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Chapter 9: Communicating Nonverbally
Instructor Resources
Objectives
• Differentiate between nonverbal and verbal communication.
• Explain the influences of culture, gender, and technology on nonverbal communication.
• Effectively utilize the seven codes of nonverbal communication in relating with others.
• Identify and explain the functions of nonverbal communication in our everyday lives.
• Effectively manage nonverbal messages.
Discussion Questions
1. Since nonverbal communication involves multiple channels, what does this tell you about
the importance of perception and listening in understanding nonverbal messages?
2. Let’s say that on a first meeting a person touches you frequently on the arms and shoulders
during the conversation. How is this behavior ambiguous? What meanings could be
conveyed by the touch? How might the uncertainty reduction strategies discussed in Chapter
3 help you better understand the meaning of the touch?
3. Recall the textbook’s discussion of cultural differences in nonverbal communication. For
example, Cambodians see direct eye contact as an invasion of privacy, and Iranians stand
relatively close to a conversational partner. What experiences have you had living and
traveling in different cultures where you’ve noticed differences in nonverbal codes?
4. What nonverbal behaviors from the opposite sex do you find most confusing? What
difficulties do these behaviors present in male-female communication?
© 2019 Macmillan Learning. All rights reserved.
5. People are often described as having “a bad attitude.” Explore how a person’s nonverbal
communication could lead others to infer “a bad attitude” in an interpersonal encounter,
examining specific nonverbal codes.
• Brainstorming behaviors associated with the codes should be fairly straightforward. Some
examples are:
6. How can you use an understanding of kinesics to present yourself in work settings, and to
interpret others’ nonverbal behaviors?
7. Tattoos and body piercings are quite common today. How are these related to nonverbal
communication? What role does body art play in interpersonal communication?
8. Family is an expression of culture. How would you describe your family in terms of its
touch acceptance or avoidance? What have you observed in other families, perhaps in those
of your friends or romantic partner?
9. How does the environmental arrangement of this classroom influence our communication
here? What features of the classroom support effective communication? What features
impede the communication? What changes to the classroom environment would support
effective communication?
10. Review the five dominance nonverbal cues presented in the chapter. Which are most evident
in experiences you have had dealing with persons of status?
Think Pair Share
Think Pair Share prompts support the active engagement of students in the learning experience.
The prompts can be particularly useful in punctuating the lecture presentation of chapter
concepts.
1. Describe a recent experience proving that nonverbal communication is ambiguous.
2. How could your use of nonverbal communication affect your relationship with your
romantic partner?
3. Which of the gender influences on nonverbal communication is most important in helping
you understand members of the opposite sex?
4. What are some physical examples of the four purposes of gestures?
5. How can touch communicate power, intimacy, and emotion?
6. Besides touch, how can you use nonverbal communication to express intimacy in a romantic
relationship? With a family member or friend?
7. What is the correlation between proxemics and status?
8. What are the key differences among proxemics, territory, and environment as areas of
nonverbal communication?
9. How can you use an understanding of the five functions of nonverbal communication to
improve your interpersonal skills?
10. Which facial expressions do you find easiest to identify? Which are the most difficult?
Journal Prompts
1. Identify an important relationship in your life and explain the role of eye contact in
expressing emotion, managing conversation, and signaling the condition of the relationship.
2. How often do you touch others? If you were to increase the amount of touch you use with
others, would it have any effect on the relationship? How might understanding the functions
of touch help you improve your use of touch in personal and professional relationships?
3. Choose one of the nonverbal gender difference research findings that you most identify with
and explain how it helps you in understanding your own nonverbal behavior.
4. Think about your reaction to others’ voices. Provide an example of a person’s voice to
which you react strongly. What is the impression—negative or positive? Why? Is it ethical
to judge someone based solely on his or her voice? Why or why not? Do you think you have
ever been a victim of linguistic profiling?
5. Think about your own proxemics. Who are you most likely to allow in your intimate space?
Personal space? Social space? Public space?
6. Think of a situation in which you were able to discern meaning from nonverbal
communication despite mixed messages—for instance, a circumstance in which you realized
that someone conveyed a bad mood despite claiming to be happy, or vice versa. Why did the
person’s nonverbal communication cause you to doubt the veracity of the person’s verbal
communication? What causes us to send mixed messages?
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Objective: To identify how nonverbal messages define relationships in terms of intimacy and
power.
Directions:
1. Distribute the Relationship Messages and Nonverbal Codes Worksheet.
2. Ask students to individually brainstorm examples of behaviors within each nonverbal code
that support the particular relationship messages found in each column.
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Relationship Messages and Nonverbal Codes Worksheet
Nonverbal Codes
Relationship
Message
“I like you”
“I dislike you”
“I have power
over you”
“I feel inferior
to you”
Kinesics
Vocalics
Haptics
Proxemics
Physical
Appearance
Artifacts
Environment
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Exercise: Who’s the Liar?
Objective: To identify how nonverbal messages are used to determine deception.
A. Invite four volunteers (two males and two females) to join you outside the classroom.
B. Inform the volunteers that they will assist you in testing their classmates’ ability to detect
deception. Next, explain that once you all return to the classroom, you will ask each of
upon when forming their opinions.
F. Ask the “liar” to reveal him/herself. Proceed with a discussion on the ambiguity of
nonverbal cues, plus any other chapter content you can connect to the ensuing discussion.
Exercise: It’s Not What You Say, It’s How You Say It.
Objective: To examine the role of vocalics in shaping meanings.
Directions:
1. Working in pairs or small groups, have students take turns saying the messages below out
loud as they attempt to convey one of the five attitudes of their choosing.
2. Group members should try to interpret the attitude being conveyed.
3. Debrief the students along the following lines:
• Were some emotions easier to convey than others? Why?
• Were some emotions easier to interpret than others? Why?
• Did some emotions seem similar? Which ones? What does this tell you about the
ambiguity of nonverbal messages?
• What can you infer is the impact of vocalics on meanings?
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Emotion Messages
Matter-of-factly 1. “Can you go to the store for me?”
Suspiciously 2. “I finished class early.”
Amorously 3. “I read your e-mail.”
Angrily 4. “Are you going to have your tires rotated?”
Happily 5. “Can you come by my office after lunch?”
Video Recommendations
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017, 119 minutes). This film follows four teenagers—a jock,
a nerd, a popular girl, and a shy smart girl—as they are sucked into a video game called Jumanji.
They are thrown into the jungle in the form of their game avatars and must learn how to navigate
their new bodies. This film offers several opportunities to analyze nonverbal communication to
include kinesics, facial expressions, and artifacts.
Beauty and the Beast (2017, 130 minutes). This film is a remake of a classic tale about an
arrogant prince cursed to live as a beast until someone is able to truly love him. Belle, the main
female character, is forced to live with the beast in exchange for her father’s freedom. Over time,
she learns to see past the rough exterior of the beast by paying attention to his nonverbal cues.
She learns that while he looks fearsome on the outside and talks rough, he has a gentle heart and
a kind soul. This film offers several opportunities to examine nonverbal communication,
especially kinesics and the use of gestures (emblems, illustrators, regulators, and adaptors), as
well as posture and vocalics.
The Artist (2011, 100 minutes) is a silent film set in Hollywood circa 1927, the twilight of the
silent-movie era. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture, The Artist follows George
Valentin (Jean Dujardin), a silent-movie superstar whose career declines with the advent of
“talkies” (motion pictures with synchronized sound). Meanwhile, starlet Peppy Miller (Bérénice
Bejo) becomes a “talkie” star after her appearance in one of George’s movies. This film is a
wonderful tool for illustrating many of the concepts discussed in this chapter, especially eye
contact and facial expressions.
The Breakfast Club (1985, 97 minutes) endures as a classic view of five stereotypical teens
confronting one another during a Saturday detention in their high school library. The film is rich
with examples of nonverbal behavior, showing how clothing, proxemics, territoriality, and
gestures serve to communicate meaning.
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The Devil Wears Prada (2006, 109 minutes) clearly illustrates the communicative power of
clothing through the story of a recent college graduate (Anne Hathaway) attempting to survive in
the New York fashion magazine industry.
The Human Face (2001) is a four-episode TV documentary hosted by John Cleese, of Monty
Python fame. This entertaining series examines the nuances of facial expressions and features.
Subjects including beauty, expression, and identity are explored through a variety of examples,
skits, and interviews.
Lars and the Real Girl (2007, 106 minutes) tells the story of Lars (Ryan Gosling), a man who
has had lifelong difficulty with interpersonal relationships. He sends away for an inflatable life-
sized doll, which he introduces to his family and neighbors as his girlfriend. This film provides a
very good character study of someone painfully uncomfortable with haptics (touch).
Lie to Me (2009–2011) is a one-hour TV drama series originally broadcast on Fox. The series
revolves around Dr. Cal Lightman (Tim Roth), an expert in detecting deception by observing
nonverbal behavior, particularly kinesics and vocalics. Dr. Lightman’s character is loosely based
on psychologist Paul Ekman’s research in body language and facial expressions.
Michael Clayton (2000, 143 minutes) follows the main character, an attorney named Michael
Clayton (George Clooney), as he attempts to fix a number of his firm’s difficult situations. In a
dramatic scene early in the film, Clayton pulls his car over to the side of the road and climbs a
hill to look at some horses. While he is near the top of the hill, his car suddenly explodes on the
road below. In a brilliant close-up shot of Clooney’s face, his expressions change subtly and
compellingly as he moves from curiosity and wonder to shock and horror.
Philadelphia (1993, 135 minutes) stars Tom Hanks as attorney Andrew Beckett, a character
inspired by the real story of Geoffrey Bowers. Bowers was an attorney who sued the law firm
Baker & McKenzie in 1987 for unfair dismissal in one of the first AIDS-related discrimination
cases. The scene of the office partners telling Andrew he is fired reveals the power of
territoriality and proxemics for conveying status. After Andrew’s dismissal, he seeks legal
representation from Joe Miller (Denzel Washington). Miller’s nonverbal behaviors reveal
extreme discomfort and aversion through proxemics, haptics, eye contact, and facial expressions.
Later, when Andrew is researching in a library, territoriality and proxemics illustrate the distaste
others have for him.
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The Thief (1952, 85 minutes) is a thriller about a Communist spy (Ray Milland) who murders an
FBI agent and is consumed by his guilty conscience. This movie is told without any dialogue,
succeeding because of the expressive body communication of the actors.
WALL-E (2008, 98 minutes) is an animated science-fiction film about a robot named WALL-E
(voiced by Ben Burtt), whose function is making a post-apocalyptic Earth safe for humankind.
One day, he meets and instantly falls in love with a sleek search robot named Eve (voiced by
Elissa Knight). Dialogue is sparse in this movie, but through nonverbal communication, viewers
understand the pain of WALL-E’s isolation, the importance of connection, and the dangers of
overreliance on technology.
Web Resources
10 Nonverbal Cues That Convey Confidence at Work
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/03/11/10-nonverbal-cues-that-convey-
confidence-at-work/#4a4b18c45e13
This Forbes article examines current research on nonverbal communication, confidence, and
work performance. The article also provides additional links to related articles on nonverbal
communication such as how to maintain eye contact.
Take Care of Your Nonverbal Communication
https://hbr.org/video/3541641444001/take-control-of-your-nonverbal-communication
This video by the Harvard Business Review explains how to master nonverbal communication.
Nonverbal Communication
https://www.rpi.edu/dept/advising/american_culture/social_skills/nonverbal_communication/rea
ding_exercise.htm
This short reading offers a glimpse of how nonverbal communication cues vary across cultures.
It also offers a look at how individuals perceive others when their nonverbal communication
differs from their own.
“A Quick Guide to Hand Gestures of the World”
http://www.theguardian.com/science/gallery/2010/dec/12/what-hand-gestures-mean
This Guardian article gives four examples of gestures that can get you into trouble abroad.
Exploring Nonverbal Communication
http://nonverbal.ucsc.edu/index.html
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This website promotes a series of nonverbal media tapes, brief samples of which are provided
online.
“Is ‘Giving the Finger’ Getting Out of Hand?”
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129400312
This article from NPR asks whether the social stigma against using the middle finger still exists.
After Image Gallery: The Johnson Treatment
http://www.afterimagegallery.com/nytjohnson.htm
This site provides images of President Lyndon B. Johnson using his imposing physical size and
the invasion of other people’s personal space to exert dominance.
“Never Judge People by Their Appearance”
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=365337323570777
This video demonstrates the dangers of judging someone by their appearance.
“Tattoos Tell My Real Story”
http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/03/31/strohecker.who.am.i/index.html
This CNN article explains how a young man’s tattoos and piercings help communicate his life
story and identity to others.
“Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are”
http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are?language=en
This 2012 TED Talk features social psychologist Amy Cuddy’s presentation on body language.
“The Economic Benefits of Being Beautiful”
http://www.vox.com/2014/7/16/5905533/the-benefits-of-beauty
An interesting article that demonstrates the financial benefits of being attractive.
“Why People Are Donating Money to a Convicted Felon Just Because He Has a Handsome
Mug Shot”
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/06/21/3451689/why-people-are-donating-money-to-a-
convicted-felon-just-because-he-has-a-handsome-mug-shot/
222
This article looks at the correlation between attractiveness and the halo effect.
“Here’s What 15 Celebs Would Look Like If Their Faces Were Symmetrical”
http://www.buzzfeed.com/omarvillegas/heres-what-15-celebs-would-look-like-if-their-faces-
were-sym?bffb#.ibxemWyLL
Studies indicate that most people prefer symmetrical faces. At this site, you can use a slider to
see what celebrities would look like if they had a totally symmetrical face.
“The Hidden Power of Smiling”
http://www.ted.com/talks/ron_gutman_the_hidden_power_of_smiling
In this 2011 TED Talk, Ron Gutman provides a fascinating review of research on smiling.
MUSIC RECOMMENDATIONS
The following music examples have been included for illustrating interpersonal communication
concepts addressed in this chapter. It is recommended that the instructor preview songs before
using them, as some contain adult language. Each instructor must decide what is appropriate for
his or her class.
“Poker Face,” performed by Lady Gaga
“International Smile,” performed by Katy Perry
“I Can’t Explain,” performed by Surfer Blood
“More Than Words,” performed by Extreme
“The Silence,” performed by Alexandra Burke
“Human Touch,” performed by Bruce Springsteen
“Everytime We Touch,” performed by Cascada
“Sad Eyes,” performed by Robert John
“Hungry Eyes,” performed by Eric Carmen
“Time in a Bottle,” performed by Jim Croce
“Sometimes When We Touch,” performed by Dan Hill
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Chapter 9: Communicating Nonverbally
Lecture Outline
I. Nonverbal communication is the intentional or unintentional transmission of meaning
through an individual’s nonspoken physical and behavioral cues.
II. Nonverbal communication differs from verbal communication in several ways:
A. Nonverbal communication uses multiple sensory channels, including auditory (voice),
visual (body language, eye contact, facial expressions), and tactile (touch).
B. Nonverbal communication is more ambiguous and more open to multiple
interpretations than verbal communication.
C. Nonverbal communication has fewer rules than verbal communication.
D. Nonverbal communication conveys more meaning than verbal communication.
E. Mixed messages occur when verbal and nonverbal messages contradict each other (e.g.,
saying “I’m okay” while frowning).
F. Despite the differences between verbal and nonverbal communication, both are essential
to become a competent communicators.
III. Culture and nonverbal communication are inextricably linked.
A. Cultural differences may contribute to misunderstandings of particular behaviors.
B. It may take years of immersion in a culture to fully understand the meanings of a
culture’s nonverbal communication.
IV. Gender influences how we send and receive nonverbal communication.
A. Women are better than men at both sending and receiving nonverbal messages.
V. Technology has liberated nonverbal communication.
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A. In the past 20 years, technology has developed to allow us to see and hear one another
while interacting.
B. Developments in media have allowed us to choose more forms of media that allow us
to hear and see others when interacting.
C. We can also use these modalities to better maintain long-distance relationships.
VI. Nonverbal skills can be developed by understanding the different means used for
transmitting information nonverbally—known as nonverbal communication codes.
A. Kinesics refers to most of the behaviors we associate with nonverbal communication:
(e.g., smoothing one’s clothing to boost confidence in one’s appearance).
4. Posture includes straightness of back (erect or slouched), body lean (forward,
backward, or vertical), straightness of shoulders (firm and broad or slumped), and
head position (tilted or straight up).
a. Your posture communicates two primary messages: immediacy and power.
2. Vocalics strongly shape our perceptions of others when we first meet them.
3. The voice has four characteristics: tone, pitch, loudness, and speech rate.
a. Tone is the most complex of human vocalic characteristics and involves a
C. Touch, formally known as haptics, is another nonverbal communication code.
1. Touch is a powerful and noticeable behavior during interpersonal encounters.
2. Scholars distinguish between six types of touch:
a. Functional-professional touch accomplishes some type of task such as the touch
between a physician and patient.
b. Social-polite touch stems from social norms and expectations; handshakes and
hugs are types of social-polite touch.
c. Friendship-warmth touch expresses liking for another person such as when we
gently grasp a friend’s arm or pat someone on the back.
d. Love-intimacy touch conveys deep emotional feelings and may include gently
touching a loved one’s face.
e. Sexual-arousal touch is intended to physically stimulate another person.
f. Aggressive-hostile touch involves forms of physical violence such as grabbing,
slapping, and hitting.
D. Focus on Culture: Touch and Distance
1. Cultures vary in their norms regarding appropriate touch and distance, some favoring
lots of touching and close distance during interpersonal encounters and others less.
2. Try to adapt to individual comfort levels that others have in giving and receiving
touch (e.g., reciprocating the behavior of “touchy” people, respecting the boundaries of
“hands-off” people).
E. The fourth nonverbal communication code, proxemics, is communication through the
use of physical distance.
1. There are four communication distances:
© 2019 Macmillan Learning. All rights reserved.
2. Territoriality is the tendency to claim physical spaces as our own and to define
certain locations (such as our homes and/or our workspaces) as areas we don’t want
others to invade without permission.
1. Facial symmetry—the degree to which each side of the face precisely matches the
other—is highly regarded as attractive across cultures.
2. Clothing also has a profound impact on perceptions of others.
G. Artifacts—the things we use to express our identity to others, such as cars, electronic
gadgets, and watches—constitute another code of nonverbal communication.
1. Artifacts convey both power and status.
H. A final way in which we communicate nonverbally is through our environment, the
physical features of our surroundings (which differ from artifacts and clothing).
1. Fixed features are stable and unchanging environmental elements such as walls,
ceilings, floors, and doors.
2. Semi-fixed features are impermanent and usually easy to change; they include
furniture, lighting, and color.
VII. Nonverbal communication can serve many different functions.
A. Nonverbal communication expresses emotions.
1. Emotions are communicated nonverbally through affect displays, intentional or
unintentional nonverbal behaviors that display actual or feigned emotions.
d. A verbal message can be replaced with a nonverbal message.
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e. Nonverbal messages can be used to spotlight verbal messages.
C. Nonverbal communication is a basis for presenting different aspects of self.
2. Effective nonverbal communicators present selves consistent with the situation.
D. Nonverbal communication supports interaction management.
2. Nonverbal communication is used to monitor and regulate the attention and
1. Nonverbal communication serves to create intimacy, a feeling of emotional bonding
between ourselves and others.
2. Nonverbal communication expresses dominance, the interpersonal behaviors we use
to exert power and influence over others, and it displays submissiveness, the
willingness to allow others to exert power over us.
VII. Competently managing your nonverbal communication is important when interacting with
others since nonverbal communication carries so much weight.
A. Remember that your nonverbal communication often speaks louder than words.
B. Be sensitive to the demands of interpersonal situations.
C. Remember that verbal and nonverbal communication flow with one another.
IX. Making Relationship Choices: Dealing with Mixed Messages
A. Managing mixed messages is a common dilemma in relationships. This is particularly
intense when the messages involve relationship intimacy.
B. Consider a situation in which nonverbal communication caused you to reconsider the
evolving dynamic of a close relationship, even though verbal communication indicated
the dynamic was unchanged from before—for instance, the awkward situation of trying
to determine whether a friendship is crossing over into romance, even if the other
person involved in the situation is sending mixed messages (e.g., verbally denying
romantic interest while nonverbally implying the desire for intimacy).
C. Contemplating this situation, reflect on yourself and the other person. Use perspective-
taking and empathic concern to sort out your feelings about the situation, as well as the
other person’s viewpoint.
D. Identify the optimal outcome and roadblocks to clarifying the mixed messages.
E. Chart your course. Consider the ambiguity of nonverbal communication, concepts of
immediacy, types of touch, and intimacy. How can you move past mixed
verbal/nonverbal messages to arrive at clear mutual understanding?
