eye contact, facial expressions, vocal noises, use of space, degree of territory, and time differently. Scholars call the different means used for transmitting information nonverbal communication codes (Burgoon & Hoobler, 2002). The general codes for nonverbal communication we examine in this section are: kinesics, vocalics, proxemics, haptics, physical appearance and artifacts, olfactics, music, chronemics, and space. As you read through this section, remember that the cultural patterns embedded in nonverbal codes should be used not as stereotypes for all members of particular cultures, but rather as tentative guidelines or examples to help you understand the great variation of nonverbal behavior in humans.

Kinesics

The word kinesics comes from the root word kinesis, which means “movement,” and refers to the study of hand, arm, body, and face movements. It is thought by some to be the richest nonverbal code in terms of its power to communicate meaning. Specifically, this section will outline the use of gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, and posture as kinetic forms of nonverbal communication.

Gestures

One of the most common forms of gestures involve greetings and departures, which have rituals that are largely nonverbal, such as shaking hands or waving. These tend to vary across cultures. In Japan, for example, it is common to bow when greeting someone, with the nature of the bow (how deep and how long) being determined by the nature of the occasion and social connection of the persons involved. In some cultures, kissing on the cheek is the usual greeting, although how many times the kisses are exchanged and which sexes are included can vary. In other parts of the world there may be hugs and kisses, depending on the context and relationship. In Arab countries it is common to bow and touch the forehead and chest (the salaam) when meeting someone. The Wai is used in Thailand and in other Asian cultures, consisting of a bow with the palms pressed together. In other cultures, people rub noses, such as in the hongi, a traditional greeting of the Maori people in New Zealand. Knowledge of such rituals can be helpful in avoiding awkwardness in first encounters.

Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): The bow is common in Japan as a greeting and is used in other contexts, such as apologies.Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\): David Beckham receives a hongi

One of the richest array of gestures are for communicating insults and obscenities. Insult gestures tend to vary across cultures and are different as well in the extent to which they are used. In Greece, for example, the moutza (μούτζα) is a commonly seen insult gesture. It consists of spreading the fingers (one hand or both) and trusting them outwards, towards the other person (as if flinging something unpleasant). In other cultures, the arm-thrust (bras d’honneur) is used, forging a fist and slapping it upwards under the biceps of the arm. Such gestures can be highly offensive and are often considered obscene. Other gestures may convey skepticism or disbelief, such as the French mon oeil (my eye), using a finger to pull down the lower eyelid. The gesture is also used in Japan, known as the Akanbe (あかんべえ).

Figure \(\PageIndex{3}\): Moutza against the parliament by Greek protestersFigure \(\PageIndex{4}\): Akanbe gesture in Japan

The caution in using gestures extends to those which may be widespread in a culture, and which we may interpret as universal. The North American A-OK sign (circled thumb and pointer finger, with the other fingers spread out) is an obscene gesture in many European cultures. Likewise, the inverted peace sign – two fingers facing inwards is an insult in England and Australia. The thumbs-up gesture signals in North America well done; in Greece and other countries, it is equivalent to the insulting “Up yours!” (Cotton, 2013). US President George W. Bush famously used the hook ‘em horns gesture of the Texas Longhorn football team to signal his approval of the marching band of the University of Texas. In Italy, that gesture is well-known, but it doesn’t signal fan enthusiasm or let’s rock. It is called il cornuto, indicating that the other person is a cuckold, that is, that his wife is cheating on him (Cotton, 2013).

Pointing with the forefinger is a gesture North Americans frequently use. Using that gesture to point at people is in some cultures extremely rude. Likewise, the beckoning gesture with palm turned upward and extending one finger or the whole hand is considered an insult in Japan and other countries. There are a variety of beckoning gestures, in Afghanistan and the Philippines, for example, one motions downward with the palm of the hand facing the ground (Cotton, 2013). These gestures have traditionally been culture-specific. However, the forces of globalization and technology have exposed people worldwide to gestures used in popular media (Matsumoto & Hwang, 2012). Through the greater availability globally of North American television shows and movies, as well as the popularity of social media such as Facebook and YouTube, some North American gestures, such as those for greeting and departure, have become familiar in many other cultures. (Jackson, 2014).

Figure \(\PageIndex{5}\): Thumbs-up may be an insultFigure \(\PageIndex{6}\):US President George Bush

Facial Expressions

Facial Expressions communicate an endless stream of emotions, and we make judgments about what others are feeling by assessing their faces. Our use of emoticons to communicate attitudes and emotions in electronic media testifies to the importance of this type of kinesics. It is often claimed that facial expressions – called affects displays – tend to be universal, the idea being that expressing basic emotions is an elemental, instinctive behavior common to all humans. This idea goes back to Charles Darwin (1872) who claimed all humans express emotion in the same way. This was later contradicted by anthropologists such as Margaret Mead (1975). It wasn’t until the 1960s that so-called “universality studies” were conducted by Paul Ekman and others. In a series of experiments involving participants from a variety of cultures, they showed that there were six universal expressions — anger, disgust, fear, sadness, happiness, and surprise (Ekman, 1972). Later, a seventh expression, contempt, was added (Ekman & Heider, 1988). As the studies involved people from industrialized countries, who may have learned to interpret faces from mass media, other studies were conducted among tribal groups in New Guinea, which came to similar results (Ekman & Friesen, 1971). An interesting experiment conducted with blind athletes produced the same results as their sighted colleagues (Matsumoto & Willingham, 2009). Because the blind athletes could not have learned the behaviors, one can assume there is an innate capacity to display facial expressions.

Figure \(\PageIndex{7}\): Joy is expressed the same across cultures

What causes particular emotions and determines their intensity can be quite different, both personally and culturally. Ekman and Friesen (1969) coined the term cultural display rules to describe such cultural differences in facial expressions. Consider the smile: People in all cultures have the ability to smile, but cultures value and interpret smiles in different ways. In other words, the meaning behind a smile is not universal. For example, in Russian, people do not smile because it implies that you are foolish, or possibly sneaky and manipulative. Even in family photos, adults often appear with flat or scowling faces. Many Latin American cultures prefer a proud and elegant facial appearance, which does not include smiling. In Japan, smiling is a way to show respect or to hide what you are actually feeling. In the United States, we smile to show a pleasant face to the people around us, to express happiness and gratitude. We often tend to smile for the purposes of getting along with others (Solomon, 2017). Some cultures tend to be much more expressive and rich in their use of facial expressions than others. Italians and Mediterraneans in general are normally placed in that category, while northern Europeans and Asians are seen as more restrained.

Codes of general conduct, politeness, or social harmony may influence the public display of emotions. This was shown in a cross-cultural experiment (Matsumoto & Ekman, 1989), which studied facial expressions of Japanese and US students while watching emotionally disturbing films. When both groups of young people were among themselves, they showed the same expressions. However, when the Japanese students were with an older, male observer, they displayed neutral expressions or even smiled, while the US students continued to display the same negative emotions. These cultural display rules explain the difference in expressions of the Japanese students in the experiment, as due to the cultural mandate in Japan of managing and minimizing expressions of feelings in the presence of a third party. In Japan it is culturally appropriate to hide unhappiness by smiling or embarrassment by laughing. While weeping in public is considered in Japan to be inappropriate, in Middle Eastern or Latin American cultures it is normal to express one’s emotions openly and visibly.

Using the concept of cultural display rules, Matsumoto (1990) developed a theory of the expression of emotions that incorporates Hofstede’s taxonomies, particularly as they relate to individualism versus collectivism. According to the theory, because individualistic cultures encourage and reward self-expression, individuals in those cultures are free to express fully and instinctively their feelings, whether they be positive or negative. On the other hand, those in collectivistic cultures are bound by conventions of the collective good and social harmony to regulate their expression of emotion when not alone. Matsumoto also incorporates the concept of power distance:

Large power-distance cultures endorse displays of emotion that reinforce hierarchical relations (i.e., status reminders), such as showing anger toward a low-status person or appeasing a high-status person (e.g., smiling). Small power-distance cultures embrace egalitarian values and teach the importance of treating people as equals. Thus, there is less pressure in these cultures for members to adjust displays of emotion according to the status of another person. (Remland et al., 2014)

Large power distance cultures tend tend to be correlated with collectivism, just as small power distance cultures are correlated with individualism. As always, in such broad-stroke generalizations, caution is needed in applying these labels to individuals. While dominant cultural forces may be powerful, they may be contradicted and potentially negated by values associated with group membership, whether those be ethnic, regional, or other. It is also the case that individual personalities play a significant role in the degree to which emotions are displayed or suppressed. The patterns we’ve identified in nonverbal behavior should be seen as examples not as absolutes. Being aware of such potential variations can be helpful in adjusting expectations and suspending judgments.

Eye Contact

Eye contact, or Oculesics, serves many purposes. We use our eyes to express emotions, regulate a conversation, indicate listening behavior, show interest in others, respect, status, hostility, and aggression (Burgoon, Buller & Woodall, 1996). Patterns of eye contact vary significantly by culture. Generally, eye contact is considered a good thing in the United States. It can mean that you are interested, confident, and bold (a good thing), but people often avoid eye contact in crowded, impersonal situations such as walking down a busy street or riding a crowded bus. In France, however, someone may feel free to watch someone interesting on the street and consciously make eye contact to indicate interest. In the Middle East, direct eye contact is less common and generally less appropriate, whereas lack of eye contact in Asia is often a sign of respect and considered polite. Within the US, different ethnic groups have been found to follow different norms in the use of eye contact to regulate conversations. African-Americans maintain eye contact when speaking but avert their gaze when listening, but just the opposite is true for European Americans (LaFrance & Mayo, 1978). This distinction can lead to conflict:

Interethnic expectancy violations exist when African Americans expect the European Americans to look them in the eyes when speaking but instead receive “non-responsiveness” or “indifference” cues. European Americans, on the other hand, may view the direct eye gaze during speaking as “confrontational” or “aggressive” (Ting-Toomey, 1999, p.126).

In both pluralistic societies and in cross-cultural encounters, being mindful of variations in this area is important. Nora Dresser’s book, Multicultural Matters (2005), chronicles how Korean-American shopkeepers, who did not make eye contact with their customers, were perceived as disrespectful, something contributing to the open confrontation taking place in US urban centers between some Asians and African-Americans. In some contexts in the US, such as in urban areas among teens and young adults, looking directly at someone can be seen as a provocation, reflected in the term “mad-dogging” (Remland et al., 2015).

Figure \(\PageIndex{8}\): Groups may have different expectations in maintaining eye contact in conversations

Posture

Posture is the last item in our list of kinesics. Humans can stand up straight or slouch, lean forward or backward, round or slump our shoulders, and tilt our heads. Mehrabian (1972) believed that posture communicates immediacy and power. Immediacy is the degree to which you find someone interesting and attractive. Typically, when someone from the United States finds someone attractive, they face the person when talking, hold their head up, and lean in. Whereas a reaction to someone they don’t like might have them look away and lean back. Power is the ability to influence people or events. In the United States, high-status communicators typically use relaxed postures (Burgoon et al., 1996), but in Japan, the opposite is true. Japanese display power through erect posture with feel planted firmly on the floor.

Vocalics

Vocal characteristics we use to communicate nonverbal messages are called vocalics or paralanguage (with-language). Vocalics involves verbal and nonverbal aspects of speech that influence meaning, including rate, pitch, tone, volume, intensity, pausing, and even silence. Tone and intonation can have a determining effect on the message conveyed, turning a statement, for example, into a sarcastic comment. The volume, fluency, or rhythm of speech can transmit to the listener information such as degree of confidence, nervousness, or even perceived trustworthiness of the speaker. The voice qualities of a speaker can be as important in conveying a message as the semantic value of the words spoken. Scholars who engage in conversation analysis have shown even slight modifications in voice tone or intonation can send a message to the listener.

One of the roles vocalizations play is to function as a backchannel or filler in conversations, a way for a listener to send messages to the speaker (Yngve, 1970). This may consist in English sounds such as “uh-huh” or “hmm”, or words and phrases like “yes” or “go on”. Backchannel responses play different roles; they may encourage the speaker to continue, indicate the extent of interest, or assess the speaker’s statements, i. e., agreeing (“Right”) or expressing doubt (“Do you really think so?”). There may be more than simple words or phrases involved, namely longer utterances completing the speaker’s sentences, requesting clarification, or attempting to take the floor. Backchannel communication occurs across cultures, but may vary in norms and expectations, which can cause confusion or awkwardness. The Japanese filler hai hai is often used by natives in the meaning of “I hear you”, but given that hai literally means “yes” there may be misunderstanding in a non-native assuming a positive affirmation, rather than merely an acknowledgement of having heard the speaker.

How conversations flow varies with culture and context. In situations in which a strict hierarchy is present or when the interaction is highly formal, there may be fixed patterns for managing a conversation and signaling when it is over. In such situations, interrupting a speaker may be inappropriate. There are conversational norms which may play a role. In particular cultures, it is common, even expected, for others to interrupt a speaker frequently. In France, for example, this is seen as part of what constitutes a good conversation.

[Interruptions] signal interest in the other’s remark, which merits a commentary, a word of appreciation, denial, protest, or laughter–in short, a reaction without which the remark would ‘fall flat.’ The ball is tossed to be caught and tossed back. Where there is no ‘interruption,’ when each person speaks sedately in turn (as in American conversation, according to the French), the conversation never ‘takes off’; it remains polite, formal, cold (Carroll, 1988, p. 37).

While this kind of spontaneity and frequent back-and-forth is seen by the French (and in other cultures) as stimulating, it may be seen by some as chaotic or rude. Our cultural backgrounds tend to lead us to make assumptions about others based on paralinguistic clues. One of these clues is the speaker’s accent. Non-native accents can often stigmatize the speaker, evoking stereotypes associated with social class, ethnic background, economic status, or level of education. In some cases, a particular accent, such as a British accent in the US, is perceived positively. In most cases, however, accents are perceived negatively and may have real-world consequences for the speaker in terms of discrimination in personal encounters or institutional settings. As is the case with other forms of nonverbal communication across cultures, paralinguistic behaviors vary across cultures and can lead to misunderstanding of another person’s intentions or feelings. Harry Triandis (1994) provides a dramatic example of misinterpreting vocal clues:

In January, 1991, James Baker, then the United States Secretary of State, met with Tariq Aziz, the Foreign Minister of Iraq. They met in an effort to reach an agreement that would prevent a war. Also present in the room was the half-brother of Saddam Hussein, whose role included frequent calls to Hussein with updates on the talks. Baker stated, in his standard calm manner, that the US. would attack if Iraq did not move out of Kuwait. Hussein ’s half-brother heard these words and reported that “The Americans will not attack. They are weak. They are calm. They are not angry. They are only talking.” Six days later Iraq saw Desert Storm and the loss of about 175,000 of their citizens. Triandis argued that Iraqis attend to how something is said more than what is said. He further suggests that if Baker had pounded the table, yelled, and shown outward signs of anger, the outcome may have been entirely different (Martin & Nakayama, 2010, p. 277).

Proxemics

Coming from the Latin proximus, meaning “near,” proxemics refers to communication through the use of physical distance or space. Edward Hall (1966) pioneered the study of proxemics, the perception and use of physical space, including territoriality and personal space. Territoriality is related to control. Who gets the corner office? Who sits at the head of the table and why? Personal space refers to the conversation distance, or the “bubble” of space surrounding each individual. One of the actions which can affect the course of the conversation is for one or the other of the conversants to move closer or further away.Following complaints from both Arab and US students in a North American university setting, O.M. Watson (1970) investigated the nonverbal behavior of the two groups. He found that the US students viewed the Arabs as pushy and rude, while the Arabs considered the US students to be distant and rude. He discovered that a substantial part of the problem were different conceptions of personal space, with the US students feeling the Arab students were invading their bubbles and the Arab students seeing the US students as unfriendly because they were keeping their distance. Hall (1966) developed a four-level classification of social distance. For the US, he defined intimate space, reserved for highly personal relationships, as 9 to 18 inches (23 to 45 cm), and personal distance (“arm’s length”) at 1.5 to 4 feet (.5 to 1.2 m), the normal spacing for conversations. Social distance he established at between 4 and 12 feet (1.2 to 3.6 m), the spacing normal in casual gathering and work environments. Public distance he defined as being 12 feet (3.6 m) or longer, used for public speaking or large gatherings. Researchers have identified particular cultures as having a preference for closer proximity and a high degree of physical contact (Aiello, 1987). Examples frequently given are Arabs, Latin Americans, and southern Europeans. Cultures who prefer further interaction distances include the USA, Northern Europe, and Australia. There are other factors besides regional culture which may affect personal distance, such as gender, age, ethnicity, or topic of conversation.

Figure \(\PageIndex{9}\): In some cultures, people like to keep their distanceFigure \(\PageIndex{10}\): Inside a men’s bathroom at a University in Madrid, Spain (CC By; Tom Grothe)

Haptics

Touch in communication interaction is called haptics, from the ancient Greek word “haptien. ” Cultural norms have a strong impact on how people use and perceive touch. Touch conventions vary significantly across cultures and are dependent as well on age, gender, and relationship. In some Arab cultures, it is common for men to hold hands in particular situations. Some cultures have a taboo on touching the top of someone’s head, as in patting a child, as the head is considered sacred. Another taboo, in India, the Middle East, and Africa, is the use of the left hand in certain social situations, such as eating. Cooper, Calloway-Thomas & Simonds (2007) provide a set of rules in relation to touch in Thai culture:

• Don’t touch anyone’s head for any reason. The head is the most important part of the body. It is the seat of the soul.
• Do not touch a female on any part of her body.
• The feet are considered the “dirtiest” part of the body. They are used only for walking. Thus, it is an insult to rest your feet on someone else’s backrest, such as in the cinema or on a train.
• Women must never touch a monk or his robe. Even in a bus or train, Women cannot sit next to a monk.
• Always accept things with your right hand. The left hand is used to Wash the posterior and is therefore regarded as unclean (p. 138).

Hall (1963) suggests that the use of proxemics and haptics merge within a culture to create what researchers now call contact and noncontact cultures. In contact cultures, people stand closer together while talking, touch more frequently, and speak in louder voices. Some examples of contact cultures are cultures in Central and South America, the Middle East, and Eastern and Mediterranean Europe. For example, Latin American cultures tend to hug more than do Northern Europeans. In noncontact cultures, people stand farther apart while talking and touch less. Some examples of noncontact cultures are Great Britain, the United States, and Japan. This difference is exemplified in a study of outdoor cafes in London, England and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Researchers found that Puerto Ricans touched each other an average of 180 times per hour whereas the British average was zero (EPA, 2002). Being aware of such norms in visiting another culture can make seemingly strange behavior understandable and help to avoid embarrassing faux-pas.

Physical Appearance and Artifacts

Physical appearance and artifacts profoundly influence our communication encounters. In other words, how you look conveys as much about you as what you say. Physical appearance includes attributes such as hair, clothing, body type, and personal grooming. Across cultures, people credit individuals they find physically attractive with higher levels of intelligence, persuasiveness, poise, sociability, warmth, power, and employment success than they credit to unattractive individuals (Hatfield & Sprecher, 1986). Communication researchers call this tendency to make a blanket judgment of a person based on one trait the halo (positive) or horns (negative) effect. As physical attractiveness is variable across cultures, and constantly being redefined, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Artifacts are the things we possess that influence how we see ourselves and that we use to express our identity to others. They can include rings and tattoos, but may also include brand names and logos. From clothes to cars, watches, briefcases, purses, and even eyeglasses, what we choose to surround ourselves with communicates something about our sense of self. They may project gender, role or position, class or status, personality, and group membership or affiliation.

Many cultures have rules and conventions for dress and appearance, established through custom or religious beliefs. Women in Muslim countries, for example, dress so that their hair is covered and, in some cases, also their bodies and faces. In some cases, dress can provide information about social/economic position, marital status, or age. In Japan, women’s kimonos vary according to the time of year and occasion, but also based on marital status and age. For the Masai tribe in Kenya, earrings and necklaces designate the marital status of women, while men wear earrings and arm rings that show their social status, indicating whether they are elders or warriors (Vandehey, Buergh & Krueger, 1996). In rural northern India, the level of a woman’s veil over her face can indicate romantic interest or disinterest (Lambert & Wood, 2005). Dress and physical appearance can be important identifiers for membership in particular groups. Members of motorcycle gangs wear black leather and heavy boots. Japanese businessmen (“salarymen”) wear dark, conservative suits and plain ties. Japanese tourists often wear a resort hotel’s yukata (a lightweight kimono) signaling to others in the town their role (Ting-Toomey, 1999). In this way, forms of dress serve as identity markers. Certain uniforms signal professions, as in the case of police officers or members of the military, while also conveying a sense of authority and power.

Figure \(\PageIndex{11}\): Woman wearing a niqab (veil)

Body piercings and tattoos, in bygone days, indicators of low-prestige socio-economic status (sailors, carnival workers), have become mainstream among young people in the US and elsewhere. Older people are likely to retain the images from the past and may have a negative view of heavily tattooed or pierced young people. One of the persistent stereotypes is in regards to women’s dress and appearance. Young women in mini skirts and tank tops, especially if blonde, may be perceived as flighty and unintelligent. Muslim women wearing a hijab face prejudice and discrimination in many non-Muslim countries, which is even more pronounced for those wearing a whole body burqua. In some Western countries, wearing traditional Muslim female dress in public or in schools has been banned. In the US, hooded sweatshirts (hoodies) are often associated with young black men. In Florida, a young black man, Treyvon Martin, was wearing a hoodie when shot dead by a white “neighborhood watch” member as he was returning from a convenience store. The white man found Martin “suspicious”, due to his skin color and attire.

Figure \(\PageIndex{12}\): Tattoos have become commonplace in American culture

Appearance messages are generally the first nonverbal codes we process, sizing up the other person based on skin color, appearance, and clothing. The first impression might determine our attitude towards another person, helping to determine whether we want to get to know that person or not. Sometimes, some features of the other person’s appearance might lead to specific pre-judgments. One of those might be the particular shade of skin. Black people with darker skin are sometimes viewed as somehow less attractive or having lower status than Blacks with lighter skin. Light-skinned Blacks may feel discriminated against as well (see sidebar). In South American countries such as Brazil, there is a rich mix of ethnicities and races, resulting in a wide range of skin colors and a complex social hierarchy, built in part on the particular shade of one’s skin.

Different Shades of Black Identity

If you are a light-skinned Black person, you are looked upon as “uppity” or thinking that you’re too good. This is something I have come across a lot. For my first year of college, I attended the first historically Black college, Lincoln University. It was my first time being around that many African Americans (the high school I attended was mostly Caucasian). I am naturally shy, so I would walk around not speaking to anyone. In many cases I would walk around looking at the ground or just with no expression on my face whatsoever. I was viewed as the “uppity” light-skinned girl who thought she was too good for everyone else. – Ami

Remland et al., 2014, p. 149.Different Shades of Black IdentityExample \(\PageIndex{1}\)

In some cases, we are conscious of the distinctive views we may have towards those with a certain appearance. Many US Americans, for example, have heard so much since 2001 about Muslims and terrorism, that someone perceived to be Muslim by their appearance and dress likely triggers already well-established and self-acknowledged views on Muslims. The largely negative stereotypes can have tragic consequences, as the acts of violence towards Muslims in the US and elsewhere has shown. In some cases, the perceived target may not even represent the intended group. The first victim of revenge killing in the US following the September 11, 2001 attacks was not a Muslim, but a Sikh gas station manager in Arizona shot down by a man vowing to kill “towel heads” (Basu, 2016).

In many cases individuals may not be aware of the negative attitudes towards others. Humans naturally tend to categorize, and that process includes grouping together other humans. We likely do that with individuals we meet without being aware of this process of implicit bias. This is a phenomenon that scientists have been studying for some time, namely that even well-meaning people have hidden prejudices against those of other races. Studies have shown subtle biases are widespread in the US, especially against African-Americans, and lead to discrimination in many areas, including in education, professional life, and housing (Yudkin at al., 2016). In the US recently, the issue has arisen in connection with white police officer’s using violence against unarmed young black men. Studies have shown that “implicit bias can be overcome with rational deliberation” (Yadkin & Van Bavel, 2016). Many police departments in the US have begun the process of making police officers aware of their biases. Project Implicit from Harvard university provides an online process for analyzing one’s possible biases in a number of areas, including attitudes towards race, skin tone, religion, sexuality, Arab/Muslims, age, disability, and weight. These are all areas in which implicit bias may be present in individuals in the US. Other cultures are likely to have some of the same biases, along with others. In recent years, corporations in North America have begun to offer training to employees to make them aware of hidden biases in an effort to treat their customers equitably, regardless of race or ethnicity. Whether such training is effective – particularly when offered in one-time short training seminars — is questionable (Godwin-Jones, 2018).

Olfactics

The study of smell in humans is called olfactics. In some cultures (in Africa and the Middle East, for example) there’s a preference for standing close enough to a person in conversation to be able to detect body odor. Odor is used in such cases to categorize people according to status, power, or social class. In many cultures wearing an expensive perfume or cologne can signal status and wealth. On the other hand, the smell of sweat or strong body odor is likely to suggest manual labor and lower social status. Some smells are associated with particular ethnic groups and may lead to prejudicial treatment. The smell of curry, linked to South Asians, has been used as a basis for discrimination, such as refusing to rent apartments to Indians or Pakistanis (Jackson, 2014). Although some smells seem to be universally attractive (jasmine, lavender, roses) others may vary in how they are perceived across cultures. The smell of onions, for example, is considered unpleasant in many cultures, but the Dagon people of Mali find the smell attractive, even to the point of rubbing onions on their bodies (Neuliep, 2006).

Figure \(\PageIndex{13}\): The smell of roses seems universally positive

Music: Another way to communicate nonverbally

Music is a “universal language” in that it is understood without the need for language. Music plays many different roles in human society – entertaining, comforting, inspiring, socializing, and more. It can bring people together (anthems, concert venues, singing together, celebratory music) or pull them apart (protest songs, generational differences in taste, distasteful/hateful lyrics). Two examples from Germany illustrate that contrast. The Horst Wessel Lied was the anthem of Nazi Germany, celebrating violence and hatred. Beethoven’s Ode to Joy (the last movement of the 9th Symphony, based on a poem by Friedrich Schiller) has been adopted as the unofficial anthem of the European Union. It celebrates brotherhood and solidarity. Our interest here is in music as a marker of cultural identity and as a nonverbal form of contact and communication across cultures.

Ethnomusicology is the study of music in cultural context. Like intercultural communication, the field involves contributions from many different disciplines. From the beginning, a major focus has been on non-Western music, with many practitioners engaged in ethnographic fieldwork. That involves learning about and documenting the music, language, and cultural practices of underrepresented ethnic groups. One of the pioneers of this field was Alan Lomax, who recorded folk music in the US and Europe in the 1940s and 1950s. His work contributed to the folk music revival of that time. Today, there are efforts underway to preserve endangered indigenous music traditions, just as there are to save languages from extinction. Catherine Grant’s book, Music Endangerment (2004) chronicles some of those efforts.

Figure \(\PageIndex{14}\): Recording Blackfoot chief Mountain Chief in 1916

In recent decades, ethnomusicologists have been particularly interested in the effects of globalization on music traditions worldwide. The popularity of rock ‘n’ roll music in the late 20th century, for example, spread not only the English language worldwide, but also particular values and practices of Anglo-American youth culture. Globalization has resulted in the development of many hybridized musical forms. Traditional folk music in many parts of the world, and among diaspora communities, is often mixed with modern musical genres, resulting in new musical and cultural mixes. Immigrant communities will often have complex music practices. Young people are likely to listen to mainstream popular music but also be exposed to traditional music of their culture by way of religious, celebratory, or family events. Older members of the community may try to maintain a “pure” musical tradition as a means to maintain their culture within an encompassing foreign culture with different values and language.

Fock (1997) examines the complexity of such an immigrant community in the case of Turks in Copenhagen, Denmark. She chronicles how Turkish music is viewed differently when heard in different locales. If played in a Turkish restaurant, for example, Turkish music is received favorably by Danes, as a contribution to an appropriately “exotic” atmosphere. However, hearing Turkish music played at a street kiosk may be perceived negatively, giving the “Danish customers the feeling of not belonging” (Fock, 1997, p.56). A third encounter might be even more irritating for Danes:

Out on the street again you might hear heavy Turkish pop from a car driving by. Again the result probably is irritation, but now combined with an interpretation in the direction of social rejection: ‘They are giving the Danish society the finger’. Car-blasting is a normal phenomenon within youth culture, yet when it is performed by youngsters with Turkish background it is often interpreted in a special cultural and provocative way (p. 56).

In fact, the young Turks are likely intent not on irritating Danes, but on attracting the attention of those of their own generation, especially girls.

Music has been a vital part of worldwide youth cultures since at least the 1950s. Today, musical genres easily cross political and linguistic boundaries. In some cases, imported musical genres are subsequently adapted to local conditions. That is the case for hip-hop or rap music. It originated in the Bronx section of New York City, soon moving to urban centers on both the east and west coast of the US, and then around the globe. Hip-hop involves not just music, but also socio-political narratives about poverty and street life. It is also associated with certain forms of dress – low hanging pants, gaudy jewelry, caps worn sidewise, and dark glasses. From the beginning, hip-hop culture was linked to place, with DJ’s (disc jockeys) having their own “territory” (Sorrells, 2015). It was also early associated with the use of gang-derived “tagging” (marking territory), transformed eventually into graffiti. As hip-hop has found its way into other cultures, the local characteristics and concerns have been integrated. In Germany, for example, some of the best known rap music has been created by Turkish Germans and touches on issues of identity and integration. Similar trends are evident elsewhere:

While the communicative practices of hip hop cultures around the world are clearly linked to the African diasporic colonial experience, they also rework the qualities of flow, layering, and rupture in their place-based specificity as global forces converge with local forces…Hip hop culture and styles developing in France and Italy provide spaces to address local issues of racism and concerns over police brutality. In Sweden, the hip hop scene among ethnic minorities focuses on constructing a collective oppositional identity to resist the White skinhead youth culture…For Maoris in New Zealand, rap music groups speak out for the rights of indigenous groups around the world. Hip hop in Japan is often used as a means of identity distinction by youth who want to mark themselves as different from the mainstream culture (Sorrells, 2015, pp. 85–86).

The use in other contexts of certain forms and practices originating in US black inner-city environments raises the issue of cultural appropriation. Some may find it disrespectful or inauthentic for white rappers to borrow and rework Black cultural practices, developed out of a struggle for recognition and identity in ghetto communities. Others may point out that in fact rap music is today a profit-making business and this commodification of an art form liberates it in some way from being bound to its origins. However that may be, rap has become so integrated into the music scene in so many countries as to make its origins moot. The music itself retains many critics, who may accept the music as supplying a voice to those on the fringes of society, but who still find that many rappers continue to perpetuate unfortunate stereotypes and prejudices around communities of color, violence, misogyny, and homophobia (Remland, 2014).

Contributors and Attributions

Language and Culture in Context: A Primer on Intercultural Communication, by Robert Godwin-Jones. Provided by LibreTexts. License: CC-BY-NC

Intercultural Communication for the Community College, by Karen Krumrey-Fulks. Provided by LibreTexts. License: CC-BY-NC-SA

This page titled 5.2: Types of Nonverbal Communication is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Tom Grothe.

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12 Types of Nonverbal Communication –

Types of Nonverbal Communication: The 12 Types of Non-verbal Communication are Physical Appearance, Paralinguistics, Body Movement, Gestures, Posture, Facial Expression, Eye Contact, Proxemics, Haptics, Chronemics, Artifacts, and Environment.

Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal communication means transmitting messages through nonverbal elements, such as physical appearance, eye contact, facial expression, body movement, gesture, and posture. Therefore, it is also known as non-verbal cues. The four types of communication are verbal, nonverbal, visual, and written. Nonverbal communication generates and transmits messages without spoken words. On the other hand, verbal communication means conveying the message through written and spoken words. The combination of both verbal and nonverbal cues generates effective interaction between the sender and receiver. Effective communication relies on using both verbal and nonverbal communication cues. 

The use of verbal and nonverbal communication cues during interaction can make communication more effective and efficient. There are several types of noise in communication: physical, physiological, psychological, and environmental noise. The combination of verbal and nonverbal communication reduces the noise of communication and makes the interaction more effective. The researchers have mentioned nonverbal communication cues as the components of the communication process.

Example of Nonverbal Communication

For example, Ela types on a laptop while interacting with her senior Boss. Simultaneously, the Boss asks her when she wants to submit the company’s new business report. Ela raises two-finger focusing his eyes on the laptop. The Boss leaves the place saying all right. Ela intends to complete the business report at 2 PM, and the Boss completely understands the message. In this context, raising two-finger is the nonverbal communication example that conveys the message.

Similarly, the Boss shows a thumbs-up gesture when Ela says she has emailed the report before 2 PM. Here, thumbs-up conveys a good job message from Boss to Ela. There are thousands of nonverbal communication examples: eye contact, gesture, posture, silence, angry face, anxious mood, smiles, talking fast, and many more. The nonverbal communication cues are presented in all three types of communication models, including linear, interactive, and transactional models of communication.

Types of Nonverbal Communication

The 12 Types of Nonverbal Communication are:

1. Physical Appearance
2. Paralinguistics (Vocalics)
3. Body Movement
4. Gestures
5. Posture
6. Facial Expression
7. Eye Contact
8. Proxemics (Space)
9. Haptics (Touch)
10. Chronemics (Time)
11. Artifacts
12. Environment (Context)

Many scholars term the types as the components and examples of nonverbal communication.

Nonverbal Communication Types

Different Types of Nonverbal Communication

1. Physical Appearance Nonverbal Communication

Physical appearance is one of the significant types of nonverbal communication that convey a strong message about who you are. A proverb says that “The first impression is the best information.” People assume others’ education, success, moral character, social position, and trustworthiness by physical appearance.

According to a statistical report, people take less than ten seconds of the first meeting to determine other people. Clothes are the significant elements to convey messages to other group members. The casual attires are more acceptable in informal meetings because of the belief in trustworthiness. On the other hand, a professional appearance is well-accepted in business meetings and formal group presentations. However, research shows that good-looking people tend to make more money and get promoted more often than average looks.

Physical Appearance Examples

For example, two people are walking on the road wearing different dresses. First-person wears a formal dress and the second person wears a jersey and shorts. Most people will be able to guess their profession with the dress. Usually, employees follow official dress, including shoes and hairstyle.

On the other hand, football players wear jerseys, shorts, boots, and socks. The dress conveys a message about their profession without spoken words. So, physical appearance is a significant type of nonverbal communication that transmits a strong message regarding the communicator.

2. Paralinguistics Nonverbal Communication

Paralinguistics refers to the meta-communication elements of nonverbal communication that modify the meaning of the message. It is also known as vocalics, paralanguage, or voice in nonverbal communication. Paralinguistics explains how we use our voices while speaking to someone.

In addition to physical appearance, paralinguistics is another crucial type of nonverbal communication that plays a significant role in changing the meaning of the speaker’s speech. Examples of paralinguistics are inflection, tone, pitch, filler words, indicators, volume, rate, and articulation. People have more than 630 muscles in their bodies, but they use around 72 different muscles conjointly to deliver the speech. The tongue is the most significant and robust muscle among them. People use this tongue to generate these paralinguistic elements during nonverbal communication.

Paralinguistics Nonverbal Communication Examples

Paralinguistics Nonverbal Communication

3.

Body Movement Nonverbal Communication

Body movement refers to the communication process through the head, hand, and hand movement that is known as nonverbal communication using body angles. The body angles between two people express the relationship between them. People tend to lean on the speaker when they feel interested in the discussion topic. On the other hand, people tend to orientate away from the speaker when they do not like the discussion topic. The same things happen when the audience likes and dislikes the speaker personally.  People use their bodies mostly in interaction; therefore, it is a crucial type of nonverbal communication.

Body Movement Nonverbal Communication Examples

For example, males tend to lean towards females in confined conditions, and females face away.

Body movement is also part of body language or Kinesics nonverbal communication. Kinesics nonverbal communication includes body movement, facial expression, gesture, and posture. According to the statistic report, people use 7% of words, 38 percent voice, and 55 percent body language in communication.

4. Gestures Nonverbal Communication

Gestures are a form of nonverbal communication that includes waving hands, nodding heads, and pointing fingers. The gesture makes communication more lively and effective. The speakers may be perceived as boring, stiff, and unanimated if they cannot show gestures while speaking. Head nods and raking fingers inside through hairs are the form of gesture.

Gestures Nonverbal Communication Examples

For example, the Deaf community develops and uses various sign languages worldwide.

5. Posture Nonverbal Communication

Posture is one of the crucial types of nonverbal communication that is related to body position. It represents numerous messages through the way people walk, talk, stand and sit. Posture denotes the body position in nonverbal communication.

Posture Nonverbal Communication Examples

For example, standing erect but not rigid and leaning slightly forward communicates to your audience that you are approachable, receptive, and friendly. Additionally, speaking with your back turned or looking at the floor or ceiling should be avoided; it communicates disinterest to your audience.

6. Facial Expression Nonverbal Communication

Facial expression is one of the most common types of nonverbal communication that influences interaction. It certainly plays a crucial role in regulating the interaction and conveying the message. Facial expression includes the mouth, eyebrow, and facial muscles. Facial expressions demonstrate approval or disapproval of the topic being discussed. The audience’s facial expression shows whether the speech is exciting or not. The five universal facial expressions are Happiness, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Surprise.

People have over 30 muscles on the face to help smile or frown; for example, 17 muscles to smile and 43 muscles to frown.

Facial Expression Nonverbal Communication Examples

For example, people open their mouths and extend their eyebrows when they are surprised.

7. Eye Contact Nonverbal Communication

Eye Contact is a significant type of nonverbal communication that regulates and controls communication. It is also known as oculesics, meaning the study of eye behavior. Eye muscles are the busiest muscles in the body. Scientists estimate that the eyes move more than 100,000 times a day.

Eye Contact Nonverbal Communication Examples

Eye Contact Nonverbal Communication

8. Haptics in Nonverbal Communication

Haptic communication occurs when people interact with the sense of touch. It plays a significant role in the communication process. It refers to the touch that conveys the crucial message. Therefore, haptics is another type and example of nonverbal communication that conveys information involving touch.

Haptics Nonverbal Communication Examples

The most noteworthy examples of haptic are holding hands, hugging, tickling, also kissing.

9.  Proxemics

in Nonverbal Communication

Proxemics refers to the interpersonal space during communication that affects the interaction. It is a familiar type of nonverbal communication that represents the seating arrangements. Proxemics are very significant factors in the workplace. It also plays an influential role in describing your position and attitude.

For example, dominant group members position more centrally in the group’s space. However, task-oriented leaders and socially-oriented leaders maintain space ratio or territoriality during the exhibit group meeting.

Proxemics Nonverbal Communication Examples

Interpersonal Spaces

In 1969, Hall introduces the Four Types of Interpersonal Spaces are Intimate, Personal, Social, and Public Distance.

1. Intimate distance ( 0-18 inches (45.72 cm): For example, close friends, some family members, and lovers maintain close distance; therefore, it is also a private zone.

2. Personal distance (18 in. – 4 ft (1.22 m), an arm’s length away): For example, friends and acquaintances follow personal maintain this distance when interacting with each other.

3. Social distance ( 4 – 8 ft (2.44 m): For example, strangers maintain social distance as they do not have intimate relationships.

4. Public distance ( >8 ft (2.44 m): For example, a speaker is making a presentation to a larger audience.

10. Chronemics in Nonverbal Communication

Chronemics refers to the role of time during nonverbal interaction. It is not spoken speech; instead represents the gap between communication. Therefore, it is another example of nonverbal communication that denotes how much time to talk and elapse when interacting with others. For example, how many members speak and how much time they let elapse before responding to other group members.

In 1976, Edward T. Hall introduced the monochronic versus polychronic times to distinguish one culture from another. Monochronic shows the representative who is punctual and active. On the other hand, polychronic represents lazy people.

Chronemics Nonverbal Communication Examples

For example, in most countries, bosses come to the meeting after employees. The employees think that they must present at the meeting before the Boss arrives. The employees are active and join the discussion early. In contrast, the person will be termed as lazy if they enter the meeting late. Bosses can defer or cancel the appointment.

The lower-status person is willing to wait for the higher-status person. The higher-status person talks more than a lower-status person, and they dominate the communication. Lower-status people are reluctant to interrupt communication.

11.

Artifacts Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal artefacts in communication refer to the physical objects of the person, including the brand of clothes and shoes, car brands, Tattoos, Piercing, and Jewelry. It is also known as the belongings owned by the communicator. However, artefacts assist the audiences strongly in forming a perception about the speakers. The audience can identify the speaker’s personality through artefacts.

Artifacts nonverbal communication examples

For example, a person uses a BMW car, representing that the person is wealthy. Similarly, if the person uses a good brand of clothes and diamond jewellery, these artifacts also notify that the person is wealthy. Likewise, sportspeople, singers use tattoos more than ordinary people. Tattoos denounce the social groups they are in. People with expensive jewelry represent their personality and socio-economic conditions.

12. Environment Nonverbal Communication

The environment of nonverbal communication refers to the surrounding context of communication. The context in communication denotes the environment of the discussion.

It mentions the physical environment of the discussion. Aneurin Bevan, a British political leader, recognized that the color of the conference room affected the political campaigns. He noticed that party conferences get more successful if they organize them in a bright color room instead of a depressing room. The environment conveys the message to motivate others.

Environment Nonverbal Communication Examples

The customers build negative concepts about the company and products. For example, the potential clients would not be interested in buying the products if the management set a meeting in a dirty room. In contrast, the customers feel interested in buying the products when the meeting is held in the office room. The environment conveys both positive and negative messages based on the situation.

Conclusion

The types of nonverbal communication are Physical Appearance, Paralinguistics, Body Movement, Gestures, Posture, Facial Expression, Eye Contact, Proxemics, Haptics, Chronemics, Artifacts, and also Environment. However, there are many more types of nonverbal communication in the world, such as Silence and Olfactics.

Citation For This Article(APA-7th & MLA-9th Edition)

Nonverbal Communication Skills: 19 Theories & Findings

In 1956, sociologist Erving Goffman wrote The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life.

In it, he introduces the concept of dramaturgy, which compares everyday social interactions to actors’ portrayals of characters, suggesting that one’s social interactions are analogous to a string of varying performances (Ritzer, 2021).

Goffman’s work also included the concept of impression management. The key to impression management includes appearance; your manner of interacting; and the attitudes conveyed through gestures, facial expressions, and nonverbal skills (Ritzer, 2021).

William Shakespeare said, “All the world’s a stage.”

I’m not a trained actor, but teaching public speaking courses has made me aware that audiences seem to prefer speakers who use a variety of hand gestures. These gestures signify the speaker as “warm, agreeable, and energetic” (Goman, 2021).

Just that nugget of information has taught me to incorporate hand gestures to develop my public speaking skills.

What other nonverbal communication skills enhance daily interactions?

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Communication Exercises (PDF) for free. These science-based tools will help you and those you work with build better social skills and better connect with others.

This Article Contains:

• What Is Nonverbal Communication?
• 9 Types of Nonverbal Communication Skills
• Is Nonverbal Communication Important?
• 2 Psychology Theories and Models
• 8 Fascinating Research Findings
• Importance in Counseling and Healthcare
• Resources From PositivePsychology.com
• A Take-Home Message
• References

What Is Nonverbal Communication?

Nonverbal communication is a way to convey information “achieved through facial expressions, gestures, touching (haptics), physical movements (kinesics), posture, body adornment (clothes, jewelry, hairstyle, tattoos, etc.), and even the tone, timbre, and volume of an individual’s voice (rather than spoken content)” (Navarro & Karlins, 2008, p. 2–4).

In this YouTube video, Joe Navarro explains several nonverbal communication cues, exposes some myths, and discusses his work with nonverbal communication in law enforcement.

Marco Iacoboni (2008, p. 81), author of Mirroring People, takes it a step further, stating that “gestures accompanying speech have a dual role of helping the speakers to express their thoughts and helping the listeners/viewers understand what is being said.”

To competently read body language, Navarro and Karlins (2008) provide suggestions such as rigorous observation and a familiarity with the person’s baseline behaviors. They also recommend watching for changes, or ‘tells.’

Navarro and Karlins (2008) advise becoming familiar with universal behaviors and contextualizing nonverbal cues. However, cultural norms could inhibit rigorous observation.

Characteristics of nonverbal communication

The United States is considered a low-context communication culture (MacLachlan, 2010). This means that much of the information in a message comes directly from words rather than through implication or body language.

This style of communication involves lots of verbal detail so as not to confuse listeners. Low-context cultures rely less on nonverbal communication, which can obscure or censor portions of the message.

Nonverbal communication is culturally determined, and it is largely unconscious. It indicates the speaker’s emotional state. When nonverbal cues conflict with the verbal message, it may convey confusion or deception (Navarro & Karlins, 2008).

Finally, nonverbal communication varies by gender and displays power differentials, information effective leaders can use to influence others (Hybels & Weaver, 2015; Henley, 1977).

Nonverbal communication of successful leaders

It’s essential for leaders to read body language, also known as decoding. Deciphering between engagement (e.g., nodding, tilting the head, open body postures) and disengagement (e. g., body tilting away, crossed arms and legs) can be the difference between success and failure (Goman, 2021).

Successful actors could be considered professional first-impression artists. Like actors, leaders often find themselves center stage; they must learn the art of creating first impressions.

Subjective awareness and the ability to express yourself nonverbally are known as encoding – crucial for positive first impressions. Advice from professional actors includes a maintaining a pleasant facial expression, good posture, pausing, breathing, relaxing, and avoiding hiding your hands (Shellenbarger, 2018).

This video, 8 Things Successful People Do to Look Confident, provides quick tips for confident body language even if you’re not feeling confident.

First impressions are said to be formed in less than seven seconds (Goman, 2021). In this short time, others formulate labels such as “powerful,” “submissive,” or “trustworthy.” Evolved leaders incorporate mindfulness to help.

Naz Beheshti (2018) states, “Evolved leaders… use nonverbal tools mindfully and deliberately to reinforce their message.” She goes on to say, “this lifts the value of your communication and your value as a leader” (Beheshti, 2018).

Awareness of self, others, and the situation (mindfulness) allows us to ensure that our gestures and body language align with our spoken words. This creates congruence and generates trustworthiness (Beheshti, 2018; Newberg & Waldman, 2013).

9 Types of Nonverbal Communication Skills

Knowing how to decode nonverbal clusters also helps discern messages.

This means we are analyzing several, simultaneous nonverbal cues. A frustrated person may tap their foot, cross their arms, and tightly squeeze their biceps (Jones, 2013). These clusters may cross over and include a variety of nonverbal categories, summarized below.

1. Kinesics

Kinesics is the study of how we move our body, specifically the head, hands, body, and arms (Jones, 2013). This includes sending messages through facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, and posture.

2. Haptics

Haptics is the study of touch or coming into physical contact with another person (Hybels & Weaver, 2015). Throughout history, touch has been surrounded by mystery and taboo. We are perplexed by healing touch and riveted by stories of infants who perished due to lack of touch. Touch can denote relationship, status, power, and personality (Henley, 1977).

Cultural norms dictate guidelines regarding touch. Mindfulness regarding social and environmental settings is prudent. We greet a friend at an informal party differently than we would greet a boss or coworker in a professional setting.

3. Proxemics

The study of space and distance is called proxemics, and it analyzes how people use the space around them (Hybels & Weaver, 2015).

This YouTube video is a fun demonstration of students completing a school project on personal space and the discomfort felt by both humans and animals when social norms are violated.

4. Territory

Territory is often used to display power or reveal a lack thereof.

“'[P]osture expansiveness,’ positioning oneself in a way that opens up the body and takes up space, activated a sense of power that produced behavioral changes in a subject independent of their actual rank or role in an organization” (Goman, 2021).

Expansiveness conveys power.

5. Environment

Environment includes objects we use to adorn ourselves and the artifacts we surround ourselves with in order to create an impression. These objects provide nonverbal cues that help others form impressions (Jones, 2013).

6. Paralinguistics

Paralinguistics, also known as vocalics, is the study of how we speak and involves pitch, volume, rate of speech, tone, quality, tempo, resonance, rhythm, and articulation to help determine the context of the message (Jones, 2013).

7. Chronemics

Chronemics is the study of time, including how it is used. Nancy Henley (1977, p. 43), author of Body Politics: Power, Sex & Nonverbal Communication, asserts “Time is far from a neutral philosophical/physical concept in our society: it is a political weapon.”

Henley (1977, p. 47) describes the concept of “ritual waiting,” stating, “The more important the person, the longer we will ungrudgingly wait for the service or honor of attention.”

8. Attractiveness

The power of drawing attention to oneself doesn’t rely on physical appeal alone. Although facial symmetry and fashion of adornment are important (Jones, 2013), people who master good eye contact, have a lively face, offer encouragement, and use open gestures are also considered attractive (Kuhnke, 2012).

9. Olfactics

The study of our sense of smell and how smells are perceived is known as olfactics (Hybels & Weaver, 2015).

Is Nonverbal Communication Important?

Nonverbal communication is very important, as you could reveal unintentional information, as well as cause your communication to be misinterpreted.

Leakage: Unintentional messages

Teaching social–emotional skills to incarcerated people provided me with a powerful lesson about the nuances of nonverbal communication. On a particularly challenging day, I thought it wise to meditate and center myself prior to entering the jail. However, upon seeing me, the people inside began inquiring what was going on with me. What did they detect?

Nonverbal leakage can be shown through micro-expressions, which are “very fast facial movements lasting 1/25 to 1/5 of a second” and indicate a person’s real feelings (Ekman, 2003, p. 214).

This YouTube video is the opening scene of the series Lie to Me, based on the work of Paul Ekman regarding micro-expressions.

Varying statistics on the value of nonverbal communication may cause concern for those less practiced, but which statistics are accurate?

Crossed messages

The original research from Mehrabian and Ferris (1967) regarding nonverbal communication is widely interpreted. Elizabeth Kuhnke (2012, p. 10), author of Body Language for Dummies, interprets the study, saying, “55% of the emotional message in face-to-face communication results from body language.” However, others blithely attribute 97% of the message to nonverbals (Lapakko, 2007).

The nonverbal communication formula often cited is 7–38–55, which indicates “7% of the message comes from words, 38% vocal, and 55% facial” (Lapakko, 2007, p. 7). When I see such statistics cited, it makes me wonder about particularly heavy phrases, such as “You have cancer” or “You’re fired.” A closer look at the research illuminates further findings.

Lapakko (2007) believes this formula is reckless, faulty, and misleading. Mehrabian and Ferris’s (1967) original research was conducted on 37 female psychology majors and included the use of one word: “maybe” (Lapakko, 2007).

As it turns out, the 7–38–55 formula “is applicable within the realm of interpreting the affect or emotional state of others” rather than communication in general (Lapakko, 2007, p. 5).

Regardless of statistics, we know that nonverbal communication is essential and that people skilled at both reading and interpreting body language tend to enjoy greater success in life than those not skilled (Goleman, 1997).

2 Psychology Theories and Models

Assuming Elizabeth Kuhnke and others are correct and that over half of the emotion of a message is derived from body language, it behooves us to explore theoretical frameworks of emotional expression to better understand this process.

Basic emotion theory

Basic emotion theory (BET) posits that emotions are a “grammar of social living” that situate us in the social and moral order of society (Keltner, Sauter, Tracy, & Cowen, 2019, p. 133). In addition, emotions structure interactions, particularly in relationships that matter. BET is integral to emotional expression.

Foundational to BET is the assumption that emotional expressions coordinate social interactions in three ways:

1. Through rapid conveyance of important information to aid in decision making
2. To evoke specific responses
3. To serve as incentives for others’ actions

This is accomplished through reward systems such as parents smiling and caressing a child who exhibits specific behaviors (Keltner et al. , 2019).

BET initially focused on six basic emotions. Literature reveals there are over 20 emotions with distinct, multimodal expressions, providing a deeper structure and highlighting the advancing nature of emotional expression (Keltner et al., 2019).

Neural resonance

Two people who like each other will mirror each other’s facial expressions, gestures, postures, vocalics, and movements. This is known as neural resonance, and it aids the accurate transfer of information from one person to another (Newberg & Waldman, 2013).

To fully understand what another is saying, “you have to listen to and observe the other person as deeply and fully as possible” (Newberg & Waldman, 2013, p. 81). Neural resonance uses mirror neurons to create cooperation, empathy, and trust.

8 Fascinating Research Findings

Studying nonverbal communication is revealing and intriguing. Most experts will include aspects such as eyes, facial expressions, and hands, but digging deeper reveals less-acknowledged nonverbal nuggets.

1. The benefits of yawning

Yawning is one of the fastest and simplest ways to lower mental stress and anxiety (Waldman & Manning, 2017). Social norms dictate that we refrain from yawning in specific settings, but yawning has many benefits. Did you know that snipers are taught to yawn before pulling the trigger (Waldman & Manning, 2017)?

According to Waldman and Manning (2017), yawning stimulates alertness and concentration; optimizes brain activity and metabolism; improves cognitive functioning; increases recall, consciousness, and introspection; decreases stress and relaxes the upper body; recalibrates a sense of timing; enhances social awareness and empathy; and increases sensuality and pleasure.

2. Feet don’t lie

According to Navarro and Karlins (2008), the most honest part of our body is our feet, as demonstrated by small children who dance with happiness or stomp in frustration. Many people look to the face for truth; Navarro and Karlins take the opposite approach:

“When it comes to honesty, truthfulness decreases as we move from the feet to the head” (Navarro & Karlins, 2008, p. 56), reasoning that emotions are suppressed through fabricated facial expression.

3. Gestures that help

Gestures improve memory and comprehension skills. Gestures may convey information that can influence how listeners respond, depending on the hand being used. “We tend to express positive ideas with our dominant hand and negative ideas with the other hand” (Newberg & Waldman, 2013, p. 44).

4. The eyes have it

“Social network circuits are stimulated through face-to-face eye contact, decreasing cortisol, and increasing oxytocin. The result is increased empathy, social cooperation, and positive communication” (Newberg & Waldman, 2013, p. 135).

Eyes reveal a lot about us. When we are aroused, troubled, concerned, or nervous, our blink rate increases. Once we relax, our blink rate returns to normal (Navarro & Karlins, 2008).

5. Power posing for success

Body language affects how others see us and how we view ourselves. In this YouTube video, Amy Cuddy discusses her research on power posing and how it affects success.

Amy Cuddy’s book is also discussed in our article listing books on imposter syndrome.

6. Fingers crossed

One explanation of the origin of crossing fingers for good luck comes from early beliefs in the power of the cross. The intersection of the digits, epitomizing the cross, was thought to denote a concentration of good spirits and served to anchor a wish until it came true (Keyser, 2014).

7. Fake positivity is harmful

Positivity that doesn’t register in your body or heart can be harmful. According to Barbara Fredrickson (2009, p. 180), “fake smiles, just like sneers of anger, predict heart wall collapse.” To truly benefit from a smile, touch, or embrace, you need to slow down and make it heartfelt.

8. Stand up straight

Poor posture can reduce oxygen intake by 30%, resulting in less energy (Gordon, 2003). Stooping over can make us look and feel old and out of touch. By straightening up, we can make significant differences in how we think and feel. The effect is bi-directional; attitude influences posture, just as posture influences attitude.

Importance in Counseling and Healthcare

Much research on communication in therapeutic settings focuses on verbal communication, yet nonverbal messages are crucial.

Good rapport between clients and practitioners stems from mirroring and synchronicity associated with neural resonance (Finset & Piccolo, 2011; Newberg & Waldman, 2013).

Carl Rogers’s Client-Centered Therapy is based on an empathetic understanding of clients. Nonverbal communication provides valuable information for both the client and the therapist. Showing you like and accept a client may be the most important information a therapist can convey (Finset & Piccolo, 2011).

Nonverbal patterns in therapy evolve over time. Specific behaviors that further the therapeutic process include “a moderate amount of head nodding and smiling; frequent, but not staring, eye contact; active, but not extreme, facial responsiveness; and a warm, relaxed, interested vocal tone” (Finset & Piccolo, 2011, p. 122).

Conscious awareness of nonverbal cues can aid in rapport building. Leaning toward the other signals comfort, whereas leaning away or crossing your arms signals discomfort (Navarro & Karlins, 2008).

Torsos and shoulder blades seem innocuous; however, blading away (turning slightly) from another person shows discomfort, while blading toward or facing another squarely shows a level of comfort (Navarro & Karlins, 2008).

Open palms are an ancient sign of trustworthiness that help establish rapport and are considered nonthreatening (Kuhnke, 2012). Hidden hands (placed in pockets or behind backs) signal disconnection and reluctance to engage. To display respect, keep an open posture with your muscles relaxed and weight evenly distributed.

Mirroring and matching go a long way to show synchronicity. Be careful to avoid mimicry, which signals disrespect (Kuhnke, 2012). Too much of a good thing can jeopardize credibility. An extended, fixed gaze into another’s eyes or effortful smiling can seem awkward, or worse.

This short YouTube video explains the dynamics of fluctuating facial expressions, based on the work of Charles Darwin and Paul Ekman.

Resources From PositivePsychology.com

This Silent Connections worksheet is an exercise for groups that combines mindfulness and nonverbal communication to build connections.

Someone who lacks the ability to make eye contact during conversation can be easily misinterpreted. To overcome this nonverbal communication issue, our Strategies for Maintaining Eye Contact can be very useful.

Our blog post 49 Communication Activities, Exercises, and Games includes six nonverbal communication activities for adults and three nonverbal exercises that work for families and children.

The blog post What Is Assertive Communication? 10 Real-Life Examples includes nonverbal qualities that complement and enhance assertive statements. Hints for eye contact, facial expressions, and posture can be found throughout.

In the blog post Cultivating Social Intelligence: 3 Ways to Understand Others, we discuss characteristics of social intelligence, including body language.

If you’re looking for more science-based ways to help others communicate better, this collection contains 17 validated positive communication tools for practitioners. Use them to help others improve their communication skills and form deeper and more positive relationships.

A Take-Home Message

Nonverbal communication is an essential communication skill. Nonverbal expertise aids in delivering clear messages and forming positive impressions. It doesn’t have to be a big gesture to make a difference. Gently stroking the hand of a grieving friend speaks volumes.

Viewing life as a series of dramatic performances, as implied by both Shakespeare and Goffman, can add a sense of intrigue and adventure to enhancing nonverbal communication. These essential skills will help us achieve goals.

Just as the highly motivated thespian will study and polish their craft, anyone wanting to succeed in their career or interpersonal relationships can study and practice the nuances of nonverbal communication.

Actors and public speakers often practice their craft in front of a mirror or videotape themselves to reflect on strengths and weaknesses.

This article includes a myriad of resources to help improve nonverbal communication skills with many additional resources available.

By starting with something as simple as posture, we exit stage right, headed toward the competency of center stage. Break a leg!

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Positive Communication Exercises (PDF) for free.

• Beheshti, N. (2018, September 20). The power of mindful nonverbal communication. Forbes. Retrieved April 26, 2021, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/nazbeheshti/2018/09/20/beyond-language-the-power-of-mindful-nonverbal-communication/?sh=6f40b3d71501
• Ekman, P. (2003). Emotions revealed: Recognizing faces and feelings to improve communication and emotional life. Holt Paperbacks.
• Finset, A., & Piccolo, L. D. (2011). Nonverbal communication in clinical contexts. In M. Rimondini (Ed.), Communication in cognitive-behavioral therapy (pp. 107–128).  Springer Science + Business Media.
• Fredrickson, B. L. (2009). Positivity. Crown Publishing Group.
• Goffman, E. (1956). The presentation of self in everyday life. University of Edinburgh.
• Goleman, D. (1997). Emotional intelligence. Bantam Trade Paperback.
• Goman, C. K. (2018, August 26). 5 Ways body language impacts leadership results. Forbes. Retrieved May 1, 2021, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolkinseygoman/2018/08/26/5-ways-body-language-impacts-leadership-results/?sh=5c1b235c536a
• Gordon, J. (2003). Energy addict: 101 Physical, mental, & spiritual ways to energize your life. Berkley Publishing Group.
• Henley, N. M. (1977). Body politics: Power, sex and nonverbal communication. Simon & Schuster.
• Hybels, S., & Weaver, R. L. (2015). Communicating effectively. McGraw-Hill Education.
• Iacoboni, M. (2008). Mirroring people: The new science of how we connect with others. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
• Jones, R. (2013). Communication in the real world: An introduction to communication studies. University of Minnesota Libraries.
• Keltner, D., Sauter, D., Tracy, J., & Cowen, A. (2019). Emotional expression: Advances in basic emotion theory. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 43(3), 133–160.
• Keyser, H. (2014, March 21). Why do we cross our fingers for good luck? Mental Floss. Retrieved May 27, 2021, from https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/55702/why-do-we-cross-our-fingers-good-luck
• Kuhnke, E. (2012). Body language for dummies. John Wiley & Sons.
• Lapakko, D. (2007). Communication is 93% nonverbal: An urban legend proliferates. Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal, 34(2), 7–19.
• MacLachlan, M. (2010, February 12). Cross-cultural communication styles: High and low context. Communicaid. Retrieved May 10, 2021, from https://www. communicaid.com/cross-cultural-training/blog/high-and-low-context/
• Mehrabian, A., & Ferris, S. R. (1967). Inference of attitudes from nonverbal communication in two channels. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 31(3), 248–252.
• Navarro, J., & Karlins, M. P. (2008). What every body is saying. Harper-Collins.
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• Shellenbarger, S. (2018, January 30). The mistakes you make in a meeting’s first milliseconds. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved May 22, 2021, from https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-mistakes-you-make-in-a-meetings-first-milliseconds-1517322312
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Formation of non-verbal (kinesic) means of communication in speech therapy work with children with general underdevelopment of speech

References:

Khomyakova, S. E. Formation of non-verbal (kinesic) means of communication in speech therapy work with children with general underdevelopment of speech / S. E. Khomyakova. – Text: direct // Innovative pedagogical technologies: materials of the VI Intern. scientific conf. (Kazan, May 2017). – Kazan: Buk, 2017. – S. 110-116. — URL: https://moluch.ru/conf/ped/archive/214/12230/ (date of access: 07.10.2022).



To increase the effectiveness of speech therapy, it is necessary to introduce a set of tasks and exercises into the process of remedial education for preschool children with speech underdevelopment, involving the development of kinetic means of communication. The importance of such work is obvious, as it ensures the development of the child’s orientation in feelings, experiences, and emotional states. The development of the emotional sphere provides a higher level of awareness of the child’s feelings and needs, which positively affects the development of thinking and speech.

When working on the formation of kinesic abilities in children with OHP, it is necessary to take into account the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of sign language. Optimal gesticulation involves finding the best balance between gesticulation and other means of communication. There may be few gestures, but it is necessary that they correspond to facial expressions, visual contact and other non-verbal components of pedagogical technique. The interaction of gesture and word is very important. An exact choice of this or that gesture and its correlation with speech in a specific psychological and pedagogical situation is necessary. No less significant are the features of the performance of individual gestures: tempo, amplitude, completeness of the pattern, movement, and other characteristics of the statics and dynamics of the gesture.

With age, there is an increase in the awareness of non-verbal behavior, and the scope of expressive possibilities expands. Each stage in the formation of linguistic thinking must correspond to a certain gestural expression, so the development of the gestural thesaurus of children should take into account their age characteristics.

The content of the work on the development of a gestural thesaurus in children with general underdevelopment of speech of the 3rd level, based on an experimental study, should include tasks aimed at using gestures that reflect various emotional states, namely: meditation, concentration, recall, difficulty in self-expression, approval, consent, disagreement, distrust, regret, sympathy, gratitude, negative assessment. Also, children should learn to learn to distinguish and show gestures of greeting, attracting attention, maintaining contact with the interlocutor. It is necessary to form ways to demonstrate the acceptance of information, the end of communication, farewell. It is also necessary to develop special methodological conditions for the assimilation by children of non-verbal means of expressing requests, reconciliation and other ways of interaction. The direct formation of gestures should be preceded by preparatory work aimed at developing the entire kinesic system of preschoolers with OHP.

Depending on the tasks set and the stage of work, various forms of work should be used in the process of speech therapy influence: frontal, subgroup and individual classes enriched with special content with children, regime moments.

The development of the ability to isolate and name an emotion should permeate all types of children’s activities. In the process of drawing, attention is drawn to the means of expressing expression in facial expressions and pantomime. When reading literary works, children select pictograms that correspond to the mood of the hero. Similar work is carried out in music classes. In their free time, on a walk, children play games that involve the consolidation of knowledge about emotions and their names.

Learning actions by imitation and by verbal instruction is also carried out in the process of conducting games and exercises on a walk, in a group (individually and with a group), as an element of music and physical education classes, in a speech therapist’s class. However, the selection of tasks should not be unsystematic. Exercises and games should correspond to a certain stage.

1. In the initial period (4–5 years), it is important to teach children to be aware of their movements, to teach them to voluntarily control the body. At 6-7 years old, these skills are fixed.

a) Development of motor abilities to imitate.

The exercises involve all muscle groups . An example is the psycho-gymnastic etude “Strongman”.

Perform contrast tension and relaxation of the shoulder girdle, arms and legs, imagining that children: hold heavy weights in their hands (leg, on their shoulder); lift a heavy basket of apples overhead; squeeze the bar; they hold the closing door with their foot, push the closely intertwined branches of trees in the forest thicket with their hands.

b) Development of smoothness and plasticity of movements. Exercise “Fish and algae.”

Role reversal exercises: smooth, light movements of algae – in place, and fish – with movement in the “water”.

c) No less important are exercises that involve non-verbal interaction between its participants and are aimed at reducing the emotional distance between the players (exercise “Sunshine” ).

2. Next, training is carried out to perform symbolic movements. Children learn to perform expressive gestures and movements by imitating the movements of people, animals, etc.

At the initial stage, actions are performed to show the teacher. An example of such tasks can be the game “City of Masters” . A teacher with a toy ax shows the movements of a lumberjack. Children perform movements with an object (a toy ax), depicting how a woodcutter is chopping wood. The teacher shows the movements of other masters. Then everyone becomes a “master” and performs their own movement.

The game “Masks” is also played without relying on a movement pattern. If necessary, the teacher clarifies the movements of the children.

Purpose: development of imagination, observation, intelligence, expressiveness of movements.

Description of the game. One child who stands in front of the others is given an animal mask, but he does not know which one. To guess whose mask it is, the child invites one of the children to depict this animal. If the animal is guessed, the child who portrayed it becomes the driver.

The game is one of the most important methods for the development of non-verbal processes. To do this, it is important to play with children as an equal partner, show examples of interaction, strive to make the game bring joy to both the child and the adult. In the process of communicating with children, non-verbal means should be widely used to establish contact: a kind look, a touch on the hand, a decrease in physical and psychological distance.

In the next lesson, the tasks can be complicated. Children are not given animal masks. The task is to depict the animal according to the verbal description. It is important to form the ability to reproduce non-verbal complexes not only by imitation, but also by verbal instructions. To consolidate ideas about the way of non-verbal expression of emotions, information, state and attitude, to develop a conscious attitude to muscular and emotional sensations. Children learn that facial expressions, gesture, posture are not just a movement, but a signal that makes it possible to understand the interlocutor and express their state and attitude.

3. At this stage, children learn to understand the emotional states of people. The child is asked to answer questions. In case of difficulty, the teacher discusses the situation with him, demonstrates plot pictures.

For example:

a) When is it interesting? When is a person surprised? When is it embarrassing? When does a person get angry?

b) Further questions are offered when the child must explain his answer himself and show the person: What will happen to a person if he sees pears on a birch? How do you feel when you eat your favorite candy? What will a person feel if they tear their clothes?

c) At the next stage of work, the teacher invites the children to recall and draw a situation when they experienced interest, surprise, pleasure, shame, fear, anger, grief, joy.

d) Gradually, the tasks become more difficult, the child learns to emotionally portray various situations. For the formation of these skills, the following tasks are offered: the child is offered to demonstrate a cheerful, sad, frightened, angry, surprised boy (girl). Each emotional state is named as it is performed; the child is offered to name and portray the hero of a fairy tale or cartoon who was cheerful, sad, angry, surprised; the child is offered to say the phrase “There is a dog in the yard” joyfully, sadly, frightened, angry, surprised.

4. Mimicry is considered as a separate element, subject to consistent assimilation.

a) At first, such games as “Mirror”, “In the kingdom of crooked mirrors”, “Look and repeat”, “Animated picture”, “Sculptor” are used.

b) Then models and schemes act as a model. For example, a child is offered cards with a graphic image of joy, grief, fear, anger, surprise. It turns out how children perceive graphic images of emotional states.

5. At the next stage, children learn pantomime and gestures using fixed facial postures. First, static movements (posture, facial expressions) are practiced, then dynamic ones (gesture, pantomime). The control of the correctness of the movements is carried out visually (in front of the mirror). Children with interest perform the task “Depict a kitten” . First you need to repeat the facial expressions and posture of the kitten shown in the picture, and then its movements.

6. An important means of forming a certain emotional mood is music. In music lessons, children learn clear, precise, smooth movements. In the process of developing an understanding of non-verbal means, children learn to determine the mood by the nature of the sound, tempo, rhythm, timbre and melody. For this purpose, the listened sound is associated with motor and emotional sensations, non-verbal expressive movements are reproduced.

a) Learning to perform emotional movements to the music of a certain nature ( “Dance of the Stars” ) .

b) Music contributes to the emotional liberation of children. Gradually, they learn to independently perform arbitrary movements to a given music.

c) Further, it is important to form a desire for communication among preschoolers and teach children to express emotions, information, states and relationships by non-verbal means of communication using music.

The results of learning the movements in the game “City of Masters” at the initial stage are now used in communication games using music. Such games contribute to increasing the accuracy of perception and reproduction of movements, creating conditions for the formation of a holistic image of a non-verbal expressive complex. An example would be the game Shoemakers.

Tasks: development of expressiveness of movements, formation of communication skills.

I.p. Children sit in pairs facing each other in a circle. The children of the inner circle (boys) pretend to be shoemakers and squat down, getting ready for “work”. The children of the outer circle (girls) pretend to be customers, exposing their foot for shoe repair.

1 part.

“Shoemakers” work by imitating the appropriate movements to the beat of the music. The “client” is standing (can perform half-turns with the body to the right and left, slightly springing with the legs).

2 part.

“Shoemaker” and “Client” dance after “work”, circling in pairs jumping to the right, then to the left. After circling, they can switch roles, or they can remain in their places.

After the first performance, the “Client” bows to his “Shoemaker” and moves on to the next partner in a circle. The dance is repeated several times.

d) During the games held in music classes, children can use musical instruments. The scenario of the game “Goats and wolf” provides for the use of a pipe.

Tasks: development of creative imagination, expressiveness of movements.

Movement description:

Children participate in the game – Goats, as well as the leader – Shepherd (this role can be played by an adult or older child).

Introduction. The “sleepy” Shepherd comes out, yawns, stretches. Then he “opens” the barn and lets goats go for a walk.

The goats run out.

1 figure.

The goats run one after another, and the Shepherd counts them.

The goats run in a circle in the other direction.

The shepherd boy plays the flute, turning his body to the right and left. The goats (hands at the head, index fingers sticking forward like “horns”) stretch their heads following the movements of the Shepherdess (on “Ale-and-y”).

The goats alternately put their hand to the right and left ear (listen to the echo).

2 figure.

Goats move one after another in a circle: 4 jumps forward – 4 jumps back on two legs (2 times in a circle, then 2 times to the center and back).

The shepherd at this time leaves the circle, steps aside and puts on the mask of the Wolf.

3 figure.

The shepherd in the mask of the Wolf approaches with a decisive step to the goats, who, trembling, back away.

Goats are approaching the Wolf (shepherd) – 4 jumps forward;

The wolf, threatening, steps on the Goats, and they move back.

Further, the movements are repeated. Each time, the Goats become more and more “bold” and tease the Wolf, as they saw that this is not a real Wolf, but their familiar Shepherd, who put on a Wolf mask to test their “vigilance”.

The goats tease the Wolf, and he threatens them with his finger 3 times, then runs back. Repeat everything 2 times.

At the final measures, the Goats scatter, the Shepherd (Wolf) catches them.

e) Speech accompaniment of movements and singing helps the child to realize individual elements, to feel the difference in performing various actions. An example of such a technique can be the game “Painters” , held at a music lesson.

Tasks: development of dexterity, clarity, coordination of movements, sense of rhythm, expressiveness, plasticity, speed of reaction.

I.p. – standing loose, right arm bent at the elbow, fist at the shoulder (holding a paint brush), left – on the belt.

Introduction. High running loose. At the end of the performance, stop facing the audience.

1 figure.

1 couplet.

Chorus:

1 sentence: to the words “We will whitewash the ceiling … … high” – stretch your arms up, with both hands imitate the movements “paint the ceiling”.

2 suggestion:

I.p. – arms to the sides, legs apart.

To the words “In the house, every wall … must” – stretch to the right – to the left behind the hands, transferring the weight of the body from the right to the left leg – in accordance with the rhythm of the music for each count.

To repeat the words “to be” – right hand forward, “dol-…” – left hand forward, “…-zhna” – hands on the belt, 2 “springs”.

Chorus:

1 phrase: “Everything …”. – 2 times the right foot on the heel on the jump and in and. n. Hands simultaneously open with palms forward and in and. P.; “…… me-em” – the same with the left foot;

2nd phrase: “And without unnecessary talk …” – repetition of the movements of the 1st phrase;

3-4 phrases: “And we will replace plasterers, floor polishers …” – circling on jumps in place, hands below move vigorously;

5 phrase: “… and painters and carpenters” – a few small steps to the center, hands smoothly up, to the accent at the end of the phrase – stomp with the right foot and clap;

6th phrase: “… and other workers” – a few steps backwards in a circle, hands smoothly down, with an accent at the end of the phrase – also stomp with the right foot and clap;

Phrase 7: circling in place to the right on the steps, hands slightly apart, with an accent at the end of the phrase – stomp with the right foot and clap;

8 phrase: the same to the left.

Loss: running high in circles.

2 figure.

I.p. – standing facing the center, legs in the 1st position, hands below.

Chorus:

1 suggestion:

1 phrase – “And we have wallpaper …” – right foot on the heel, tilt to the right foot;

“winder” – rotational movements with arms bent at the elbows to the right and down;

“we have, we have …” – straighten up;

“enough even in reserve” – the same to the left;

“In reserve, in reserve” – straighten up.

2 suggestion:

1 phrase – “At hand” – hands up, stand on your toes;

“there is glue” – sit down, hands to the floor;

2nd phrase – “It’s more fun to glue with a song” – repeat the movements of the 1st phrase.

To the word “Be-…” – right hand forward, “-se-…” – left hand forward, “…-lei” – hands on the belt, 2 “springs”.

Chorus: the movements are repeated accordingly, as in the 1st figure.

Loss: high running in a circle (as in the entry).

3 figure.

2 couplet.

Chorus:

1 phrase: “we will rub the floor with mastic, we will rub the floor, we will rub the floor …” – imitation of the movement “rubbing the floor” – energetic sliding movements with the right foot, the left motionless on the floor, hands clenched into fists, move synchronously with the right foot;

2 phrase: “to see yourself there in it, to see in it, to see in it” – the same with the other foot;

3rd phrase: “So that the guest hangs his coat” – imitation of the “hammering nails” movements – the fist of the right hand hits the fist of the left hand;

4th phrase: “we will hammer a nail at the entrance” – repeat the movements of the 3rd phrase, changing the position of the hands;

To the words: “Nail, nail, nail!” – vigorous fist-to-fist strikes – 3 times, respectively, to words and music.

Chorus: repeat the movements according to the music and the text.

Loss: repeat the movements as an introduction (scatter run).

4 figure.

Repetition of the movements of the 1st figure (facing the viewer).

Participation in dramatizations helps the child to better understand and comprehend the content, to establish a connection between sensory and verbal impressions, and to better assimilate the subject content of his future statements. The content should be focused on the personal and emotional activity of children, they should learn to express their expression, show empathy and attitude towards the characters of the dramatizations.

7. The introduction of direct speech into exercises allows you to fill the movement with meaning, emotionally valuable meaning. Children begin to see meaning, emotion behind the movement, compare it with speech behavior. Communicating with the teacher and parents, children try to tell them about their experiences and feelings, to recreate a non-verbal image of certain situations. This leads to the development of dialogic and monologue speech in children.

Game Handkerchiefs.

Tasks of remedial education:

– the formation of imitating gestures for the words: “wash”, “rub”, “hang”, “ironing”, “rest”.

Equipment: two clean handkerchiefs, a toy basin.

Speech material:

We’ll wash the handkerchief – like this,

We will rub him hard – like this,

And then we wring out the handkerchief – like this.

Now we’ll take the handkerchiefs to the rope,

Let all the handkerchiefs dry.

And while we rest – like this, like this.

Now we will iron handkerchiefs

Iron – that’s it.

And now we all dance

And wave handkerchiefs – like this, like this!

Game progress.

The child stands near the table, he is invited to look at the handkerchiefs and choose one for himself. Then he offers to wash them, and shows how this can be done. Then the scene is repeated without handkerchiefs.

8. In speech therapy classes, work with literary works, modeling of various situations of communication should be widely used.

For this, speech therapy classes were developed, in which children made up a story based on a series of plot pictures. When compiling a story, children describe the emotional mood of the hero, select music suitable for this mood, perform movements characteristic of the characters to the music.

In the classroom, the teacher introduces children to verbal accompaniment, reinforces his words with actions, encourages children to respond, stimulates non-verbal interaction. The possibility of non-verbal interaction leads to emancipation. Thanks to a clear description of the sensations, the emotionality of the teacher’s speech, the expressiveness of his facial expressions, postures and gestures, as well as control over the correct execution of movements, allow you to create a holistic and complete image of a particular emotion and the corresponding expressive movement.

So, as part of the preparatory work for the formation of a gestural thesaurus in children with level 3 speech underdevelopment, the main emphasis should be placed on consolidating non-verbal prerequisites in the development of communicative-speech intention, as well as on the formation of emotional expressiveness of speech and probabilistic forecasting processes. Understanding the meaning of non-verbal (kinesic) means of communication is in this case the main condition for the formation of emotional expressiveness of speech.

First, non-verbal (kinesic) complexes are demonstrated by the teacher and performed by imitation with musical and speech accompaniment. Then they are reproduced according to the verbal instruction that accompanies the performance of the gesture, and as a result, independently in accordance with the text or instruction. At the final stages of work, older preschoolers can, with a certain degree of independence, reproduce a non-verbal gestural complex, filling it with subjectively significant content.

Thanks to the techniques and exercises used, the non-verbal behavior of children is enriched, becomes more vivid and expressive. This, in turn, has a positive effect on communicative and play activities: children understand each other better, pay attention to non-verbal signals, and try to reproduce them in role-playing games.

Literature:

1. Burenina A.I. Communicative dance games for children: Proc. Benefit. – St. Petersburg: Musical Palette Publishing House, 2004. – 36 p.
2. Dudyev V.P. Features of voluntary motor activity of children with general underdevelopment of speech / V.P. Dudyev // Defectology – 1995. – No. 4.
3. Lopukhina I. Speech therapy. Speech, rhythm, movement: A guide for speech therapists and parents: – St. Petersburg: Delta, 1997. – 256 p.
4. Seliverstov V. I. Speech games with children. — M.: Vlados, 1994. – 344 p.
5. Trubitsina L. V. The role of non-verbal communication in the psychological correction of personality. Personality. Communication. group processes. M., 1991.

Basic terms (automatically generated) : child, movement, right leg, hand, game, phrase, goat, right hand, left hand, non-verbal interaction.

The role of non-verbal means in interpersonal communication

Annotation : The main elements of non-verbal behavior are presented in the article as a variety of movements and attributes of a person’s appearance associated with a change in the psychological state of the individual. It is shown that the formation of such skills and abilities is of great importance for the professional training of specialists in the sphere of “human-to-human”.
Key words: non-verbal behavior, appearance, facial expressions, speech, voice.

The process of interaction between people is nothing but the influence of participants in the communication process on each other [1]. They may not depend on goals and directions, they can be verbal (verbal) and non-verbal (expressed through body language and gestures).

Mimic manifestations, various gestures, posture taken by the interlocutor, position of arms and legs, appearance attributes, look, hairstyle, clothing and accessories are the main elements of non-verbal communication. All these means of non-verbal communication are closely related to the dynamics of changes in the mental state of a person. Through visual contact and studying the behavior of other people and themselves in the process of communication, people learn about others and express themselves. Our actions and emotional expressions in the process of communication with other people are important not only for us, but also for our partners [2].

Means of non-verbal communication can become a common point of view and influence the process and result of our communication with the interlocutor, thus forming one of the objects of study of practical psychology.

Mimicry is the most relevant means of communication between people, as it mostly affects the subconscious level. It is facial expressions that most people betray great importance, and the success of interpersonal communication can be judged precisely by facial expressions. The emotions and feelings experienced by a person at the time of communication are undoubtedly, to one degree or another, reflected on his face. This happens by relaxing or contracting the muscles of the face, the so-called facial structures. Some studies show that in the absence of visual contact, or the interlocutor’s motionless face, about 20% of the information is simply lost. In various sources, you can find about twenty thousand descriptions of facial expressions. A distinctive feature of facial expressions is its complexity and plasticity.

Expressing all six basic emotions (fear, disgust, joy, sadness, anger, surprise), the muscles of the face are quite clearly coordinated. Undoubtedly, when expressing any emotion, all the muscles of the face are involved, but the expression of the lips and eyebrows carries a greater semantic load [2].

By facial expressions of emotions one can judge whether a person is lying or not. When deceiving, for example, the facial expression will be asymmetrical, and the stronger the lie, the greater the amplitude of the differences between the left and right half of the face. Usually, the expressed emotions are of a spontaneous nature and are expressed in a standard way for a given society, therefore it is quite difficult to control one’s mimic manifestations of an emotional state.

An interlocutor trying to hide his own attitude to the new information received may confine himself to the usual conventional allusion, which in turn is often disorienting, although there are also true manifestations.

Quite often people try to hide their own attitude to the subject of conversation and try to control their facial expressions and gestures. However, only two or three reactions can be monitored simultaneously. With such knowledge, you can make assumptions that the interlocutor is not honest with you and is trying to hide any information, or provides false information.

At the same time, it should be taken into account that the emotions that arise in people and their manifestations at the verbal or non-verbal level are quite individual in nature and it is worth trying to analyze a person’s behavior only with a high level of knowledge of the interlocutor and standardized manifestations of emotions. Otherwise, there is a chance to come to the wrong conclusion and get an erroneous opinion about the interlocutor.

Speech also plays a big role in creating an impression about a person. Oral and written speech of a person is always individual and has a number of unique features. These features include, for example, tone, voice pitch, voice timbre. The use of parasitic words or jargon in one’s speech, verbal turns familiar to a person, literate or illiterate speech, an abundance of epithets or dry speech.

We most often perceive the style of the interlocutor’s speech from the point of view of our own experience and compare it with our own accepted norms. Thus, the opinion that we have about the interlocutor is formed by comparing our own ideals of speech with the perceived speech of the interlocutor.

The posture and postures taken by the interlocutor, which in turn are an integral part of the personality, also play a big role in our impression. The position of the head and body typical for the individual forms the posture, which gives the silhouette a general appearance. Any poses are made up of various actions of the individual [3, 4, 5].

For example, our walk can give away our occupation, state of health, and even signal our emotional state. There are a number of distinguishing features of gait, such as speed, stride strength, stride amplitude, elasticity, hip wag, stride length, variability or certainty in direction of movement.

The voice of the interlocutor is also an object of evaluation and affects the impression that a person makes on others.

Voices vary widely in pitch, timbre, manner of pronunciation and, if they are not specially trained, as happens, for example, with the voice of speakers or announcers, they turn out to be a rather subtle tool for expressing both the momentary state and individual characteristics of a person, for example , temperament, some character traits.

The voice also has a certain rhythm, abrupt pronunciation, or vice versa, smoothness, unique intonation and possible musicality.

There is also the concept of expressive human behavior. This is how a person looks, his hairstyle, manner of dressing, for women – the presence or absence of makeup and its brightness, the presence of jewelry and accessories. With the help of all this, the external image of a person is also compiled.

The expressive behavior of a person can often betray the profession of the subject, his nationality, habits and tastes, adherence to any religious denomination, can give out age [6]. We offer several training exercises for a visual study of this topic and empirical testing of the acquired knowledge:

– print photo cards with faces expressing a certain emotion. For the purity of the experiment, it is better to take cards on which both women and men will be depicted, persons of various nationalities and ages;

– invite the group to analyze each other and draw conclusions about personality traits. character, introversion or extraversion of the subject. To check the results, conduct a psychological examination with tests and compare the results;

– invite a professional actor to show emotions to the group, and the group would guess what emotion the actor is showing;

– organize the work of the training participants in pairs, which will give them additional experience in interpersonal communication and the ability to compare results.

The way a person perceives and evaluates those around him largely depends on the previous experience of communication, the conclusions that a person made earlier, on his own individual personality traits. So, V.A. Labunskaya in her research writes that a person with the most developed non-verbal intelligence, emotional will be directed more at others than at himself.

Productive learning activity is the main structural unit of the category of pantomime activity from early childhood. Already in preparation for schooling, it is necessary to take into account: the possibilities of bodily and mental development and the individual characteristics of the health of the individual; the ability of the child to think figuratively, to perceive information from the external environment and the ability to transfer the internal way of thinking to the external plane of being. Facial expressions, gestures are powerful auxiliary elements in the active life of a preschooler and in the process of his education (Dolgova V.I., Zhurbenko S.S. [6, 7,8])

Conclusions: To successfully create a small group and establish constructive interpersonal relationships, a person needs knowledge of how to perceive others competently. The formation of skills for the successful recognition of the meanings of facial expressions, gestures, speech expressions – verbal and non-verbal means of communication, is an integral task in the professional development of such specialists as psychologists, judges, actors, lawyers, managers, that is, all those who have direct contact with a person. And for any other person whose occupation is not related to interpersonal contacts, such knowledge will be useful in everyday life when communicating with relatives, friends, relatives, as well as for controlling their own verbal and non-verbal messages.

References

1. Ilyin EP Emotions and feelings. – St. Petersburg: Peter, 2001. – 752 from
2. Piz A., Piz B. New body language. Extended version. – M.: Eksmo, 2006. – 414 p.
3. Dolgova V.I., Zhurbenko S.S. Psychological and pedagogical modeling of pantomimic activity // Bulletin of the Oryol State University. Series: New Humanities Research. – 2012. – No. 5 (25). – S. 99-102.
4. Dolgova V.I., Zhurbenko S.S. Pantomimic activity as a determinant of the physical and mental health of preschoolers // Bulletin of the Oryol State University. Series: New Humanities Research. – 2012. – No. 4 (24). – P. 60-62.
5. Dolgova V.I. Some biosocial characteristics of the physical and mental health of preschoolers // In the collection: BIOSOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MODERN HUMAN PSYCHOLOGY / SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ASPECTS OF THE POST-INDUSTRIAL LIFE ACTIVITY OF STATES Materials digest of the LIX International Research and Practice Conference and II stage of the Championship in science psychologicals (London, August 08-August 14, 2013) / Materials digest of the LX International Research and Practice Conference and II stage of the Championship in military, sociological and political sciences (London, August 08-August 14, 2013). Chief editor – Pavlov V. V .. – London, 2013. – pp. 33-34.
6. Dolgova V.I., Zhakupova Ya.T. Modeling emotional and communicative culture (on the example of training music teachers) // In the collection: FORMS OF SOCIAL COMMUNICATION IN THE DYNAMICS OF HUMAN SOCIETY DEVELOPMENT Materials digest of the XXXVII International Research and Practice Conference and the III stage of the Championship in philological, historical and sociological sciences. (London, December 05 – December 10, 2012). Chief editor – Pavlov V.V.. – London, 2013. – pp. 69-71.

what is it, meaning and what is the difference

Communication is an integral component of human society. It is thanks to communication that cities, countries, civilizations are created. But its forms are diverse and differ from each other. As a rule, non-verbal and verbal communication are mentioned. What is the difference? Which communication option is best?

Why is there a division into several types of communication at all? What are the disadvantages and advantages of each of them? Can it be argued that verbal communication is better? How to master this skill? Should it be prioritized over non-verbal communication? What exercises help develop communication skills? Let’s talk about this important topic.

What is verbal communication?

Verbal communication is the verbal exchange of information between people using words. A logical continuation of this type of communication can be considered written speech, which helps to transfer thoughts to paper or electronic media. Their nature is the same and is associated with the use of speech constructions, which are either voiced or recorded.

Verbal communication is used when information needs to be conveyed. Its significance is vividly demonstrated in the biblical tradition of the Tower of Babel. The essence of this story is the desire of people to rise to heaven, thanks to the construction of a giant building. Their plans were not destined to come true, due to the fact that different languages ​​​​appeared, and the builders no longer understood each other. This separation brought to naught the well-coordinated work of the masters, who could no longer communicate.

Study, work, business communication and many other forms of interaction between people are possible only through words. Verbal means of communication provide the following functions:

• Accumulative – preservation and accumulation of knowledge;
• Appellative – motivation for action, motivation of the interlocutor;
• Communicative – information transfer;
• Constructive – the ability to formulate thoughts;
• Cognitive – the ability to acquire knowledge;
• Emotional – deciphering one’s feelings and emotions;
• Ethnic – national identity.

The last aspect is extremely important from the standpoint of statehood. The fact is that each nation has its own language, the use of which forms a specific mentality. Verbal communication, unlike non-verbal communication, helps a person identify himself by belonging to a certain community – Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, Poles, etc.

What is non-verbal communication?

Non-verbal communication is “body language” that conveys information without the use of words, through gestures, facial expressions, changes in posture, and other non-verbal elements. It is believed that in personal communication, the non-verbal component is more important than the spoken words. Humans have something called emotional intelligence, which helps them pick up the smallest changes in behavior. This skill, along with social intelligence, helps to achieve success even more than professional knowledge and experience.

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Non-verbal means of communication perform the following tasks:

• Focus on certain details;
• Supplement oral speech;
• Strengthen words with emotions;

By the way, non-verbal communication, unlike verbal communication, is more useful not to the person who produces the information, but to his interlocutor. The fact is that the “body language” treacherously betrays many secrets that they prefer to remain silent about. It is very important to learn to recognize the hidden desires and emotions of others, which helps non-verbal communication. The psychology of people contains many patterns that can be used to understand interlocutors.

For example, in the science fiction film Total Recall, the main character played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, while on Mars, almost fell into a trap when they tried to convince him that everything that was happening was a dream. An unknown person, who introduced himself as an employee of the Rekall company, almost convinced the hero to take a pill, but he could not hide his excitement and a drop of sweat flowing down his cheek played a cruel joke. As a result, in the best traditions of the genre, the villain received a bullet in the forehead, and the miraculously saved hero set off for new adventures.

Although this is a fictional situation, in real life, the features of non-verbal communication, if not taken into account, can unexpectedly change the course of events, turning into a failed date, a failed job attempt, or a lost client. You can sing praises and compose fables as much as you like, but it is almost impossible to hide the truth in facial expressions, posture or gestures for a long time. Therefore, comparing verbal and non-verbal communication, the decisive role of the latter in making the final decision by the interlocutor is clearly visible. But oral speech is also important in the process of dialogue, it can simply be compared with the tip of the iceberg, the underwater part of which is “body language”.

What is verbal and non-verbal communication like?

The listed types of communication are not homogeneous. In turn, they are divided into many subspecies, each of which plays its own role. Some of them are perceived on an intuitive level, others become available in the process of socialization, when a person regularly practices in dialogue with the outside world. Ideally, when a person learns non-verbal and verbal communication, mastering all the nuances of communication.

This helps to better position yourself and perceive the interlocutor correctly. Established communication plays a positive role in any cooperation, starting with military operations and ending with doing business. The better the understanding in the team, the faster and better any work is done. In the process of communication, everything is important, there is no minor in it.

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Types of verbal communication

This type of communication is divided into external and internal speech. The first is aimed at a dialogue with the outside world, and the second – with oneself. External verbal communication consists of oral and written forms. Their principle is similar, just in one case information is distributed through acoustic vibrations, and in the other – with the help of some surface (sheet of paper, rock, sand, fence, monitor).

The essence does not change – a person uses speech constructions that reflect his thoughts. This can take place in the format of a monologue or dialogue, depending on the role of the interlocutor, as a listener, or an active participant in the conversation.

Internal verbal communication is a reflection or an appeal to oneself. In most cases, this type of communication takes the form of a monologue. If someone begins to answer from the inside, and this is clearly not intestinal bacteria, then it is better to consult with specialists in time.

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Types of non-verbal communication

“Body language” is more subtle and varied. Verbal and non-verbal means of communication are fundamentally different. If speech constructions are usually straightforward and carry a specific meaning, experience is required to interpret non-verbal speech. Non-verbal communication tools include gestures, posture, facial expressions, distance, intonation and other acoustic features of the voice (rhythm, timbre, pauses between words), touch.

All this indicates the interlocutor’s hidden intentions, his experiences, emotions, thoughts. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule when the “body language” does not match the context. There may also be national characteristics. The same Chinese word, spoken with different intonation, can carry a completely different context. This non-verbal means of communication, in case of inept use, can provoke an unpleasant situation. For example, “hemp” and “horse” sound the same – “ma”, but are pronounced with a different tone.

In contrast to oral or written speech, which are not the same for different nations, many inhabitants consider non-verbal communication to be universal. Gestures, facial expressions and posture seem to be something generally accepted for them. This also hides a bug. In different countries, these forms of communication can acquire completely opposite meanings. The gesture in the form of a raised thumb, which we associate with consent, in Greece means a request to be silent, and in Iran it is an insult at all. It follows from this that non-verbal ways of communication need to be studied no less than language.

Pros and cons of verbal communication

Depending on the situation, the effectiveness of a particular method of communication can either decrease or increase. Verbal communication is indispensable in the business sphere, when it is necessary to quickly and efficiently convey an array of information. Equally important is oral speech in public speaking. Writing is generally one of the greatest achievements of civilization, which made it possible to preserve and transmit the accumulated experience.

But in personal life, verbal communication is noticeably inferior to gestures, facial expressions, and emotions. On a date, you can think about lofty topics as much as you like, but even one awkward touch can ruin everything. In those areas where the influence of the subconscious is especially noticeable, it is the “body language” that serves as the main conductor of thoughts and feelings.

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Pros and cons of non-verbal communication

As one of the communication tools, non-verbal communication is a reliable ally of a person who understands it. But “body language” cannot replace a rich vocabulary and broad erudition. It’s one thing to meet a tipsy girl in a nightclub, it’s quite another to make a presentation at a conference. It all depends on the location and the audience.

Of course, facial expressions and posture are important even on stage, demonstrating the confidence of the speaker, but the audience does not come for this. The audience is interested in personal benefit, and not in the “peacock tail” of the speaker. So, the skill of non-verbal communication should be supported by useful and high-quality information presented.

In addition to the ability to control one’s own body, it is very important to learn to “read” other people’s behavior, recognizing lies, cunning, and hypocrisy. This helps to avoid scammers and swindlers, as well as not to make mistakes in choosing a partner. Girls understand what is on the mind of a potential gentleman, and men avoid mercantile passions.

Non-verbal communication can be both a helper and a traitor at the same time, giving away those details that a person prefers to keep quiet, such as fear, excitement and uncertainty. So, the main plus of non-verbal communication is in recognizing other people’s minuses and hiding your own. If you learn this, then “body language” will be a real ally, if not, then an enemy.

How to improve verbal and non-verbal communication

Communication can be improved like other skills. Its quality depends on knowledge and practice. The success of verbal communication is determined by the quality of the information that is transmitted through it. To do this, you need to read a lot, listen to the speeches of professionals and communicate with smart people, adopting their vocabulary and views on a particular situation.

Books alone are not enough to master body language. It is necessary to develop observation, analyze the actions of people and their gestures, facial expressions, postures. Further, all this is linked together, helping to find cause-and-effect relationships. For example, the interlocutor, who regularly looked away, told the person a lie. The next person he spoke to behaved in a similar way and also deceived. For the third time this person carefully studies the person with whom he communicates, and if he finds a similar reaction, then it is quite reasonable to assume that they want to fool him.

In addition to the analysis of interlocutors, it is necessary to control your own reactions to certain situations. Suppose a guy was attacked by hooligans and blocked the path to retreat. Like the frilled lizard that puffs out its hood to frighten predators, it wants to demonstrate its confidence in order to scare off attackers. But his trembling voice and shaking knees betray his dismay. As a result – empty pockets and a black eye for bad acting. Verbal communication does not help in such situations. It is necessary to learn the correct facial expressions, gestures, and keeping a distance. As a result, even a weaker opponent can win in a conflict situation by making the right impression on opponents.

The ability to correctly form and convey one’s thoughts helps a person to establish a dialogue, transfer knowledge to others or learn himself. The most important role in this is played by verbal communication, especially in a formal setting. But we should not forget about the “body language”, which sometimes “sounds” even louder than speech.