Non-Verbal Communication Communicating without language

Types of non-verbal communication There is really no part of the day that we are not emitting & receiving messages from others in a non-verbal form. In N.A only about 10% of what we communicate is verbalized. Those who study non-verbal communication have identified several ways in which humans convey messages without speaking.

Locomotion How you walk & the speed of your movement can speak volumes about your intent, interest, as well as your emotion

Adornment How accessorizing your clothing & body sends messages to the receiver that may or may not be intended - Changing fashion trends can often be misunderstood by those of different generations.

Silence Not speaking or responding during conversation can send a variety of messages to those that observe this behaviour

Volcalics When you speak you inflect, carry a tone, sometimes speak quickly, and other times very slowly - even though these are vocalized it falls under the category non-verbal communication

Chromenics Pausing or waiting while conversing with someone The silence can have many meanings - for example you are pondering or disagreeing.

Eye Contact An indication of interest or involvement in what is being said - the length of time you gaze at someone, the number of times you look at someone, and how many times you blink can send a number of different messages

Haptics Touching as a form of communication - this may include shaking hands, a pat on the back…

Proxemics The distance that you leave between you & someone else - distance changes depending on your relationship with the other person - culture also plays role in determining the distance

Olfactics Smell can send a message to someone- North Americans tend to go out of the way to mask body order.

Sounds Symbols Grunts or pausing with an “ah”sound sends clear messages to the receiver - they are not formal words therefore they are considered non-verbal communication.

Posture How you present yourself while speaking to someone can send many mixed messages. Slouching or leaning on something while conversing may indicate to a receiver a lack of interest

Misunderstood Did you ever get into trouble for looking at an adult or a friend the “wrong way”? It is not surprising that non-verbal messages are misinterpreted seeing as you spend very little time perfecting them. Look at the following pictures and identify the emotion you believe to be the message the model is attempting to convey.

Is this woman happy? Is this woman angry? Is this woman frightened?

Why is our non-verbal communication so important? Just think how difficult it would be to talk when meeting someone for the first time if the person did not move, kept a straight face, and spoke with no change in voice. You would never get a “feeling” for the person and you might get the impression that the person was very formal and remote, which could be opposite to the impression the person is trying to give you.