Nonverbal forms of communication: Nonverbal Communication and Body Language
Nonverbal Communication and Body Language
communication
Your facial expressions, gestures, posture, and tone of voice are powerful communication tools. Here’s how to read and use body language to build better relationships at home and work.
What is body language?
While the key to success in both personal and professional relationships lies in your ability to communicate well, it’s not the words that you use but your nonverbal cues or “body language” that speak the loudest. Body language is the use of physical behavior, expressions, and mannerisms to communicate nonverbally, often done instinctively rather than consciously.
Whether you’re aware of it or not, when you interact with others, you’re continuously giving and receiving wordless signals. All of your nonverbal behaviors—the gestures you make, your posture, your tone of voice, how much eye contact you make—send strong messages. They can put people at ease, build trust, and draw others towards you, or they can offend, confuse, and undermine what you’re trying to convey. These messages don’t stop when you stop speaking either. Even when you’re silent, you’re still communicating nonverbally.
In some instances, what comes out of your mouth and what you communicate through your body language may be two totally different things. If you say one thing, but your body language says something else, your listener will likely feel that you’re being dishonest. If you say “yes” while shaking your head no, for example. When faced with such mixed signals, the listener has to choose whether to believe your verbal or nonverbal message. Since body language is a natural, unconscious language that broadcasts your true feelings and intentions, they’ll likely choose the nonverbal message.
[Read: Effective Communication]
However, by improving how you understand and use nonverbal communication, you can express what you really mean, connect better with others, and build stronger, more rewarding relationships.
The importance of nonverbal communication
Your nonverbal communication cues—the way you listen, look, move, and react—tell the person you’re communicating with whether or not you care, if you’re being truthful, and how well you’re listening.
When your nonverbal signals match up with the words you’re saying, they increase trust, clarity, and rapport. When they don’t, they can generate tension, mistrust, and confusion.
If you want to become a better communicator, it’s important to become more sensitive not only to the body language and nonverbal cues of others, but also to your own.
Types of nonverbal communication
The many different types of nonverbal communication or body language include:
Facial expressions. The human face is extremely expressive, able to convey countless emotions without saying a word. And unlike some forms of nonverbal communication, facial expressions are universal. The facial expressions for happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear, and disgust are the same across cultures.
Body movement and posture. Consider how your perceptions of people are affected by the way they sit, walk, stand, or hold their head. The way you move and carry yourself communicates a wealth of information to the world.
This type of nonverbal communication includes your posture, bearing, stance, and the subtle movements you make.
Gestures. Gestures are woven into the fabric of our daily lives. You may wave, point, beckon, or use your hands when arguing or speaking animatedly, often expressing yourself with gestures without thinking. However, the meaning of some gestures can be very different across cultures. While the “OK” sign made with the hand, for example, usually conveys a positive message in English-speaking countries, it’s considered offensive in countries such as Germany, Russia, and Brazil. So, it’s important to be careful of how you use gestures to avoid misinterpretation.
Eye contact. Since the visual sense is dominant for most people, eye contact is an especially important type of nonverbal communication. The way you look at someone can communicate many things, including interest, affection, hostility, or attraction. Eye contact is also important in maintaining the flow of conversation and for gauging the other person’s interest and response.
Touch. We communicate a great deal through touch. Think about the very different messages given by a weak handshake, a warm bear hug, a patronizing pat on the head, or a controlling grip on the arm, for example.
Space. Have you ever felt uncomfortable during a conversation because the other person was standing too close and invading your space? We all have a need for physical space, although that need differs depending on the culture, the situation, and the closeness of the relationship. You can use physical space to communicate many different nonverbal messages, including signals of intimacy and affection, aggression or dominance.
Voice. It’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it. When you speak, other people “read” your voice in addition to listening to your words. Things they pay attention to include your timing and pace, how loud you speak, your tone and inflection, and sounds that convey understanding, such as “ahh” and “uh-huh.
” Think about how your tone of voice can indicate sarcasm, anger, affection, or confidence.
How nonverbal communication can go wrong
What you communicate through your body language and nonverbal signals affects how others see you, how well they like and respect you, and whether or not they trust you. Unfortunately, many people send confusing or negative nonverbal signals without even knowing it. When this happens, both connection and trust in relationships are damaged, as the following examples highlight:
Jack
believes he gets along great with his colleagues at work, but if you were to ask any of them, they would say that Jack is “intimidating” and “very intense.” Rather than just look at you, he seems to devour you with his eyes. And if he takes your hand, he lunges to get it and then squeezes so hard it hurts. Jack is a caring guy who secretly wishes he had more friends, but his nonverbal awkwardness keeps people at a distance and limits his ability to advance at work.
Arlene
is attractive and has no problem meeting eligible men, but she has a difficult time maintaining a relationship for longer than a few months. Arlene is funny and interesting, but even though she constantly laughs and smiles, she radiates tension. Her shoulders and eyebrows are noticeably raised, her voice is shrill, and her body is stiff. Being around Arlene makes many people feel anxious and uncomfortable. Arlene has a lot going for her that is undercut by the discomfort she evokes in others.
Ted
thought he had found the perfect match when he met Sharon, but Sharon wasn’t so sure. Ted is good looking, hardworking, and a smooth talker, but seemed to care more about his thoughts than Sharon’s. When Sharon had something to say, Ted was always ready with wild eyes and a rebuttal before she could finish her thought. This made Sharon feel ignored, and soon she started dating other men. Ted loses out at work for the same reason. His inability to listen to others makes him unpopular with many of the people he most admires.
These smart, well-intentioned people struggle in their attempt to connect with others. The sad thing is that they are unaware of the nonverbal messages they communicate.
[Read: Tips for Building a Healthy Relationship]
If you want to communicate effectively, avoid misunderstandings, and enjoy solid, trusting relationships both socially and professionally, it’s important to understand how to use and interpret body language and improve your nonverbal communication skills.
Affordable Online Therapy
Get professional help from BetterHelp’s network of licensed therapists.
FIND A THERAPIST NOW
HelpGuide is reader supported. We may receive a commission if you sign up for BetterHelp through the provided link. Learn more.
How to improve nonverbal communication
Nonverbal communication is a rapidly flowing back-and-forth process that requires your full focus on the moment-to-moment experience. If you’re planning what you’re going to say next, checking your phone, or thinking about something else, you’re almost certain to miss nonverbal cues and not fully understand the subtleties of what’s being communicated.
As well as being fully present, you can improve how you communicate nonverbally by learning to manage stress and developing your emotional awareness.
Learn to manage stress in the moment
Stress compromises your ability to communicate. When you’re stressed out, you’re more likely to misread other people, send confusing or off-putting nonverbal signals, and lapse into unhealthy knee-jerk patterns of behavior. And remember: emotions are contagious. If you are upset, it is very likely to make others upset, thus making a bad situation worse.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by stress, take a time out. Take a moment to calm down before you jump back into the conversation. Once you’ve regained your emotional equilibrium, you’ll feel better equipped to deal with the situation in a positive way.
The fastest and surest way to calm yourself and manage stress in the moment is to employ your senses—what you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch—or through a soothing movement. By viewing a photo of your child or pet, smelling a favorite scent, listening to a certain piece of music, or squeezing a stress ball, for example, you can quickly relax and refocus.
Since everyone responds differently, you may need to experiment to find the sensory experience that works best for you.
Develop your emotional awareness
In order to send accurate nonverbal cues, you need to be aware of your emotions and how they influence you. You also need to be able to recognize the emotions of others and the true feelings behind the cues they are sending. This is where emotional awareness comes in.
[Read: Improving Emotional Intelligence (EQ)]
Being emotionally aware enables you to:
- Accurately read other people, including the emotions they’re feeling and the unspoken messages they’re sending.
- Create trust in relationships by sending nonverbal signals that match up with your words.
- Respond in ways that show others that you understand and care.
Many of us are disconnected from our emotions—especially strong emotions such as anger, sadness, fear—because we’ve been taught to try to shut off our feelings. But while you can deny or numb your feelings, you can’t eliminate them.
They’re still there and they’re still affecting your behavior. By developing your emotional awareness and connecting with even the unpleasant emotions, though, you’ll gain greater control over how you think and act. To start developing your emotional awareness, practice the mindfulness meditation in HelpGuide’s free Emotional Intelligence Toolkit.
How to read body language
Once you’ve developed your abilities to manage stress and recognize emotions, you’ll start to become better at reading the nonverbal signals sent by others. It’s also important to:
Pay attention to inconsistencies. Nonverbal communication should reinforce what is being said. Is the person saying one thing, but their body language conveying something else? For example, are they telling you “yes” while shaking their head no?
Look at nonverbal communication signals as a group. Don’t read too much into a single gesture or nonverbal cue. Consider all of the nonverbal signals you are receiving, from eye contact to tone of voice and body language.
Taken together, are their nonverbal cues consistent—or inconsistent—with what their words are saying?
Trust your instincts. Don’t dismiss your gut feelings. If you get the sense that someone isn’t being honest or that something isn’t adding up, you may be picking up on a mismatch between verbal and nonverbal cues.
Evaluating nonverbal signals
Eye contact – Is the person making eye contact? If so, is it overly intense or just right?
Facial expression – What is their face showing? Is it masklike and unexpressive, or emotionally present and filled with interest?
Tone of voice – Does the person’s voice project warmth, confidence, and interest, or is it strained and blocked?
Posture and gesture – Is their body relaxed or stiff and immobile? Are their shoulders tense and raised, or relaxed?
Touch – Is there any physical contact? Is it appropriate to the situation? Does it make you feel uncomfortable?
Intensity – Does the person seem flat, cool, and disinterested, or over-the-top and melodramatic?
Timing and place – Is there an easy flow of information back and forth? Do nonverbal responses come too quickly or too slowly?
Sounds – Do you hear sounds that indicate interest, caring or concern from the person?
Authors: Jeanne Segal, Ph.
D., Melinda Smith, M.A., Lawrence Robinson, and Greg Boose
Last updated: October 2020
About Nonverbal Communications – Different categories of nonverbal communication, along with a detailed list of signals. (Adam Blatner, M.D.)
Body Language: Understanding Nonverbal Communication – Particularly as it applies to the workplace. (MindTools)
Take Control of Your Nonverbal Communication (video) – How to notice and use body language. (Harvard Business Review)
The Importance of Nonverbal Communication (PDF) – Piece by Edward G. Wertheim, Ph.D. about the communication process. (Northeastern University)
Last updated: August 16, 2022
8 Types of Nonverbal Communication That Can Help to Improve Your Speech
Jump to section
What is nonverbal communication?
Why is nonverbal communication so important?
8 types of nonverbal communication
3 tips for understanding nonverbal communication
How to improve nonverbal communication
The bottom line
We all rely on nonverbal communication.
This is true whether playing a game of charades with your family or trying to show confidence during an important interview.
There’s a reason many of us prefer face-to-face communication over phone calls. Without seeing someone’s facial expressions, posture, and body language, it can be hard to read how they are feeling.
Nonverbal cues are just as important as verbalization. Nonverbal actions are key for communicating with and understanding everyone in your life.
Mastering non-verbal communication can also help your career. You can show your confidence, passion, and expertise through small nonverbal communication cues. This is true whether leading a team meeting or attending an important job interview.
What is nonverbal communication?
There are two primary forms of communication: verbal and nonverbal.
Verbal communication uses words to convey a message, whether that’s orally or in writing.
Your posture, facial expressions, and eye contact are examples of nonverbal communication methods.
We all use these cues in daily conversation, even involuntarily.
Austrian-American author and educator Peter Drucker had it right when he said that, “The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.”
We all perform and respond to nonverbal communication — and what we understand that no one says — daily.
Why is nonverbal communication so important?
Nonverbal signals are far more subtle than uttered words, but they’re no less important. These cues reveal the meaning behind what someone is saying, their true feelings, and if they’re listening to your half of the conversation.
Outside of conversational cues, nonverbal behaviors are crucial to bridge language gaps. Even when two people don’t speak the same language, body language can help foster knowledge and understanding.
Nonverbal communication skills can also help create a more diverse and inclusive workplace. For example, some people with physical disabilities might struggle with their nonverbal cues.
Plus, possessing the skills to communicate with nonverbal individuals is vital.
According to some studies, it’s also clear that non-verbal communication skills can help your career.
For example, teachers with these skills see more success with their students. When talking with your boss, coworkers, and clients, you can use non-verbal communication to gain a competitive edge.
Finally, your ability to use nonverbal communication can affect many areas of your life, including how you connect with others. This is why understanding the types of nonverbal communication is so important.
8 types of nonverbal communication
Experts have identified nine major types of nonverbal communication. They are:
1. Facial expressions
The look on an individual’s face is often the first thing we see. A smile, frown, or grimace tells a lot about their mood and how the subsequent conversation will go. Expressions of happiness, sadness, anger and fear are universal emotions and a key form of nonverbal communication.
2. Kinesics
Kinesics, or gestures, are conscious body movements like waving, pointing, and giving a thumbs up or down. One’s culture typically determines what gestures are socially acceptable and which are rude.
For example, in Westernized countries, glancing at your watch suggests, “I need to be somewhere.” In contrast, many Middle Eastern populations consider this rude. They are more likely to believe a conversation should continue until it ends naturally.
3. Paralinguistics
Paralinguistics — also known as vocalics — refers to the aspects of verbal communication that aren’t the words themselves. Your tone of voice, loudness, and pitch are common aspects of paralanguage.
This type of communication is powerful since altering your voice changes the meaning of a sentence. Think about all the ways you can use the phrase “I’m fine.” If you say it quietly, you might be feeling dejected, but if you say it forcefully, someone might detect your defensiveness.
4. Body language and posture
Crossing your legs or arms, a head nod, slouching, or sitting up straight are all examples of true body language. For example, you may have seen crime films focus on body language to further the narrative. It can also hint at what isn’t included in the dialogue.
However, this type of nonverbal communication is complex and quite subtle. Just because you observe a movement doesn’t guarantee you understand the meaning.
5. Proxemics
Proximity references how near something is. Human beings take personal space seriously. They also interpret physical distances in interactions differently.
Social and cultural expectations, personal preferences, and your relationship with someone all determine what proximity is suitable.
For example, if you’re in a relationship with someone, you’d expect to sit close together on the couch. On the other hand, you likely wouldn’t sit that close to your mom’s best friend when she comes over for her weekly book club.
6. Gaze
It may sound cliche, but it’s true that “The eyes are the windows to the soul.” Our eyes are a massive factor in nonverbal communication because they give away how we feel.
When we’re scared, our pupils dilate due to a surge in adrenaline. When something excites us, we blink rapidly. Maintaining eye contact generally means that someone is comfortable and telling the truth. In contrast, avoiding eye contact might suggest that they’re nervous or hiding something.
7. Haptics
Communication by touch is called haptics. Touch is powerful because our emotions drive it. Our social class, gender, and, of course, our upbringing all determine how we respond to touch. Women generally use touch to convey care and concern, while men are more likely to convey control.
Psychologist Harry Harlow made a career in studying the impacts of touch or lack thereof on rhesus monkeys. Monkeys who were raised without a touch from their mothers struggled with social interactions.
8. Appearance
Your appearance is another thing people notice immediately. Your hairstyle, clothing, tattoos, piercings, and even body shape give off cues. This can encourage snap judgments from other people. There’s a reason your mother always told you to “dress to impress” for a presentation at school or a job interview.
3 tips for understanding nonverbal communication
The more you practice reading cues, the better you’ll become. Some things you can do include:
1. Pay attention to inconsistencies.
Nonverbal communication can either reinforce or discourage what someone is saying. Does a person’s facial expressions match their words? Their tone of voice? If they do, then great. They’re most likely being honest about whatever they’re saying. If it’s the opposite, they may be trying to hide how they truly feel.
2. Look at nonverbal signals as a whole.
If you’re only paying attention to someone’s posture, you might miss a whole bunch of other clues.
Nonverbal signals work in tandem to generate a complete picture of another human being.
3. Trust your instincts.
Go with your gut. Your instincts are there to help guide and protect you about what someone is saying and what they truly mean.
How to improve nonverbal communication
Nonverbal communication is a necessary factor at home, work, and beyond. Often, these signals occur rapidly. Interpreting or noticing all of them can be challenging during a single conversation.
Fortunately, there’s always room to improve upon these skills. To do so, try focusing on the below.
Managing stress at the moment.
When we’re stressed, we can’t communicate as effectively. How you’re feeling rubs off on others, too. Take some deep breaths to relax and refocus. You’ll feel better, and you’ll be able to read people more accurately.
Develop your emotional awareness.
Emotional intelligence, or EI, is a significant part of navigating relationships. Being emotionally aware helps you understand people more accurately. In addition, it improves relationships and lets others know that you understand their feelings.
The bottom line
Nonverbal communication undeniably plays a prominent role in personal and professional life. Person-to-person interaction will almost always involve some kind of non-verbal communication.
Learning to communicate nonverbally is a great way to advance personally and professionally.
Types of Nonverbal Communication – Communication for Business Professionals
Chapter 4: Nonverbal Communication
Now that you have learned about the general principles that apply to nonverbal communication, here are eight types of nonverbal communication to further understand this challenging aspect of communication:
1. Space
2. Time
3. Physical characteristics
4. Body movements
5. Touch
6. Paralanguage
7. Artifacts
8.
Environment
Space
When we discuss space in a nonverbal context, we mean the space between objects and people. Space is often associated with social rank and is an important part of business communication. Who gets the corner office? Why is the head of the table important and who gets to sit there?
People from diverse cultures may have different normative space expectations. If you are from a large urban area, having people stand close to you may be normal. If you are from a rural area or a culture where people expect more space, someone may be standing “too close” for comfort and not know it.
Territory is related to control. As a way of establishing control over your own room, maybe you painted it your favorite color, or put up posters that represent your interests or things you consider unique about yourself. Families or households often mark their space by putting up fences or walls around their houses. This sense of a right to control your space is implicit in territory.
Territory means the space you claim as your own, are responsible for, or are willing to defend.
Among most humans there is a basic need for personal space, but the normative expectations for space vary greatly by culture. You may perceive that in your home people sleep one to each bed, but in many cultures people sleep two or more to a bed and it is considered normal. If you were to share that bed, you might feel uncomfortable, while someone raised with group sleeping norms might feel uncomfortable sleeping alone. From where you stand in an aerobics class in relation to others, to where you place your book bag in class, your personal expectations of space are often at variance with others.
Watch the following 3 minute video from CBS with special correspondent Taryn Winter Brill about personal space:
In the same way that there are cultural contexts and expectations for nonverbal behavior, public speaking also happens in contexts.
In North America, eye contact with the audience is expected. Big movements and gestures are not generally expected and can be distracting. The speaker occupies a space on the “stage,” even if it’s in front of the class. When you occupy that space, the audience will expect to behave in certain ways. If you talk to the screen behind you while displaying a PowerPoint presentation, the audience may perceive that you are not paying attention to them. Speakers are expected to pay attention to, and interact with, the audience, even if in the feedback is primarily nonverbal. Your movements should coordinate with the tone, rhythm, and content of your speech. Pacing back and forth, keeping your hands in your pockets, or crossing your arms may communicate nervousness, or even defensiveness, and detract from your message.
Time
Do you know what time it is? How aware you are of time varies by culture and normative expectations of adherence (or ignorance) of time. Some people, and the communities and cultures they represent, are very time-oriented.
When you give a presentation, does your audience have to wait for you? Time is a relevant factor of the communication process in your speech. The best way to show your audience respect is to honor the time expectation associated with your speech. Always try to stop speaking before the audience stops listening; if the audience perceives that you have “gone over time,” they will be less willing to listen. This in turn will have a negative impact on your ability to communicate your message.
Physical Characteristics
You didn’t choose your genes, your eye color, the natural color of your hair, or your height, but people spend millions every year trying to change their physical characteristics. You can get colored contacts; dye your hair; and if you are shorter than you’d like to be, buy shoes to raise your stature a couple of inches. However, no matter how much you stoop to appear shorter, you won’t change your height until time and age gradually makes itself apparent.
If you are tall, you might find the correct shoe size, pant length, or even the length of mattress a challenge, but there are rewards.
Regardless of your eye or hair color, or even how tall you are, being comfortable with yourself is an important part of your presentation. Act naturally and consider aspects of your presentation you can control in order to maximize a positive image for the audience.
Body Movements
The study of body movements, called kinesics, is key to understanding nonverbal communication.
Body movements can complement the verbal message by reinforcing the main idea. For example, you may be providing an orientation presentation to a customer about a software program. As you say, “Click on this tab,” you may also initiate that action. Your verbal and nonverbal messages reinforce each other. You can also reinforce the message by repeating it. If you first say, “Click on the tab,” and then motion with your hand to the right, indicating that the customer should move the cursor arrow with the mouse to the tab, your repetition can help the listener understand the message.
In addition to repeating your message, body movements can also regulate conversations. Nodding your head to indicate that you are listening may encourage the customer to continue asking questions. Holding your hand up, palm out, may signal them to stop and provide a pause where you can start to answer.
Body movements also substitute or replace verbal messages. For example, if the customer makes a face of frustration while trying to use the software program, they may need assistance. If they push away from the computer and separate themselves physically from interacting with it, they may be extremely frustrated. Learning to gauge feelings and their intensity as expressed by customers takes time and patience, and your attention to them will improve your ability to facilitate positive interactions.
Touch
Before giving your presentation, you may interact with people by shaking hands and making casual conversation. This interaction can help establish trust before you take the stage. Once on stage, most people do not touch audience members physically, but you can interact with audience members through visual aids, note cards, and other objects.
Watch the following short video that demonstrates the importance of handshakes. Bad Business Handshakes:
Paralanguage
Paralanguage is the exception to the definition of nonverbal communication. You may recall that nonverbal communication was defined as “not involving words” but paralanguage is a unique form of nonverbal communication that exists when we are speaking, using words. Paralanguage involves tone and nonverbal aspects of speech that influence meaning, including how loudly or softly you are speaking, intensity, pausing, and even silence.
Perhaps you’ve also heard of a pregnant pause, a silence between verbal messages that is full of meaning. The meaning itself may be hard to understand or decipher, but it is there nonetheless. For example, your coworker Jan comes back from a sales meeting speechless. You may ask if the meeting went all right. “Well, ahh…” may be the only response you get. The pause speaks volumes. Something happened, though you may not know what.
Silence or vocal pauses can communicate hesitation, indicate the need to gather thought, or serve as a sign of respect. Sometimes we learn just as much, or even more, from what a person does not say as what they do say.
Watch the following 1 minute video. It’s Not What You Say, It’s How You Say It:
Artifacts
Do you cover your tattoos when you are at work? Do you know someone who does? Or perhaps you know someone who has a tattoo and does not need to cover it up on their job? Expectations vary a great deal, and body art or tattoos may still be controversial in the workplace. In your line of work, a tattoo might be an important visual aid, or it might detract from your effectiveness as a business communicator. Body piercings may express individuality, but you need to consider how they will be interpreted by employers and customers.
Artifacts are forms of decorative ornamentation that are chosen to represent self-concept. 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. Artifacts may project gender, role or position, class or status, personality, and group membership or affiliation. Paying attention to a customer’s artifacts can give you a sense of the self they want to communicate, and may allow you to more accurately adapt your message to meet their needs.
In this 1 minute, 24 second video, Adoni Irani, from the University of Toronto, shares the story behind his tattoos:
Now that we have discussed the general principles that apply to nonverbal communication, let’s examine eight types of nonverbal communication to further understand this challenging aspect of communication:
- Space
- Time
- Physical characteristics
- Body movements
- Touch
- Paralanguage
- Artifacts
- Environment
Space
When we discuss space in a nonverbal context, we mean the space between objects and people. Space is often associated with social rank and is an important part of business communication. Who gets the corner office? Why is the head of the table important and who gets to sit there?
People from diverse cultures may have different normative space expectations. If you are from a large urban area, having people stand close to you may be normal. If you are from a rural area or a culture where people expect more space, someone may be standing “too close” for comfort and not know it.
Edward T. Hall, serving in the European and South Pacific Regions in the Corps of Engineers during World War II, traveled around the globe. As he moved from one place to another, he noticed that people in different countries kept different distances from each other. In France, they stood closer to each other than they did in England. Hall wondered why that was and began to study what he called proxemics, or the study of the human use of space and distance in communication (Hall, E. T., 1963).
In The Hidden Dimension, he indicated there are two main aspects of space: territory and personal space. Hall drew on anthropology to address the concepts of dominance and submission, and noted that the more powerful person often claims more space. This plays an important role in modern society, from who gets the corner office to how we negotiate space between vehicles. Road rage is increasingly common where overcrowding occurs, and as more vehicles occupy the same roads, tensions over space are predictable.
Territory is related to control. As a way of establishing control over your own room, maybe you painted it your favorite color, or put up posters that represent your interests or things you consider unique about yourself. Families or households often mark their space by putting up fences or walls around their houses. This sense of a right to control your space is implicit in territory. Territory means the space you claim as your own, are responsible for, or are willing to defend.
The second aspect Hall highlights is personal space, or the “bubble” of space surrounding each individual. As you walk down a flight of stairs, which side do you choose? We may choose the right side because we’ve learned that is what is expected, and people coming up the same stair choose their right. The right choice insures that personal space is not compromised. But what happens when some comes up the wrong side? They violate the understood rules of movement and often correct themselves. But what happens if they don’t change lanes as people move up and down the stairs? They may get dirty looks or even get bumped as people in the crowd handle the invasion of “their” space.
There are no lane markers, and bubbles of space around each person move with them, allowing for the possibility of collision.
We recognize the basic need for personal space, but the normative expectations for space vary greatly by culture. You may perceive that in your home people sleep one to each bed, but in many cultures people sleep two or more to a bed and it is considered normal. If you were to share that bed, you might feel uncomfortable, while someone raised with group sleeping norms might feel uncomfortable sleeping alone. From where you stand in an aerobics class in relation to others, to where you place your book bag in class, your personal expectations of space are often at variance with others.
As the context of a staircase has norms for nonverbal behavior, so does the public speaking context. In North America, eye contact with the audience is expected. Big movements and gestures are not generally expected and can be distracting. The speaker occupies a space on the “stage,” even if it’s in front of the class.
When you occupy that space, the audience will expect to behave in certain ways. If you talk to the screen behind you while displaying a PowerPoint presentation, the audience may perceive that you are not paying attention to them. Speakers are expected to pay attention to, and interact with, the audience, even if in the feedback is primarily nonverbal. Your movements should coordinate with the tone, rhythm, and content of your speech. Pacing back and forth, keeping your hands in your pockets, or crossing your arms may communicate nervousness, or even defensiveness, and detract from your speech.
Figure 11.2 Space: Four Main Categories of Distance
As a general rule, try to act naturally, as if you were telling a friend a story, so that your body will relax and your nonverbal gestures will come more naturally. Practice is key to your level of comfort; the more practice you get, the more comfortable and less intimidating it will seem to you.
Hall articulated four main categories of distance used in communication as shown in Figure 11. 2 “Space: Four Main Categories of Distance” (Hall, E., 1966).
Time
Do you know what time it is? How aware you are of time varies by culture and normative expectations of adherence (or ignorance) of time. Some people, and the communities and cultures they represent, are very time-oriented. The Euro Railways trains in Germany are famous for departing and arriving according to the schedule. In contrast, if you take the train in Argentina, you’ll find that the schedule is more of an approximation of when the train will leave or arrive.
“Time is money” is a common saying across many cultures, and reveals a high value for time. In social contexts, it often reveals social status and power. Who are you willing to wait for? A doctor for an office visit when you are sick? A potential employer for a job interview? Your significant other or children? Sometimes we get impatient, and our impatience underscores our value for time.
When you give a presentation, does your audience have to wait for you? Time is a relevant factor of the communication process in your speech.
The best way to show your audience respect is to honor the time expectation associated with your speech. Always try to stop speaking before the audience stops listening; if the audience perceives that you have “gone over time,” they will be less willing to listen. This in turn will have a negative impact on your ability to communicate your message.
Suppose you are presenting a speech that has three main points. Your audience expects you to regulate the time and attention to each point, but if you spend all your time on the first two points and rush through the third, your speech won’t be balanced and will lose rhythm. The speaker occupies a position of some power, but it is the audience that gives them that position. By displaying respect and maintaining balance, you will move through your points more effectively.
Chronemics is the study of how we refer to and perceive time. Tom Bruneau at Radford University has spent a lifetime investigating how time interacts in communication and culture (Bruneau, T.
, 1974; Bruneau, T., 1990; Bruneau, T., and Ishii S., 1988). As he notes, across Western society, time is often considered the equivalent of money. The value of speed is highly prized in some societies (Schwartz, T., 1989). In others, there is a great respect for slowing down and taking a long-term view of time.
When you order a meal at a fast food restaurant, what are your expectations for how long you will have to wait? When you order a pizza online for delivery, when do you expect it will arrive? If you order cable service for your home, when do you expect it might be delivered? In the first case, you might measure the delivery of a hamburger in a matter of seconds or minutes, and perhaps thirty minutes for pizza delivery, but you may measure the time from your order to working cable in days or even weeks. You may even have to be at your home from 8 a.m. to noon, waiting for its installation. The expectations vary by context, and we often grow frustrated in a time-sensitive culture when the delivery does not match our expectations.
In the same way, how long should it take to respond to a customer’s request for assistance or information? If they call on the phone, how long should they be on hold? How soon should they expect a response to an e-mail? As a skilled business communicator, you will know to anticipate normative expectations and do your best to meet those expectations more quickly than anticipated. Your prompt reply or offer of help in response to a request, even if you cannot solve the issue on the spot, is often regarded positively, contributing to the formation of positive communication interactions.
Across cultures the value of time may vary. Some Mexican American friends may invite you to a barbecue at 8 p.m., but when you arrive you are the first guest, because it is understood that the gathering actually doesn’t start until after 9 p.m. Similarly in France, an 8 p.m. party invitation would be understood to indicate you should arrive around 8:30, but in Sweden 8 p.m. means 8 p.m., and latecomers may not be welcome.
Some Native Americans, particularly elders, speak in well-measured phrases and take long pauses between phrases. They do not hurry their speech or compete for their turn, knowing no one will interrupt them (McLean, S., 1998). Some Orthodox Jews observe religious days when they do not work, cook, drive, or use electricity. People around the world have different ways of expressing value for time.
Physical Characteristics
You didn’t choose your birth, your eye color, the natural color of your hair, or your height, but people spend millions every year trying to change their physical characteristics. You can get colored contacts; dye your hair; and if you are shorter than you’d like to be, buy shoes to raise your stature a couple of inches. You won’t be able to change your birth, and no matter how much you stoop to appear shorter, you won’t change your height until time and age gradually makes itself apparent. If you are tall, you might find the correct shoe size, pant length, or even the length of mattress a challenge, but there are rewards.
Have you ever heard that taller people get paid more (Burnham, T., and Phelan, J., 2000)? There is some truth to that idea. There is also some truth to the notion that people prefer symmetrical faces (where both sides are equal) over asymmetrical faces (with unequal sides; like a crooked nose or having one eye or ear slightly higher than the other) (Burnham, T., and Phelan, J., 2000).
We often make judgments about a person’s personality or behavior based on physical characteristics, and researchers are quick to note that those judgments are often inaccurate (Wells, W., and Siegel, B., 1961; Cash, T., and Kilcullen, R., 1985). Regardless of your eye or hair color, or even how tall you are, being comfortable with yourself is an important part of your presentation. Act naturally and consider aspects of your presentation you can control in order to maximize a positive image for the audience.
Body Movements
The study of body movements, called kinesics, is key to understanding nonverbal communication.
Since your actions will significantly contribute to the effectiveness of your business interactions, let’s examine four distinct ways body movements that complement, repeat, regulate, or replace your verbal messages.
Body movements can complement the verbal message by reinforcing the main idea. For example, you may be providing an orientation presentation to a customer about a software program. As you say, “Click on this tab,” you may also initiate that action. Your verbal and nonverbal messages reinforce each other. You can also reinforce the message by repeating it. If you first say, “Click on the tab,” and then motion with your hand to the right, indicating that the customer should move the cursor arrow with the mouse to the tab, your repetition can help the listener understand the message.
In addition to repeating your message, body movements can also regulate conversations. Nodding your head to indicate that you are listening may encourage the customer to continue asking questions.
Holding your hand up, palm out, may signal them to stop and provide a pause where you can start to answer.
Body movements also substitute or replace verbal messages. Ekman and Friesen found that facial features communicate to others our feelings, but our body movements often reveal how intensely we experience those feelings (Ekman, P., and Friesen, W., 1967). For example, if the customer makes a face of frustration while trying to use the software program, they may need assistance. If they push away from the computer and separate themselves physically from interacting with it, they may be extremely frustrated. Learning to gauge feelings and their intensity as expressed by customers takes time and patience, and your attention to them will improve your ability to facilitate positive interactions.
Touch
Touch in communication interaction is called haptics, and William Seiler and Meliss Beall identify five distinct types of touch, from impersonal to intimate, as listed in Table 11.
2 “Types of Touch”.
Table 11.2 Types of Touch
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| 1. Functional-Professional Touch | Medical examination, physical therapy, sports coach, music teacher |
| 2. Social-Polite Touch | Handshake |
| 3. Friendship-Warmth Touch | Hug |
| 4. Love-Intimacy Touch | Kiss between family members or romantic partners |
| 5. Sexual-Arousal Touch | Sexual caressing and intercourse |
Before giving your presentation, you may interact with people by shaking hands and making casual conversation. This interaction can help establish trust before you take the stage. While speaking in public we do not often touch people in the audience, but we do interact with visual aids, our note cards, and other objects. How we handle them can communicate our comfort level. It’s always a good idea to practice using the technology, visual aids, or note cards you will use in a speech during a practice session.
Using the technology correctly by clicking the right button on the mouse or pressing the right switch on the overhead projector can contribute to your credibility.
Paralanguage
Paralanguage is the exception to the definition of nonverbal communication. You may recall that we defined nonverbal communication as not involving words, but paralanguage exists when we are speaking, using words. Paralanguage involves verbal and nonverbal aspects of speech that influence meaning, including tone, intensity, pausing, and even silence.
Perhaps you’ve also heard of a pregnant pause, a silence between verbal messages that is full of meaning. The meaning itself may be hard to understand or decipher, but it is there nonetheless. For example, your coworker Jan comes back from a sales meeting speechless and with a ghost-white complexion. You may ask if the meeting went all right. “Well, ahh…” may be the only response you get. The pause speaks volumes. Something happened, though you may not know what.
It could be personal if Jan’s report was not well received, or it could be more systemic, like the news that sales figures are off by 40 percent and pink slips may not be far behind.
Silence or vocal pauses can communicate hesitation, indicate the need to gather thought, or serve as a sign of respect. Keith Basso quotes an anonymous source as stating, “It is not the case that a man who is silent says nothing” (Basso, K. A., 1970). Sometimes we learn just as much, or even more, from what a person does not say as what they do say. In addition, both Basso and Susan Philips found that traditional speech among Native Americans places a special emphasis on silence (Philips, S., 1983).
Artifacts
Do you cover your tattoos when you are at work? Do you know someone who does? Or perhaps you know someone who has a tattoo and does not need to cover it up on their job? Expectations vary a great deal, but body art or tattoos are still controversial in the workplace. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune (Kinsman, M.
, 2001),
- 20 percent of workers indicated their body art had been held against them on the job.
- 42 percent of employers said the presence of visible body art lowered their opinion of workers.
- 44 percent of managers surveyed have body art.
- 52 percent of workers surveyed have body art.
- 67 percent of workers who have body art or piercings cover or remove them during work hours.
In your line of work, a tattoo might be an important visual aid, or it might detract from your effectiveness as a business communicator. Body piercings may express individuality, but you need to consider how they will be interpreted by employers and customers.
Artifacts are forms of decorative ornamentation that are chosen to represent self-concept. 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. Paying attention to a customer’s artifacts can give you a sense of the self they want to communicate, and may allow you to more accurately adapt your message to meet their needs.
Environment
Environment involves the physical and psychological aspects of the communication context. More than the tables and chairs in an office, environment is an important part of the dynamic communication process. The perception of one’s environment influences one’s reaction to it. For example, Google is famous for its work environment, with spaces created for physical activity and even in-house food service around the clock. The expense is no doubt considerable, but Google’s actions speak volumes. The results produced in the environment, designed to facilitate creativity, interaction, and collaboration, are worth the effort.
Key Takeaway
Nonverbal communication can be categorized into eight types: space, time, physical characteristics, body movements, touch, paralanguage, artifacts, and environment.
References
Basso, K. A. (1970). To give up on words: Silence in western Apache culture. In D. Carbaugh (Ed.), Cultural communication and intercultural contact (pp. 301–318). Hillsdale, NJ: Laurence Erlbaum.
Bruneau, T., & Ishii, S. (1988). Communicative silence: East and west. World Communication, 17, 1–33.
Burnham, T., & Phelan, J. (2000). Mean genes: From sex to money to food: Taming our primal instincts. Cambridge, MA: Perseus.
Bruneau, T. (1974). Time and nonverbal communication. Journal of Poplular Culture, 8, 658–666.
Bruneau, T. (1990). Chronemics: The study of time in human interaction. In J. DeVito & M. Hecht (Eds.), The nonverbal reader (pp. 301–311). Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press.
Cash, T., & Kilcullen, R. (1985). The eye of the beholder: Susceptibility to sexism and beautyism in the evaluation of managerial applicants. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 15, 591–605.
Ekman, P., & Friesen, W. (1967). Head and body cures in the judgment of emotions: A reformulation. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 24, 711–724.
Hall, E. (1966). The hidden dimension. New York, NY: Doubleday.
Hall, E. T. (1963). Proxemics: The study of man’s spacial relations and boundaries. In Iago Galdston (Ed.), Man’s image in medicine and anthropology (pp. 422–445). New York, NY: International Universities Press.
Kinsman, M. (2001, August 20). Tattoos and nose rings. San Diego Union-Tribune, p. C1.
McLean, S. (1998). Turn-taking and the extended pause: A study of interpersonal communication styles across generations on the Warm Springs Indian reservation. In K. S. Sitaram & M. Prosser (Eds.), Civic discourse: Multiculturalsim, cultural diversity, and global communication (pp. 213–227). Stamford, CT: Ablex Publishing Company.
Philips, S. (1983). The invisible culture: Communication in the classroom and community on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation.
Chicago, IL: Waveland Press.
Schwartz, T. (1989, January/February). Acceleration syndrome: Does everyone live in the fast lane? Utne Reader, 31, 36–43.
Seiler, W., & Beall, M. (2000). Communication: Making connections (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Wells, W., & Siegel, B. (1961). Stereotypes somatypes. Psychological Reports, 8, 77–78.
8 Types of Nonverbal Communication with Examples
Communication is very important because it is the process of sharing information, ideas, and opinions. It makes teams bond stronger, get to know each other and find solutions to problems.
Effective communication and correctly identifying the nonverbal cues when having meetings or hot discussions is essential. We often try to hide our emotions, feelings, and ideas but our bodies still send some subtle messages.
Establishing relationships on a professional and personal level requires effective communication abilities.
Verbal and nonverbal communication are the two main categories and this blog will focus mainly on the non-verbal aspect of communication.
Nonverbal communication is frequently unintentional but may reveal a great deal about individuals and situations, even though most of us are aware of it and utilize it frequently.
Learning the types of nonverbal communication means that you can get better at reading body language. However odd it may seem; we all display behaviors that have the same function during stressful situations and not only. Emotions are universal.
What Is Nonverbal Communication?
Nonverbal communication or body language is the use of gestures, tone of voice, expressions, body posture, and so on to send a message. But why are these wireless cues so important to identify?
Body language is an essential part of communication and it helps you send an emotion or feeling to other people.
Depending on how you sound and act, you can put people at ease, draw them to you, build trust, or make them be afraid or have a negative impression on you.
Body language is a key part of communication that is important not only in a personal area when talking with your family, spouse, or children.
It is essential in your job too. Business people and managers get huge benefits if they are aware of non-verbal communication. It helps you:
– better communicate your ideas, opinions, and emotions
– better connect with others
– build stronger bonds
– increase trust and clarity
And all these benefits are of huge help when you lead a team and work with many stakeholders.
According to Rona Beck, a weekly contributor to an Assignment service on communication topics, there are many facets of non-verbal communication most people are not aware of.
Facial Expressions
One important thing that many people are not aware of is that facial expressions are universal. If you have watched the series Lie to me, you already know that there are seven basic emotions.
These are sadness, anger, disgust, fear, surprise, contempt, and happiness.
Even though our cultures can shape our worldviews and behaviors, facial expressions are universal throughout the world.
There are over 50 studies that have shown that these facial expressions are spontaneous and cannot be consciously controlled. Further research discovered micro-expressions, which are different from the macro or facial expressions. When we are happy, fearful, or sad. In the presence of our closest ones, we do not have any reason to take them back or hide them.
However, when we go through different events, we might be tempted to do this. For example, in the case of a public speaking situation, when fear, shame, anxiety, and other negative emotions creep through your body. You will be tempted to hide them because of what people may think about you.
No matter how much we think that we can hide our feelings, they come to surface in the way of micro expressions. They are difficult to identify and you need training and exercise because they are quick and fleeting.
Gestures
There are many types of gestures. We all know that some of them are deliberate, such as waving or pointing, while others are not.
For example, there are adapting gestures such as touching some body parts, rings, clicking pens, and so on. They are often displayed when someone is in distress. During a presentation, you can notice that some speakers will adopt this kind of gesture.
There are also illustrator gestures, maybe one of the most natural ones. They are used subconsciously and illustrate the verbal message.
Posture and Movement
Posture and movement are key factors of body language. Most people will adopt comforting behaviors or actions during stressful moments.
Posture and movement can tell you how someone is feeling. For example, an arm-crossed posture sends the message that you are not open to new ideas or solutions.
Or, the leg-crossed posture is known as a posture of defiance and defensiveness. Posture and movement send information about attitude.
Paralinguistics
Nonverbal communication is a broad domain that includes all the subtleties of our bodies. Paralinguistics are represented by your tone of voice, pitch, loudness, and inflection.
Think about how the meaning of a sentence can be changed just only by how you pronounce and articulate different words. Misunderstandings can arise from small things, like not hearing a word correctly.
For example, the words affect and effect have different meanings, but sound very similar. Fortunately, in most cases, we can use context and body language to discern between the two.
You can identify how the other is feeling just by carefully listening to what and how he presents his ideas. A cold tone of voice is related to negative emotions, while a warm one to more positive ones.
Eye Gazing
Eyes are the window to the soul. And they never lie. We all know this. Eye contact is used in a conversation by everyone because it helps you gather information.
It also helps you get feedback from the environment and notice the body language of your interlocutor.
However, eye contact helps us establish a connection with others. I have learned during my practice as a psychology student that when people gaze, I must not interrupt them. Gazing means that someone is deep thinking. Eye contact means that someone is ready to communicate and to listen to you.
Eyes can also be used to send different signals as well. Depending on the culture and society you live in, prolonged eye contact can send a signal of intimidation. Or, in another context, flirting.
Nevertheless, eyes can help someone establish a rapport or connection. And this is so important in the life of a businessman or manager.
Appearance
Nonverbal communication is also thought to be facilitated by the colors we wear, the clothes we dress up in, the haircuts we have, and other physical characteristics.
Different colors can provoke various emotions, according to research on color psychology.
Physiological responses, assessments, and conclusions can all be influenced by appearance.
Just consider all the rapid and subconscious judgments you make about people based solely on their appearance. Because first impressions matter, experts advise job seekers to dress professionally for interviews with potential employers as well.
Culture has a big impact on how people evaluate appearances. While being thin is often admired in Western culture, certain African societies associate fuller figures with better social standing, wealth, and health.
Artifacts
Other means of nonverbal communication include objects and imagery. You might choose an avatar in an online forum, for instance, to represent your identity there and to share information about who you are and what you like.
People frequently invest a lot of effort creating an image for themselves and surrounding themselves with items that serve as symbols of the things that are significant to them.
For instance, uniforms can be used to send a great deal of personal information. A security guard will wear a uniform, a doctor will wear a white lab coat, and a student may wear a specific uniform to represent a certain school.
These costumes make it clear to onlookers what a person does for a living or where they belong.
Personal space
Have you ever experienced awkwardness during a conversation because the other person was intruding on your personal space? Although our needs for physical space vary depending on culture, circumstance, and the depth of the relationship, we are all there.
Physical space can be used to convey a variety of nonverbal cues, such as expressions of closeness and sympathy, dominance, or hostility. The typical conversational distance for Americans is between an arm’s length and four feet.
In American society, having less room can lead to either increased intimacy or hostile conduct. A person who has had their personal space invaded by another may feel intimidated as a result and may respond defensively.
Final Words
Nonverbal communication is also known as body language. It is something that is present in every moment of our lives and can offer valuable information about others.
The way you sit, talk, gesticulate, or walk can send subtle but powerful messages. Macro and micro expressions are universal.
Body language is important for everyone. It helps you adjust your behavior to some people. It helps you form stronger connections. It makes the process of supporting and helping others easier.
We communicate meaning and information to others through nonverbal cues, and we also perceive the activities of people around us by nonverbal cues.
When examining such nonverbal behaviors, it’s crucial to take the activities in groups into account. You can learn a lot about someone’s true intentions by observing their facial expressions, physical appearance, and tone of voice in addition to what they really say.
What’s your opinion on this topic? Do you think body language is important? Leave me a comment and let’s discuss it.
6 Types Of Nonverbal Communication, What They Mean And How To Spot Them – Forbes Health
What we say without saying anything at all says a lot about us. While language is important for conveying thoughts and emotions, it’s not the only way we communicate. That’s where nonverbal communication comes in, bringing a host of cues from facial expressions to hand gestures that send important messages, helping others understand us.
Here’s what nonverbal communication is, why it’s important and how to pick up on the signs.
Zocdoc helps you find and book top-rated doctors, on demand. Visit them in their offices, or video chat with them from home.
Check out doctors in your area
.
What Is Nonverbal Communication?
Nonverbal communication is defined as how people communicate with each other without talking or writing. “For example, when we wink at someone, offer a strong handshake or back away, we are conveying a message without speaking a word,” says Marcie Coulter-Kern, Ph.
D., a professor of psychology at Manchester University in North Manchester, Indiana. “Our facial expressions, body language and even physical distance send a message.”
We communicate nonverbally to convey information about emotions, intentions, attitudes, needs and more, according to research in the International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences[1]Hall JA. Nonverbal Communication, Social Psychology of. International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Science. 2001;10702-10706. .
“We are constantly communicating nonverbally,” says Patti Wood, an international nonverbal communication and human behavior expert and author of SNAP: Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language, and Charisma. In fact, we can exchange up to 10,000 cues in less than a minute, she says.
6 Common Types of Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal communication goes well beyond arm crossing and head nodding. It encompasses everything from how loudly and quickly we speak to the way we dress and present ourselves.
While sign language uses different expressions and gestures, it’s important to note that it’s not considered a form of nonverbal communication. Instead, it’s a nonvocal form of verbal communication since signing can be translated into specific words.
Below, we outline the most common types of nonverbal communication.
Kinesics
Kinesics refers to body movements including gestures, head movements and facial expressions, notes research from the University of Minnesota[2]Functions of Language. Communication in the Real World. The University of Minnesota Libraries.
Accessed 04/11/2022. . “They reflect our perception of ourselves and others and the situation and topic,” explains Wood. But while you can clearly see a person smile when they laugh or pose for a photo, for instance, there’s a wide range of expressions that we don’t always recognize so consciously. Tilting your head, tossing your hair, crossing your legs, tapping your foot and winking all count as body movement cues.
In fact, according to Coulter-Kern, we are more likely to believe someone’s facial expression than their words.
Chronemics
Chronemics is how time affects communication. More specifically, Wood says it’s the use of time to reflect personal or cultural identity, power or status. For example, arriving on time—or showing up late—as well as responding to a call or text in a timely fashion are forms of chronemics.
Proxemics
This type of nonverbal communication has to do with physical space and distance, notes data in Communication Disorders in Multicultural and International Populations
tippy-popover-container-bg-white’ }”>[3]Proxemics. Communication Disorders in Multicultural and International Populations. Accessed 04/11/2022. . “We are drawn toward what we like and are repelled by what we don’t,” adds Wood.
There are four proxemic zones of personal space: intimate, personal, social and public (or professional). Interestingly, Wood explains that our personal space bubbles have shifted over time. For instance, she says intimate space has grown from 12 inches in the 1990s to up to 1.5 feet now.
In either setting, the amount of space we decide to set between ourselves and others boils down to comfort level. “People often position themselves closer to those they are comfortable with and farther away from those they distrust,” says Coulter-Kern.
Haptics
We also use touch to convey emotions and communicate. Haptics includes hugging, kissing, shaking hands and other forms of embracing. “Research shows that touch is the first sense to develop, and it plays an essential role in well-being,” says Wood.
Physical Appearance
“Physical characteristics such as skin color, height, weight, facial features, facial and body symmetry and attractiveness influence how people perceive us—and vice versa,” says Wood. We can alter our physical appearance with items like makeup, tattoos and jewelry. Aspects of our physical appearance, chosen or not, communicate meaning to the people around us, research shows.
Data backs the idea that our appearance can influence other people’s perceptions of us even before we have a chance to talk to them. “People often perceive trustworthiness, introversion or extroversion, maturity and friendliness by someone’s looks—sometimes incorrectly,” says Wood.
Vocalics
Also called paralanguage, this type of nonverbal communication spans all the nuances of a person’s voice, including their pitch, volume, rate and vocal quality. It also includes breathing, laughing or using verbal filler like “uh” or “um.” Vocalics comprise the vocalized — but not verbal — components of nonverbal communication.
Wood says this subcategory of nonverbal communication helps us assess other peoples’ personalities, emotional intensity and humor, and provides us with cues to regulate the flow of conversation. “Many experts consider paralanguage to be the most honest nonverbal communication and the best way to assess deceit,” says Wood.
How to Spot Nonverbal Communication in Others
What we express nonverbally matters because it is less under our conscious control than spoken words, says Coulter-Kern. “Consequently, we look to others’ body language as a sort of lie detector that provides information about what they really mean or feel,” she says.
It can take years of study to accurately decode each element of nonverbal communication, but you’re likely familiar with more than you think—you don’t even need to have eyes on someone to pick up on certain cues, says Coulter-Kern: “Even when we don’t physically see a person, we still draw conclusions from their voice quality, speed and volume.
”
When examining a person’s demeanor, pay attention to inconsistencies in what they say versus their gestures, how fast or loud they speak and whether or not they make eye contact, rather than assign a concrete meaning for each facial expression or hand gesture.
Don’t hyperfocus on just one sign, either. A simple head nod can be misleading when it doesn’t match the rest of a person’s verbal and nonverbal cues in its entirety.
Noom Mood
Noom’s curriculum is rooted in psychological principles that help users better understand themselves, their brain, and the science of choice.
Learn More
How to Spot Your Own Nonverbal Communication—And Improve It
Spotting your own nonverbal communication requires some self-reflection. “We assess our nonverbal communication every time we look in a mirror or examine our photograph,” says Coulter-Kern. You can even take a peek at what you’re saying (without speaking) by recording a video of yourself.
To see how other people may perceive you, Wood suggests you “check in from your toes to the top of your head to note important connection cues, such as where your feet are pointed, if your knees are crossed, if the palms of your hands are showing and if you’re making eye contact for longer than three seconds.”
One of the best ways to key in on and improve our own nonverbal communication is to pay attention to how other people respond to us, adds Coulter-Kern. “When people either move toward us or away from us, there is a reason,” she says. “And that reason probably has something to do with your own nonverbal communication.”
Non-verbal means of communication – PSU im. T.G. Shevchenko
We very often turn to this way of communicating information, communicating with friends, relatives, business partners, colleagues and those with whom we only momentarily encounter daily life. It largely determines both the reaction to others and their attitude towards us.
As soon as we consciously consider these silent signals, which we both give and receive, we will immediately discover the possibility of using them more effectively and effectively.
According to studies, 55% of messages are perceived through facial expressions, postures and gestures, and 38% through intonations and voice modulations. It follows that only 7% is left to the words perceived by the recipient when we speak. This is of fundamental importance. In other words, in many cases, how we speak is more important than the words we say.
Knowing the types of non-verbal communication and understanding non-verbal cues is important for several reasons. Firstly, they perform the functions of an accurate expression of feelings, because very often we experience feelings so complex that we simply cannot find the right words to describe them, but this can be done using non-verbal means and methods. Secondly, they perform the functions of a deeper mutual understanding.
Knowing the basic methods of non-verbal communication, you can better understand another person when he tries to control his behavior in communication with you, because non-verbal signals appear unconsciously and your interlocutor simply cannot control them.
The classification of non-verbal means of communication and examples of their use will help you not only better understand yourself, but also teach you to recognize lies and manipulation by other people.
Expand your perception
In order to learn to better understand the interlocutor and recognize his hidden signals, you first need to learn to pay attention simultaneously to all elements or means of non-verbal communication, these include facial expressions, gestures, postures, intonation and timbre of voice, visual contact and interpersonal space. Let us consider in more detail about each of these elements of non-verbal communication and give specific examples of their manifestation.
Mimic
Facial expression is a person’s facial expression, it is the main element of displaying emotions and feelings. Positive emotions, such as love or surprise, are much easier to recognize than negative ones, such as disgust or anger.
Emotions are reflected differently on the right and left sides of the face, because the left and right hemispheres of the brain perform different functions: the right one controls the emotional sphere, and the left one is responsible for intellectual functions.
Emotions are expressed in facial expressions in this way:
- Anger – wide open eyes, lowered corners of the lips, “narrowed” look, clenched teeth;
- Surprise – parted mouth, wide eyes and raised eyebrows, lowered tips of the lips;
- Fear – drawn together eyebrows, stretched lips with pubescent and downward corners;
- Happiness – a calm look, raised, laid back corners of the lips;
- Sadness – a “faded” look, lowered corners of the lips, drawn together eyebrows.
Visual contact
This method of non-verbal communication helps to show interest in the conversation and better understand the meaning of what is said. During a conversation, two people together create and regulate the degree of comfort, periodically meeting their gaze and taking it away.
A closer look can both build trust and create discomfort.
Pleasant general topics maintain eye contact, while negative, confusing questions cause the eye to look away, demonstrating disagreement and dislike.
Features of visual contact allow drawing conclusions about the degree of interest in the dialogue and attitude towards the interlocutor:
- Admiration – long eye contact, calm look;
- Indignation – staring, obsessive, somewhat anxious look, prolonged eye contact without pauses;
- Location – attentive gaze, eye contact with pauses every 10 seconds;
- Dislike – avoidance of eye contact, eye rolling.
- Expectation – a sharp look into the eyes, raised eyebrows.
Intonation and timbre of voice
Correctly understanding the intonation and timbre of the voice means learning to “read between the lines” the message of another person. These features include frequent pauses, unfinished sentences and their construction, the strength and height of the voice, as well as the speed of speech.
- Excitement – low tone of voice, fast staccato speech;
- Fatigue – low tone of voice, lowering intonation towards the end of the sentence;
- Enthusiasm – high tone of voice, clear confident speech;
- Arrogance – slow speech, even monotonous intonation;
- Uncertainty – mistakes in words, frequent pauses, nervous cough.
Gestures and postures
Feelings and attitudes of people can be determined by the manner of sitting or standing, by a set of gestures and individual movements. It is easier and more pleasant for people to communicate with those who have expressive motor skills and a lively, relaxed facial expression. Bright gestures display positive emotions and dispose to sincerity and trust. At the same time, excessive gesticulation, often repeated gestures can indicate internal tension and self-doubt.
Non-verbal communication becomes available, and the level of mutual understanding increases if you understand the postures and gestures of your interlocutor.
- Criticality – one hand near the chin with the index finger extended along the cheek, the other hand supports the elbow;
- Positivity – the body of the body, the head is slightly tilted forward, the hand slightly touches the cheek;
- Distrust – the palm covers the mouth, expressing disagreement;
- Boredom – head propped up by hand, body relaxed and slightly bent;
- Superiority – sitting position, legs one above the other, hands behind the head, eyelids slightly closed;
- Disapproval – restless movements, shaking “villi”, straightening clothes, pulling trousers or skirts;
- Uncertainty – scratching or rubbing the ears, wrapping one hand around the elbow of the other hand;
- Openness – arms spread out to the sides with palms up, shoulders straightened, head “looks” straight, body relaxed;
Interpersonal space
The distance between the interlocutors plays an important role in establishing contact, understanding the situation of communication.
Often people express their attitude in such categories as “stay away from there” or “want to be closer to him.” If people are interested in each other, the space separating them decreases, they tend to be closer. For a better understanding of these features, as well as in order to correctly distinguish between situations and the scope of contact, you should know the basic limits of the allowable distance between interlocutors:
Intimate distance (up to 0.5 m) – intimate trusting relationships between loved ones, friends. It may also be acceptable in sports where physical contact is acceptable.
Interpersonal distance (from 0.5 m – to 1.2 m) – a comfortable distance during a friendly conversation, where touching each other is allowed.
Social distance (from 1.2m – to 3.7m) – informal interaction in society, during a business meeting. The greater the distance, up to the extreme border, the more formal the relationship.
Public distance (more than 3.
7 m) – a comfortable distance for a lecturer who makes a public speech in front of a large group of people.
Such limits of distances and their significance depend on the age, sex of a person, his personal characteristics. Children are comfortable at a closer distance from the interlocutor, and adolescents close and want to move away from others. Women love closer distances, regardless of the gender of their interlocutor. Balanced, self-confident people do not pay much attention to distance, while nervous anxious people try to stay away from others.
As verbal languages differ from each other depending on the type of culture, so the non-verbal language of one nation differs from the non-verbal language of another nation.
While a gesture may be universally recognized and have a clear interpretation in one nation, in another nation it may have no designation or have a completely opposite meaning.
One of the most serious mistakes that can be made in the study of non-verbal communication is the desire to isolate one gesture and consider it in isolation from other gestures and circumstances, therefore, one should remember that interpreting a single gesture without a combination of other body signals means introducing oneself into delusion.
Therefore, before drawing specific conclusions, it is necessary to take into account all the nuances of the behavior of the interlocutor, as well as his physical and psychological state.
-
Back
-
Forward
Ways of non-verbal communication
To create a holistic image of the communication process, non-verbal (not verbal) ways of partners interaction are taken into account. More than half of the data about a person can be obtained simply by observing his behavior, which means that at first we see and hear a person, only then do we form an idea about him. Scientists have discovered and recorded more than a thousand non-verbal signs and signals. A. Meyerabine found that words convey only 7% of information, sound means (including tone of voice, intonation of sound) – 38%, and non-verbal means – 55%.
Non-verbal communication is communication using paralinguistic ways of transmitting information (loudness of speech, timbre of voice, gestures, facial expressions, postures).
The main types of non-verbal communication are visual, acoustic, tactile and olfactory (Fig. 1).
Rice. 1. – Types of non-verbal means of communication
Non-verbal manifestations during communication
An interesting question arises, is it possible to deceive one’s own body? In fact, you can’t, because there will be no matches between gestures. For example, open palms speak of honesty, but if a deceiver opens his arms to you and smiles while telling a lie, the microsignals of his body will reflect his secret thoughts. This can be manifested by constricted pupils, a raised eyebrow, twisted corners of the mouth. Such signals will be contrary to open arms and a wide smile.
The face is used many times more often than any other part of the body to hide false statements. A person smiles, nods his head, winks to hide the lie, but unfortunately for the deceiver, the body uses signs that tell the true truth, and an observant person will quickly notice a discrepancy between the signals that he counts from the face and body and words.
Therefore, the study of facial expressions can be called art.
Non-verbal means of communication are marked by specific socio-cultural conditions, therefore there are no general norms for all mankind. The non-verbal language of another country must be learned in the same way as the verbal one.
For example, in France the “OK” sign means “zero” or “nothing”, in Japan it means “money”, and in some Mediterranean countries it is used to indicate the homosexuality of a man.
In America, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand, the raised thumb is used in three ways. It is usually used when “voting” on the road. In the second case, it is used as “everything is in order,” but if the thumb is sharply thrown up, this will be regarded as an offensive sign, which means obscene swearing. Some countries, such as Greece, use this gesture to mean “shut up”, so you can imagine what a Russian tourist would look like trying to catch a passing car on a Greek road.
The most common gestures
Consider the gestures that are most common regardless of culture.
Handshakes
By turning the palm in different directions, you can give a gesture of imperious, submissive or equal meaning. During an authoritative handshake, the hand should grab the other person’s hand so that the palm is turned down. Thus, this will be a message to the person that the opponent wants to be the main one in the process of communicating with him.
Putting hands behind the back
Some people are accustomed to walking with their heads held high, their chin up and their hands behind their backs. This is an indicator of a person’s self-confidence and, in addition, a sense of superiority over others. The gesture, when the hands are laid behind the back and grab the wrists, means that the person is upset and is trying to pull himself together.
“Lie” gestures
Some of the gestures are fast paced and in order depending on the person’s age. For example, when a five-year-old child tells a lie to his parents, then immediately after that he will cover his mouth with his hands.
If a teenager tells a lie, then the hand covers the mouth in much the same way as a five-year-old child, but only with his fingers he will slightly trace the line of the lips. When an adult lies, his brain sends an impulse to cover his mouth in order to delay the words of deceit, as children do, but at the last moment the person removes his hand from his mouth and touches his nose, rubs his eyelids, ears, pulls back his collar.
Scratching the neck
Scratching the neck means the doubt and uncertainty of the person who says: “I’m not sure I agree with you.”
Crossing the arms on the chest
Locking the hands on the chest shows the desire to hide from an unfavorable situation. Crossing arms is a universal gesture that in almost all situations means a defensive or negative state of a person.
The most effective way to get a person to open his hands is to offer to take any object, when taking it, the person will stretch his hands forward. So he will take a more open position, and his condition may change.
But in a situation where a person not only crosses his arms over his chest, but also clenches his fingers into a fist, this is a sign of his hostility and offensive position. And if the hands of the crossed arms are on the shoulder part of the arm, then this signals that the person is holding back negative feelings.
Crossing the legs
Crossing the legs may indicate an agitated, reserved or defensive position. When the legs are crossed with the formation of an angle, this shows that there is rivalry and contradiction. This pose is popular with men who have a fighting nature. A person who has a quick reaction, very difficult to change his point of view in a dispute, often sits with his legs crossed and clasping his legs with his hands. This means that in front of you is a hard, stubborn person who requires a special approach to himself in order to find a common language.
Smoking
Cigarette smoking is a way to suppress internal tension, which allows you to stall before making a decision.
At the same time, people tap, wave a cigarette, which indicates that a person is experiencing stress. If a person often throws ashes off the end of a cigarette, then he has high internal tension and may need to be calmed down. When a smoker lights a cigarette, but immediately puts it out before he finishes smoking to his usual length, this signals his desire to end the conversation.
Thus, the briefly analyzed features of non-verbal communication indicate that they are of great importance in the process of communication. Together with the verbal communication system, they exchange information that people need to organize joint activities and other forms of interaction.
Main conclusions
Communication is the exchange of information between people, the main purpose of which is the development of a common meaning, a common point of view and agreement in various situations or problems.
Communication barriers are psychological barriers to the correct transmission of information from one communication partner to another.
Communication barriers are of three types: understanding, socio-cultural differences and attitudes.
Verbal communication tends to use human speech as a sign system, which is the most universal means of communication. Speech encodes and decodes information. An indispensable tool for this process is feedback, which is represented by messages sent by a person in response to messages from another.
Feedback is:
- non-judgmental, when information is clarified in order to obtain additional information;
- negative, which contains criticism or correction;
- positive, which contains approval or support.
The psychological essence of the feedback process is the need for people to develop a common sign system and the same understanding of the issues discussed during communication.
A set of certain measures that are aimed at increasing the effectiveness of speech influence is called persuasive communication.
Speech activity is the activity of communication between people using language and speech.
According to the degree of orientation, external and internal speech are distinguished. Inner speech occurs silently, like hidden thinking in verbal form, thinking to and for oneself. External oral speech is divided into monologue and dialogic.
Non-verbal communication is a type of communication in which para-linguistic means of transmitting information are used (speech volume, voice timbre, gestures, facial expressions, postures). The main types of non-verbal communication are visual, acoustic, tactile and olfactory.
Problem solving
from 1 day / from 150 rubles
Course work
from 5 days / from 1800 rubles
abstract
from 1 day / from 700 rubles
Ways of non-verbal communication
In order to create a holistic image of the communication process, non-verbal (not verbal) ways of partners interaction are taken into account.
More than half of the data about a person can be obtained simply by observing his behavior, which means that at first we see and hear a person, only then do we form an idea about him. Scientists have discovered and recorded more than a thousand non-verbal signs and signals. A. Meyerabine found that words convey only 7% of information, sound means (including tone of voice, intonation of sound) – 38%, and non-verbal means – 55%.
Non-verbal communication is communication using paralinguistic ways of transmitting information (loudness of speech, timbre of voice, gestures, facial expressions, postures). The main types of non-verbal communication are visual, acoustic, tactile and olfactory (Fig. 1).
Rice. 1. – Types of non-verbal means of communication
Non-verbal manifestations during communication
An interesting question arises, is it possible to deceive one’s own body? In fact, you can’t, because there will be no matches between gestures. For example, open palms speak of honesty, but if a deceiver opens his arms to you and smiles while telling a lie, the microsignals of his body will reflect his secret thoughts.
This can be manifested by constricted pupils, a raised eyebrow, twisted corners of the mouth. Such signals will be contrary to open arms and a wide smile.
The face is used many times more often than any other part of the body to hide false statements. A person smiles, nods his head, winks to hide the lie, but unfortunately for the deceiver, the body uses signs that tell the true truth, and an observant person will quickly notice a discrepancy between the signals that he counts from the face and body and words. Therefore, the study of facial expressions can be called art.
Non-verbal means of communication are marked by specific socio-cultural conditions, therefore there are no general norms for all mankind. The non-verbal language of another country must be learned in the same way as the verbal one.
For example, in France the “OK” sign means “zero” or “nothing”, in Japan it means “money”, and in some Mediterranean countries it is used to indicate the homosexuality of a man.
In America, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand, the raised thumb is used in three ways. It is usually used when “voting” on the road. In the second case, it is used as “everything is in order,” but if the thumb is sharply thrown up, this will be regarded as an offensive sign, which means obscene swearing. Some countries, such as Greece, use this gesture to mean “shut up”, so you can imagine what a Russian tourist would look like trying to catch a passing car on a Greek road.
The most common gestures
Consider the gestures that are most common regardless of culture.
Handshakes
By turning the palm in different directions, you can give a gesture of imperious, submissive or equal meaning. During an authoritative handshake, the hand should grab the other person’s hand so that the palm is turned down. Thus, this will be a message to the person that the opponent wants to be the main one in the process of communicating with him.
Putting hands behind the back
Some people are accustomed to walking with their heads held high, their chin up and their hands behind their backs.
This is an indicator of a person’s self-confidence and, in addition, a sense of superiority over others. The gesture, when the hands are laid behind the back and grab the wrists, means that the person is upset and is trying to pull himself together.
“Lie” gestures
Some of the gestures are fast paced and in order depending on the person’s age. For example, when a five-year-old child tells a lie to his parents, then immediately after that he will cover his mouth with his hands. If a teenager tells a lie, then the hand covers the mouth in much the same way as a five-year-old child, but only with his fingers he will slightly trace the line of the lips. When an adult lies, his brain sends an impulse to cover his mouth in order to delay the words of deceit, as children do, but at the last moment the person removes his hand from his mouth and touches his nose, rubs his eyelids, ears, pulls back his collar.
Scratching the neck
Scratching the neck means the doubt and uncertainty of the person who says: “I’m not sure I agree with you.
”
Crossing the arms on the chest
Locking the hands on the chest shows the desire to hide from an unfavorable situation. Crossing arms is a universal gesture that in almost all situations means a defensive or negative state of a person.
The most effective way to get a person to open his hands is to offer to take any object, when taking it, the person will stretch his hands forward. So he will take a more open position, and his condition may change.
But in a situation where a person not only crosses his arms over his chest, but also clenches his fingers into a fist, this is a sign of his hostility and offensive position. And if the hands of the crossed arms are on the shoulder part of the arm, then this signals that the person is holding back negative feelings.
Crossing the legs
Crossing the legs may indicate an agitated, reserved or defensive position. When the legs are crossed with the formation of an angle, this shows that there is rivalry and contradiction.
This pose is popular with men who have a fighting nature. A person who has a quick reaction, very difficult to change his point of view in a dispute, often sits with his legs crossed and clasping his legs with his hands. This means that in front of you is a hard, stubborn person who requires a special approach to himself in order to find a common language.
Smoking
Cigarette smoking is a way to suppress internal tension, which allows you to stall before making a decision. At the same time, people tap, wave a cigarette, which indicates that a person is experiencing stress. If a person often throws ashes off the end of a cigarette, then he has high internal tension and may need to be calmed down. When a smoker lights a cigarette, but immediately puts it out before he finishes smoking to his usual length, this signals his desire to end the conversation.
Thus, the briefly analyzed features of non-verbal communication indicate that they are of great importance in the process of communication.
Together with the verbal communication system, they exchange information that people need to organize joint activities and other forms of interaction.
Main conclusions
Communication is the exchange of information between people, the main purpose of which is the development of a common meaning, a common point of view and agreement in various situations or problems.
Communication barriers are psychological barriers to the correct transmission of information from one communication partner to another. Communication barriers are of three types: understanding, socio-cultural differences and attitudes.
Verbal communication tends to use human speech as a sign system, which is the most universal means of communication. Speech encodes and decodes information. An indispensable tool for this process is feedback, which is represented by messages sent by a person in response to messages from another.
Feedback is:
- non-judgmental, when information is clarified in order to obtain additional information;
- negative, which contains criticism or correction;
- positive, which contains approval or support.
The psychological essence of the feedback process is the need for people to develop a common sign system and the same understanding of the issues discussed during communication.
A set of certain measures that are aimed at increasing the effectiveness of speech influence is called persuasive communication.
Speech activity is the activity of communication between people using language and speech. According to the degree of orientation, external and internal speech are distinguished. Inner speech occurs silently, like hidden thinking in verbal form, thinking to and for oneself. External oral speech is divided into monologue and dialogic.
Non-verbal communication is a type of communication in which para-linguistic means of transmitting information are used (speech volume, voice timbre, gestures, facial expressions, postures). The main types of non-verbal communication are visual, acoustic, tactile and olfactory.
Problem solving
from 1 day / from 150 rubles
Course work
from 5 days / from 1800 rubles
abstract
from 1 day / from 700 rubles
Ways of non-verbal communication
In order to create a holistic image of the communication process, non-verbal (not verbal) ways of partners interaction are taken into account.
More than half of the data about a person can be obtained simply by observing his behavior, which means that at first we see and hear a person, only then do we form an idea about him. Scientists have discovered and recorded more than a thousand non-verbal signs and signals. A. Meyerabine found that words convey only 7% of information, sound means (including tone of voice, intonation of sound) – 38%, and non-verbal means – 55%.
Non-verbal communication is communication using paralinguistic ways of transmitting information (loudness of speech, timbre of voice, gestures, facial expressions, postures). The main types of non-verbal communication are visual, acoustic, tactile and olfactory (Fig. 1).
Rice. 1. – Types of non-verbal means of communication
Non-verbal manifestations during communication
An interesting question arises, is it possible to deceive one’s own body? In fact, you can’t, because there will be no matches between gestures. For example, open palms speak of honesty, but if a deceiver opens his arms to you and smiles while telling a lie, the microsignals of his body will reflect his secret thoughts.
This can be manifested by constricted pupils, a raised eyebrow, twisted corners of the mouth. Such signals will be contrary to open arms and a wide smile.
The face is used many times more often than any other part of the body to hide false statements. A person smiles, nods his head, winks to hide the lie, but unfortunately for the deceiver, the body uses signs that tell the true truth, and an observant person will quickly notice a discrepancy between the signals that he counts from the face and body and words. Therefore, the study of facial expressions can be called art.
Non-verbal means of communication are marked by specific socio-cultural conditions, therefore there are no general norms for all mankind. The non-verbal language of another country must be learned in the same way as the verbal one.
For example, in France the “OK” sign means “zero” or “nothing”, in Japan it means “money”, and in some Mediterranean countries it is used to indicate the homosexuality of a man.
In America, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand, the raised thumb is used in three ways. It is usually used when “voting” on the road. In the second case, it is used as “everything is in order,” but if the thumb is sharply thrown up, this will be regarded as an offensive sign, which means obscene swearing. Some countries, such as Greece, use this gesture to mean “shut up”, so you can imagine what a Russian tourist would look like trying to catch a passing car on a Greek road.
The most common gestures
Consider the gestures that are most common regardless of culture.
Handshakes
By turning the palm in different directions, you can give a gesture of imperious, submissive or equal meaning. During an authoritative handshake, the hand should grab the other person’s hand so that the palm is turned down. Thus, this will be a message to the person that the opponent wants to be the main one in the process of communicating with him.
Putting hands behind the back
Some people are accustomed to walking with their heads held high, their chin up and their hands behind their backs.
This is an indicator of a person’s self-confidence and, in addition, a sense of superiority over others. The gesture, when the hands are laid behind the back and grab the wrists, means that the person is upset and is trying to pull himself together.
“Lie” gestures
Some of the gestures are fast paced and in order depending on the person’s age. For example, when a five-year-old child tells a lie to his parents, then immediately after that he will cover his mouth with his hands. If a teenager tells a lie, then the hand covers the mouth in much the same way as a five-year-old child, but only with his fingers he will slightly trace the line of the lips. When an adult lies, his brain sends an impulse to cover his mouth in order to delay the words of deceit, as children do, but at the last moment the person removes his hand from his mouth and touches his nose, rubs his eyelids, ears, pulls back his collar.
Scratching the neck
Scratching the neck means the doubt and uncertainty of the person who says: “I’m not sure I agree with you.
”
Crossing the arms on the chest
Locking the hands on the chest shows the desire to hide from an unfavorable situation. Crossing arms is a universal gesture that in almost all situations means a defensive or negative state of a person.
The most effective way to get a person to open his hands is to offer to take any object, when taking it, the person will stretch his hands forward. So he will take a more open position, and his condition may change.
But in a situation where a person not only crosses his arms over his chest, but also clenches his fingers into a fist, this is a sign of his hostility and offensive position. And if the hands of the crossed arms are on the shoulder part of the arm, then this signals that the person is holding back negative feelings.
Crossing the legs
Crossing the legs may indicate an agitated, reserved or defensive position. When the legs are crossed with the formation of an angle, this shows that there is rivalry and contradiction.
This pose is popular with men who have a fighting nature. A person who has a quick reaction, very difficult to change his point of view in a dispute, often sits with his legs crossed and clasping his legs with his hands. This means that in front of you is a hard, stubborn person who requires a special approach to himself in order to find a common language.
Smoking
Cigarette smoking is a way to suppress internal tension, which allows you to stall before making a decision. At the same time, people tap, wave a cigarette, which indicates that a person is experiencing stress. If a person often throws ashes off the end of a cigarette, then he has high internal tension and may need to be calmed down. When a smoker lights a cigarette, but immediately puts it out before he finishes smoking to his usual length, this signals his desire to end the conversation.
Thus, the briefly analyzed features of non-verbal communication indicate that they are of great importance in the process of communication.
Together with the verbal communication system, they exchange information that people need to organize joint activities and other forms of interaction.
Main conclusions
Communication is the exchange of information between people, the main purpose of which is the development of a common meaning, a common point of view and agreement in various situations or problems.
Communication barriers are psychological barriers to the correct transmission of information from one communication partner to another. Communication barriers are of three types: understanding, socio-cultural differences and attitudes.
Verbal communication tends to use human speech as a sign system, which is the most universal means of communication. Speech encodes and decodes information. An indispensable tool for this process is feedback, which is represented by messages sent by a person in response to messages from another.
Feedback is:
- non-judgmental, when information is clarified in order to obtain additional information;
- negative, which contains criticism or correction;
- positive, which contains approval or support.
The psychological essence of the feedback process is the need for people to develop a common sign system and the same understanding of the issues discussed during communication.
A set of certain measures that are aimed at increasing the effectiveness of speech influence is called persuasive communication.
Speech activity is the activity of communication between people using language and speech. According to the degree of orientation, external and internal speech are distinguished. Inner speech occurs silently, like hidden thinking in verbal form, thinking to and for oneself. External oral speech is divided into monologue and dialogic.
Non-verbal communication is a type of communication in which para-linguistic means of transmitting information are used (speech volume, voice timbre, gestures, facial expressions, postures). The main types of non-verbal communication are visual, acoustic, tactile and olfactory.
Problem solving
from 1 day / from 150 rubles
Course work
from 5 days / from 1800 rubles
abstract
from 1 day / from 700 rubles
Ways of non-verbal communication
In order to create a holistic image of the communication process, non-verbal (not verbal) ways of partners interaction are taken into account.
More than half of the data about a person can be obtained simply by observing his behavior, which means that at first we see and hear a person, only then do we form an idea about him. Scientists have discovered and recorded more than a thousand non-verbal signs and signals. A. Meyerabine found that words convey only 7% of information, sound means (including tone of voice, intonation of sound) – 38%, and non-verbal means – 55%.
Non-verbal communication is communication using paralinguistic ways of transmitting information (loudness of speech, timbre of voice, gestures, facial expressions, postures). The main types of non-verbal communication are visual, acoustic, tactile and olfactory (Fig. 1).
Rice. 1. – Types of non-verbal means of communication
Non-verbal manifestations during communication
An interesting question arises, is it possible to deceive one’s own body? In fact, you can’t, because there will be no matches between gestures. For example, open palms speak of honesty, but if a deceiver opens his arms to you and smiles while telling a lie, the microsignals of his body will reflect his secret thoughts.
This can be manifested by constricted pupils, a raised eyebrow, twisted corners of the mouth. Such signals will be contrary to open arms and a wide smile.
The face is used many times more often than any other part of the body to hide false statements. A person smiles, nods his head, winks to hide the lie, but unfortunately for the deceiver, the body uses signs that tell the true truth, and an observant person will quickly notice a discrepancy between the signals that he counts from the face and body and words. Therefore, the study of facial expressions can be called art.
Non-verbal means of communication are marked by specific socio-cultural conditions, therefore there are no general norms for all mankind. The non-verbal language of another country must be learned in the same way as the verbal one.
For example, in France the “OK” sign means “zero” or “nothing”, in Japan it means “money”, and in some Mediterranean countries it is used to indicate the homosexuality of a man.
In America, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand, the raised thumb is used in three ways. It is usually used when “voting” on the road. In the second case, it is used as “everything is in order,” but if the thumb is sharply thrown up, this will be regarded as an offensive sign, which means obscene swearing. Some countries, such as Greece, use this gesture to mean “shut up”, so you can imagine what a Russian tourist would look like trying to catch a passing car on a Greek road.
The most common gestures
Consider the gestures that are most common regardless of culture.
Handshakes
By turning the palm in different directions, you can give a gesture of imperious, submissive or equal meaning. During an authoritative handshake, the hand should grab the other person’s hand so that the palm is turned down. Thus, this will be a message to the person that the opponent wants to be the main one in the process of communicating with him.
Putting hands behind the back
Some people are accustomed to walking with their heads held high, their chin up and their hands behind their backs.
This is an indicator of a person’s self-confidence and, in addition, a sense of superiority over others. The gesture, when the hands are laid behind the back and grab the wrists, means that the person is upset and is trying to pull himself together.
“Lie” gestures
Some of the gestures are fast paced and in order depending on the person’s age. For example, when a five-year-old child tells a lie to his parents, then immediately after that he will cover his mouth with his hands. If a teenager tells a lie, then the hand covers the mouth in much the same way as a five-year-old child, but only with his fingers he will slightly trace the line of the lips. When an adult lies, his brain sends an impulse to cover his mouth in order to delay the words of deceit, as children do, but at the last moment the person removes his hand from his mouth and touches his nose, rubs his eyelids, ears, pulls back his collar.
Scratching the neck
Scratching the neck means the doubt and uncertainty of the person who says: “I’m not sure I agree with you.
”
Crossing the arms on the chest
Locking the hands on the chest shows the desire to hide from an unfavorable situation. Crossing arms is a universal gesture that in almost all situations means a defensive or negative state of a person.
The most effective way to get a person to open his hands is to offer to take any object, when taking it, the person will stretch his hands forward. So he will take a more open position, and his condition may change.
But in a situation where a person not only crosses his arms over his chest, but also clenches his fingers into a fist, this is a sign of his hostility and offensive position. And if the hands of the crossed arms are on the shoulder part of the arm, then this signals that the person is holding back negative feelings.
Crossing the legs
Crossing the legs may indicate an agitated, reserved or defensive position. When the legs are crossed with the formation of an angle, this shows that there is rivalry and contradiction.
This pose is popular with men who have a fighting nature. A person who has a quick reaction, very difficult to change his point of view in a dispute, often sits with his legs crossed and clasping his legs with his hands. This means that in front of you is a hard, stubborn person who requires a special approach to himself in order to find a common language.
Smoking
Cigarette smoking is a way to suppress internal tension, which allows you to stall before making a decision. At the same time, people tap, wave a cigarette, which indicates that a person is experiencing stress. If a person often throws ashes off the end of a cigarette, then he has high internal tension and may need to be calmed down. When a smoker lights a cigarette, but immediately puts it out before he finishes smoking to his usual length, this signals his desire to end the conversation.
Thus, the briefly analyzed features of non-verbal communication indicate that they are of great importance in the process of communication.
Together with the verbal communication system, they exchange information that people need to organize joint activities and other forms of interaction.
Main conclusions
Communication is the exchange of information between people, the main purpose of which is the development of a common meaning, a common point of view and agreement in various situations or problems.
Communication barriers are psychological barriers to the correct transmission of information from one communication partner to another. Communication barriers are of three types: understanding, socio-cultural differences and attitudes.
Verbal communication tends to use human speech as a sign system, which is the most universal means of communication. Speech encodes and decodes information. An indispensable tool for this process is feedback, which is represented by messages sent by a person in response to messages from another.
Feedback is:
- non-judgmental, when information is clarified in order to obtain additional information;
- negative, which contains criticism or correction;
- positive, which contains approval or support.
The psychological essence of the feedback process is the need for people to develop a common sign system and the same understanding of the issues discussed during communication.
A set of certain measures that are aimed at increasing the effectiveness of speech influence is called persuasive communication.
Speech activity is the activity of communication between people using language and speech. According to the degree of orientation, external and internal speech are distinguished. Inner speech occurs silently, like hidden thinking in verbal form, thinking to and for oneself. External oral speech is divided into monologue and dialogic.
Non-verbal communication is a type of communication in which para-linguistic means of transmitting information are used (speech volume, voice timbre, gestures, facial expressions, postures). The main types of non-verbal communication are visual, acoustic, tactile and olfactory.
Problem solving
from 1 day / from 150 rubles
Course work
from 5 days / from 1800 rubles
abstract
from 1 day / from 700 rubles
Types of non-verbal communication and their characteristics
negotiations
personal development
Rating:
|
(Votes: 2, Rating: 5) |
From this material you will learn:
- The difference between verbal and non-verbal communication
- Conscious and unconscious non-verbal communication
- Importance of conscious non-verbal communication
- 5 functions of non-verbal communication
- Basic types of non-verbal communication
- Interpretation of non-verbal signals
- Tips for Developing Non-Verbal Communication Skills
There are various types of non-verbal communication: from some specific gestures to touch, from a person’s gaze to his spatial position or even just appearance.
And each of these signals carries certain information, it is only important to interpret it correctly.
And it doesn’t always work out. While some gestures are quite unambiguous, others may not be entirely clear to the participant in the dialogue, who does not understand body language very well. But in the case when a person is well versed in the topic, many interlocutors are like an open book for him. And this state of affairs greatly facilitates communication.
The difference between verbal and non-verbal communication
Almost every person on Earth knows how to communicate using language and gestures. Moreover, if we teach speech, then the second method is often used unconsciously. These types of communication – verbal and non-verbal – are the means of transferring information between people. Depending on the chosen variant, the instrument for them is the word or the body.
The non-verbal view is remarkable in that through posture, facial expressions and gestures in various circumstances, a large number of images can be conveyed.
Body language is very rich and is limited only by the abilities and imagination of the person himself. In fact, it is just as effective a way of communicating as speech.
It is quite easy to evaluate this ability: you can just sit down to watch a movie in an unlearned foreign language. In conditions of information deficiency, the brain itself will begin to provoke you to increased attention to detail. For example, gestures, facial expressions, minor body movements and conditions in which an event occurs on the screen. Even despite the lack of understanding of speech, you will still notice that by emotions, intonations and postures you are already reading some of the information, if not all of it. Some films are so rich in non-verbal that you can turn off the sound and watch only the picture: almost everything will be clear.
When reporting that he speaks a language, a person often does not even think that at the same time he means not only a specific language, for example, English or Russian.
In fact, he constantly broadcasts information, even when he is silent, through postures, facial expressions and gestures. The non-verbal way of communication allows you to communicate in the presence of a language barrier, regardless of gender and age.
Speech must be mastered in order to be used. Learn the alphabet, pronunciation, correct stress and word formation rules. Sign language, on the other hand, requires only the body and the work of the muscles. With its help, you can broadcast primitive images to establish communication with any person.
Of course, the contact will be at a low level, since it is necessary to use basic and universal for many forms of gestures. However, it is non-verbal communication that makes our appearance and posture informative. Sometimes a couple of gestures replaces a big emotional exclamation. So, a foreigner, having forgotten the necessary words, can use his fingers and facial expressions to point out what he is interested in.
Conscious and unconscious non-verbal communication
Depending on how deliberately a person uses the abilities of his body to contact others, 2 types of communication can be distinguished.
Recommended
“Non-verbal communication in business – facial expressions, postures, gestures and clothing”More
The first is non-verbal communication done consciously. A person specifically chooses certain postures, gestures, facial expressions in order to convey to the interlocutor his opinion, mood, necessary information.
The second is unconscious non-verbal communication. With it, almost all the actions we perform in the process are spontaneous. An experienced person can read them, and they will tell him much more about the interlocutor than any words.
One can quite clearly observe how various types of non-verbal means of communication are used in acting. There it almost always happens consciously. Well-trained poses, gestures, facial expressions help the actors create their characters as realistic as possible. Non-verbal or body language, when used consciously, opens up great possibilities.
Experienced and resourceful actors have a serious knowledge of body language. Through observation and attentiveness, they notice the smallest details that can be used in a pose to enhance the spoken words, which helps them create dozens and hundreds of variations of behavior for any occasion.
Importance of conscious non-verbal communication
Communication through body language is essential for meaningful communication. Communication through gestures reinforces what was said, giving it the necessary emotional coloring. In fact, it is various types of non-verbal communication that allow people with a language barrier or problems with pronouncing sounds to communicate with each other.
Moreover, if in the first case the complexity of the transmitted images can be increased gradually, then in the second it is impossible, since gestures become, in principle, the only means of communication with another person.
Most people communicate using words.
People with voice and hearing disabilities are left with only their fingers and face as an alternative to speech and emotions. They use gestures and facial expressions to communicate with each other and those around them.
Sometimes there are situations when it is impossible to convey something with the help of words: soundproof walls, long distance, noisy crowd. This is where non-verbal communication comes in. Its conscious application can be seen in many places. For example, hunters, divers, motorists have a system of conventional signs. Owning them helps to quickly coordinate many actions.
5 functions of non-verbal communication
The language of postures and gestures significantly complements human speech. With its help, any spoken words acquire an emotional coloring and, in general, what is said is better perceived. Communication becomes more constructive.
Psychologists distinguish 5 functions of non-verbal communication:
- Duplication of . A person supplements his words, as if confirming what was said with facial expressions and gestures, with some actions, giving it unambiguity.
- Controversy . By chance or on purpose, a person contradicts what was said with a wink or a shake of the head.
- Change of meaning . A lot of phrases can be interpreted in different ways depending on the context. Our body movements help explain, for example, that the phrase was used in a figurative sense.
- Addition to the above . Sometimes we do not have enough words to express our emotions, or for some reason they should not be pronounced, then we add head turns, hand movements to the words to show how tired something is or someone is missing.
- Strengthening the meaning . Various types of non-verbal communication help reinforce words of support with a smile, and intention with a fist on the table.
A person supplements his words, as if confirming what was said with facial expressions and gestures, with some actions, giving it unambiguity. Main types of non-verbal communication
There are many ways to convey information without using speech.
All of them are subdivided according to the types of means/methods chosen for contact. The features of each are detailed below.
- Kinetic signals
The most common means of self-expression, since it allows you to supplement what has been said with posture, tilt of the head, contraction of the facial muscles, gestures, and in general any movements. Thanks to him, phrases get an emotional color and richness, a second or even a third meaning.
The application of actions strongly depends on the character, temperament and upbringing, as well as national characteristics. So, in some cultures, much becomes clear precisely due to facial expressions and body movements, in others this is not accepted.
- Tactile signals
Similar to kinetics, but they require physical contact. They are transmitted by touch, which can be expressed in a handshake, clapping on the shoulder, hugs. It is this group of elements that helps determine the level of social and interpersonal interaction in each case.
Top 5 articles that will increase your sales
- Sales department control: points, tools, evaluation methods
- Anti-crisis sales: how not to act in a crisis
- Books for the sales manager: top 15
- Sales manager report: types and features
- Head of Sales: Key Skills and Functions
- Visual signals
Served with eyes that can be rounded, narrowed, directed in the right direction. The duration of visual contact, its frequency, tension or lightness also matters.
- Spatial signals
The position of the body in space is also a type of non-verbal communication. In psychology, there is a whole section that helps to interpret the true meaning of what a person said, adjusted for his posture, gestures. The position, the distance between the interlocutors and in relation to the surrounding space, whether they sit sideways or straight, are important.
Spatial signals can change depending on the situation and be corrected on a conscious or intuitive level. So, a private conversation will be different from a public one, and a social one is accompanied by other non-verbal signals compared to a personal one.
- Peri- or paraverbal communication
The most difficult group to interpret, since it includes everything related to speech, namely: intonation, speed, rhythm, modality, the presence and duration of pauses, their frequency. At the same time, signals are always interpreted individually, without having, as such, a basis for generalization.
The reason lies in the fact that, for example, communication in raised tones in one person can mean an extreme degree of excitement, while in another it can only be a consequence of habit, professional deformation. Hesitations and pauses arise both because of the internal state and as a result of external factors.
Recommended
“12 books on sales psychology”Read more
- Appearance
In some cases, the setting and how the interlocutor is dressed play a role.
For example, carelessness or emphasized accuracy can say a lot about his own character or attitude towards his opponent and influence the dialogue. This is not always taken into account, but sometimes such details make it possible to understand what is not said out loud.
Features of the interpretation of non-verbal signals
There are statistics according to which about 70% of information a person receives through decoding non-verbal signals. This happens purposefully or intuitively, but constantly, so it is useful to be able to interpret them.
However, not everything can be recognized and correctly understood. In order to do this competently, it is necessary to distinguish between types of non-verbal communication and know their characteristics. This will help to divide the signals into groups and determine the smallest, but therefore more truthful, since they are less obvious and more difficult to control.
At the same time, you should not get carried away and look for a second meaning where there is none.
It is necessary to take into account the nature of the interlocutor, the situation, the context and a number of factors in order to interpret the signs correctly, and not try to “read” the reactions caused by external circumstances.
Tips for developing non-verbal communication skills
The transmission of information through body signs is an important part of our lives. We broadcast our own mood and capture someone else’s. People who have known each other for a long time understand each other perfectly just due to the fact that they know the peculiarities of behavior and can immediately determine when a friend needs something.
The same applies to attempts to manipulate attentive interlocutors. Control and training of facial expressions, posture, position of the head, arms, legs (for example, at the mirror) help to present oneself in the desired image and not show the opponent too much.
How to understand what the customer is ready to buy?
youtube.com/embed/KwWH6IN4bAI” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen=””/>
In order to better understand body language, it is enough to train mindfulness. Knowing the types of non-verbal communication, examples for study can be found at every step. Details are manifested in involuntary movements, gaze, posture, pace of speech. By observing the interlocutor and detecting certain signals, one can understand his state and mood, attitude to the topic of conversation.
Details that indicate that a person is insincere should be especially taken into account. This may be due to the intention to withhold any information – intuitively or with a certain intent.
For example, if the interlocutor actively maintains a conversation, without looking into your eyes or going off topic, forced to smile, hunched over, this may mean that his thoughts are busy with something else or he is sad, but he does not want to excite you.
At the same time, it is important to perceive the whole image as a whole, since separate gestures are uninformative. The meaning of reading body language is precisely in the ability to draw relationships between individual signals.
If you focus on the fact that the interlocutor crossed his legs during the conversation, and think that he is thus closing himself off from something, you can lose sight of the direct gaze, relaxed posture and calm intonations. Thus, he most likely showed his fatigue after walking, or did so for another reason.
Much can be said about the feelings we experience in response to certain behavior. Often they are also food for thought, as they are the results of intuitive perception, which, as you know, works faster than we have time to think. For example, the contradictory feeling that the interlocutor is having fun, although he speaks absolutely seriously, may turn out to be true, he is simply in control of himself.
The process of learning non-verbal signals and interpreting them will eventually become perceived as an interesting and exciting game.