Nonverbal Communication

The World Beyond Words

What is Nonverbal
Communication?
Messages expressed by nonlinguistic
means.
Includes silent behaviors, environment,
artifacts, and vocal intonation
Is a powerful mode of communication

Characteristics/Principles of
Nonverbal Communication

All Behavior has

Communicative Value
Because we cannot not communicate
May be intentional, but is often unconscious
Although were always sending messages
through our nonverbals, these messages
arent always received.
We especially pay attention to nonverbals
when they contradict verbal
communication.

Nonverbal Communication is
Primarily Relational
Responsiveness
Communicates our interest in others communication
Women are generally more responsive than men
People in lower-power positions tend to be better at reading
nonverbals

Liking Positive or negative feelings about others

Power
Touch
Violence and Abuse

Space
Silence

(A little more about the relational

nature of nonverbals)
Nonverbals are especially important:
For identity management
In defining our relationships (e.g., level of
intimacy)
For expressing emotions we dont want to
express, cant express, or dont know were
feeling

Nonverbal
Communication
is Ambiguous
The same nonverbal can have multiple
meanings
For example:

Im feeling content smiles

Im feeling a little stressed smiles
Im a bit sad smiles
I cant believe you just did that smiles
How do I get out of this conversation? smiles

Nonverbal Communication
Reflects Cultural Values
Some Examples
Space
Americans tend to value more personal space than many other cultures
Men tend to value more personal space than women

Touch (Knapp, 1972)

Americans 2 touches per hour

British 0 touches per hour
Parisians 110 touches per hour
Puerto Ricans 180 touches per hour

Eye-Contact
In North-America: frankness, assertiveness, honesty
In many Asian and northern-European countries: abrasive & disrespectful
In Brazil: more intense eye-contact is the norm

Nonverbal Communication
(Continued)

The Interplay Between Verbal

and Nonverbal Communication
Repeating
Your nonverbals simply repeat what youve said

Substituting
Your nonverbals replace language
Emblems (e.g., nodding)

Complementing & Accenting

Your nonverbals add depth and meaning to your language
Illustrators/Affect displays

Regulating
Your nonverbals help regulate the conversation

Contradicting
You say one thing, but your nonverbals say another

Deception
Nonverbals are under less conscious control, so
deception is more likely to be revealed through
our nonverbals.
High self-monitors and people who have lots of
practice in deception are most successful at it.
Women tend to be better at detecting deception.
Deceivers tend to make more speech errors, to
hesitate, to have higher vocal pitch, to fidget, blink
their eyes more, and shift their posture more.

Different Types of Nonverbal

Communication

Face and Eyes

Face and Eyes

Over 1000 distinct facial expressions
Eyes can be especially expressive
Windows to the soul

Men and women have been found to be

equally expressive
Men show the most emotion in the lower left
quadrant of their face
Women show emotion over their whole face

Body Movement/Kinesics
Body posture
Gestures
Manipulators/Fidgeting

An aside

Touch
Touching is considered essential and
therapeutic
Touching can influence liking and
compliance
Is used to show intimacy or power/control
People with high status touch others/invade
others spaces more than people with lower
status

Voice/Paralanguage
Consists of vocal tone, speed, pitch, volume,
number and length of pauses, and disfluencies
(ums, ahs), etc.
Paralanguage tends to be more powerful than
language
Affects how others perceive us
Stereotyping (e.g., accents, vocabulary, grammar

Influenced by culture, gender, class (intentionally or

unintentionally)
An illustration

Try saying You love me to convey the following meanings:

1) You really do? I hadnt realized that.

2) That ploy wont work. I told you were through.
3) You couldnt possibly love me after what you did!
4) Me? Im the one you love?
5) You? I didnt think you loved anyone.

Silence
Can communicate contentment,
awkwardness, anger, respect,
thoughtfulness, empathy
Can also be disconfirming

Space/Proxemics
Personal Space

Intimate distance
Personal distance
Social distance
Public distance
Barrier behaviors and territory

You
are
here

Time/Chronemics
Our use of time reflects:

Power/status
Cultural norms
Expectations
Interpersonal priorities

Physical Appearance
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
We tend to notice obvious things first (gender,
race), then note attractiveness
Physically attractive people generally are
perceived better
Importance placed on physical appearance can be
very damaging
Its what we do with it thats most important

Artifacts
Include clothing, jewelry, personal belongings,
accessories, etc.
Communicate economic level, educational level,
trustworthiness, social position, level of
sophistication, economic background, social
background, educational background, level of
success, moral character, masculinity/femininity
Important part of first impressions

Environment
Communicates something about you
We surround ourselves with things that are
important/meaningful to us
Use artifacts to define our territory

Can influence interactions

How people use an environment
communicates something about them

Some Guidelines for Improving

Nonverbal Communication

 Monitor Your Nonverbal Communication

Be Tentative When Interpreting Others
Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbals are personal and ambiguous
Personal Qualifications:
Take responsibility for your interpretations
Use I language to check your perceptions of nonverbals

Contextual Qualifications:
Be aware of how the context might be influencing others
nonverbals
Be aware of how different cultural norms might influence
others nonverbals
Be careful not to jump to conclusions based on your own
cultural norms