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NonverbalNonverbal NonverbalNonverbal

5: Inter-Act, 135: Inter-Act, 13thth Edition Edition

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• Spoken or written words

• Bodily actions and vocal qualities that support, modify, or contradict accompanying verbal messages

VerbalVerbal CommunicationCommunication

NonverbalNonverbal CommunicationCommunication

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Characteristics of Characteristics of Nonverbal CommunicationNonverbal Communication

• Intentional or unintentional

• Primary

• Ambiguous

• Continuous

• Multichanneled

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Functions ofFunctions of Nonverbal Nonverbal CommunicationCommunication

• To provide information

• To regulate interaction

• To express or hide emotion and affect

• To present an image

• To express status, power, and control

Nonverbal in the MoviesNonverbal in the Movies

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Regulate InteractionRegulate InteractionFacial expressions or gestures that are used to control or regulate the flow of a conversation

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Express Emotion or AffectExpress Emotion or Affect

• Facial expressions and gestures that augment the verbal expression of feelings

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Types of Nonverbal Types of Nonverbal CommunicationCommunication

• Body language• Paralanguage• Spatial usage• Self-presentation

Everything

except words!

Everything

except words!

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Body Language: Body Language: KinesicsKinesics

• Eye contact

• Facial expressions

• Gesture

• Posture

• Touch

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Body Language: TouchBody Language: Touch

• Touching and being touched are essential to a healthy life.

• Touch can communicate power, empathy, understanding.

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ParalanguageParalanguage• Pitch (also Intonation)• Volume (including silence)• Quality

– Articulation– Pronunciation

• Rate

The “Cawfee” VowelThe “Cawfee” Vowel

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““Vocal Fry” IntonationVocal Fry” Intonation

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Vocal InterferencesVocal Interferences• Extraneous sounds or

words that interrupt fluent speech:– “uh,” “um”– “you know,” “like”

• Place markers• Fillers

Ya knowYa know, Caroline Kennedy, Caroline Kennedy

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Spatial UsageSpatial Usage• Personal space: the space that surrounds a

person, moves with that person, and changes with the situation as well as moment to moment

– Intimate distance: up to 18”

– Personal distance: 18”-4’

– Social distance: 4’-12’

– Public distance: more than 12’

Do you know a “close talker?”Do you know a “close talker?”

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Spatial UseSpatial Use• Acoustic space: area over which your

voice or other sounds can be comfortably heard

• Territory: space over which we claim ownership

• Artifacts: objects we use to adorn our territory and communicate about our space

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Personal Space at Work Personal Space at Work • Your office

• Your desk

• A table in the cafeteria where you sit regularly

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Color Influences Color Influences CommunicationCommunication

Yellow cheers and

elevates moods

Red excitesand

stimulates

Blue comfortsand

soothes

In some cultures

black suggests mourning

In some cultures

white suggestspurity

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Self-Presentation CuesSelf-Presentation Cues• Physical Appearance

– Race and gender

– Facial features

– Size and shape of body

– Clothing and personal grooming

– Body art

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Self-PresentationSelf-Presentation

• What message do you wish to send with your choice of clothing and personal grooming?M

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Use of TimeUse of TimeChronemics• Monochronic

• Polychronic

Time Orientation • Past

• Present

• Future

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TimeTime• How do we

manage and react to others’ management of time?

– duration

– activity

– punctuality

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Use of SmellUse of Smell• Olfactory Communication through:

– Perfume

– Cologne

– Aromatherapy

– Body odor

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Cultural and Gender Cultural and Gender VariationsVariations

• Eye contact

• Facial expressions

• Gestures

• Touch

• Paralanguage

• Space

• Self-presentation

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Nonverbal SignalsNonverbal SignalsVary from culture to culture

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What does this symbol What does this symbol mean to you?mean to you?

• In the United States it is a symbol for good job

• In Germany the number one

• In Japan the number five• In Ghana an insult• In Malaysia the thumb is

used to point rather than a finger

-Atlantic Committee for the Olympic Games

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Improving Nonverbal Improving Nonverbal Sending SkillsSending Skills

•Be mindful of your nonverbal behavior.•Adapt nonverbal behaviors to your purpose.•Adapt nonverbal behaviors to the situation.•Align nonverbal and verbal communication.•Make sure nonverbal cues do not distract from your message.•Eliminate distracting nonverbal behaviors.

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Improving Nonverbal Improving Nonverbal Interpretation SkillsInterpretation Skills

• Be mindful that most nonverbal cues do not have set meanings.

• Recognize culture, gender, and other diversity when interpreting nonverbal cues.

• Pay attention to all of the nonverbal cues and their relationship to the verbal message.

• Use the skill of perception checking.

Kennedy-Nixon Debate • 1960Kennedy-Nixon Debate • 1960

CNN • Nonverbal Debate • 2008CNN • Nonverbal Debate • 2008