Use of nonverbal communication: Non-Verbal Communication | SkillsYouNeed

Non-Verbal Communication | SkillsYouNeed

When we talk about ‘communication’, we often mean ‘what we say’: the words that we use. However, interpersonal communication is much more than the explicit meaning of words, and the information or message that they convey. It also includes implicit messages, whether intentional or not, which are expressed through non-verbal behaviours.

Non-verbal communication includes facial expressions, the tone and pitch of the voice, gestures displayed through body language (kinesics) and the physical distance between the communicators (proxemics).

These non-verbal signals can give clues and additional information and meaning over and above spoken (verbal) communication. Indeed, some estimates suggest that around 70 to 80% of communication is non-verbal!

Using Non-Verbal Communication

Learning the

Language

Many popular books on non-verbal communication present the topic as if it were a language that can be learned, the implication being that if the meaning of every nod, eye movement, and gesture were known, the real feelings and intentions of a person would be understood.

This, of course, is absolutely true.

Unfortunately interpreting non-verbal communication is not that simple.

As our Interpersonal Communication page, non-verbal communication is not a language with a fixed meaning. It is influenced and driven by the context in which it occurs. This includes both the place and the people concerned, as well as the culture.

For example, a nod of the head between colleagues in a committee meeting may mean something very different from when the same action is used to acknowledge someone across a crowded room, and again when two people are having a social conversation.

Non-verbal communication may also be both conscious and unconscious. Facial expressions are particularly hard to control, because we cannot see ourselves to know what we are doing. We may, therefore complicate communication by trying to convey one message consciously, while in fact conveying quite another unconsciously.

Interpersonal communication is further complicated because it is usually not possible to interpret a gesture or expression accurately on its own. Non-verbal communication consists of a complete package of expressions, hand and eye movements, postures, and gestures which should be interpreted along with speech (verbal communication).

Non-Verbal Communication in Writing

Over the years, many people have argued that written words also contain non-verbal communication. Your handwriting can give clues about how you were feeling when you wrote a note, for example, and nowadays, your choice of font and colour also says something about you.

However, it is now generally agreed that these forms of non-verbal communication are pretty unreliable indicators of character. They convey far less information than the non-verbal communication that is part of face-to-face interactions.

The Cultural Context

The good news is that most of us learn to interpret non-verbal communication as we grow up and develop. It is a normal part of how we communicate with other people, and most of us both use it and interpret it quite unconsciously.

This can make it harder to interpret consciously. However, if you stop thinking about it, you will probably find that you have a very good idea of what someone meant.

The bad news is that non-verbal communication can be very culture-specific.

Examples of culture-specific non-verbal communication

1. The popular stereotype of Italians, involving big gestures, lots of hand-waving, and plenty of loud and excited shouting, may be a stereotype, but it exists for a reason. In the Italian culture, excitement is shown a lot more obviously than in the UK, for example. Non-verbal communication tends to be a lot more obvious. This can make it much harder for Italians to interpret non-verbal communication in the UK or USA, where it is more subtle. However, even in Italy, there are geographical variations.

2. The thumbs-up gesture, which generally signals approval in English-speaking countries, is considered offensive in other countries, including apparently Greece, Italy and some parts of the Middle East.

3. Making a circle with your thumb and forefinger like this means OK in Western cultures. It is used in particular by divers in this way. In Japan, however, it is reputedly the sign for money, and in Arabic countries, it is a threat.

It’s worth being careful how you use gestures and body language!

For more about this, see our pages on Intercultural Communication and Intercultural Awareness.

The Importance of Non-verbal Communication

It is essential to remember that non-verbal cues can be as important, or in some cases even more important, than what we say.

Non-verbal communication can have a great impact on the listener and the outcome of the communication.

Warning!

People tend to have much less conscious control over their non-verbal messages than of what they’re actually saying.

This is partly because non-verbal communication is much more emotional in nature, and therefore much more instinctive.

If there is a mismatch between the two, therefore, you should probably trust the non-verbal messages, rather than the words used.

A lack of non-verbal message may also be a signal of sorts, suggesting that the speaker is carefully controlling their body language, and may be trying to hide their true emotions.

Types of Non-Verbal Communication

There are many different types of non-verbal communication. They include:

• Body movements (kinesics), for example, hand gestures or nodding or shaking the head, which are often the easiest element of non-verbal communication to control;

• Posture, or how you stand or sit, whether your arms are crossed, and so on;

• Eye contact, where the amount of eye contact often determines the level of trust and trustworthiness;

• Para-language, or aspects of the voice apart from speech, such as pitch, tone, and speed of speaking;

• Closeness or personal space (proxemics), which determines the level of intimacy, and which varies very much by culture;

• Facial expressions, including smiling, frowning and blinking, which are very hard to control consciously. Interestingly, the broad facial expressions that show strong emotions, such as fear, anger, and happiness, are the same throughout the world; and

• Physiological changes, for example, you may sweat or blink more when you are nervous, and your heart rate is also likely to increase. These are almost impossible to control consciously and are therefore a very important indicator of mental state.

There is more about all of these types of non-verbal communication on our pages on Body Language and Face and Voice.

Further Reading from Skills You Need

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In Conclusion…

Non-verbal communication is an extremely complex yet integral part of overall communication skills. However, people are often totally unaware of their non-verbal behaviour.

A basic awareness of non-verbal communication strategies, over and above what is actually said, can help to improve interaction with others. Knowledge of these signs can be used to encourage people to talk about their concerns and can lead to a greater shared understanding, which is, after all, the purpose of communication.

4.1 Principles and Functions of Nonverbal Communication – Communication in the Real World

Learning Objectives

1. Define nonverbal communication.
2. Compare and contrast verbal communication and nonverbal communication.
3. Discuss the principles of nonverbal communication.
4. Provide examples of the functions of nonverbal communication.

As you’ll recall from our introductory chapter, a channel is the sensory route on which a message travels. Oral communication only relies on one channel, because spoken language is transmitted through sound and picked up by our ears. Nonverbal communication, on the other hand, can be taken in by all five of our senses. Since most of our communication relies on visual and auditory channels, those will be the focus of this chapter. But we can also receive messages and generate meaning through touch, taste, and smell. Touch is an especially powerful form of nonverbal communication that we will discuss in this chapter, but we will not get into taste and smell, which have not received as much scholarly attention in relation to nonverbal communication as the other senses.

To further define nonverbal communication, we need to distinguish between vocal and verbal aspects of communication. Verbal and nonverbal communication include both vocal and nonvocal elements, and Table 4.1 “Vocal and Nonvocal Elements of Communication” shows the relationship among vocal, nonvocal, verbal, and nonverbal aspects of communication. A vocal element of verbal communication is spoken words—for example, “Come back here.” A vocal element of nonverbal communication is paralanguage, which is the vocalized but not verbal part of a spoken message, such as speaking rate, volume, and pitch. Nonvocal elements of verbal communication include the use of unspoken symbols to convey meaning. Writing and American Sign Language (ASL) are nonvocal examples of verbal communication and are not considered nonverbal communication. Nonvocal elements of nonverbal communication include body language such as gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact. Gestures are nonvocal and nonverbal since most of them do not refer to a specific word like a written or signed symbol does.

Table 4.1 Vocal and Nonvocal Elements of Communication

Source: Adapted from Owen Hargie, Skilled Interpersonal Interaction: Research, Theory, and Practice (London: Routledge, 2011), 45.

Principles of Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal communication has a distinct history and serves separate evolutionary functions from verbal communication. For example, nonverbal communication is primarily biologically based while verbal communication is primarily culturally based. This is evidenced by the fact that some nonverbal communication has the same meaning across cultures while no verbal communication systems share that same universal recognizability (Andersen, 1999). Nonverbal communication also evolved earlier than verbal communication and served an early and important survival function that helped humans later develop verbal communication. While some of our nonverbal communication abilities, like our sense of smell, lost strength as our verbal capacities increased, other abilities like paralanguage and movement have grown alongside verbal complexity. The fact that nonverbal communication is processed by an older part of our brain makes it more instinctual and involuntary than verbal communication.

Nonverbal Communication Conveys Important Interpersonal and Emotional Messages

You’ve probably heard that more meaning is generated from nonverbal communication than from verbal. Some studies have claimed that 90 percent of our meaning is derived from nonverbal signals, but more recent and reliable findings claim that it is closer to 65 percent (Guerrero & Floyd, 2006). We may rely more on nonverbal signals in situations where verbal and nonverbal messages conflict and in situations where emotional or relational communication is taking place (Hargie, 2011). For example, when someone asks a question and we’re not sure about the “angle” they are taking, we may hone in on nonverbal cues to fill in the meaning. For example, the question “What are you doing tonight?” could mean any number of things, but we could rely on posture, tone of voice, and eye contact to see if the person is just curious, suspicious, or hinting that they would like company for the evening. We also put more weight on nonverbal communication when determining a person’s credibility. For example, if a classmate delivers a speech in class and her verbal content seems well-researched and unbiased, but her nonverbal communication is poor (her voice is monotone, she avoids eye contact, she fidgets), she will likely not be viewed as credible. Conversely, in some situations, verbal communication might carry more meaning than nonverbal. In interactions where information exchange is the focus, at a briefing at work, for example, verbal communication likely accounts for much more of the meaning generated. Despite this exception, a key principle of nonverbal communication is that it often takes on more meaning in interpersonal and/or emotional exchanges.

Nonverbal Communication Is More Involuntary than Verbal

There are some instances in which we verbally communicate involuntarily. These types of exclamations are often verbal responses to a surprising stimulus. For example, we say “owww!” when we stub our toe or scream “stop!” when we see someone heading toward danger. Involuntary nonverbal signals are much more common, and although most nonverbal communication isn’t completely involuntary, it is more below our consciousness than verbal communication and therefore more difficult to control.

The involuntary nature of much nonverbal communication makes it more difficult to control or “fake.” For example, although you can consciously smile a little and shake hands with someone when you first see them, it’s difficult to fake that you’re “happy” to meet someone. Nonverbal communication leaks out in ways that expose our underlying thoughts or feelings. Spokespeople, lawyers, or other public representatives who are the “face” of a politician, celebrity, corporation, or organization must learn to control their facial expressions and other nonverbal communication so they can effectively convey the message of their employer or client without having their personal thoughts and feelings leak through. Poker players, therapists, police officers, doctors, teachers, and actors are also in professions that often require them to have more awareness of and control over their nonverbal communication.

Have you ever tried to conceal your surprise, suppress your anger, or act joyful even when you weren’t? Most people whose careers don’t involve conscious manipulation of nonverbal signals find it difficult to control or suppress them. While we can consciously decide to stop sending verbal messages, our nonverbal communication always has the potential of generating meaning for another person. The teenager who decides to shut out his dad and not communicate with him still sends a message with his “blank” stare (still a facial expression) and lack of movement (still a gesture). In this sense, nonverbal communication is “irrepressible” (Andersen, 1999).

Nonverbal Communication Is More Ambiguous

In Chapter 3 “Verbal Communication”, we learn that the symbolic and abstract nature of language can lead to misunderstandings, but nonverbal communication is even more ambiguous. As with verbal communication, most of our nonverbal signals can be linked to multiple meanings, but unlike words, many nonverbal signals do not have any one specific meaning. If you’ve ever had someone wink at you and didn’t know why, you’ve probably experienced this uncertainty. Did they wink to express their affection for you, their pleasure with something you just did, or because you share some inside knowledge or joke?

Just as we look at context clues in a sentence or paragraph to derive meaning from a particular word, we can look for context clues in various sources of information like the physical environment, other nonverbal signals, or verbal communication to make sense of a particular nonverbal cue. Unlike verbal communication, however, nonverbal communication doesn’t have explicit rules of grammar that bring structure, order, and agreed-on patterns of usage. Instead, we implicitly learn norms of nonverbal communication, which leads to greater variance. In general, we exhibit more idiosyncrasies in our usage of nonverbal communication than we do with verbal communication, which also increases the ambiguity of nonverbal communication.

Nonverbal Communication Is More Credible

Although we can rely on verbal communication to fill in the blanks sometimes left by nonverbal expressions, we often put more trust into what people do over what they say. This is especially true in times of stress or danger when our behaviors become more instinctual and we rely on older systems of thinking and acting that evolved before our ability to speak and write (Andersen, 1999). This innateness creates intuitive feelings about the genuineness of nonverbal communication, and this genuineness relates back to our earlier discussion about the sometimes involuntary and often subconscious nature of nonverbal communication. An example of the innateness of nonverbal signals can be found in children who have been blind since birth but still exhibit the same facial expressions as other children. In short, the involuntary or subconscious nature of nonverbal communication makes it less easy to fake, which makes it seem more honest and credible. We will learn more about the role that nonverbal communication plays in deception later in this chapter.

Functions of Nonverbal Communication

A primary function of nonverbal communication is to convey meaning by reinforcing, substituting for, or contradicting verbal communication. Nonverbal communication is also used to influence others and regulate conversational flow. Perhaps even more important are the ways in which nonverbal communication functions as a central part of relational communication and identity expression.

Nonverbal Communication Conveys Meaning

Nonverbal communication conveys meaning by reinforcing, substituting for, or contradicting verbal communication. As we’ve already learned, verbal and nonverbal communication are two parts of the same system that often work side by side, helping us generate meaning. In terms of reinforcing verbal communication, gestures can help describe a space or shape that another person is unfamiliar with in ways that words alone cannot. Gestures also reinforce basic meaning—for example, pointing to the door when you tell someone to leave. Facial expressions reinforce the emotional states we convey through verbal communication. For example, smiling while telling a funny story better conveys your emotions (Hargie, 2011). Vocal variation can help us emphasize a particular part of a message, which helps reinforce a word or sentence’s meaning. For example, saying “How was your weekend?” conveys a different meaning than “How was your weekend?”

Nonverbal communication can substitute for verbal communication in a variety of ways. Nonverbal communication can convey much meaning when verbal communication isn’t effective because of language barriers. Language barriers are present when a person hasn’t yet learned to speak or loses the ability to speak. For example, babies who have not yet developed language skills make facial expressions, at a few months old, that are similar to those of adults and therefore can generate meaning (Oster, Hegley, & Nagel, 1992). People who have developed language skills but can’t use them because they have temporarily or permanently lost them or because they are using incompatible language codes, like in some cross-cultural encounters, can still communicate nonverbally. Although it’s always a good idea to learn some of the local language when you travel, gestures such as pointing or demonstrating the size or shape of something may suffice in basic interactions.

Nonverbal communication is also useful in a quiet situation where verbal communication would be disturbing; for example, you may use a gesture to signal to a friend that you’re ready to leave the library. Crowded or loud places can also impede verbal communication and lead people to rely more on nonverbal messages. Getting a server or bartender’s attention with a hand gesture is definitely more polite than yelling, “Hey you!” Finally, there are just times when we know it’s better not to say something aloud. If you want to point out a person’s unusual outfit or signal to a friend that you think his or her date is a loser, you’re probably more likely to do that nonverbally.

Last, nonverbal communication can convey meaning by contradicting verbal communication. As we learned earlier, we often perceive nonverbal communication to be more credible than verbal communication. This is especially true when we receive mixed messages, or messages in which verbal and nonverbal signals contradict each other. For example, a person may say, “You can’t do anything right!” in a mean tone but follow that up with a wink, which could indicate the person is teasing or joking. Mixed messages lead to uncertainty and confusion on the part of receivers, which leads us to look for more information to try to determine which message is more credible. If we are unable to resolve the discrepancy, we are likely to react negatively and potentially withdraw from the interaction (Hargie, 2011). Persistent mixed messages can lead to relational distress and hurt a person’s credibility in professional settings.

Nonverbal Communication Influences Others

Nonverbal communication can be used to influence people in a variety of ways, but the most common way is through deception. Deception is typically thought of as the intentional act of altering information to influence another person, which means that it extends beyond lying to include concealing, omitting, or exaggerating information. While verbal communication is to blame for the content of the deception, nonverbal communication partners with the language through deceptive acts to be more convincing. Since most of us intuitively believe that nonverbal communication is more credible than verbal communication, we often intentionally try to control our nonverbal communication when we are engaging in deception. Likewise, we try to evaluate other people’s nonverbal communication to determine the veracity of their messages. Students initially seem surprised when we discuss the prevalence of deception, but their surprise diminishes once they realize that deception isn’t always malevolent, mean, or hurtful. Deception obviously has negative connotations, but people engage in deception for many reasons, including to excuse our own mistakes, to be polite to others, or to influence others’ behaviors or perceptions.

The fact that deception served an important evolutionary purpose helps explain its prevalence among humans today. Species that are capable of deception have a higher survival rate. Other animals engage in nonverbal deception that helps them attract mates, hide from predators, and trap prey (Andersen, 1999). To put it bluntly, the better at deception a creature is, the more likely it is to survive. So, over time, the humans that were better liars were the ones that got their genes passed on. But the fact that lying played a part in our survival as a species doesn’t give us a license to lie.

Aside from deception, we can use nonverbal communication to “take the edge off” a critical or unpleasant message in an attempt to influence the reaction of the other person. We can also use eye contact and proximity to get someone to move or leave an area. For example, hungry diners waiting to snag a first-come-first-serve table in a crowded restaurant send messages to the people who have already eaten and paid that it’s time to go. People on competition reality television shows like Survivor and Big Brother play what they’ve come to term a “social game. ” The social aspects of the game involve the manipulation of verbal and nonverbal cues to send strategic messages about oneself in an attempt to influence others. Nonverbal cues such as length of conversational turn, volume, posture, touch, eye contact, and choices of clothing and accessories can become part of a player’s social game strategy. Although reality television isn’t a reflection of real life, people still engage in competition and strategically change their communication to influence others, making it important to be aware of how we nonverbally influence others and how they may try to influence us.

Nonverbal Communication Regulates Conversational Flow

Conversational interaction has been likened to a dance, where each person has to make moves and take turns without stepping on the other’s toes. Nonverbal communication helps us regulate our conversations so we don’t end up constantly interrupting each other or waiting in awkward silences between speaker turns. Pitch, which is a part of vocalics, helps us cue others into our conversational intentions. A rising pitch typically indicates a question and a falling pitch indicates the end of a thought or the end of a conversational turn. We can also use a falling pitch to indicate closure, which can be very useful at the end of a speech to signal to the audience that you are finished, which cues the applause and prevents an awkward silence that the speaker ends up filling with “That’s it” or “Thank you.” We also signal our turn is coming to an end by stopping hand gestures and shifting our eye contact to the person who we think will speak next (Hargie, 2011). Conversely, we can “hold the floor” with nonverbal signals even when we’re not exactly sure what we’re going to say next. Repeating a hand gesture or using one or more verbal fillers can extend our turn even though we are not verbally communicating at the moment.

Nonverbal Communication Affects Relationships

To successfully relate to other people, we must possess some skill at encoding and decoding nonverbal communication. The nonverbal messages we send and receive influence our relationships in positive and negative ways and can work to bring people together or push them apart. Nonverbal communication in the form of tie signs, immediacy behaviors, and expressions of emotion are just three of many examples that illustrate how nonverbal communication affects our relationships.

Tie signs are nonverbal cues that communicate intimacy and signal the connection between two people. These relational indicators can be objects such as wedding rings or tattoos that are symbolic of another person or the relationship, actions such as sharing the same drinking glass, or touch behaviors such as hand-holding (Afifi & Johnson, 2005). Touch behaviors are the most frequently studied tie signs and can communicate much about a relationship based on the area being touched, the length of time, and the intensity of the touch. Kisses and hugs, for example, are considered tie signs, but a kiss on the cheek is different from a kiss on the mouth and a full embrace is different from a half embrace. If you consider yourself a “people watcher,” take note of the various tie signs you see people use and what they might say about the relationship.

Immediacy behaviors play a central role in bringing people together and have been identified by some scholars as the most important function of nonverbal communication (Andersen & Andersen, 2005). Immediacy behaviors are verbal and nonverbal behaviors that lessen real or perceived physical and psychological distance between communicators and include things like smiling, nodding, making eye contact, and occasionally engaging in social, polite, or professional touch (Comadena, Hunt, & Simonds, 2007). Immediacy behaviors are a good way of creating rapport, or a friendly and positive connection between people. Skilled nonverbal communicators are more likely to be able to create rapport with others due to attention-getting expressiveness, warm initial greetings, and an ability to get “in tune” with others, which conveys empathy (Riggio, 1992). These skills are important to help initiate and maintain relationships.

While verbal communication is our primary tool for solving problems and providing detailed instructions, nonverbal communication is our primary tool for communicating emotions. This makes sense when we remember that nonverbal communication emerged before verbal communication and was the channel through which we expressed anger, fear, and love for thousands of years of human history (Andersen, 1999). Touch and facial expressions are two primary ways we express emotions nonverbally. Love is a primary emotion that we express nonverbally and that forms the basis of our close relationships. Although no single facial expression for love has been identified, it is expressed through prolonged eye contact, close interpersonal distances, increased touch, and increased time spent together, among other things. Given many people’s limited emotional vocabulary, nonverbal expressions of emotion are central to our relationships.

“Getting Real”

Teachers and Immediacy Behaviors

A considerable amount of research has been done on teachers’ use of immediacy behaviors, which points to the importance of this communication concept in teaching professions (Richmond, Lane, & McCroskey, 2006). Immediacy behaviors are verbal and nonverbal behaviors that lessen real or perceived physical and psychological distance between communicators (Comadena, Hunt, & Simonds, 2007). Specific nonverbal behaviors have been found to increase or decrease perceived levels of immediacy, and such behaviors impact student learning, teacher’s evaluations, and the teacher-student relationship (Richmond, Lane, & McCroskey, 2006). Even those who do not plan on going into teaching as a career can benefit from learning about immediacy behaviors, as they can also be used productively in other interpersonal contexts such as between a manager and employee, a salesperson and a client, or a politician and constituent. Much of this research in teaching contexts has focused on the relationship between immediacy behaviors and student learning, and research consistently shows that effective use of immediacy behaviors increases learning in various contexts and at various levels. Aside from enhancing student learning, the effective use of immediacy behaviors also leads to better evaluations by students, which can have a direct impact on a teacher’s career. While student evaluations of teachers take various factors into consideration, judgments of personality may be formed, as we learned in Chapter 2 “Communication and Perception”, after only brief initial impressions. Research shows that students make character assumptions about teachers after only brief exposure to their nonverbal behaviors. Based on nonverbal cues such as frowning, head nodding, pointing, sitting, smiling, standing, strong gestures, weak gestures, and walking, students may or may not evaluate a teacher as open, attentive, confident, dominant, honest, likable, anxious, professional, supportive, or enthusiastic. The following are examples of immediacy behaviors that can be effectively used by teachers:

• Moving around the classroom during class activities, lectures, and discussions (reduces physical distance)
• Keeping the line of sight open between the teacher’s body and the students by avoiding or only briefly standing behind lecterns / computer tables or sitting behind a desk while directly interacting with students (reduces physical distance)
• Being expressive and animated with facial expressions, gestures, and voice (demonstrates enthusiasm)
• Smiling (creates a positive and open climate)
• Making frequent eye contact with students (communicates attentiveness and interest)
• Calling students by name (reduces perceived psychological distance)
• Making appropriate self-disclosures to students about personal thoughts, feelings, or experiences (reduces perceived psychological distance, creates open climate)

Teachers who are judged as less immediate are more likely to sit, touch their heads, shake instead of nod their heads, use sarcasm, avoid eye contact, and use less expressive nonverbal behaviors. Finally, immediacy behaviors affect the teacher-student relationship. Immediacy behaviors help establish rapport, which is a personal connection that increases students’ investment in the class and material, increases motivation, increases communication between teacher and student, increases liking, creates a sense of mutual respect, reduces challenging behavior by students, and reduces anxiety.

1. Recall a teacher you have had that exhibited effective immediacy behaviors. Recall a teacher you have had that didn’t exhibit immediacy behaviors. Make a column for each teacher and note examples of specific behaviors of each. Discuss your list with a classmate and compare and contrast your lists.
2. Think about the teachers that you listed in the previous question. Discuss how their behaviors affected your learning and your relationship.
3. How much should immediacy behaviors, relative to other characteristics such as professionalism, experience, training, and content knowledge, factor into the evaluation of teachers by their students, peers, and supervisors? What, if anything, should schools do to enhance teachers’ knowledge of immediacy behaviors?

Nonverbal Communication Expresses Our Identities

Nonverbal communication expresses who we are. Our identities (the groups to which we belong, our cultures, our hobbies and interests, etc.) are conveyed nonverbally through the way we set up our living and working spaces, the clothes we wear, the way we carry ourselves, and the accents and tones of our voices. Our physical bodies give others impressions about who we are, and some of these features are more under our control than others. Height, for example, has been shown to influence how people are treated and perceived in various contexts. Our level of attractiveness also influences our identities and how people perceive us. Although we can temporarily alter our height or looks—for example, with different shoes or different color contact lenses—we can only permanently alter these features using more invasive and costly measures such as cosmetic surgery. We have more control over some other aspects of nonverbal communication in terms of how we communicate our identities. For example, the way we carry and present ourselves through posture, eye contact, and tone of voice can be altered to present ourselves as warm or distant depending on the context.

Aside from our physical body, artifacts, which are the objects and possessions that surround us, also communicate our identities. Examples of artifacts include our clothes, jewelry, and space decorations. In all the previous examples, implicit norms or explicit rules can affect how we nonverbally present ourselves. For example, in a particular workplace it may be a norm (implicit) for people in management positions to dress casually, or it may be a rule (explicit) that different levels of employees wear different uniforms or follow particular dress codes. We can also use nonverbal communication to express identity characteristics that do not match up with who we actually think we are. Through changes to nonverbal signals, a capable person can try to appear helpless, a guilty person can try to appear innocent, or an uninformed person can try to appear credible.

Key Takeaways

• Nonverbal communication is a process of generating meaning using behavior other than words. Nonverbal communication includes vocal elements, which is referred to as paralanguage and includes pitch, volume, and rate, and nonvocal elements, which are usually referred to as body language and includes gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact, among other things.
• Although verbal communication and nonverbal communication work side by side as part of a larger language system, there are some important differences between the two. They are processed by different hemispheres of the brain, nonverbal communication conveys more emotional and affective meaning than does verbal communication, nonverbal communication isn’t governed by an explicit system of rules in the same way that grammar guides verbal communication, and while verbal communication is a uniquely human ability, many creatures including plants, birds, and mammals communicate nonverbally.
• Nonverbal communication operates on the following principles: nonverbal communication typically conveys more meaning than verbal communication, nonverbal communication is more involuntary than verbal communication, nonverbal communication is often more ambiguous than verbal communication, and nonverbal communication is often more credible than verbal communication.
• Nonverbal communication serves several functions.
• Nonverbal communication affects verbal communication in that it can complement, reinforce, substitute, or contradict verbal messages.
• Nonverbal communication influences others, as it is a key component of deception and can be used to assert dominance or to engage in compliance gaining.
• Nonverbal communication regulates conversational flow, as it provides important cues that signal the beginning and end of conversational turns and facilitates the beginning and end of an interaction.
• Nonverbal communication affects relationships, as it is a primary means through which we communicate emotions, establish social bonds, and engage in relational maintenance.
• Nonverbal communication expresses our identities, as who we are is conveyed through the way we set up our living and working spaces, the clothes we wear, our personal presentation, and the tones in our voices.

References

Afifi, W. A. and Michelle L. Johnson, “The Nature and Function of Tie-Signs,” in The Sourcebook of Nonverbal Measures: Going beyond Words, ed. Valerie Manusov (Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 2005): 190.

Andersen, P. A., Nonverbal Communication: Forms and Functions (Mountain View, CA: Mayfield, 1999), 17.

Andersen, P. A. and Janis F. Andersen, “Measures of Perceived Nonverbal Immediacy,” in The Sourcebook of Nonverbal Measures: Going beyond Words, ed. Valerie Manusov (Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 2005): 113–26.

Comadena, M. E., Stephen K. Hunt, and Cheri J. Simonds, “The Effects of Teacher Clarity, Nonverbal Immediacy, and Caring on Student Motivation, Affective and Cognitive Learning,” Communication Research Reports 24, no. 3 (2007): 241.

Hargie, O., Skilled Interpersonal Interaction: Research, Theory, and Practice, 5th ed. (London: Routledge, 2011), 47.

Guerrero, L. K. and Kory Floyd, Nonverbal Communication in Close Relationships (Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 2006): 2.

Oster, H., Douglas Hegley, and Linda Nagel, “Adult Judgments and Fine-Grained Analysis of Infant Facial Expressions: Testing the Validity of A Priori Coding Formulas,” Developmental Psychology 28, no. 6 (1992): 1115–31.

Richmond, V. P., Derek R. Lane, and James C. McCroskey, “Teacher Immediacy and the Teacher-Student Relationship,” in Handbook of Instructional Communication: Rhetorical and Relational Perspectives, eds. Timothy P. Mottet, Virginia P. Richmond, and James C. McCroskey (Boston, MA: Pearson, 2006), 168.

Riggio, R. E., “Social Interaction Skills and Nonverbal Behavior,” in Applications of Nonverbal Behavior Theories and Research, ed. Robert S. Feldman (Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 1992), 12.

Nonverbal Communication – Uses, Types, Importance And Role

The form of communication that occurs without using words is understood as Non-Verbal Communication.

Facial expressions, gestures, postures, tone and pitch of the voice, kinesics, proxemics, etc. play a key role in non-verbal communication.

As per the stats, more than 70 to 80% of the communication is nonverbal.

In businesses, nonverbal communication plays a crucial role in revealing who we are, plus it also impacts our interpersonal as well as business relations.

In this post, we will be covering the nitty-gritty of nonverbal communication and will try to understand how important it is in adept channelisation of a business. We will also delve into different types of nonverbal communication and their role in appreciating more favourable decisions.

So, without any further ado, let us start unfolding the critical concepts of nonverbal communication-

Table of Contents

Introduction

Nonverbal communication often called the dialect of the heart is the method of transmitting messages without using words.

Nonverbal communications have been regarded as a critical aspect of disclosure for the ages. It applies to gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice, a touch of the eye, the language of the body, stance and other ways of communication through which one puts different messages forwards without using the medium of language.

Such non-verbal signs can provide hints and context of spoken communication.

Yes, some estimates suggest that the most substantial portion of human conversations occur in the non-verbal fashion.

Interpersonal contact is much more than the explicit meaning of words and the message they convey. It also contains implicit messages that are expressed by non-verbal actions, whether intentional or not.

In many situations, we use behaviour classes to communicate information for nonverbal ways. For example, to suggest disapproval, we might combine a frown with crossed arms and unblinking eye gaze.

In the interviews or other sessions, HR managers analyse one’s personality through your nonverbal communication such as your way of talking tells how confident you are, plus, your gestures and postures play a significant role in the process.

In business dealings, incorporating the right nonverbal styles is also essential in ensuring favourable outcomes.

So, you can make the best impression by using your nonverbal communication skills.

It may seem unprofessional to have poor postures. Seeing downward or not maintaining eye contact gives the signal that you are either not confident or not entirely interested in the conversations.

You must incorporate the right nonverbal skills so that you can have the right impressions on your audiences. This will also increase the importance of your verbal communication.

Uses of Non-verbal communication

1) Reinforcement or modification of spoken words

You can nod your head when you give your consent for something to underline that you are in full agreement with the other individual. A wave with a sad look may mean that things aren’t excellent!

2) Expressing emotions

Your facial expression, vocal tone, and posture can often tell people exactly how you feel, even if you haven’t spoken a word.

Example:

“Are you fine? You look a little unwell.”

No one tells you that they are unwell, but from their non-verbal communication; you will get to know how people feel.

3) Defining relationships

You may have noticed that the body language of sisters, they tend to have a relationship without expressing it through verbal means, which is visible through their nonverbal communication.

The comfort or the discomfort, or way of communicating with each other, etc. are the traits that tell others about the relationship between two individuals.

4) Giving Feedbacks about different things

Smiles and expressions tell you that you’re listening and that you’re in agreement with what they’re doing. Movements and hand gestures can mean that you want to talk.

Your instant expression can tell people about your likings or disliking, and those who are supposed to make decisions as per the inclinations of their audiences always notice such gestures and postures.

5) Regulation of communication flow

We use a variety of signs to tell people that we’ve finished speaking or that we want to talk. For example, an emphatic nod and a firm lip closure suggest that we have nothing more to say.

Contacting the chair of a meeting with your eye and slightly nodding will indicate you want to talk.

Types of Nonverbal communication

1) Facial Expressions

They are responsible for an enormous proportion of nonverbal communication.

Consider how much information a smile or a frown can convey.

Although nonverbal communication and actions can vary dramatically across cultures, the facial expressions of joy, sorrow, frustration, and fear all over the world are identical.

While making any conversation with anybody, we always notice their facial expressions to gauge one’s inner feelings.

2) Gestures

Purposeful movements and indicators are an essential means of communicating meaning without using the verbal means of communication.

Common gestures include waving, pointing, and indicating numerical amounts using fingers. Some many other actions and gestures are arbitrary and they vary with different cultures.

Business communications, government offices, schools, meeting rooms, and professional gatherings, practise different types of gestures that play a significant role as the nonverbal communication medium.

 3) Paralinguistic

Paralinguistic applies to vocalisation that is distinct from the language itself.

This covers aspects such as your voice tone while talking to someone, the intonation, modulation or pitch of your voice tell some critical details about what is going on your head while speaking anything.

So, paying heed to the powerful impact on the interpretation of a sentence that the tone of voice can have is one crucial aspect of nonverbal communication.

Loud voice tone might interpret enthusiasm or dissent.

Similar words said in a hesitant voice might convey a lack of interest or disapproval.

So, it is all about the nonverbal representation of a language that plays the role of the deciding factors.

4) Body Language and posture

Body language can be seen as hand gestures or nodding or shaking of the head or the way you are sitting, how your hands are positions. Etc.

It is often the most accessible item to regulate in non-verbal communication.

Posture is the defined position in which we stand, walk or sit.

5) Eye contact or eye gaze

The degree of confidence in one’s speech, discussion or interview session is often measured by the kind of eye contact they have.

The eyes play a significant role in nonverbal communication, and effective nonverbal habits include things like gazing, concentrating and blinking.

The rate of blinking increases when people encounter people or things they like and pupils dilate. Looking at someone else may signify a variety of emotions like aggression, desire, and attraction.

We also use eye contact as a means of determining whether someone is honest.

Regular, constant eye contact is often taken as a sign that a person tells the truth and is trustworthy. But on the other side, duplicitous eyes and an inability to maintain eye contact are often seen as a sign of deception or being manipulative.

6) Closeness or Proxemics

This determines the closeness and intimacy and may differ from culture to culture, person to person and profession to profession.

It can also be referred to as personal space.

The kind of closeness, compassion or intimacy that you show towards others plays a crucial role in nonverbal communication.

For instance, when you have a casual conversation with someone, it is suggested that you can have a distance between 1.5 feet to 4 feet. While at the time when you speak to a crowd, it is advised to have a personal range of 10 to 15 feet.

7) Physiological Changes

When you’re anxious, you can sweat or twitch more, and your heart rate may also rise.

These are almost difficult to monitor and are thus a potent mental state predictor actively.

Different such sorts of signals act as the nonverbal means of communication, and it tells about the kind of discomfort one is going through in the process.

8) Artefacts

The use of different types of images or objects also plays vital roles as a powerful means of nonverbal communication.

They play a crucial role in your personality, brand tone, and other vital signals.

When you go to an office, the décor of the interiors or exteriors play a crucial role in impacting people’s subconscious and telling them about the kind of person you are.

Kind of images used on a website or one’s online profile tells a lot about one’s personality.

9) Appearance

How you appear yourself at any event, interview or occasion also plays a crucial role in nonverbal communication.

So, your clothing, choices of colours, hairstyles, etc. are some of the factors you need to pay heed to for making your presence more impactful.

Importance of Nonverbal Communication

The importance of non-verbal communications is that it is not generally faked and in most cases is instinctive and is used to show emotions like anger, happiness, sadness, pleasure, anxiety, annoyance, hurt, curiosity, interest, and hope. Sometimes it is not easy to interpret non-verbal signals because it does not have any fixed meaning and might differ from individual to individual.

Non-verbal communication has been described as an effectual process because the message is delivered and communicated more accurately than verbal communication. It is a fact that when a person speaks it is not just with words as his whole body is involved somehow or the other. Suppose you meet a friend then the smile on your face is more radiant but if you see someone you are not comfortable with then your fidgety behavior will show your unease.

The non-verbal communication is not always intended and in most cases is an automatic or instinctive reaction because people are also less conscious about it than the verbal one. The importance of non-verbal communication is that it gives credence to the verbal one if both are synchronized at the time of speaking.

1. Helps in Better Understanding and Communication

Non-verbal mode of communication can exist with or without verbal communication and has a significant role in making a good impact. This interpersonal communication makes a strong and long-lasting impression that either compliments or can also contradict verbal communication with a glance or gesture.

The importance of non-verbal communication is that it begets a better understanding of individuals or even groups. Sometimes a person shows great self-confidence while talking verbally and it becomes impossible to determine any adverse nuances from his words. It is at this time that non-verbal communication proves a stroke of luck and helps the listener to come to a better understanding.

The posture of the speaker might be confident but he will leave certain signals showing his true intention, for instance, is there an eye contact and is his facial expression too calm and collected.

Is the non-verbal signals matching his verbal tone is an important question that the listener should pay close attention to if he is looking for the truth of the statements.

2. Helps in different processes in Business

It is a fact that non-verbal communication is mostly contextual in nature but without its help, verbal communication remains incomplete. In few cases, it is in itself a complete statement and you do not need words to put your thoughts across but mostly it is a companion of verbal communication so as to emphasize the importance of the situation. The business has numerous demands of its own and it is important for the owner or the management to have an upper hand in business dealings that can prove a blessing for them.

The importance of non-verbal communication is that it helps in numerous aspects of business for instance in the hiring process. During interviews, the human resource department can easily make assumptions during a face-to-face meet and determine which applicants they want to see in the next round.

Similarly, it is easier for the experienced managers or management team to decipher the expressions of other employees, for instance, are they maintaining eye contact or are squirming in their chair or is the employee showing an interest in the conversation or is he looking at his watch on a continuous basis? Non-verbal communication is a great indicator that depicts the truth about the intention and trustworthiness of an individual’s character.

3. Helps to emphasize your main points

Non-verbal communication is actually a silent form of sending a message to someone without using words or any form of speech. It is influential by nature and is often successful in grabbing the attention of its audience. When the non-verbal signal is contradictory to verbal communication remember it is the time to be cautious and to pay close attention to what is being said. It is a fact that even silence has a deeper meaning of its own.

A person can understand better if verbal communication is accompanied by non-verbal signals for instance when a person says he is having a headache it is natural for his hand to touch his forehead to indicate the extreme pain. Similarly, if a person is interested in pointing out to a certain part of a message he can deepen his tone and put a serious facial expression during that time to accentuate his point.

The importance of non-verbal communication during important conversations is that it can help to emphasize certain points that are vital to that conversation. Some signs like anger, smile or aggression can help a person in making a particular point easily.

4. It is important in the workplace

Depending upon the profession an individual has to spend a greater part of his day in his workplace. He has to take immense care of his non-verbal communication so that his actions or gestures are not taken otherwise. In order to maintain a cordial workplace relationship, a person needs to show his enthusiasm for the job through an exciting look instead of a monotonous facial expression.

Remember it is the non-verbal signal that actually gives out the accurate vibes about your feelings to others hence put a smile on your face while entering the workplace, nod when listening to others and maintain eye contact to show that you are interested in whatever is spoken to you.

The importance of non-verbal communication is that it is a great help in maintaining workplace efficiency.

5. It is important for babies and children

A child relies on non-verbal communication since the time of his birth. He does not know the language or has any verbal means to speak the words and tell about his wants and needs to his parents or people close to him. It is the non-verbal communication that is a godsend at this point in time. A child cries frequently to make his mother or caretaker signify that something is wrong.

He might have been bedwetting and the cry is for someone to change his diaper. When the child is hungry he cries until his hunger is satisfied. After some months he starts recognizing faces and smiles after seeing some of the familiar ones.

The cooing sounds that parents make while interacting with a small child do not have any meaning but signify a rapport and non-verbal communication to the baby. It is a fact that words are not needed to express emotions to children because a warm hug, a smile or a warm greeting are enough to make them feel secure. Even before we utter a word the baby or the child observes the body gestures and can interpret the meaning through facial expression.

A baby or a child trusts the non-verbal communication and believes then to be true and as the gestures and expression are mostly unconscious people tend to rely on them more than the words which can be meaningless.

6. Non-verbal communication reinforces the words

The symbolic messages attached to words are observed and interpreted by people even before they hear the actual words. For instance when a person is asking you something and you want to reply yes or no you will always nod your head to signify an affirmative or negative answer.

Suppose you see a friend and he looks tired to you. When you ask him how he is feeling he might reply ok but his sad and tired expression might indicate that he is not as fine as he is saying. The importance of non-verbal communication is that it gives credence to the words so that the listener can actually believe about the things that are said to him.

The tone of voice, expression, gestures like a sigh or a shrug and emotions like smile, warmth or angry face are all indicators of your true feelings. When movements are accompanied by words it helps the listener to identify the actual meaning because the action is reinforcing the validity of the statement.

Non-verbal communication can have a significant impact on the audience and interaction performance.

Nonverbal words depend upon the way one listens, looks, moves, and talks.

When the words you say suit your nonverbal signals, they improve confidence, understanding, and relationship. On the other hand, they can create tension, mistrust, and confusion if they don’t.

During interviews and networking sessions, most candidates carefully plan what they are going to say and how they are going to appear.

Knowing what you’re going to say is just part of the picture that you are going to create with your appearance.

It’s just as important to understand how thoughts can be conveyed through your body language. Your success in interviewing and networking will depend mainly on the impression people get from you and how they react to what you say.

Role of Nonverbal Communication

Repetition: It focuses on repeating and often confirming the message that you are verbally making.

Paradox: It might contradict the message that is being conveyed, thus making a doubt in the mind of the listener of whether one is speaking the truth or not. So it can work as a paradox as well.

Substitution: It can replace a verbal post. Your facial expression, for example, frequently conveys a meaning far more vivid than words can ever have.

Complementing: It can add to your verbal message or compliment this. As a manager, it can improve the impact of your message if you pat an employee on the back besides giving praise.

Accenting: It can highlight or simplify a verbal message. For example, pounding the table will highlight the importance of your message.

Workplace Nonverbal Communication Tips

1) When you are participating in low-risk conversations, the sound of your voice and body language will play a key role in supporting your words

2) While listening to others at your workplace, you need to pay attention to the nonverbal messages that you show with your actions

3) You should beware of the distracting and nervous habits, as this may dilute your intention

4) You should practice for the right gestures for business communications so that you can enhance the impact of your essential points

5) Managing emotions adeptly while communicating with someone so that you can make best out of essential conversations is also important

Nonverbal Miscommunication

How you express through the language of your body and nonverbal signals determines how others see you, how well they love and respect you, and whether they trust you or not. Sadly, without even realising it, often people are sending ambiguous or derogatory nonverbal signals.

When this occurs, partnerships and trust are harmed. It is crucial to understand how to use and perceive body language and develop your nonverbal communication skills if you want to communicate effectively, prevent misunderstandings, and maintain healthy, trusting relationships, both socially and professionally.

Improvement of Nonverbal communication

Nonverbal contact is a fast-flowing straight-and-forth process involving a full concentration on the perception of the moment. If you’re contemplating what you’re going to say next, checking your watch, or worrying about anything else, you’re almost sure you’re lacking nonverbal signals and not fully understanding what is being conveyed.

1. Managing stress: Stress affects your ability to speak. You are more likely to misread other people when you are stressed out, give contradictory or nonverbal signals off, and slip into inappropriate behavioural knee-jerk patterns. So remember: there are infectious feelings. If you’re upset, it’s likely to upset others, making a bad situation worse.
2. Emotional awareness: emotional awareness is significant to improve nonverbal communication skills. It helps to understand better and establishes the trust between two people stronger.

Conclusion

While the secret to success in professional and personal relationships resides in your ability to interact effectively, the loudest language is not the phrases you use, but the nonverbal signals or “body language.”

Body language is the use of body gestures, words, and mannerisms for nonverbal communication often performed unconsciously rather than intentionally.

There may be two different things that come out of your mouth and what you express through your body language. When you say one thing, then you mean something else in your body language, the audience will probably feel you’re dishonest. With the betterment skills of nonverbal communication, however, one can convey and connect with others in a transparent manner.

Non-verbal communication is an intricate and essential part of the overall communication competencies.

Individuals are often entirely unaware of their non-verbal behaviour, though.

In comparison to what is already spoken, a simple understanding of non-verbal communication techniques will help improve interaction with others. Knowing these signs can be used to encourage people to talk.

What are your thoughts about the importance of non-verbal communication in leadership and business management?

Did we miss any of the critical characteristics of nonverbal communication? Share with us in the comments below.

The importance of non-verbal communication

Human language is a remarkably complex form of communication, consisting of countless languages and ever growing dialects and colloquialisms. Despite the vast array of language differences, one constant persists – non-verbal aspects of communication remain stable and universal.

The ways in which your body either emphasizes or contradicts spoken words is just as important as the words you use, or even more so, in those moments when actions speak louder than words. This is known as non-verbal communication, non-verbal cues, or often described as body language (kinesics).

Non-verbal communication is information that is passed without the use of spoken or written words. The non-verbal platform includes eye contact (oculesics) or the lack thereof, facial expressions, gestures, posture, personal appearance, the physical environment and the artefacts/objects that compose it, touch (haptics), paralanguage (vocalics), the use of time (chronemics), and the distance between you and your audience (proxemics).

For example, when interviewing for a job, we might not realize that employers will evaluate what we do as much as what we say. Crossed arms can imply defensiveness, poor posture may seem unprofessional, and a downward gaze (avoiding eye contact) will draw away from the confident impression we want to give.

Verbal and non-verbal communication

Verbal and non-verbal communication occur simultaneously, with the latter generally being under less cognitive control and revealing more of what we actually think and feel. Body language, facial expressions and vocal characteristics are not easy to control, whereas verbal communication is done intentionally and is easier to manipulate. As a result, we have more faith in non-verbal cues than what is actually said. If a person says one thing, but sends a contradicting message non-verbally, the receiver is more likely to trust the non-verbal signal.

Therefore, having a conscious awareness of your non-verbal communication while verbally communicating can help others receive messages the way you actually intended to give them. Also, don´t be “all talk and no substance”. Next time you want to make a positive impression, make sure you have not only prepared what you are going to say, but that you have practiced conveying your messages through appropriate body language (practice makes interview perfect).

There is countless research regarding types, effects, and expressions of unspoken communication and behaviour. To narrow it down, we will repeat the basics offered by psychologists Paul Ekman and Wallace Friesen (1969), who identified six important ways how non-verbal communication can interact with our verbal discourse: repeating, conflicting, complementing, substituting, regulating and accenting.

What type of communication describes our body language?

• Repeating – using specific gestures to strengthen a verbal message (e.g. pointing to the object of discussion).
• Conflicting – when verbal and non-verbal messages within the same interaction send contradicting meaning. Conflicting messages often arise from feelings of confusion, indecision, or frustration (e.g. a friend saying how they had a great time during the party, but his voice sounds flat and his face lacks emotion).
• Complementing – the accuracy of understanding information is greater when the nonverbal and verbal complement each other. Messages have been shown to be correctly recalled to a greater degree when body language affirms the verbal exchange (e.g. saying you are happy and joyfully showing it too).
• Substituting – at times non-verbal behaviour is used as the sole channel for communication. A simple gesture can substitute words (e.g. shaking your head to say no).
• Regulating – we can use non-verbal signals to regulate speech. Called “turn-taking signals”, these gestures make it possible for us to alternate between speaking and listening (e.g. touching someone´s arm can signal that you want to talk next).
• Accenting – when we use non-verbal signals to emphasize our words. Good speakers will know when to use strong gestures, deliberate pauses, changes in vocal volume or speech rate, etc. (e.g. someone who is verbally expressing anger may accent the message by speaking very loudly).

Respectively, we can agree that spoken language is normally used for communicating information about events external to the speaker, while non-verbal communication is used to create and maintain interpersonal relationships.

Body language in business communication

Going a step further is the analysis of non-verbal communication in business. Since business often involves recurring human interaction, understanding the elements of non-verbal cues can be a great asset when working with colleagues, teams, competitors, and current/potential clients. Managers will use body language to effectively lead employees and team members. On the other hand, employees and team members will use their body language to send messages outside the business.

Within MIUC´s BA Psychology module “The Basics of Interpersonal Skills: Experiential Groups”, the first-year student Tapanga Jansen tackled the topic of “The Power of Non-Verbal Communication in Sales”. Tapanga presented the theoretical and practical aspects of body language, its importance in the sales process of any company, and how it has an impact on the decision making process. Moreover, in her presentation she highlights different aspects of non-verbal communication both from the client´s and seller´s aspect, how certain connections with people can create a trustworthy, professional and credible environment, and consequently, how body language can add interest, clarity and trust. For tips on non-verbal communication that can make or break a sale, watch the following link.

To conclude, it must be said that to build good habits one must practice non-verbal communication and know what gestures are likely to resonate with your speaker (clients and prospects), as to improve the chances of making a good impression. Practicing non-verbal cues will ensure your skills are up to par. The more often you instate adequate body language, the more likely it will become second nature, and you will feel comfortable while networking. So instead of clammy hands and a sweaty brow, aim for establishing credibility and trust in your non-verbal behaviour. The less nervous you are, the better communication you will have, both verbally and non-verbally.

Eva Berkovic
Student Counsellor and Lecturer, MSc Psychology

What Is Non Verbal Communication, And Why Does It Matter?

You’ve probably heard about the importance of your body language. There is a lot of information thrown around about this, especially when it comes to job interviews. However, it’s often unclear what it really is and why it’s important. Below you’ll find the answer to what nonverbal communication is and why it’s so important for you to understand.

In the past, there have been many mentions of a study showing that only seven percent of communication is verbal. While this “rule” has largely been disproven, there’s still a lot to be said for the importance of nonverbal communication. In many cases, it will not remove the need for verbal communication, but when used correctly, it can help convey a more explicit message. Below, you’ll see more information on why nonverbal communication can be so beneficial.

What Is Nonverbal Communication?

Take A Step Forward With Nonverbal Communication

Improve your communication skills in therapy

Put merely, nonverbal communication is precisely like it sounds. It is the way that people communicate without using words. This can include things like:

Posture – The way that you hold your body or the way that you stand can communicate messages to other people. For example, if you are very interested in a conversation, you may find that you lean in towards the person that’s talking. Reclining back in your chair can show that you are comfortable and relaxed. If you are fidgeting and restless, it could indicate that you’re nervous or that you are impatient.

Eye Contact – The amount of eye contact that you make with people can also communicate with them. For example, if you are intently listening to something that someone is saying, it can help to make eye contact with them, so they know that you’re paying attention. However, holding eye contact for too long and not looking away can cause people to feel uncomfortable.

Facial Expressions – There are many ways that your facial expressions can communicate the emotions that you’re feeling or the things that you’re thinking to the people around you. Smiling can let people know that you are happy or friendly. Frowning communicates that you may be sad or concerned.   Furrowing your eyebrows can make you look angry or like you’re deep in thought.

Gestures – The hand gestures that you make can also add to the conversation that you’re having. Conversely, they can allow you to communicate with someone without having to say anything at all. For example, you can point directions out to people, or you can use your hand gestures to add to the message that you’re trying to communicate. For example, when using American Sign Language, the way you gesture can communicate the emotion that goes along with the words that you are signing.

Space – The amount of space that you leave between you and someone else can communicate your feelings as well. When two people sit very closely together with little space between them, it can show that they have an attraction to one another or that they’re in a close relationship. Alternately, if a person purposefully puts a lot of space between them and someone else, it can show that they’re not comfortable with the other person.

Touch – Physical touch can communicate all kinds of emotions. You can show compassion and empathy for someone by giving them a hug when they are sad. You can give a high-five to someone to show that you support them and are celebrating with them. Or, you may notice that small children hit one another to show their frustration and anger with a situation or person.

Why Is Nonverbal Communication Important?

While the majority of communication may be verbal, nonverbal communication can work to support the message that you are trying to convey. Here are some ways that nonverbal communication is so important:

It Helps People Understand What You’re Saying

The use of nonverbal communication can be used to help people have a better understanding of the message you’re trying to share. For example, if you are saying something important and you are using serious facial expressions and direct gestures, it can help them to understand the importance of what you’re communicating. Or, doing things like smiling and nodding your head approvingly can help communicate that you agree with what someone is saying.

It Can Show Confidence

One example that is often given in conversations about nonverbal communication is how you can use your body language to convey confidence during job interviews. By keeping your shoulders back, your head up, and making eye contact with another person, you portray that you are a confident person. Even if you’re not feeling particularly confident at that moment, you can communicate that message to someone else by your nonverbal communication.

It Helps You Make A Good First Impression

It has been found that people make their first impression of you in the first seven seconds after meeting you. You may not have been able to verbally say anything in those first seven seconds of meeting someone. This means that they are making their judgment of you off of your body language and nonverbal cues. In some situations, it can be difficult to overcome a bad first impression. This is another reason why it’s important to pay attention to what you’re communicating non-verbally to others.

Learning To Read Nonverbal Communication In Others

It’s important to pay attention to what you’re communicating to others through your nonverbal communication. However, it’s also important that you learn how to read the nonverbal signals that you’re getting from others as well.

When people are talking to you, look for nonverbal cues as you listen. See if their facial expressions are communicating the same message that their words are. Pay attention to the position of their body and the eye contact that they’re making or not making with you. All of these things can help you get a clearer picture of the message that they are trying to convey to you.

Learning to read nonverbal communication can also help protect you in conversations where the other person may be trying to take advantage of you. By watching their nonverbal cues, you may be able to pick up on inconsistencies in what they’re saying to you.

How To Improve Nonverbal Communication

The good news is that just like learning to talk, nonverbal communication is a skill that you can learn and develop throughout your life. If you have had trouble with your body language in the past, here are some tips that can help you improve in this area.

Think About Your Physical Reactions

It’s helpful to pay attention to the physical reaction that you have as a result of your emotions. If you are under stress, you may not want to communicate that to the person that you’re talking to. However, you may scrunch your forehead or hold your body a certain way when you’re under stress. Learning how to recognize what your natural physical responses are can help you learn how to catch and correct them before communicating something that you don’t want to communicate with others.

Get In-Touch With Your Emotions

Getting in touch with your emotions can also help you to control your nonverbal responses. It’s hard to choose what the right body language is if you have a hard time understanding what emotion you’re experiencing at any given time.

The basic emotions include happiness, sadness, fear, and anger. Learning how to recognize these symptoms in different situations can help you learn how to better control your nonverbal communication.

Practice In Front Of A Mirror

If you haven’t really thought about what you’re communicating through your body language and nonverbal communication before, you may be unaware of the signals that you are sending to other people. You may find it helpful to practice important conversations or messages in front of a mirror so you can see what you’re communicating non-verbally.

You can practice working through situations that happened to you regularly to watch what your responses are. This can help you look for areas that you may need to tweak to improve your communication efforts.

Work With A Therapist

Take A Step Forward With Nonverbal Communication

Improve your communication skills in therapy

If you continue to struggle with your communication skills, you may benefit from getting some outside help. Talking with a therapist can help you improve your verbal and nonverbal communication skills.

A licensed therapist can help you learn to recognize inconsistencies that you have in your communication and what strategies you can use to improve it. They can also help you recognize nonverbal cues that you use that you may not be catching on your own. If you are only able to do virtual therapy, like that offered at BetterHelp, the use of video sessions can still help a therapist observe your nonverbal communication.

The way that you communicate with others, verbally and non-verbally, can play a large role in the relationships and situations in your life. If you are struggling in this area, you will most likely find it well worth the time that you invest in making improvements.

How Much of Communication Is Nonverbal?

We’ve all heard that 90% of communication is nonverbal, but is there any truth to this adage? When someone reads a transcript of a politician’s impassioned speech, are they really missing out on the majority of the message? While the audience may get the essence of what’s being said, there will always be something lost in translation when nonverbal communication isn’t conveyed. Conversely, nonverbal communication can shed light on the hidden truth within a message.

Information is no longer limited to print. It’s delivered through social media, television, blogs, and other channels of communication. Professionals interested in a communications career have to concern themselves with not only what’s being said but how it’s said. Let’s take a look at how much of communication is nonverbal and how professionals with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication can use nonverbal signals to better their personal and professional lives.

The 55/38/7 Formula

The 90% figure wasn’t plucked out of thin air. It was Albert Mehrabian, a researcher of body language, who first broke down the components of a face-to-face conversation. He found that communication is 55% nonverbal, 38% vocal, and 7% words only. This is where the idea that the vast majority of communication is nonverbal originated, but does this really mean that less than 10% of information is conveyed in spoken words?

It turns out that the above formula was developed with a specific purpose in mind: comparing facial and vocal components to decipher a person’s attitude. According to Mehrabian, “When there are inconsistencies between attitudes communicated verbally and posturally, the postural component should dominate in determining the total attitude that is inferred.” Is 90% of communication nonverbal? No, information is conveyed verbally, but in a face-to-face conversation, body language and facial expressions can have an incredible impact on how information is interpreted.

In “The Definitive Book of Body Language,” Allan and Barbara Pease analyzed thousands of recorded sales negotiations from the 1970s and 1980s and found that body language accounted for the majority of the impact made negotiating. They also considered how the person with the strongest argument usually wins in negotiations over the phone but not always in face-to-face conversations. Although the idea that 90% of communication is nonverbal can be put to rest, a person’s body language and our first impression of them can heavily influence our decision-making.

The Power of Body Language

Now that we know that we know the important role nonverbal signals play in communication, how can we use body language and tone to communicate more effectively? Perhaps more importantly, how can we prevent nonverbal forms of communication from falsely influencing our perceptions of others?

Making a Good First Impression

If you’re interested in a communications career, you’ll come to learn the true value of a first impression. Allan and Barbara Pease also assert that when we meet people for the first time, we make snap judgments about their friendliness, assertiveness, and appearance. Without a single word being spoken, without even realizing it, people use nonverbal communication to size people up.

According to the 55/38/7 formula, nearly 40% of a person’s attitude is conveyed vocally through tone and inflection, so try to ensure that your tone matches whatever message you’re trying to convey. You can also try speaking in a deeper voice. Research has shown that people who speak with a low-pitched voice are rated more authoritative and competent than those who speak with a higher pitch.

Although people are rarely conscious of their body language and facial expressions, there are a couple of behaviors a person can tweak to improve their communication skills. For instance, research has shown that it takes conscious effort for a person to frown when looking at someone smiling—a smile is literally infectious. Research also shows that both men and women are more attracted to people who make eye contact and smile more often. A smile and just the right amount of eye contact can help you effectively convey information during first impressions and long after.

Hand gestures can not only express your thoughts but also convey your enthusiasm and passion for a topic. According to body language expert Dr. Carol Kinsey Goman, “Gesturing can help people form clearer thoughts, speak in tighter sentences and use more declarative language.” As with tone, try to ensure that your hand gestures match what you’re saying, otherwise people will notice the mismatch and may be less likely to trust you.

Interpreting Body Language

Body language can also provide insight into a person’s emotional condition. For example, you likely already know that someone who crosses their arms is guarded or discontent even when they claim the contrary. Reading body language is like learning a second language and can help separate perception from reality.

According to Dr. Jeff Thompson, we can better decipher nonverbal signals by remembering the three C’s of nonverbal communication: context, clusters, and congruence. We’ve already covered congruence—comparing spoken words to body language and tone. Applying context means better understanding the setting. For example, knowing that someone has anxiety can explain why they appear tense during a fireworks display. Finally, using clusters means using not one but multiple expressions or movements to influence our interpretation of a person’s body language. 

There’s So Much More to Communication

How much of communication is nonverbal? It may not be exactly 90%, but nonverbal communication—eye contact, smiling, hand gestures—heavily influences how people interpret and react to information. This is an important lesson to learn for anyone interested in a communications career, and it’s only the tip of the iceberg.

The University of Texas Permian Basin offers an online BA in communication program that teaches theories on communication with regard to human interactions, groups and organizations, intercultural interactions, and mass and social media. Whether you’re working toward a career in journalism, speechwriting, or social media, our online program can empower you with the skills needed to convey your message clearly and profoundly.

Learn more about UT Permian Basin’s online BA in communication program.

Sources:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/beyond-words/201109/is-nonverbal-communication-numbers-game

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/attraction-evolved/201906/deep-impact-asserting-authority-low-pitched-voice

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201206/there-s-magic-in-your-smile

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashleystahl/2017/09/13/5-body-language-tips-for-success/#295ea5246419

Use of non-verbal communication at work. Article. All Trainings .ru

“The most important thing in communication is to hear what is not said” – Peter F. Drucker.

Non-verbal communication is a way of conveying feelings or information without the use of words. It works hand in hand with verbal communication, but there are some differences between the two.

Non-verbal communication includes:

• body language (posture, gestures, movements),
• eye contact,
• tone and timbre of your voice,
• distance between people,
• touch,
• appearance (colors, symbols, etc.).

These unspoken signals are important because they are 12 to 13 times more powerful than our words. This means that when your colleagues and co-workers are listening to you, your gestures, voice, posture and eye contact actually speak louder. People subconsciously use your non-verbal cues as a roadmap to learn your intentions and then form an opinion about you. In this case, after talking with you, people will feel positive, without even knowing why. This will help you establish positive relationships in the workplace and earn the respect of your employees.

The biggest minus of non-verbal language is that a person cannot fully control it, since it mostly manifests itself unconsciously. This is because, historically, people used non-verbal communication before language existed. Non-verbal is the first form of language we used to express our needs. Non-verbal language is natural for a person, while verbal language needs to be learned.