Nonverbal communication

1. Nonverbal communication Communication without words

2. Nonverbal communication • All forms of communication except words. • It includes sounds, body language, and environmental factors.

3. Types of NV Comm • Kinesics • Vocalics • Haptics • Proxemics • Chronemics • Environmental Factors

4. Kinesics • Messages sent by the body through gestures, posture, eye contact, and facial expressions • Posture can express our feelings and attitude • Leaning toward someone may be a sign of interest • Leaning away can be interpreted as disinterest • Eye contact plays an important role in perception, interactions, and relationships

5. Ekman and Friesen’s gestural categories • Emblems • Gestures that stand for or symbolize something: replaces the message the person is making verbally • Placing your finger over your lips to mean “be quiet” or waving at someone to say hello or goodbye • Can take either verbal or nonverbal message away and still give the same message

6. Ekman and Friesen’s gestural categories • Illustrators • Pictorial representations, such as using your hand to show how tall someone is. • Used to show how to do something, show sizes, or emphasize emotional feelings. • Accents the verbal message.

7. Ekman and Friesen’s gestural categories • Adaptors • Help you feel more comfortable or exert nervous energy • Twisting the ring on your finger, wringing your hands together • Has little intentionally or awareness

8. Ekman and Friesen’s gestural categories • Affect Displays • Help reveal emotions that someone feels • Jumping up and down with excitement, smiling with joy, hugging

9. Ekman and Friesen’s gestural categories • Regulators • Controls or regulates the interaction of flow of communication • Nodding head and saying “uh huh,” leaning forward, raising hand to speak

10. Contradiction • Nonverbal goes against the verbal; they do not match up • Saying yes while shaking head “no” • Saying “I’m fine” when your head is hanging down with slumped shoulders, etc. • Which is more believable when verbal and nonverbal behaviors are contradictory?

11. VOCALICS • Communication through voice • Vocal cues other than words = paralanguage • Tone of voice/ pitch • Volume • Rate • Accent/ dialect

12. haptics • Refers to touch/tactile communication and physical contact • Grabbing, patting, hitting, hugging, kicking, kissing • Touch is a powerful channel of communicating, in part because it is so commonly associated with emotional intimacy and aggression • Ritualized touch occurs as part of ceremonial practice and other behavior patters like shaking hands in greeting, or patting someone on the back at at athletic contest as part of a congratulatory ritual

13. Proxemics • Communication through the use of space • Deals with how we inhabit and protect our territory/space, as well as how close or far we stand in relation to other people (spatial communication) • Territoriality – fixed area that is occupied, controlled and defended by a person or group as their exclusive domain. • Regulates social interaction; can be a source of conflict; indicates ownership (permanent or temporary)

14. Zones of space Intimate: 0- 1 and ½ feet = reserved for those closest to us Personal: 1 and ½ - 4 feet = for close friends usually Social: 4-12 feet = impersonal relations (classmates) Public: Beyond 12 feet = strangers, public speakers

15. chronemics • Deals with the use of time as a communication code. • Includes how you use and perceive time, time preferences, punctuality, and personal perceptions (status). • In most companies the boss can interrupt progress to hold an impromptu meeting in the middle of the work day, yet the average worker would have to make an appointment to see the boss.

16. Environmental Features • Includes architectural design, temperature, color, noise, and furniture arrangements • A speaker's clothing, hairstyle, use of cosmetics, neatness, and stature may cause a listener to form impressions about occupation, socioenomic status, competence, etc. • Room size, furnishings, decorations, lighting, and windows can affect a listener’s attitudes toward the speaker and the message being presented. • The importance of nonverbal cues in surroundings can be seen in the desire of business managers to have a corner office with a view rather than a cubicle in a crowded work area.

17. Nonverbal comm & Relationships • Nonverbal communication has a huge impact on the quality of our relationships. These skills improve relationships by helping you: • Accurately read other people, including the emotions they are feeling and the unspoken messages they’re sending. • Create trust and transparency in relationships by sending nonverbal signals that match up with your words. • Respond with nonverbal cues that show others you understand, notice, and care. • Unfortunately, many people send confusing or negative nonverbal signals without even knowing it. When this happens, both connection and trust are lost in our relationships.

18. Tips for successful nonverbal comm • Take a time out of if you’re feeling overwhelmed by stress. • You’re more likely to misread other people, send off confusing or off-putting nonverbal signals • Take a moment to calm down before jumping into conversation • Pay attention to inconsistencies • If you get the feeling that someone isn’t being honest or that something is “off,” you may be picking up on a mismatch between verbal and nonverbal cues. • Look at nonverbal communication signals as a group • Don’t read too much into a single gesture. Consider all the nonverbal signals you are sending and receiving, from eye contact to tone of voice to body language.