Chapter 5
Nonverbal
Communication
• Describe the power of nonverbal
communication
• Outline the functions of nonverbal
communication
• Describe the set of communication
symbols that are nonverbal codes
• Illustrate the influences culture,
technology, and situation have on our
nonverbal behavior
Chapter Outcomes
The process of
intentionally or
unintentionally
signaling meaning
through behavior other
than words
Nonverbal
Communication
• Nonverbal communication is…
– Communicative
– Often spontaneous and
unintentional
– Ambiguous
– More believable than
verbal communication
(channel discrepancy)
The Nature of
Nonverbal
Communication
• Reinforcing verbal messages
– Repeating or mirroring verbal
messages
– Complementing verbal behavior by
matching it
– Accenting specific parts
of the verbal behavior
Functions of
Nonverbal
Communication
• Substituting verbal
messages
– Occurs in situations where words are
unavailable, inappropriate, or
unintelligible
Functions of
Nonverbal
Communication (cont.)
• Contradicting verbal messages
– May be unintentional or intentional
(teasing, joking, sarcasm)
• Regulating or coordinating verbal
interactions
– Pausing to let another speak
– Interrupting to gain control
Functions of
Nonverbal
Communication (cont.)
• Creating immediacy, or closeness,
with another
– Eye contact, smiling, appropriate
touching, mimicry
• Deceiving others to believe
something that is false
– Using gestures that normally
signal trustworthiness
Functions of
Nonverbal
Communication (cont.)
Symbols we use to
send messages
without, or in
addition to, words
Nonverbal Codes
• Gestures and body movements that
send nonverbal messages (kinesics)
– Emblems have direct verbal translations
within a group or culture.
– Illustrators help visually
explain what is being said.
– Regulators help manage
our interactions.
Nonverbal Codes (cont.)
Nonverbal Codes (cont.)
• Kinesics (cont.)
– Adaptors satisfy a physical or
psychological need.
– Affect displays convey feelings,
moods, and reactions.
• Facial expressions
Nonverbal Codes (cont.)
• Eye behavior
– Oculesics is the study of the use of the
eyes to communicate.
– Accepted norms
differ across
cultures.
Nonverbal Codes (cont.)
• Voice
– Paralanguage: vocalized sounds that
accompany words; includes
• pitch (variations), tone (modulations),
volume (loudness), pauses, vocal quality,
rhythm, rate
– Vocalizations: cues about
emotional or physical state
• Back-channel cues
include “ah, um, uh”
Nonverbal Codes (cont.)
• Physical appearance
– Attractiveness has advantages
– Artifacts (accessories)
matter
Nonverbal Codes (cont.)
• Space and environment includes:
Proxemics:
the study of the
way we use and
communicate
with space
• Intimate
• Personal
• Social
• Public
Nonverbal Codes (cont.)
• Space and environment (cont.)
– Territoriality: the claiming of an area
through occupation
– Environment: arranging our
surroundings to encourage or
discourage interactions
Nonverbal Codes (cont.)
• Touch (haptics) may include:
– Functional-professional touch
– Social-polite touch
– Friendship-warmth touch
– Love-intimacy touch
– Sexual-arousal
touch
Nonverbal Codes (cont.)
• Time orientation
– Chronemics: study of how people
perceive the use of time and how they
structure time in their relationships
– Sending a message
using time may be
confusing in certain
situations.
Nonverbal Codes (cont.)
• Culture
– Contact vs. noncontact cultures have
different levels of sensitivity to touch.
– Sex and gender influence a person’s
degree of touch, eye contact, or how
nonverbal communication is interpreted.
Influences on
Nonverbal
Communication
• Mediated nonverbal communication
– Loss of paralinguistic cues that offer
information
– Emoticons and use of font sizes,
punctuation, and
capitalization help
convey meaning.
Influences on
Nonverbal
Communication (cont.)
• The situational context determines
rules of behavior and roles people
must play under different conditions.
– Public-private dimension: physical
space affecting nonverbal
communication
– Informal-formal dimension:
perceptions about personal vs.
impersonal situations
Influences on
Nonverbal
Communication (cont.)

Real comm2e ch5

  • 1.
  • 2.
    • Describe thepower of nonverbal communication • Outline the functions of nonverbal communication • Describe the set of communication symbols that are nonverbal codes • Illustrate the influences culture, technology, and situation have on our nonverbal behavior Chapter Outcomes
  • 3.
    The process of intentionallyor unintentionally signaling meaning through behavior other than words Nonverbal Communication
  • 4.
    • Nonverbal communicationis… – Communicative – Often spontaneous and unintentional – Ambiguous – More believable than verbal communication (channel discrepancy) The Nature of Nonverbal Communication
  • 5.
    • Reinforcing verbalmessages – Repeating or mirroring verbal messages – Complementing verbal behavior by matching it – Accenting specific parts of the verbal behavior Functions of Nonverbal Communication
  • 6.
    • Substituting verbal messages –Occurs in situations where words are unavailable, inappropriate, or unintelligible Functions of Nonverbal Communication (cont.)
  • 7.
    • Contradicting verbalmessages – May be unintentional or intentional (teasing, joking, sarcasm) • Regulating or coordinating verbal interactions – Pausing to let another speak – Interrupting to gain control Functions of Nonverbal Communication (cont.)
  • 8.
    • Creating immediacy,or closeness, with another – Eye contact, smiling, appropriate touching, mimicry • Deceiving others to believe something that is false – Using gestures that normally signal trustworthiness Functions of Nonverbal Communication (cont.)
  • 9.
    Symbols we useto send messages without, or in addition to, words Nonverbal Codes
  • 10.
    • Gestures andbody movements that send nonverbal messages (kinesics) – Emblems have direct verbal translations within a group or culture. – Illustrators help visually explain what is being said. – Regulators help manage our interactions. Nonverbal Codes (cont.)
  • 11.
    Nonverbal Codes (cont.) •Kinesics (cont.) – Adaptors satisfy a physical or psychological need. – Affect displays convey feelings, moods, and reactions.
  • 12.
  • 13.
    • Eye behavior –Oculesics is the study of the use of the eyes to communicate. – Accepted norms differ across cultures. Nonverbal Codes (cont.)
  • 14.
    • Voice – Paralanguage:vocalized sounds that accompany words; includes • pitch (variations), tone (modulations), volume (loudness), pauses, vocal quality, rhythm, rate – Vocalizations: cues about emotional or physical state • Back-channel cues include “ah, um, uh” Nonverbal Codes (cont.)
  • 15.
    • Physical appearance –Attractiveness has advantages – Artifacts (accessories) matter Nonverbal Codes (cont.)
  • 16.
    • Space andenvironment includes: Proxemics: the study of the way we use and communicate with space • Intimate • Personal • Social • Public Nonverbal Codes (cont.)
  • 17.
    • Space andenvironment (cont.) – Territoriality: the claiming of an area through occupation – Environment: arranging our surroundings to encourage or discourage interactions Nonverbal Codes (cont.)
  • 18.
    • Touch (haptics)may include: – Functional-professional touch – Social-polite touch – Friendship-warmth touch – Love-intimacy touch – Sexual-arousal touch Nonverbal Codes (cont.)
  • 19.
    • Time orientation –Chronemics: study of how people perceive the use of time and how they structure time in their relationships – Sending a message using time may be confusing in certain situations. Nonverbal Codes (cont.)
  • 20.
    • Culture – Contactvs. noncontact cultures have different levels of sensitivity to touch. – Sex and gender influence a person’s degree of touch, eye contact, or how nonverbal communication is interpreted. Influences on Nonverbal Communication
  • 21.
    • Mediated nonverbalcommunication – Loss of paralinguistic cues that offer information – Emoticons and use of font sizes, punctuation, and capitalization help convey meaning. Influences on Nonverbal Communication (cont.)
  • 22.
    • The situationalcontext determines rules of behavior and roles people must play under different conditions. – Public-private dimension: physical space affecting nonverbal communication – Informal-formal dimension: perceptions about personal vs. impersonal situations Influences on Nonverbal Communication (cont.)