Nonverbal communication Chapter 4

Objectives: Distinguish between verbal and nonverbal Use body lang. to reinforce verbal mess. Recognize when someone is NOT telling the truth Same gesture=different meaning in diff. country

Body Language The way in which we use our bodies to send messages. Experiment???? Ready? Why is b.l. important? 1. people usually remember more of what they SEE than hear 2. recognize the truth “Body language always wins out over our verbal communication.”

B.L.= diverse Humans produce up to 700,000 different physical signs. FACE=capable of 250,000 alone! 5000 hand gestures 1000 kinds of postures Body language is CONSTANT!

Positive Body language cues= are distal (directed towards others) Relaxed posture Arms relaxed Good eye contact Nodding agreement Smiling at humor Leaning closer Using gestures *** When these movements are exaggerated, they become a negative, not a positive

Negative Body lang.= proximal (directed toward your own body) Negative body movements may be interpreted as nervous too Body tension (wrinkled brow, jerky movements) Arms folded Speaking hand to mouth Fidgeting yawning

Factoid: If you change your body language, your feelings will begin to change as well. You make self look/feel better by using more positive body lang. Vince Lombardi “You’ve got to look good getting off the bus.” Body Lang. is contagious. You begin to mirror what the other person is doing.

Section II: interpreting Don’t just look, but observe Consider their “normal” physical/verbal patterns and be alert for new ones One signal alone may mean nothing, look for clusters of signals to indicate meaning.

Facial Expressions: Six emotions: surprise, fear, anger, disgust, happiness, and sadness mainly appear on face. Nose-cheek-mouth=disgust Eyes and eyelids=fear Brows/forehead=sadness Cheeks/mouth=happiness **** You can disguise your face more easily than any other part of the body.

Tone of Voice Pitch/tone (timbre)/pauses and rhythm can express things above and beyond words. “OH” experiment. (don’t write this) Rate=fast=excited/anxious Slow=depressed, disgusted, or tired

Lying: Desmond Morris’ book THE NAKED APE experiment about nurses lying about a movie. 1. Decreased hand activity. (hide them, clasp them, sit on them, stuff them in pockets) 2. increased face touching. 3. stiff/rigid posture (most people move LESS when lying) 4. body shifting/squirming

Section III: Multicultural When cultural differences are involved…sometimes more nonverbal information is NOT always better When you don’t know a lang., you lose control over nonverbal expression.

Nonverbal dilemmas Nodding head yes in U.S. means No in Bulgaria, parts of Greece, Turkey, and Iran. Handshake/outstretched hand= hand to forearm back in the day to indicate no weapon Hug=in Mediteranean countries=no weapon (frisking?)

Cont’d Handshakes: 3 categories gentle, firm, Texan. Kisses: French people, close relationships require warm greetings, men kiss, squeeze shoulders, slap backs, punch kidneys, pinch cheeks. Women: kiss on cheek Bows: most polite greeting of all. Indicates respect and humility, often reflects social status, person of lower rank bows first and LOWER.

Touching: Women sometimes react more FAVORABLY. Surgery/nurses study pg 89 Salesmen think it’s harder to say no to someone when they have touched you? Crowded elevators /shoulder to shoulder/arm to arm usually ok

Space: see pg 91 Under 18 inches: intimate space (close friends, family, significant others) 1.5 – 4 feet: personal distance (friends) 4-12 feet: social distance (social/business) Over 12 feet: public (shopping mall, on the street) HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT!!!!!!! This is a fun one!!!!!!!