1. Nonverbal Communication
Chapter 4
Nonverbal
Communication

2. Chapter Outcomes 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

3. Nonverbal Communication
The process of intentionally or unintentionally signaling meaning through behavior other than words

4. The Nature of Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal communication is
Communicative
Often spontaneous and
unintentional
Ambiguous
More believable than
verbal communication
(channel discrepancy)‏

5. Functions of Nonverbal Communication
Reinforcing verbal messages
Repeating or mirroring verbal messages
Complementing verbal behavior by reinforcing it
Accenting specific information in a verbal message

6. Functions of Nonverbal Communication (cont.)
Substituting verbal
messages
Occurs in situations where words are unavailable, inappropriate, or unintelligible

7. Functions of Nonverbal Communication (cont.)
Contradicting verbal messages
May be unintentional or intentional (teasing, joking, sarcasm)‏
Managing impressions and regulating interactions
Interaction management occurs throughout a relationship
Nonverbal cues regulate back-and- forth flow of communication

8. 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

9. Nonverbal Communication Codes
Nonverbal codes are symbols we use to send messages without, or in addition to, words.

10. Nonverbal Communication Codes (cont.)
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.

11. Nonverbal Communication Codes (cont.)
Kinesics (cont.)‏
Adaptors satisfy a physical or psychological need.
Affect displays convey feelings, moods, and reactions.

12. Nonverbal Communication Codes (cont.)
Facial expressions

13. Nonverbal Communication Codes (cont.)
Facial expressions (cont.)
Several specific expressions are common across all cultures.
Masking: replacing an expression that shows true feeling with an expression that shows appropriate feeling for a given interaction

14. Nonverbal Communication Codes (cont.)
Eye behavior
Oculesics is the study of the use of the eyes to communicate.
Accepted norms differ across cultures.

15. Nonverbal Communication 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”

16. Nonverbal Communication Codes (cont.)
Physical appearance
Attractiveness has advantages.
Artifacts (accessories) convey different messages that may change over time.

17. Nonverbal Communication Codes (cont.)
Space and environment include
– Proxemics:
the study of the
way we use and
communicate
with space
Intimate
Personal
Social
Public

18. Nonverbal Communication Codes (cont.)
Space and environment (cont.)‏
Territoriality: the claiming of an area through continuous or implied occupation
Environment: arranging our surroundings to encourage or discourage interactions

19. Nonverbal Communication Codes (cont.)
Touch (haptics) may include
Functional-professional touch
Social-polite touch
Friendship-warmth touch
Love-intimacy touch
Sexual-arousal touch

20. Nonverbal Communication Codes (cont.)
Time orientation
Chronemics: the ways people perceive and value time, structure time, and react to time
Sending a message using time may be confusing in certain situations.

21. Influences on Nonverbal Communication
Culture
Contact and 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.

22. Influences on Nonverbal Communication (cont.)
Mediated nonverbal communication
Loss of paralinguistic cues that offer information
Emoticons and use of font sizes, punctuation, and capitalization help convey meaning.

23. 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 versus impersonal situations