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Business and Professional Communication, 3rd edition
Kelly M. Quintanilla, Shawn T. Wahl
Chapter 2: Verbal and Nonverbal Communica!on
Lecture Notes
Learning Objec!ves:
2-1 Define verbal communication
2-2 Define nonverbal communication
2-3 Appraise your verbal and nonverbal communication skills
2-4 Discuss examples of how verbal and nonverbal communication are related
Outline:
I. Introduction
A. In the last 10 years, verbal and nonverbal communication increasingly takes place in a
digital environment.
i. Traditional media sources have struggled.
ii. The Internet has caused a shi' from physical to digital media.
B. The digital environment gives publishers access to rich, standardized features.
II. Verbal communication is created through language, encompassing both our words and
verbal fillers.
A. Verbal Communication uses communica!on rules or the shared understanding of what
communication means and what constitutes communication in given contexts.
i. Regula!ve rules describe when, where, and with whom to discuss certain
B. Building relationships in the workplace involves accurate interpretations of both verbal
and nonverbal messages.
III. Nonverbal communication includes all those ways we communicate without words.
A. Nonverbal communication is e,ective as a tool for conveying thoughts, a/tudes,
perceptions, and meaning.
i. Human beings are visually dominant.
ii. Verbal communication is on the tip of the communication iceberg.
B. Nonverbal symbols are everywhere.
i. They account for 65% to 93% of the total meaning of communication.
ii. Nonverbal behavior precedes verbal behavior in the evolution of
communication.
C. Nonverbal communication serves four purposes.
i. It serves the purpose of expressing emotion.
ii. It conveys interpersonal a/tudes.
iii. It presents one's personality, such as character, disposition, or temperament.
iv. It accompanies verbal communication.
a. It can repeat what is being said.
b. It can con)ict what is being said.
c. It can substitute for what is being said.
D. There are three dimensions that indicate how we use nonverbal communication to make
sense of things in professional and business contexts.
i. The dimension of immediacy is the evaluation of things, identifying them as
positive or negative, good or evil.
ii. The dimension of status is the perception of behaviors that indicate aspects of
status.
iii. The dimension of responsiveness is the perception of activity, being active or
passive.
IV. There are codes or categories of nonverbal communication.
A. The code of vocal expression or vocalics refers to how people use their voices to
communicate and express themselves (sometimes called paralanguage).
i. The voice reveals emotions, thoughts, and types of relationships.
ii. Vocal cues include tone and quality of voice, volume, articulation, pitch, rate of
speech, and the use of silence.
B. The code of space, called proxemics, refers to how people create and use space and
distance, as well as how they behave to protect and defend that space.
i. The personal zone of 18 inches to 4 feet is reserved for personal relationships.
ii. The social zone of 4 feet to 12 feet is the distance we usually talk to strangers or
conduct business.
iii. The public zone, which is no more than 12 feet, refers to the distance typical of
large, formal, public events.
C. The code of the environment refers to the constructed or natural surroundings that
influence your communicative decisions, a/tudes, and mood.
i. Percep!ons of our environment and the environments of others is an important
factor in how we respond.
a. We perceive environments using formality or the understanding people
have of how comfortably they can behave.
d. We perceive environments using familiarity, meaning that we tend to
act cautiously when we meet new people or when confronted with a
new environment.
D. The code of physical appearance describes the way our bodies and overall appearance
nonverbally communicates to others and impacts our view of ourselves in everyday life.
i. The connection between physical appearance and nonverbal communication is
important.
a. How we present ourselves reveals a lot about who we are.
b. The physical appearance of others influences our perception of others.
ii. Artifacts, such as jewelry, ta<oos, piercings, makeup, cologne, and eyeglasses,
send nonverbal messages that influence the perceptions others have of us, both
good and bad.
E. The code of body movement or kinesics refers to the study of human movement,
gestures, and posture.
i. There are five categories of kinesics.
a. Emblems provide a specific and widely understood message that can be
substituted for a word or phrase.
b. Illustrators are gestures that complement, enhance, or substitute for
F. The code of facial expressions, including the study of eye behavior, which is called
oculesics, is the study of how emotional displays are portrayed on the face and through
the eyes.
i. There are four common techniques of facial management techniques.
a. Neutraliza!on is the process of using facial expressions to erase how we
really feel.
b. Masking means hiding an expression connected to a felt emotion and
replacing it with an expression more appropriate to the situation.
c. Intensi4ca!on is the use of an expression that exaggerates how we feel
about something.
d. Deintensi4ca!on is the use of facial expressions to portray a reduction
of intensity that is connected to a certain emotion.
G. The code of touch, also called hap!cs, describes the use of touching to communicate
nonverbal messages.
i. Func!onal or professional touch takes place within the context of professional
relationships and is low in intimacy.
iii. Friendship or warmth touch is used to show platonic a,ection toward each
other.
iv. Love or in!macy touch is highly personal and intimate; it communicates strong
feelings of a,ection.
v. Sexual arousal touches are extremely intimate.
V. Forming relationships with verbal and nonverbal communication requires di,erentiation
between content and layers of messages.
A. The content layer consists of information being explicitly discussed.
i. This layer may include descriptive information.
B. The rela!onal layer reveals how you feel about the other person.
i. This layer may be communicated by your choice of words.
ii. This layer can also be communicated nonverbally through tone of voice, use of
space, and eye contact.
C. To achieve professional excellence, you must think beyond the content layer of your
messages and also assess the relational layer.
VI. Verbal and nonverbal communication has a direct impact on professions.
A. They impact customer service and sales.
B. They impact public service.
C. They impact hospitality management.
D. They impact the medical professions.
VII. Use the KEYS strategy to achieve excellence in verbal and nonverbal business
communication.
A. Knowing yourself reminds us to be aware of small, unconscious, nonverbal cues you
create.
B. Evaluang the professional context requires that you assess what nonverbal signals are
considered acceptable in your workplace.
