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Chapter 6
Nonverbal Communication
CHAPTER OUTCOMES
In this chapter, students will learn:
• The characteristics that define nonverbal communication
• How to use the different types of nonverbal communication
CHAPTER OUTLINE
CHARACTERISTICS OF NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION
Although the words you choose are important, your nonverbal communication has more impact because
it conveys more meaning. Thus, your nonverbal communication is the most important tool in your
communication competence toolbox. The starting point for using this tool skillfully is understanding the
characteristics that define it.
• Nonverbal communication is the transmission of meaning through an individual’s nonspoken
physical and behavioral cues.
• Nonverbal communication has several distinguishing features; it
o uses multiple channels.
o conveys more meaning than verbal communication.
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NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION USES MULTIPLE CHANNELS
• Nonverbal communication conveys information through multiple channels, including:
o Auditory (vocal pitches and tones)
NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION CONVEYS MORE MEANING THAN VERBAL COMMUNICATION
• Nonverbal communication conveys more meaning than verbal communication because it uses
multiple channels.
NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION BLENDS WITH VERBAL COMMUNICATION
• Interactions are usually a blend of both verbal and nonverbal communication.
• You can combine these types of communication by doing the following:
1. Replace verbal expressions with nonverbal expressions. For example, shrugging your shoulders
and turning your palms upward instead of saying “I don’t know.”
2. Repeat verbal messages with nonverbal messages. For example, saying “It’s up there” and then
pointing upward.
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4. Enhance the meaning of verbal messages. For example, telling a cousin about your professor who
kept blinking her eyes while lecturing—and blinking your own eyes repeatedly to demonstrate
the teacher’s nervous behavior.
NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IS INFLUENCED BY GENDER
• Stereotypes about gender suggest that men communicate nonverbally in strong, aggressive ways, and
women behave in a more submissive and meek fashion. But these are just beliefs.
• Data from hundreds of studies suggest five consistent differences between the sexes, none of which
align with stereotypes:
1. Women are better than men at communicating nonverbally in ways receivers can correctly
interpret, and they are more accurate than men in interpreting others’ nonverbal expressions.
3. Women gaze at others more than men during interpersonal interactions, especially during same-
sex encounters, and women are more likely than men to find speakers persuasive when the
presenters maintain eye contact with them.
5. Women enjoy closer proximity during same-sex encounters than do men, prefer side-by-side
seating more than men, and perceive crowded situations more favorably.
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NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IS INFLUENCED BY CULTURE
• A person’s culture plays an enormous role in molding nonverbal communication behaviors, such as
• Cultures also vary in the degree to which they emphasize close physical space, shared gaze, and
physical contact during the interaction.
o High-contact cultures prefer frequent touching, shared gaze, close physical proximity, and direct
body orientation (facing one another while talking). Examples include Brazil, Mexico, Italy, and
Spain.
TYPES OF NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION
Your use of body movements, voice, touch, appearance, personal space, appearance, and environmental
features work together to create your nonverbal communication. This influences how others perceive
your messages, who you are, and how you feel. Understanding the different types of nonverbal expression
and how they work will help you make sure these impressions are the right ones.
BODY MOVEMENT
•
Body movement is known by communication scholars as kinesics, from the Greek word kinesis, and
encompasses most of the cues people typically think of as nonverbal communication.
Facial Expressions
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Eye Contact
• Eye contact shows attention, interest, affection, and even aggression. Looking directly at your
Gestures
• Gestures include hand motions used to communicate nonverbally. Four types of gestures include the
following:
• Emblems substitute for verbal statements, such as waving to communicate “Hi!”
• Regulators, such as twirling your hands to “tell” people to keep talking, help control turn-taking
during interpersonal encounters, group discussions, and question-and-answer sessions following
presentations.
Body Postures
• Body posture communicates information to the people with whom you’re interacting; types of body
posture include the following:
o
The straightness of your back (erect or slouched), your body lean (forward, backward, or
vertical), the straightness of your shoulders (firm and broad or slumped), and your head position
(tilted or straight up).
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VOICE
• Vocal characteristics used to communicate nonverbal messages and are known as vocalics. The four
qualities of voice include the following:
Tone
Pitch
• Pitch is the frequency range of your voice, or how “high” or “low” it is. People tend to associate
lower pitches with strength and competence, and higher pitches with weakness.
Loudness
Speech Rate
• Speech rate is how quickly you speak. Research shows that speaking fast or slow in itself doesn’t
TOUCH
• Touch is also referred to as haptics and is affected by duration, part of the body being touched,
strength of contact, and surrounding context.
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o Friendship-warmth touch is used to express a liking for another person—for example, gently
grasping a friend’s arm and giving it a squeeze.
o Love-intimacy touch—cupping a romantic partner’s face tenderly in your hands, or giving him or
her a big, lingering hug—lets you convey deep emotional feelings.
• People differ widely in their personal preferences for giving and receiving touch, with some liking
less contact than others. Keep individual preferences in mind when you interact with others, and adapt
PERSONAL SPACE
• Proxemics refers to how close or far away you position yourself from others while communicating; it
often illustrates the nature of the encounter and how you feel about the people with whom you’re
interacting.
• Four different zones for physical distances are used in specific kinds of settings:
o Intimate space ranges from 0 to 18 inches. Most people use this only with people to whom they
feel extremely close.
o
Public space ranges upward from 12 feet, including great distances, and is used during formal
occasions such as public speeches or college lectures.
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o
People from cultures emphasizing closer distance may keep edging closer to their conversation
partner and may judge the other person as “aloof” and “standoffish” if he or she keeps backing
away.
APPEARANCE
• Physical appearance refers to visible attributes such as hair, clothing, body type, and other features.
People use your physical appearance to make judgments about you.
o People viewed as “attractive” may also be viewed as intelligent, persuasive, poised, sociable,
warm, powerful, and successful.
ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES
• Two types of environmental features shape nonverbal communication:
o
Fixed features are relatively stable parts of the environment, such as walls, ceilings, floors, and
doors, that send powerful nonverbal messages to others and nonverbally communicate stature to
others—for example, driving big cars or building huge houses.
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• Bright lighting is associated with action-filled environments, while soft lighting goes with
calm, intimate environments.
depressing.
FUNCTIONS OF NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION
Although nonverbal communication seems like something that just happens, it isn’t random or a pointless
companion to verbal messages. Instead, it is purposeful and serves many functions. By understanding
these functions, you can better match your nonverbal communication to the demands of different
situations and relationships.
CONVEYING MEANING
• Nonverbal communication conveys meaning both directly and indirectly.
o
Although you regularly use nonverbal communication to convey meanings, be careful about
presuming particular meanings from the nonverbal displays of others.
EXPRESSING EMOTIONS
• Affect displays are intentional or unintentional nonverbal behaviors that depict actual or feigned
emotion.
o Presented primarily through the face and voice.
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o
Most people express emotions such as grief and love through lowered vocal pitch, and they
express hostile emotions such as anger and contempt through loudness.
PRESENTING SELF
• People use nonverbal communication to present different aspects of self to others.
o People wear religious artifacts or clothing to communicate information.
MANAGING INTERACTIONS
• People use nonverbal communication to manage interactions.
o
For example, people use regulators like eye contact, touching, smiling, nodding, and posture
shifts to signal whose turn it is to speak.
DEFINING RELATIONSHIPS
• Nonverbal communication helps define interpersonal dynamics in relationships.
o
Nonverbal communication helps convey and confirm intimacy, the feeling of bonding or union
between yourself and others, during interpersonal encounters. For example, you likely share more
o
A power balance occurs in all encounters and refers to how communication partners negotiate the
balance of power.
•
Dominance involves behaviors used to exert power and influence over others.
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STRENGTHENING
YOUR
NONVERBAL
COMMUNICATION
SKILLS
Using nonverbal communication competently is as much about learning to better express your intentions
as it is about suppressing inappropriate responses. Knowing when to employ nonverbal behaviors, when
to control them, and how to better interpret others’ use of them will lead you to more competent
communication.
• Nonverbal communication often seems automatic—something that just naturally occurs while
interacting with others. But nonverbal communication is just as controllable as verbal communication
if you invest the time and energy into learning how to do so.
ENHANCING YOUR NONVERBAL EXPRESSIVENESS
• Nonverbally expressive people accurately convey feelings and attitudes through nonverbal
communication, while people who have trouble expressing themselves nonverbally are difficult to
“read.”
INHIBITING YOUR NONVERBAL BEHAVIORS
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• The key to learning nonverbal inhibition is to practice critical self-reflection. Identify situations that
evoke strong emotional reactions in you. Then reflect on how your thoughts and feelings affect your
nonverbal communication in these situations.
CHECKING YOUR NONVERBAL ATTRIBUTIONS
• Checking your nonverbal attributions means correctly interpreting the meaning and intent behind
others’ nonverbal communication.
• Carefully consider the context as well as factors that may be influencing the other person’s behaviors.
Remember that people’s behavior rarely, if ever, stems from just one simple cause. Rather than trying
to attribute specific meanings to isolated behaviors, consider the cultures and genders of the people
CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. This chapter in your book discusses how women are better than men at interpreting nonverbal
cues. Does this statement match your personal experience? If so, why do you think this is the
case? What have women historically been responsible for that may have helped develop these
nonverbal communication skills?
• This question is sure to open an interesting class discussion. Remind students that women have
historically been responsible for infant care duties and that the only way a baby can communicate
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2. Do you consider yourself as being from a high-contact culture or low-contact culture? Give an
example of an experience where you interacted with someone from the “opposite” culture,
either low- or high-contact culture. How did you feel during this interaction? Based on your
reading, how could you help make these types of interactions more comfortable in the future for
all involved?
• Discuss with students the importance of learning more about the nonverbal communication
patterns utilized in different cultures. Also, mention that it is not always simple to determine if
3. Think about the last time you were in an elevator with other people whom you did not know.
Discuss what nonverbal communication is commonly seen in individuals placed together in an
elevator. Why do you think we exhibit such distinct nonverbal behavior on an elevator?
• To facilitate this discussion, guide students through a mental ride on an elevator, reminding them
of how humans often do the following things: look up at the numbers, spread out when someone
4. Draw a small diagram of the furniture in your own living room or in a living room that you
visit often, such as your parents’. Are the fixed features in this room arranged to enhance
communication? Why or why not? What does the room communicate nonverbally?
• Discuss with students how we influence communication simply by how we place our furniture.
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5. Do you think we can communicate with eye contact even when someone isn’t looking? Why or
why not? Give an example.
• You can lead this discussion by asking if a teacher or parent has ever done this to them. Eye
contact is very powerful, and students will enjoy discussing this phenomenon as well as other
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1.
Up Down—Up Down
Goal: To demonstrate the importance of effectively reading another person’s nonverbal signals.
Time: 25 minutes or less
1. Arrange chairs in a circle or square.
3. Instruct students that they are to remain silent throughout the exercise.
Explain to students that five students must stand up for 15 seconds while the others remain
4. Once they have accomplished the goal, have the students discuss what types of nonverbal
communication worked best and what aspects were the most challenging.
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2. Can You Follow My Eyes?
Goal: To allow students to observe eye directions during questioning.
Time: 30 minutes
1. Pair students up.
2. One student will be designated as interviewer and the other interviewee.
4. Give the interviewer a copy of the Activity #2 Handout Interviewer Instructions and questions
below.
ACTIVITY #2 HANDOUT
Interviewer Instructions
1. Do not tell your partner your instructions or allow him or her to see this form.
2. Place a chair directly in front of your partner.
3. As you ask the following questions, you are to record the direction of your partner’s eyes as he or
she answers your questions. Determine if they are looking primarily to the right, left, or middle as
Questions: Eye Direction:
4. What is your name? __________________
5. What is your home town? __________________
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9. Give me a brief plot description of the last movie you watched. __________________
10. What year did you turn 15 in? __________________
3. Silent Movies
Goal: Team-building exercise that explores how much we understand through nonverbal
communication.
Time: 60 minutes (over two class periods)
1. Divide the class into teams of four or five.
2. Explain to the class that they need to select a scene from a popular movie. Their goal is to act out
the same scene without using any words and to have the class guess which movie they have
chosen. One team member can be the director and the remaining team members need to
participate in the skit. An alternative to in-class skits is to allow students to video the assignment
4. The Nonverbal-Verbal Blend
Goal: To demonstrate the five ways we use nonverbal communication to aid our verbal
communication.
Time: 45 minutes
1. Divide the class into five groups.
2. Remind the class of the five ways we blend nonverbal and verbal communication: to replace,
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4. Each group is to develop a phrase for each group member to demonstrate their assigned type of
nonverbal communication. Allow time for the groups to come up with their phrases and to
rehearse their associated nonverbal communication within the group.
5. Have each group perform their phrases.
5.
Nonverbal Power Balance Presentation
Goal: To help students understand how we communicate power nonverbally.
Time: 30 minutes
1. Divide the class into two groups.
2. Assign one group the subject of nonverbal dominance and the other nonverbal submissiveness.
MEDIA RESOURCES
1. The Importance of Nonverbal Cues as Told by “Friends”
This five-minute humorous clip looks at the different aspects of nonverbal communication with
examples from the sitcom Friends. It highlights how we use nonverbal means to communicate
2.
Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are
This 22-minute TED Talk by social psychologist Amy Cuddy is an interesting short talk about how we
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3. Understanding Body Language on Living Smart
A 26-minute interview with Jan Hargrave, author of Let Me See Your Body Talk. Hargrave discusses
nonverbal communication and how we can improve our communication style by improving our
4.
Count the Bad, Over-the-Top, Nonverbal Communication Blunders
This one-minute video highlights many of the common nonverbal mistakes we make while making
presentations. This video can be used to open a discussion about how the students can use their
5. Secrets of Body Language
This documentary discusses the various forms of nonverbal communication including body posture,
gestures, facial expressions, and eye movements. It includes narrative commentary over a series of