Comparing Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Similarities Differences Both are symbolic. Both are rule guided. Both can be intentional or unintentional. Both are culture-bound. Nonverbal communication is usually perceived as more believable. Nonverbal can be multichanneled. Nonverbal is continuous.

Nonverbal Behavior Accounts for 65% - 93% of the total meaning of communication

Nonverbal Communication Kinesics (body motion) Haptics (touch) Physical appearance Artifacts Paralanguage Silence Environmental factors Proxemics and personal space Chronemics (time) Everything except the words!

When nonverbal and verbal messages are inconsistent, we tend to believe the nonverbal.

Principles of Nonverbal Communication May supplement or replace verbal communication May regulate interaction Often establishes relationship-level meanings Responsiveness Liking Power Reflects and expresses cultural values

Content level of meaning The literal, or denotative, information in a message Relationship level of meaning Meaning that expresses the relationship between communicators

Kinesics Body positions and movement including those of the face Posture can signal self-assurance. Posture can tell others if we are open to interaction. The face is capable of over one thousand different expressions. Nonverbal behaviors such as positioning, smiling, close seating and gazes signal how we feel about others.

Eyes “The mirrors of the soul” We tend to look at eyes to judge Emotions Honesty Interest Self-confidence Microsoft Photo

Haptics (touch) Touching and being touched are essential to a healthy life. Touch can communicate power and status. Women tend to touch to show liking, while men often use touch to exert power. Microsoft Photo

Who Touches the Most? Teacher or student? Doctor or patient? Manager or worker? Minister or parishioner? Police officer or accused? Business executive or secretary?

What implications does this The higher status person is usually permitted to touch the lower-status person. What implications does this behavior have?

Sexual Harassment Creation of a hostile or uncomfortable environment Unwelcome gestures Body language Conversation Sexually oriented printed material

Physical Appearance What message do you wish to send with your choice of clothing and personal grooming? Microsoft Photo

Artifacts Personal objects we use to announce our identities and heritage and to personalize our environments Microsoft Photos

Environmental Factors Elements of settings that affect how we feel and act Architecture Colors Temperature Sounds Smells Lighting

Proxemics and Personal Space Every culture has norms for using space. In the U.S. we interact with acquaintances from 4’ to 12’ and within 18” or less for close friends or intimates. In China families often share bathrooms and kitchens with other families. People who want to even out power seek out neutral territory. Greater space may be assumed by those with higher status. Those with greater power often invade others’ territory.

Proxemics and Personal Space How people arrange space reflects how close they are and whether they want interaction. Home furniture arranged comfortably and close invites conversation. Offices with seating open rather than a desk separating people invites interaction. Restaurants can arrange seating to encourage people to spend time or to eat quickly and leave.

Chronemics (time) How do we manage and react to others’ management of time Duration Activity Punctuality Microsoft Photo

Paralanguage Communication that is vocal but that does not use words themselves Sounds (gasps and murmurs) Vocal qualities Volume Rhythm Pitch Inflection How we pronounce words The accents we use Complexity of our sentences

Silence Silence can be a disconfirming symbol. When you talk to someone and they do not reply When children are disciplined by being ignored Silence can be comforting. When intimates are so close they do not need to talk When there is an absence of disturbing noise

Interpretation of others Nonverbal Cues Research has shown that the lower status person has more skills at interpreting the nonverbal cues of people with higher status. Women were once thought to have intuition now we may think it is only because they had lower status. Who would be the least skilled at interpreting other’s nonverbal cues?

Experiencing Communication in our Lives . . . View the following video clip and then answer the questions that follow based on material presented in this chapter. A script of the scenario can be found at the end of Chapter 6.

How do artifacts affect interaction among members of the team? Identify nonverbal behaviors that regulate turn-taking within the team. Identify nonverbal behaviors that express the relational level of meanings. What aspects of team members nonverbal communication express liking or disliking, responsiveness or lack of responsiveness, and power? How do artifacts affect interaction among members of the team? If you were the fifth member of this team, what kinds of communication might you enact to help relieve tension in the group? You may go to your student CD that accompanies the text to compare your answers to Julia Wood’s.

To improve our communication . . . We need to monitor our own nonverbal communication and exercise care in interpreting that of others.