Nonverbal Communication

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Nonverbal Communication
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• Nonverbal communication A message expressed by
  nonlinguistic means.
• How does nonverbal communication work for us?
  Against us?
• Does all nonverbal behavior have communicative
  value?
• Can we control our nonverbals?
• Research
• DePaolo People who dont use nonverbals are
  considered dull, aloof, uneasy, deceptive
• Researchers argue that unintentional behavior
  should not count as part of a communication
  exchange

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Obvious Types of Nonverbal Communication

• How do we feel when someone doesnt make eye
  contact?
• What do we infer about people who use too many
  hand gestures? Too few?
• What messages do we read into a firm handshake? A
  weak handshake?
• What is an example of paralanguage eliciting a
  different message from what is intended?
• What stereotypes arise out of paralanguage?

• Face and eyes
• Body movement
• Touch
• Voice and paralanguage (the way we say
  something)

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Less Obvious Types of Nonverbal Communication

• ChronemicsSomeone who can make you wait
• Physical attractiveness Clothing, personal
  hygiene, appearance.
• Environment (the layout of a room)
• Proxemics (Edward T. Hall)

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Differences Between Verbal and Nonverbal
Communication

• Single versus multiple channels
• Discrete versus continuous
• Deliberate versus unconscious
• Degree of impact

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Facts about Nonverbal Communication

• Nonverbal communication is primarily relational
• Nonverbal communication is ambiguous
• We count nonverbal communication anywhere as
  25-90 more telling than verbal communication,
  depending on circumstance
• We jump to conclusions more quickly with
  nonverbal messages

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Functions of Nonverbals

• Repeating

• Substituting/emblems

• Complementing/
• accenting (illustratorsrunning fingers through
  hair, snapping fingers)

• Regulating

• Contradicting